Nikah is a beautiful Muslim wedding ceremony. How should Nikah be concluded according to the Sunnah? When you do nikah there must be witnesses

You will need

  • Witnesses: two men or one man and two women. Skullcaps for all men present (if they suddenly don’t have their own skullcaps), scarves for women. Change money - “for sadaqa”.

Instructions

Nikah is a marriage ceremony that can be compared with the customary wedding ceremony. Traditionally, nikah is carried out by relatives in the bride’s house, by her relatives. Although there is now a tendency to hold nikah in the mosque, in most cases the mullah or imam is invited home.

When you choose the date of the ceremony, keep in mind that nikah is not read during Muslim fasting - “uraz”.

Keep in mind that while reading the Nikah prayer, the bride and groom will also need to say a special prayer. And if you don’t know the words of the prayer, you need to ask the mullah for them on the day when you agree with him on the date of the nikah. Learn them in advance.

To participate in the nikah ceremony, invite witnesses (also Muslims); two men or one man and two women. Of the guests, in general, let only the closest relatives be present.

During the ceremony, everyone must be dressed appropriately. Men cover their heads with a skullcap. Women in scarves and dresses covering their legs to the calves and arms to the wrists. Ideally should be wearing a hijab.

Alcoholic drinks are not allowed on the festive table. There is a certain set of traditional dishes that must be placed on the table when performing nikah. This is a homemade noodle soup served as a first course. For the second course - boiled meat with potatoes and a dressing of fried onions and carrots. And also belish - a pie filled with meat and potatoes. Tatar cuisine is famous for its dough dishes, and therefore, a variety of pastries must be present on the festive table on the occasion of nikah. This is Gubadiya - a pie with rice, raisins, dried apricots and evaporated sweet cottage cheese. Also put on the table the attributes of a festive wedding table - chak-chak, triangles (pies with potatoes and meat) and honey.

On the groom's side there should be a gift in the form of two baked stuffed geese, one of which is butchered by the groom's father during the meal, and the second is taken away by the groom's relatives, according to custom. A pair of geese represents a newly formed married couple.

At the table, all guests must be seated in a special order, with the mullah at the head of the table. A prayer of welcome is read. Before reading the main prayer, the mullah asks the bride and groom, witnesses and relatives about the presence or absence of circumstances that could prevent the marriage. Then, according to tradition, he explains to the bride and groom what nikah is and what obligations he imposes on those who are married by this ritual. The main prayer follows. During the prayer, the mullah asks the bride and groom for their mutual consent, which they must confirm by repeating the prayer three times.

Then the mullah asks the groom for the so-called “mahr”, simply saying a gift to the bride. Traditionally, some kind of gold jewelry serves as terry, so prepare for this by purchasing it ahead of time.

Before the end of the prayer, all those present must stand up and offer sadaqah to each other. This is what is called a donation in honor of the Almighty in the Islamic tradition. Usually this is money from 10 to 100 rubles. Hand over the money folded in four, covering it with your palm.

After completing the prayer, the mullah gives parting words to the newlyweds and tells how they should behave in marriage. This is followed by congratulations and wishes from the guests.

When the ceremony comes to an end, you can move on to the festive meal.

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In this article we will talk about such a ritual (tradition) as nikah, which among the Tatars and Bashkirs, in general, among Muslims, essentially plays the same role as the wedding among Russians. The Islamic wedding ceremony is called nikah - ritual union of lovers through marital ties. It is typical not only for Tatar weddings; it is celebrated by residents of Dagestan, Kazakhstan, India and Arab countries that profess Islam.

Muslim wedding traditions

Nikah tradition provides four conditions, having fulfilled which, lovers can be united in sacred marriage. Firstly, any male relative on the bride's side must be present at the ceremony. The second condition is the presence of witnesses - Muslim men, one each from the bride and groom.

Third condition: nikah ceremony can be carried out only after the groom pays the ransom due for the bride - bride price. Modern bride price, as a rule, is purely symbolic, and is rather paid as a tribute to traditions. And finally, the most important condition is the desire of the newlyweds to get married and live a family life. Official notification of marriage is not required; after marriage, the newlyweds receive a certificate, and in many countries it is an official marriage document.

Nikah, traditions which originates from antiquity, has today undergone many changes. Some of its customs were borrowed from other countries. This, for example, is the well-known custom of bride kidnapping. In former times, a young man abducted a girl from home only when there was no hope of her or her parents' voluntary consent to marriage. After the abduction, the girl was considered dishonored, and only a wedding could wash away the shame from her and her family. So the parents had no choice but to give their blessing for the marriage. However, they could require the groom to pay a dowry twice the traditional amount.

According to the Koran, in order to enter into a sacred marriage union and obtain the girl’s voluntary consent to the wedding, a young man in love with her had to first explain his feelings for the girl, being with her in a public place, and only then inform her family of his intentions to enter into a legal marriage .

Matchmaking as part of tradition

Nikah among the Tatars usually preceded by matchmaking, during which the groom's relatives propose to the bride's relatives and together negotiate the terms of the future marriage. Before the Nikah, the groom is not allowed to be alone with the bride. Nikah is often held at the end of autumn, after the end of agricultural work. The bride and groom cook for each other rich gifts on nicknames. On the bride’s side these are, as a rule, handicrafts, on the groom’s side – various decorations and other symbols of his wealth. Gifts for Nikah among the Bashkirs consisted of horses and cattle. The groom handed over one of the horses to the bride's father, and the rest of the herd could be disposed of by the bride herself. Most, as a rule, were slaughtered for wedding treats. When the groom paid the bride price, the bride's father gave a rich dowry, which could be even larger than the size of the bride price.

There is an interesting custom that is carried out on Nikah among Muslims. The marriage document records the act of transferring the groom's wedding gift to the bride. Usually this is an expensive gold jewelry that the bride wears on herself and can sell in case of financial difficulties, providing for herself.

Compliance with Nikah traditions still plays a huge role in concluding a marital union. Violation of any custom can even become a reason for divorce. The ceremony can be held either at home or in a mosque. The mullah reads a certain sura of the Koran to the young people, giving them instructions for their future life together. Then the holiday begins in the groom's house - thuy, which could last two or three days.

On ours, you will find information about that, and also with us you can find much more.

In Islam, there is a rite of Nikah Ukish, similar to the Christian wedding rite. It can be held either in a mosque or at the bride’s home. All Muslims who want to get married must perform this ceremony. The usual registration of marriage in the registry office does not at all replace Nikah ukish, but is necessary, since the ceremony does not have legal force.

To carry out the ceremony, you need the blessing of the parents, the consent of the newlyweds and two witnesses. Traditionally, Nikah is held on Friday, a holy day for Muslims. But you need to decide on the number in advance so that it does not fall during Lent. And also check the time, because in mosques there is prayer at certain intervals.

The wedding decoration of the newlyweds should be within the framework of Muslim rules and traditions. This also applies to all guests present. The European style of wedding dresses is not used by Muslims. And white is not considered a traditional color. The bride's dress is made from expensive fabrics of bright colors, they are decorated with ornaments, all this has a sacred meaning.

There are certain requirements for performing the Nikah ritual:

  • The future husband and wife should not be closely related.
  • There should be no time limit on marriage.
  • The presence of witnesses at the Nikah ceremony, pious, believing and just Muslims. Usually this is two men, but it is also possible that it will be one man and two women.
  • The marriage union must be announced publicly.
  • The parents of the newlyweds must be present at the ceremony and give their consent to Nikah. The bride's guardian must also be present. They could be a brother, an uncle, or a father.

The imam or mullah tells the newlyweds about the essence of Nikah, as well as the principles of family life. The Muslim family is built on the principles of mutual respect. The husband has an obligation to protect and support his wife and his family. And the wife, as a weak creature in need of protection, must obey her husband; she keeps the home and raises children. Muslims are allowed to have four wives, provided that they are given equal care and attention. But the Koran encourages men to marry one single wife, arguing that polygamists cannot achieve justice. A Muslim is also allowed to marry a girl of a different religion. But Muslim women are prohibited from doing this under threat of excommunication.

After explanations about life in marriage, the imam (mullah) reads a sermon in Arabic Khutbah Nikah. Then the girl answers: did she agree to be a wife. The groom also confirms his consent. The question is asked in the past tense because by the time of Nikah the newlyweds had already decided to be together. There is a tradition of common prayer for the love of young people, for honoring parents, for humility before Allah. Afterwards, the imam presents the newlyweds with the Koran - a gift from the Muslim community. The newlyweds exchange silver rings. This is followed by congratulations. And again a prayer, this time for the deceased relatives, who, according to legend, rejoice on this day at the appearance of a new family.

Newlyweds are issued a certificate that is valid in many countries around the world. The names of the bride and groom, witnesses, and a wedding gift from the groom to the bride are entered there. Mahr and its description. The bride’s material desire and the date by which the groom must fulfill it are also entered. Usually this is an apartment, a car or decoration. In front of everyone, the groom makes a vow to fulfill this desire within 5 to 10 years.

The Koran says: “Love and mercy are commanded among you.” Love is the basic law of married life, and mercy is the ability to endure, forgive and accept each other.

In Islam, a man and a woman wishing to marry are required to perform a nikah ceremony.

What is nikah

According to Islamic norms, nikah is a very important and significant event. Nikah is a union concluded between a man and a woman. From the Arabic word nikah or nikah is translated as marriage.

Nikah has a very long history; since ancient times, a man who expressed a desire to marry the girl he liked had to go out to the main square (street) of a city or village and loudly inform everyone that he was taking her as his wife.

It is important to remember that nikah does not have legal force, just like similar rituals in other religions, for example, weddings in Christianity. Therefore, after performing nikah, young people must register their relationship and thus have an official wedding - come to the registry office, sign the marriage certificate, put wedding rings on each other’s fingers and leave the hall to the traditional Mendelssohn waltz.

Nikah consists of several stages: conspiracy, matchmaking (hitba), transfer of the bride to the groom's house (zifaf), wedding celebration (urs, valima), actual entry into marriage (nikah).

To perform a nikah, lovers must fulfill several mandatory conditions and approach this event with all responsibility.

Conditions for nikah

Nikah according to Sharia is a marriage between a woman and a man, based primarily on the principles of openness. Islam does not approve of a couple's intention to live together without telling anyone about it, this is considered a great vice. It is important that society recognizes the new family.

Nikah can take place only after several conditions are met:

1. The spouse must be an adult Muslim.

2. The bride and groom must agree to the marriage.

All madhhabs, except the Hanafi one, insist that the condition for the validity of a marriage is the voluntary consent of both parties. If the bride is a virgin, the consent of her guardian is also required.

Owners, guardians and intermediaries decide for the disabled and incompetent.

A widow or divorced woman gives consent to the nikah herself through a proxy.

3. Marriage between relatives is strictly prohibited.

The spouse should not fall under the category of mahram (close relative). These include: mother (including foster mother), grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, sibling and foster sister, sister's daughter or sibling's daughter, mother's sister or father's sister, mother-in-law, wife's grandmother, stepdaughter, stepmother and daughter-in-law.

Consanguinity of no closer than third degree in collateral lines is allowed.

4. On the girl’s side, at least one male relative must be present at the ceremony.

Witnesses at a wedding can be either two men, or a man and two women (in Islam, the voices of only two women are equal to one man). Women cannot be all witnesses, otherwise such a marriage will be considered invalid.

According to the Shafi'i, Hanafi and Hanbali madhhabs, the presence of at least two male witnesses at the wedding is a prerequisite for the legality of the marriage.

Hanafis believe that the presence of two men or one man and two women is sufficient. However, if all the witnesses are women, such a marriage is regarded by the Hanafis as invalid. It is important to note that in the Hanafi madhhab, fairness of witnesses is not a necessary requirement. At the same time, the Hanbalis and Shafi'is insist that these witnesses be fair (adil).

As for the Malikis, they consider it permissible to pronounce the marriage formula without the presence of witnesses. However, the fact of the first wedding night must be witnessed by two men, otherwise the marriage contract is annulled and a divorce without the right of return is declared.

In the Jafarite madhhab, the presence of witnesses is not considered obligatory at all (wajib), it is only desirable (mustahabb). If a Muslim man marries a non-Muslim woman, then non-Muslims may be her witnesses.

However, all five of the schools listed consider it sufficient for only a narrow circle of people to know about the marriage; notifying the general public about the marriage is not necessary.

5. The groom gives bride price for the bride, that is, pay mahr.

The property that a husband allocates to his wife upon marriage (nikah) is called mahr. In ancient times, the bride price assumed that it should be a very generous gift for a beauty, for example, a herd of horses or camels. Now the amounts of gifts are more modest.

The groom must give the bride a gift worth at least 5 thousand rubles. Most often, such a gift is some kind of gold jewelry. In addition, the future husband undertakes to fulfill any wish of the bride in the future. This could be a request to buy an apartment, a car, or purchase other property, the main thing is that the gift has a value of at least 10 thousand rubles.

Mahr is one of the main conditions for marriage. Mahr is determined during a conspiracy (hitba) by agreement between representatives of the parties getting married. In case of widowhood or divorce, at the request of the husband (talaq), the mahr remains with the wife. The mahr is paid directly to the wife and is part of her property. The obligatory nature of mahr is indicated by verse 4 of Surah an-Nisa.

Anything that has any value and to which ownership can be extended can act as mahr. This could be money, precious stones or metals, or any other valuable property. If the parties did not stipulate the size of the mahr when concluding the marriage contract, then in this case the minimum amount of mahr established by Sharia is given.

Thus, in the Hanafi madhhab, the minimum mahr is equal to the value of 33.6 grams of silver or 4.8 grams of gold; in Maliki - three dirhams; In the Jafarite madhhab, anything that has even a meager cost can serve as mahr. If the spouses have already had intimate relations, the husband is obliged to either pay this amount or dissolve the marriage and pay half of it. Payment of a smaller amount is prohibited, even if it was agreed upon before the marriage.

In all Sunni schools of law, with the exception of Maliki, mahr is not a necessary (fard) condition for marriage. Thus, if a Nemaliki for some exceptional reason failed to pay the mahr, then his marriage is not dissolved.

The time for paying mahr must be agreed upon at the time of marriage. It can be paid either immediately upon conclusion of the marriage contract, or by division into parts, or upon divorce. The mahr can be transferred to the wife's guardian or proxy, or directly to the wife. Failure to pay the mahr within the stipulated period gives the wife the right to a conditional divorce (faskh), which continues until it is paid.

6. Men are allowed to marry only Muslim, Christian and Jewish women.

Marriage between a Muslim and a woman who professes a different faith is permitted. But in this case, children born into such a family can only be raised in accordance with the Koran.

The Koran prohibits Muslim women from marrying people of other faiths. It is extremely undesirable to conduct a nikah and marry an “unfaithful” person.

The number of wives in Islam is limited to four, so a person who has four wives and wants to take another wife must divorce one of the previous ones.

Polyandry (polyandry) is prohibited in Islam. Before getting married again, a widow or divorced woman must wait a certain period of “iddah”, depending on the madhhab it ranges from 4 to 20 weeks.

Requirements for the bride and groom in Islam

The man and woman pronouncing the formula of the marriage contract must be sane and adults, unless the marriage is concluded by their guardians.

Cohabitation with a woman without marriage is prohibited in Islam (haram) and is considered adultery (zina).

Nikah between a Muslim and a Christian

The Koran prohibits Muslim women from marrying a non-Muslim man. Muslim men are prohibited from marrying a pagan or unbelieving woman; it is allowed, but not advisable, to marry Christian or Jewish women.

It is worth noting that nikah is a ritual that is performed not only between Muslims. For example, marriage between a Muslim and a woman who professes a different faith is permitted. But in this case, children born into such a family can only be raised in accordance with the Koran.

Women who profess Islam, as a rule, do not have the opportunity to marry representatives of other faiths.

It is extremely undesirable to conduct a nikah and marry an “unfaithful” person. Under such circumstances, the girl will have to choose what is more important to her - faith or her loved one. If her fiancé voluntarily converted to Islam, nikah is permitted.

Stages of marriage in Islam

The marriage procedure in Islam developed on the basis of the pre-Islamic family legal complex. It was developed by Islamic jurists of the first centuries of Islam.

Marriage consists of several stages:

  • The first stage is collusion, matchmaking (khitba).

Sharia obliges the groom, before getting married, to look at the woman he is going to marry. This is necessary both for the woman to meet the man who will become her husband, and for the groom to have a clear idea of ​​his future wife.

A man is allowed to look at a woman regardless of whether she gives her permission or not. He can do this repeatedly, but he is only allowed to look at her face and hands.

The groom himself or through a proxy proposes to the bride's proxy (father or guardian) and agrees on the property allocated by the husband to his wife (mahr) and other conditions included in the marriage contract (shiga).

  • The second stage is the transfer of the bride to the groom's house (zifaf).

If the bride is still a child, then her transfer is postponed until she reaches adulthood (13-15 years old).

This custom is one of those legalized by Sharia.

  • The third stage is the wedding celebration (urs, valima).

During the wedding celebration, the marriage contract (siga) is announced and mahr or part of it (sadaq) is paid.

  • The fourth stage is the actual entry into marriage (nikah).

It is advisable to have a wedding in a mosque. A marriage contract is concluded in front of witnesses, who can be two men or one man and two women according to the Hanafi madhhab. After this, the nikah is considered accomplished.

How does the nikah ritual take place?

The ritual of marriage depends on the wealth and social status of the families of the couple and on local customs. If possible, Muslims should invite friends and relatives to the wedding meal.

Currently, in most Islamic countries, nikah is registered by a marriage notary (mazun). Despite the fact that the overall percentage of polygamous marriages has never been high, in some countries measures are being taken to limit such marriages, even banning them completely.

At these celebrations there is general joy; Close friends, relatives and neighbors share their joy with the newlyweds and congratulate them on the occasion of their marriage. During a wedding, innocent entertainment is allowed to bring joy to people and decorate the celebration. During wedding celebrations, a woman enters her husband's house surrounded by people smiling and showing her respect.

In a number of countries, during Muslim weddings, a number of prohibited actions are performed that are contrary to the spirit of Islam. Among the most forbidden things are spending time together between men and women, dancing, singing and drinking alcoholic beverages.

After marriage, a husband and wife have 4 main responsibilities: - the wife cannot leave the house without her husband’s permission; - the wife should not refuse her husband; - the husband, in turn, fully supports his wife and should never reproach her for this.

The wedding night

The first wedding night is the period that all newlyweds look forward to with trepidation and excitement. This period requires maximum tenderness, patience and delicacy from a man in order to calm the girl’s fear.

If the first night is full of new and pleasant sensations for both, the wife will remember it all her life. Every man needs to learn that the first night can have a great impact on the future life of the family.

During your wedding night, you should adhere to a number of important rules:

  • It is highly desirable that the husband and wife perform two rak'ahs of prayer separately and ask Allah to make their lives happy and full of abundance. This will help young people to get a little distracted and calm down, because namaz has a powerful psychological effect.
  • Before the wedding night in Islam, it is important for the husband to touch his wife’s forehead with his hand and say a prayer - basmala, in which he asks Allah to protect her and future children from evil.
  • During intimacy, there cannot be strangers in the newlyweds’ room - neither people nor animals.

  • In the room it is necessary to turn off or reduce the light of the lamp or undress behind a curtain. At this moment, it is best for the man not to look in the direction of the bride, so as not to embarrass her. Moreover, you cannot greedily look at her body. First you need to take off your outerwear, and your underwear in bed, under the covers.
  • If the bride cannot calm down and is very nervous, the groom should try to understand her and postpone sexual intercourse until the next day. Excessive persistence or brute force is unacceptable here.
  • After intimate relationships, it is advisable for young people to swim. The next morning, after the wedding night, the newlywed couple performs a ritual of ablution. Ablution is also carried out if the young people decide to repeat sexual intercourse. Then the table is set, most often relatives are invited.

Secrets of the wedding night

In addition to Islamic customs, the celebration of the first wedding night among Muslims has a number of additions, which make the responsibilities of the spouses more flexible. This makes life easier for spouses in current situations:
  • Few realize that sex on the first wedding night is not obligatory for Muslims. After the wedding, the relationship between the spouses is their own matter. At first, the wife may not even undress in front of her husband. And their relationship can come down to conversations and household chores. Such norms are explained by the fact that if a Muslim marriage is performed according to all the rules, the young people are completely unfamiliar with each other. Naturally, in such an environment, you first need to overcome embarrassment and awkwardness - to stock up on time.
  • If the wedding night falls on the bride's menstrual cycle, then sexual intercourse is postponed to other days, because sexual intercourse on Haida days is haram.
  • According to Sharia, after marriage, the husband undertakes to have sexual intercourse with his wife at least once every four months.
  • If the young wife is innocent, the husband spends seven nights with her, and if the marriage is not her first, three nights are enough.
  • According to Sharia, the bride must be a virgin before marriage. But if her husband has doubts about her, he should not think badly of her - this is a sin. Insulting and oppressing your wife solely on the basis of your assumptions is unacceptable.
  • The widespread custom in Islam of waiting for the completion of sexual intercourse between young people behind the doors of the room is not only not obligatory, but also completely undesirable. Checking the bed to ensure the bride's virginity, eavesdropping and asking questions all violate Islamic injunctions not to spy or spy on other people. He makes public what is a secret between young people.

Nikah in Tajikistan

Nikah in Tajikistan has a number of features. For example, a Tajik bride does not give her consent to marriage, as is customary in other countries.

At this very important moment, when matchmakers ask if the girl agrees to marry a young man, Tajik women become stubborn. and intractability.

Once they ask her, she is silent, twice she is silent, on the third, relatives and friends get involved with persuasion. They pinch the silent beauty’s hand until it hurts, but she doesn’t make a sound. Silence is golden, of course, but in this case it is just a sign of embarrassment and also a Tajik tradition: the bride should not immediately give consent and throw herself on the groom’s neck. All this is not Tajik.

And here the most interesting thing begins: in order to “sweeten” the girl, the groom’s witnesses put expensive gifts and then money on the festive dastarkhan. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get a positive answer from the beauty, and the persuasion process will drag on for a long time.

And finally, once again, when the mullah is already quite nervously asking the question whether she agrees to become the wife of that same guy at the dastarkhan, the beauty, sitting with her head bowed under a veil, under the pressure of her relatives, says in a low voice: “Yes.”

From the outside, this may seem feigned, since she would hardly have said “No” already: if she had been against it, the matter would not have come to nikah at all. But no matter what the traditions say, a true Tajik woman is still ashamed to answer such an important question so quickly.

The second feature is the fact that recently many clergy in Tajikistan have been deprived of the opportunity to perform the religious ceremony of marriage - nikah. This responsibility will be assigned only to imam-khatibs of mosques registered in Tajikistan.

In addition, since 2011, the performance of the Muslim nikah ceremony is not permitted without the couple having a document confirming the legal registration of marriage.

Termination of nikah

Dissolution is the ending of a marriage (nikah) in which the husband receives compensation from the wife.

Dissolution of marriage is not a divorce, but is considered only the termination of a marriage. This is stated in the book of Imam Ash-Shafi'iy "Ahkyamul-Kur'an".

Divorce is not advisable. This action is makruh, in which there is no reward, but there is no sin either.

Among Muslim peoples, it is customary to resort to divorce only in the most extreme situation. Divorce is permitted, but it is abhorrent to God.

However, there are a number of exceptions when termination is possible:

- if the spouses are afraid of further disagreements among themselves;
- if one of the spouses is afraid that he will infringe on the rights of the other;
- if the husband causes hostility and disgust in his wife;
- if the wife dislikes her husband because she commits adultery and the like, for example, if she does not perform namaz;
- if the husband, having changed his mind, wants to save his relationship after he made an oath, or set a condition. Then, to get out of that situation, he can make a termination.

Terms of termination

In Islam, getting a divorce is quite easy. It is enough for a man to say the phrase: “You are divorced,” and from that moment a period begins during which the man and woman have the opportunity to think and find other ways.

A woman can also be an initiator. But in this case, she needs to turn to a Muslim judge or cleric who would consider the reasons for the divorce, after which the imam takes responsibility and gives the divorce.

Traditionally, Sharia norms recognize a man’s exclusive right to carry out a unilateral divorce at any time without any explanation by pronouncing the divorce formula three times. In this case, neither the wife’s consent nor even her presence is required. It is called "talaq" in Arabic.

When pronouncing the formula, the following conditions must be met: the husband must be able to address his wife in the second or third person, using any derivatives from the root talaq, which means “to let go,” “to release.” The divorce formula can be absolute (munjaz) (for example, “You are divorced”), or it can be conditional (muallaq) (for example, “I will divorce you if you enter this house”).

Only after pronouncing the formula for the third time does the marriage end; after pronouncing the formula the first and second time, the marriage does not dissolve, but the woman is obliged to observe the period of iddah in her husband’s house or, if he allows, in the house of her parents (three months after the first recitation formula), during which the husband can change his mind and resume life together.

There are several rules for when a couple can dissolve their nikah.

1. If, for example, the husband says to his wife: “I terminated the Nikah for such and such an amount,” and the woman agrees.

2. The husband can terminate the Nikah himself, or he can entrust the termination to a trusted person on his behalf.

3. A woman can compensate herself, or someone else will do it on her behalf. For example, another man may offer his husband to dissolve Nikah for a certain amount, and the husband agrees.

After the dissolution of Nikah, the woman is freed from her husband and cannot return to her ex-husband until he performs a new act of marriage with her in the presence of a trustee and two witnesses.

How is dissolution of nikah different from divorce?

In fact, dissolution of nikah is completely similar to divorce, but differs from it in the following cases:

First, dissolution is not included in the 1-2-3 divorce count.

Secondly, when renewing nikah, it is obligatory to conclude it in the presence of a trustee and two witnesses, regardless of whether the wife returns during the period of Iddah or not.

Any divorce made as a result of an outburst of rage or a quarrel has no force, provided that the person did not previously associate his aspirations with it, did not conceive a plan for divorce, having previously prepared the necessary conditions and prerequisites for its implementation.

How does the termination of nikah occur?

A Muslim believer must strive to save his family by any means necessary. Usually the couple is given three months to think about it, and, of course, people are advised not to rush, to understand that no one in this world is perfect.

Talaq is final, except on the basis of the oath taken to abstain from marital life and on the basis of lack of material support. In turn, we cancel talaq, except after pronouncing the formula for divorce for the third time, divorce before the start of married life, and if the husband gave the wife the right to divorce, which she took advantage of. The divorce is final.

After the third recitation of the formula, a man can marry his divorced wife only if she marries another man, divorces him and observes the period of iddah.

When can a wife file for divorce on her own?

According to the Hanafi madhhab, it is permitted to transfer the right to divorce to the wife upon concluding the nikah or some time after that.

In addition, if a husband or wife discovers certain shortcomings in each other, then the imam has the right to dissolve the marriage at the request of one of them.

These disadvantages include:

1. leprosy;

2. madness;

3. castration;

4. impotence.

Reasons for divorce according to the Hanafi madhhab may include:

1. disappearance of a spouse without a trace (on the road, in captivity, in prison);

2. hatred of each other, immorality;

3. serious illness, madness;

4. excessive sins, wastefulness, stinginess, gluttony of one of the spouses, leading to a deterioration in the family situation;

5. infertility of one of the spouses;

6. misunderstanding each other;

7. bad attitude of a husband towards his wife or a wife towards her husband;

8. shortcomings of one of the spouses that interfere with family life;

9. the emergence of obstacles to marriage (for example, it turns out that the wife is a foster sister). In this case, the marriage is automatically annulled;

10. ridda (departures from faith). In this case, the marriage is annulled, but if the ex-husband or wife returns to Islam within the period of iddah (three monthly cycles), then the nikkah is restored and there is no need to read it again;

11. zina (adultery);

12. failure to comply with the commands of Allah.

Financial support for wife after divorce

After divorce, a woman must observe a period of abstinence, iddah, during which she cannot remarry. The purpose of this requirement is to avoid possible confusion regarding paternity issues. The length of the period varies depending on a number of circumstances and, above all, on whether the woman is expecting a child or not, whether she is divorced or widowed.

The financial rights of a divorced wife are different. Thus, in the absence of children, the wife has the right to receive financial support during the period of abstinence.

In the case of talaqa, the wife also has the right to receive a special “consolation” gift (muta). The word muta, literally translated as "pleasure", appears in two very different legal terms in Muslim family law:

1) zavazh al-mut'a - temporary marriage, or, literally translated, marriage of pleasure. A temporary marriage is concluded for a certain period, which can range from several hours to many years. A temporary marriage requires the presence of two witnesses and the presentation of a marriage gift to the wife, but there is no right of inheritance between the couple, the wife observes a short period of abstinence, iddah, and the children immediately become the guardianship of the father.

2) muta at-talaq or nafaqa al-muta - a special gift or compensation received by the wife upon talaq.

The question of whether muta is a gift or compensation, i.e. whether it is the husband's duty or not is still a matter of dispute among Muslim jurists.

If there is a child, in addition to paying financial support for the child and paying for decent housing for him, the husband must also pay:
1) if the child is not yet two years old - remuneration to the ex-wife or wet nurse for feeding the child;
2) remuneration to the ex-wife for supervising the child.

As for the financial support of children, the father must provide financially for his children until they reach adulthood or until they are 25 years old if they are studying. But in any case, the father is obliged to provide financially for his daughter until the responsibility for financial support passes to her husband.

Requirements for those getting married
Islam recommends that husband and wife match each other in age and social status. The spouse should not fall under the category of mahram (close relative). These include: mother (including foster mother), grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, sibling and foster sister, sister's daughter or sibling's daughter, mother's sister or father's sister, mother-in-law, wife's grandmother, stepdaughter, stepmother and daughter-in-law. In addition, during the period of marriage, marriage with the wife’s sister, her aunt and niece is prohibited. Consanguinity of no closer than third degree in collateral lines is allowed.

The man and woman pronouncing the formula of the marriage contract must be sane and adults, unless the marriage is concluded by their guardians.


Recommendations and restrictions
When entering into a first marriage, the bride's consent is not required; the consent of the father or guardian is sufficient. A widow or divorced woman gives consent herself through a proxy. Owners, guardians and intermediaries decide for the disabled and incompetent. If a girl has not been married before or is a virgin, she cannot get married without the consent of the trustee (guardian), otherwise the marriage will be considered invalid.

The Koran prohibits Muslim women from marrying a non-Muslim man. Muslim men are prohibited from marrying a pagan or unbelieving woman; it is allowed, but not advisable, to marry Christian or Jewish women. Cohabitation with a woman without marriage is prohibited in Islam and is considered adultery.

The number of wives in Islam is limited to four, so a man who has four wives and wants to take another wife must divorce one of the previous ones. Despite the fact that the overall percentage of polygamous marriages has never been high, some countries are taking measures to limit such marriages, even banning them completely. Polyandry is prohibited in Islam. Before getting married again, a widow or divorced woman must wait a certain period of “iddah”, which, depending on the madhhab (school of Sharia law) ranges from 4 to 20 weeks.


When can you get married?
There is a consensus among scholars of all madhhabs that the appearance of menstruation and the ability to become pregnant are signs of adulthood for girls, which allows them to marry. However, different schools of fiqh set different ages of majority for the absence of menstruation in girls and the release of semen or emission in boys. So, according to the Shafi'i and Hanbali madhhabs, adulthood for both boys and girls occurs at fifteen years, according to the Maliki - at seventeen years, according to the Hanafi - at eighteen, and according to the Jafarite - at nine for girls and at fifteen for boys. However, modern Shiite scholars, in their fatwas, do not recommend girls to marry at such an early age.


Stages of marriage
The marriage procedure in Islam developed on the basis of the pre-Islamic family legal complex. It was developed by Islamic jurists of the first centuries of Islam. Even before the wedding, Sharia obliges the groom, before getting married, to look at the woman to whom he is going to woo. This is necessary both for the woman to meet the man who will become her husband, and for the groom to have a clear idea of ​​his future wife. A man is allowed to look at the woman he is wooing, regardless of whether she gives her permission or not. He can do this repeatedly, but he is only allowed to look at her face and hands.

The first stage is collusion, matchmaking (khitba). The groom himself or through a proxy proposes to the bride's proxy (father or guardian) and agrees on the property allocated by the husband to his wife (mahr) and other conditions that are included in the marriage contract (shiga).

The second and third stages are the transfer of the bride to the groom's house (zifaf) and the wedding celebration (urs, valima). If the bride is still a child, then her transfer is postponed until she reaches adulthood (13-15 years old). During the wedding celebration, the marriage contract (shiga) is announced and mahr or part of it is paid.

The fourth stage is the actual entry into marriage (nikah), after which the marriage is considered completed. It is advisable to have a wedding in a mosque. A marriage contract is concluded with witnesses, who can be two men or one man and two women according to the Hanafi madhhab.

The ritual of marriage depends on the wealth and social status of the families of the couple and on local customs. If possible, Muslims should invite friends and relatives to the wedding meal. Currently, in most Islamic countries, marriage is registered by a marriage notary.


Witnesses
According to the Shafi'i, Hanafi and Hanbali madhhabs, the presence of at least two male witnesses at the wedding is a prerequisite for the legality of the marriage. Hanafis believe that the presence of two men or one man and two women is sufficient. However, if all the witnesses are women, such a marriage is regarded by the Hanafis as invalid. It is important to note that in the Hanafi madhhab, fairness of witnesses is not a necessary requirement. However, the Hanbalis and Shafi'is insist that these witnesses be fair. As for the Malikis, they consider it permissible to pronounce the marriage formula without the presence of witnesses. However, the fact of the first wedding night must be witnessed by two men, otherwise the marriage contract is annulled and a divorce without the right of return is declared.

In the Jafarite madhhab, the presence of witnesses is not considered obligatory at all, it is only desirable. If a Muslim man marries a non-Muslim woman, then non-Muslims may be her witnesses. However, all five of the listed schools consider it sufficient that only a narrow circle of people know about the marriage; notifying the general public about the completed marriage is not necessary.


Mahr
The property that a husband allocates to his wife upon entering into an equal marriage is called mahr. Mahr is one of the main conditions for marriage. Mahr is determined during a conspiracy by agreement between representatives of the parties getting married. In case of widowhood or divorce, at the request of the husband, the mahr remains with the wife. The mahr is paid directly to the wife and is part of his property.

The time for paying mahr must be agreed upon at the time of marriage. It can be paid either immediately upon conclusion of the marriage contract, or through division into parts, or upon divorce. Failure to pay the mahr within the stipulated period gives the wife the right to a conditional divorce (faskh), which continues until it is paid.


Wedding celebrations
During the wedding celebration (urs), the newlyweds meet, after which the bride moves from her father's house to her husband's house. This custom is one of those legalized by Sharia. At these celebrations there is general joy; Close friends, relatives and neighbors share their joy with the newlyweds and congratulate them on the occasion of their marriage. During a wedding, some innocent entertainment is allowed to bring joy to people and decorate the celebration. During wedding celebrations, a woman enters her husband's house surrounded by people smiling and showing her respect.

In some countries, during Muslim weddings, a number of prohibited actions are performed that are contrary to the spirit of Islam. Among the most forbidden things are spending time together between men and women, dancing, singing and drinking alcoholic beverages.


The wedding night
On the first wedding night, it is advisable for the groom to treat the bride with sweets, permitted drinks and spices. Before entering into an intimate relationship, it is advisable for the groom to put his hand on his wife’s forehead, say basmal and say the following prayer: “O Allah! Truly, I ask You from her for good and all the good things that You have given her! And I resort to You from her evil and from all the evil that You have endowed on her."

After this, the spouses are recommended to perform a joint two-rakah prayer (namaz) and read the following prayer: “O Allah, bless me in my relationship with my wife (husband) and her (him) in my relationship. O Allah, establish goodness between us even during separation separate us kindly!"

If the wife has not been married before and is a virgin, then after marriage the husband must spend seven nights with her. And if the newly made wife was married before, then she should be given three nights. Immediately before intimacy, both on the first and subsequent nights, the husband should create a prelude to intimacy with the help of words, kisses and love games, etc. During sexual intercourse, the groom should be extremely soft and gentle towards his bride.