There is one issue about which I will like to get your opinion. The case is about becoming married on skype. The situation is that the boy sat in his room along with two witnesses
and the girl sat in her house. Then, through the media of skype, they did ijaab and qubool and the two witnesses witnessed these. Is this a valid nikaah or not?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In the enquired case the nikāh is invalid. Presence in one geographical location (ittihād al-majlis)is a requirement for the validity of the offer (ijāb) andacceptance (qabūl). Consider the following texts:
وَمِنْ شَرَائِطِ الْإِيجَابِ وَالْقَبُولِ: اتِّحَادُ الْمَجْلِسِ (رد المحتار ج 3 ص 14 أيج أيم سعيد)
فَأَمَّا إذَا كَانَ أَحَدُهُمَا غَائِبًا؛ لَمْ يَنْعَقِدْ حَتَّى لَوْ قَالَتْ امْرَأَةٌ بِحَضْرَةِ شَاهِدَيْنِ: زَوَّجْت نَفْسِي مِنْ فُلَانٍ وَهُوَ غَائِبٌ فَبَلَغَهُ الْخَبَرُ فَقَالَ: قَبِلْت أَوْ قَالَ رَجُلٌ بِحَضْرَةِ شَاهِدَيْنِ: تَزَوَّجْت فُلَانَةَ وَهِيَ غَائِبَةٌ فَبَلَغَهَا الْخَبَرُ فَقَالَتْ: زَوَّجْت نَفْسِي مِنْهُ لَمْ يَجُزْ، وَإِنْ كَانَ الْقَبُولُ بِحَضْرَةِ ذَيْنك الشَّاهِدَيْنِ.(بدائع الصنائع 2 ص 232 دار الكتب العلمية)
Arranging a nikah by proxy via a telephone/skype:
If two parties wish to conduct a nikāh where the boy and girl are in two different geographical locations, they may use Skype to see the ceremony. However, one of the two will have to appoint an agent (wakīl) to represent them in the gathering where the nikāh takes place. This is known as nikāh by proxy.
An example of arranging a nikāh by proxy is that you one delegates a person as his representative to get him married to the woman in another country. He should have two people witnessing the act of delegating the representative. In the presence of two adult Muslim male witnesses or one adult Muslim male and two adult Muslim females, the representative will then propose to the woman or her representative. She or her representative will accept the proposal.[i]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mawlana Faraz ibn Adam,
Student Darul Iftaa
Leicester, United Kingdom
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net