Can a Marriage Ceremony (Nikah) be Conducted Over the Internet?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

I live in the UK, and my wife-to-be lives in Morocco. I am getting my nikah ceremony conducted by a Hanafi scholar in the UK. She will be in Morocco. We are both previously divorced. Can a family member get permission from her and represent her in the nikah? Her parents have passed away, but she has brothers. Should we ask the brothers for permission on her behalf with her blessing, or should we ask them to join the nikah via video call and grant permission live, or can the nikah be conducted according to Hanafi madhab with her permission and somebody representing her locally?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.

There are two ways the marriage ceremony can be conducted after agreeing a marriage payment (dowry) in both cases:

• Either you can appoint a representative (wakeel) in Morocco, and he will make an offer to the bride in front of two witnesses, in this case, the brothers; or
• If two witnesses are on either side, the groom may say, “I marry you,” and she accepts. [Quduri, Mukhtasar al-Quduri]

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.

Related: Is It Permissible to Conduct a Marriage via Video Conference?

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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.