Fatwa #176162 March 2009South Africa
After Sunday, i am now officially engaged. Both his and my parents are happy with this. Although we do not have a date yet, i would like to know on which days it would be best to have the wedding reception,
Question
After Sunday, i am now officially engaged. Both his and my parents are happy with this. Although we do not have a date yet, i would like to know on which days it would be best to have the wedding reception, my mother says that muslim people have wedding receptions on either Thursdays or Fridays, and Christian people have it on weekends. i have read that a wedding reception can last for longer periods, so how can it, according to my mother, be restricted to just an "either or" matter? She also says that choosing the date is my decision, yet she orders me to have it on either a Thursday or Friday. Is it wrong of me to want a wedding reception on a Sunday?
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
The concept and practice of engagement is foreign to Islam.
Nikkah can be performed at any day and time of the week. It is however Mustahab to perform the Nikkah on a Friday.
يستحب أن يكون النكاح ظاهرا وأن يكون قبله خطبة وأن يكون عقده في يوم الجمعة وأن يتولى عقده ولي رشيد وأن يكون بشهود عدول منها
)البحر الرائق، 3/81، رشيديه)
ويندب إعلانه وتقديم خطبة وكونه في مسجد يوم جمعة بعاقد رشيد وشهود عدول
(رد المحتار، 3/8، سعيد)
And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Wassalamu Alaykum
Ml. Sajid Ali
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa