Are Women Allowed To Participate in a Marriage Ceremony (Nikah)?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
I have a question about the Nikah ceremony. From my limited knowledge, I understand these to be traditionally performed in the mosque with males present. Would any divergence from this structure be deemed impermissible? The woman I intend to marry (Insha Allah) desires to be present at the ceremony. She also wishes her family (both genders) to be present.
Would such an arrangement be permissible – especially if the ceremony was conducted outside a mosque and the attendees dressed appropriately? Also, are additional decoration props (such as a flower wall that partially separates the bride and groom) allowed to be at a wedding?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health.
Yes, this would be allowed as you have mentioned; you will have appropriate decorum and separator between the two genders. Please read the “Reader on Gender Interaction” that is linked below.
However, it is recommended (mustahab) to perform the marriage ceremony (nikah) in the masjid. ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) said: “Publicize/Announce the nikah and hold it in the Masjid and strike the drum for it.” [Tirmidhi; Ibn Majah; Ibn Hibban; Mustadrak al-Hakim with slight variation in the wording in some]
Related:
A Reader On Gender Interaction
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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.
