What are the Sunnats of a Nikah/Wedding?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

As-salaamu `alaykum wa-ramatullahi wa-barakatuh.

Rasulullah ﷺ said;

النِّكَاحُ مِنْ سُنَّتِي

سنن ابن ماجه (1/ 592)

Translation: “Nikaah is my Sunnat”. (Sunan Ibni Majah. Vol 1,Pg 592)

1. The purpose of Nikaah is to preserve ones chastity and to get closer to Allah.[1]
2. The Nikaah should be performed in a Masjid. Rasulullah ﷺ said;

أَعْلِنُوا هَذَا النِّكَاحَ، وَاجْعَلُوهُ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ

سنن الترمذي ت بشار (2/ 390)

Translation: “Announce this Nikaah and perform it in the masaajid” (Sunan Tirmidhi, Vol 2, Pg 390)

1. It is Sunnah to have a walima after consummating the Nikaah.[2]

Rasulullah ﷺ said;

أولم ولو بشاة

صحيح البخاري (7/ 21)

Translation: “Have a walima, even if it may with a sheep”. (According to ones means)

(Saheeh Bukhari. Vol 7, Pg 21)

1. The spouses should fulfil each other’s rights.

Rasulullah ﷺ mentioned;

لَوْ كُنْتُ آمِرًا أَحَدًا أَنْ يَسْجُدَ لِأَحَدٍ لَأَمَرْتُ النِّسَاءَ أَنْ يَسْجُدْنَ لِأَزْوَاجِهِنَّ لِمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنَ الْحَقِّ

سنن أبي داود (2/ 244)

Translation: “If I was to command anyone to prostrate before anyone, I would have commanded the wives to prostrate before their husbands due to the rights of the husband that Allah has placed over them”.

(Sunan Abi Dawood. Vol 2, Pg 244)

Another Hadith mentions;

إِذَا دَعَا الرَّجُلُ امْرَأَتَهُ إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَأَبَتْ، فَلَمْ تَأْتِهِ فَبَاتَ غَضْبَانَ عَلَيْهَا، لَعَنَتْهَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ حَتَّى تُصْبِحَ

سنن أبي داود (2/ 244)

Translation: “When a husband calls his wife to have conjugal relations with her and she refuses, the angles curse her till the break of dawn”.

(Sunan Abi Dawood. Vol 2. Pg 244)

Rasulullah ﷺ advised us regarding women;

فاستوصوا بالنساء خيرا

صحيح البخاري (7/ 26)

Translation: “Act kindly towards women”

(Saheeh Bukhari. Vol 7. Pg 26)

خِيَارُكُمْ خِيَارُكُمْ لِنِسَائِهِمْ

سنن ابن ماجه ت الأرنؤوط (3/ 148)

“The best amongst you are the ones who are best (in conduct) with their wives” (Sunan Ibni Majah. Vol 3. Pg 148)

And Allah Ta`ala Knows Best.

Hussein Muhammad.

Student Darul Iftaa

Arusha, Tanzania

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.