Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asak,

I would like to know if valima can be immediately followed after Nikah. eg: If Nikah is performed at zuhar, Can the Valima & valima lunch be had thereafter. I would much appreciate if some authentic ahadis/reference if existing is quoted.

Allahafiz

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Answer:

Can walima be immediately after nikah?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.395 Narrated by Anas

The Prophet (saws) seeing a yellow mark (of perfume) on the clothes of 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf, said, "What about you?" 'Abdur-Rahman replied, "I have married a woman with a Mahr of gold equal to a date-stone." The Prophet (saws) said, "May Allah bestow His Blessing on you (in your marriage). Give a wedding banquet, (Walima) even with one sheep."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.367 (part) Narrated by Abdul Aziz

The Prophet manumitted her (Hadrat Safiyah bint Huai (r.a.) and married her." Thabit asked Anas, "O Abu Hamza! What did the Prophet (saws) pay her (as Mahr)?" He said, "Her self was her Mahr for he (saws) manumitted her and then married her." Anas added, "While on the way, Um Sulaim dressed her for marriage (ceremony) and at night she sent her as a bride to the Prophet (saws). So the Prophet was a bridegroom and he said, 'Whoever has anything (food) should bring it.' He spread out a leather sheet (for the food) and some brought dates and others cooking butter. So they prepared a dish of Hais (a kind of meal). And that was Walima (the marriage banquet) of the Messenger of Allah (saws) ."

There is absolutely no injunction or restriction in Shariah which stipulates the time between the Nikaah of the couple and the Sunnah of offering a feast or ‘walimah’. One may fulfill the Sunnah of Walimah immediately after one’s Nikaah if one wishes to do so, or one may offer the Walimah soon after.

Some people say or believe that the ‘Walimah’ can only be offered after the consummation of the marriage; but that is a saying from themselves and has absolutely no bearing from the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah. Since there is no specific injunction or restriction from the Quran and Sunnah, the scholars in Islam are absolutely unanimous in their opinion that one may offer the Walimah feast whenever one wills after the Nikaah, even if it is offered the next minute!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan