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:

Assalam o Alaikum,

I have been reading yor answers and suggestions and they seem to be quite useful.

I had a question:

I am married for 3 yrs now, but for some reasons we have not been able to give a Walima.

Can my husband do so now?

Also can he give walima to an orphange or some noble instituition instead of inviting family and friends?

Your answer will be highly appreciated!

Thanks,

Allah Hafiz

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Give walima after marriage

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 none 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."

First and foremost, the ‘walima’ or marriage banquet is not an obligatory rite in Islam, but rather an extremely preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws). If one gives a ‘walima’ after their ‘nikaah’, they would be in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) and thus receive a huge reward from their Lord; and if for any reason, one did not offer a ‘walima’, there is no obligation or sin upon them.

The Way or Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) was that after the Nikaah, he (saws) urged the believers to celebrate the joyous occasion of marriage with a marriage feast or ‘Walima’. The main wisdom behind holding the wedding feast or ‘walima’ is to announce one’s marriage to the family, friends and society one lives in.

There is so specific time limit ordained in the Sunnah for one to offer one’s ‘walima’ after one’s marriage; but wisdom dictates that one should offer this Sunnah and hold one’s wedding banquet as soon as possible or is easy for him to do so.

Your Qeustion: ….I am married for 3 yrs now, but for some reasons we have not been able to give a Walima.

Can my husband do so now?

If you have been married for three years and for some reason were unable to or have not yet offered the ‘walima’, there is absolutely no harm if one wishes to do so now.

Your Question: ….Also can he give walima to an orphange or some noble instituition instead of inviting family and friends?

Respected sister, the ‘walima’ feast is not a ‘sadaqa’ or charity, but rather the celebration of the joyous occasion of marriage whereby one announces one’s marriage to one’s family, friends, and the general society one lives in.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.106 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “The worst food is that of a ‘walima’ (wedding banquet) to which only the rich are invited while the poor are not invited. And he who refuses an invitation (to a walima) disobeys Allah and His Messenger (saws).”

In light of the above quoted guidance sister, it would be best to invite the poor as well as the rich amongst your family, friends and acquaintances to the ‘walima’ feast.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan