#698: Ruling on the Timing of the Walīmah of Nikāh

QUESTION:

“Please it’s urgent; what can you say about having walimah for nikkah before consummating the marriage as it’s done today?”

ANSWER:

Alhamdulillāh!

Know may Allāh illumine your heart, that the Walīmah of Nikāh is not Wājib in accordance with the Majority of the Fuqahā as was maintained by Imām Ibn ‘AbdilBarr Al-Mālikī – rahimahullāh – in At-Tamhīd. Only the Dhāhiriyyah School and a very few others saw otherwise.

Then, know that the Ulamā differed on the timing of it.

Al-Hāfidh Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalānī – rahimahullāh – said in Fat’h

“And the Predecessors have differed regarding it’s timing. Is it to be done at the time of it’s ‘Aqd or after it, at the time of the Dukhlah (Seclusion with the bride) or after it (after consummation), or it is left to the discretion from the beginning of the ‘Aqd to after the time of consummation. The positions vary.”

Imām Al-Bukhārī – rahimahullāh – said in the Sahīh:

“The Rasūl -salallāhu alayhi wasallam – never particularly gave a day or two days interval for the Walimah to take place.”

Commenting on this, Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalānī said:

“What is meant is that he didn’t particularly mention a time or date for the observation of the Walīmah by way of Obligation or Voluntary. And this is taken from the unrestricted statements.”

Al-Mardāwī – rahimahullāh – said in Al-Insāf :

“What is best is to say: the time that is preferred is open and not restricted, ranging from the time of the ‘Aqd to the end of the days of the wedding (after the consummation)…”

But some of the Ulamā preferred that it be after the consummation. Among them is Shaykhu Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Māwardī and As-Subkī. Their evidence for this is that the Rasūl – Salallāhu ‘Alayhi Wasallam – as was mentioned in the Hadīth of Anas bn Mālik – radiyallāhu ‘anhu – married Zaynab bint Jahsh – radiyallāhu ‘anhā – and in the morning after the Dukhlah, organized the Walīmah.

The Mālikī Imāms preferred that it should be just before the consummation. That is when the bride is moving into the home of the groom.

While some of the Ulamā preferred that it should be done in accordance with the customs of the people.

Ibn Tūlūn – rahimahullāh – said:

“What is closest is to say: the matter should be decided by what is mostly customary in the tradition of the People.”

That said, while it is true that it is best to follow what was recorded from the Rasūl – Salallāhu Alayhi Wasallam -, since its observance is not deemed obligatory, it’s timing is not deemed obligatory either.

And Allāh knows best

Bārakallāhu Fīkum.
Jazākumullāhu Khayran.

📚IslamNode