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Can a Guardian Also Serve as a Witness?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Mathabah.org

Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt

Question:

Is it permissible for the walī (guardian) of the bride to also be a witness of

1) her wakālah (representation)?

2) the actual nikā (marriage)?

Also, can the wakīl (representative) and the witness be the same person, or does it have to be separate?

Answer:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathābah.

The walī (guardian) of the bride can be a witness to her wakālah (representation)as long as they are not a parent, grandparent, child or grandchild to her. The same rule applies when serving as a witness to her nikā (marriage).

Yes, the wakīl (representative) can simultaneously be one of the witnesses during her nikā(marriage)with the same condition that the witness is not a parent, grandparent, child or grandchild to her. – (See: Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindīyyah, Vol 3, Page 469, Dār Al-Fikr)[1]

Only Allāh knows best.


[1]لَا تَجُوزُ شَهَادَةُ الْوَالِدَيْنِ لِوَلَدِهِمَا وَوَلَدِ وَلَدِهِمَا وَإِنْ سَفَلُوا وَلَا شَهَادَةُ الْوَلَدِ لِوَالِدَيْهِ وَأَجْدَادِهِ وَجَدَّاتِهِ مِنْ قِبَلِهِمَا وَإِنْ عَلَوْا وَلَا شَهَادَةُ الزَّوْجِ لِامْرَأَتِهِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مَمْلُوكَةً أَيْضًا وَلَا شَهَادَةُ الْمَرْأَةِ لِزَوْجِهَا وَإِنْ كَانَ مَمْلُوكًا أَيْضًا كَذَا فِي الْحَاوِي – كتاب الفتاوى الهندية ج٣/ ص٤٦٩ دار الفكر

This answer was collected from Mathabah.org. It’s an Islamic educational institute based in Canada. The questions are generally answered by Sheikh Yusuf Badat and Sheikh Omar Subedar.