Nikah (Marriage) & Walima (Reception) in Islam
(The Wedding Feast) And Entertaining Guests
Hadith 1: In Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) noticed signs of yellowness on Abdur Rahmaan ibn Auf (may Allah be pleased with him). He inquired about it, and Abdur Rahmaan explained that he had married a lady, and the yellowish color had transferred from her body onto his. The Prophet (peace be upon him) blessed him and advised him to arrange a Walima (wedding feast) even if it was with just one goat.
Hadith 2: Also found in Bukhari and Muslim, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Prophet (peace be upon him) hosted the Walima of Zainab (may Allah be pleased with her) with great grandeur, unlike any other of his wives’ weddings. The Walima was celebrated with the meat of an entire goat, making it a lavish affair.
Hadith 3: In Sahih Bukhari, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) recounted that after the marriage with Hazrat Safiya (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet (peace be upon him) hosted a Walima for three nights. The feast consisted of dates, paneer (a type of cheese), and ghee (clarified butter), as mentioned in the narrations of Imam Ahmed, Tirmizi, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah.
Hadith 4: Found in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised that when invited to a Walima, one should attend.
Hadith 5: In Sahih Muslim, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged accepting invitations to meals, and one may choose to eat or not as they wish.
Hadith 6: Reported by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that a bad Walima is one where only the wealthy are invited, and the poor are excluded. Rejecting an invitation without a valid reason is considered disobedience to Allah and His Messenger.
Hadith 7: Abu Dawud reported on the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, rejecting an invitation is disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, and attending without an invitation is akin to sneaking in as a thief and taking what is not rightfully theirs.
Hadith 8: Narrated by Tirmizi on the authority of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “During weddings, the feast of the first day is an obligation (Haq), the feast of the second day is a Sunnah (recommended), and the feast of the third day is a show-off (Sum’a). Whoever does anything to gain fame and recognition, Allah will make him hear about it, and he will be held accountable for his intentions.”
Hadith 9: Reported by Abu Dawud on the authority of Ikrama, the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade eating at the homes of two people who invite others to compete with each other in hosting banquets and showing off.
Hadith 10: Imam Ahmed and Abu Dawud reported from a certain Companion that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “When two people come to invite you at the same time, accept the invitation of the one whose door is closer to yours. If one of them came first, then accept the invitation of the one who arrived first.”
Hadith 11: Found in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, Abu Mas’ud Ansari narrated that a man prepared food for five people, intending to invite the Prophet (peace be upon him) and five of his Companions. However, when the Prophet arrived, another person accompanied him without prior notice. The host informed the Prophet about this, and the Prophet gave him the choice to permit or refuse the additional guest. The host granted permission for the person to join them. This hadith emphasizes the importance of informing the host if someone brings along an unexpected guest.
Hadith 12: Baihaqi reported in Sha’bul Imaan from Imran bin Haseen that the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against accepting invitations from open transgressors (fasiqs).
Hadith 13: Found in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “One who believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest. One who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbor. One who believes in Allah and the Last Day should either speak good words or remain silent.” Another narration adds that the one who believes in Allah and the Last Day should maintain good family ties.
Hadith 14: Reported in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Shuraih Ka’abi, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “One who believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest. One day and one night is the limit of hospitality (i.e., serving meticulously) for the guest. Entertaining the guest is for three days (with the best of what is available). After three days, it becomes a form of charity. It is not permissible for the guest to overstay beyond three days, causing inconvenience to the host.”
Hadith 15: Reported by Tirmizi on the authority of Abil Ahwas Jashmi, who narrated from his father, he asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), “O Messenger of Allah! I visited a person’s home, but he did not treat me as a proper guest. Now, if he comes to my home, should I treat him in the same way he treated me, seeking retaliation, or should I entertain him properly?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised, “You should rather entertain him as a guest should be entertained.”
Hadith 16: Found in Ibn Majah, Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “It is a Sunnah (recommended practice) for you to accompany your guest to the door when he is leaving.”
The Walimah invitation, also known as the wedding feast, is a recommended practice (Sunnah). It involves hosting a feast for friends, relatives, elders, family members, and local community members on the morning after the consummation of the marriage (Zifaf). It is permissible to sacrifice an animal and prepare food for this occasion.
When invited to a Walimah, it is commendable and praiseworthy to accept the invitation as attending the feast brings happiness to the host. While some scholars consider it highly recommended (Sunnat-e-Mu’akkadah) to attend the Walimah, others deem it obligatory (Waajib). Nevertheless, it is clear that accepting such an invitation is a confirmed Sunnah.
Besides the Walimah, attending other invitations is also virtuous. If a person invited to a meal is not fasting, it is preferable for them to partake in the food provided, as it reflects sharing in the joy of their fellow Muslim brother or sister. Even if one is fasting, they should attend the Walimah and supplicate for the host’s blessings. The same applies to other invitations: if the invitee is not fasting, they should participate in the meal, and if they are fasting, they should make prayers for the host.
In summary, the Walimah invitation is a Sunnah, and it is meritorious to accept such invitations and share in the joyous occasions of others, making Dua for their prosperity and well-being.
Law: The ruling mentioned above is applicable only when the person extending the invitation intends to fulfill the Sunnah (religious practice), and the gathering is hosted for the sake of name and fame, seeking praise from others, as is common nowadays. It is better not to attend such invitations, especially for the People of Knowledge (Ulama).
Law: Attending an invitation is considered a Sunnah only when one is certain that there will be no singing, music, improper entertainment, or amusement involved. If one becomes aware of such obscenities happening at the gathering after arriving, they should immediately leave if it is occurring in the vicinity where they are seated. However, if these improper activities are happening in another part of the building away from the area where food is being served, they may stay and partake in the meal. If the person has the influence to stop such practices, they should make an effort to do so. If they lack the authority to intervene, they should exercise patience.
This rule applies to individuals who are not religious leaders. If a person is a respected leader or a scholar (Ulama or Masha’ikh), and they cannot stop these improper activities, they should leave the gathering. They should not remain seated or eat there. If they already knew that such activities would occur, whether they are a leader or not, attending such a gathering is not permissible, even if these activities happen in a different part of the venue.
Law: If amusement and frivolous activities are happening at a gathering, and one knows that their presence could halt these improper activities, they should attend the gathering with the intention of putting an end to those practices that contradict Islamic principles.
However, if one knows that their absence would serve as a lesson to the attendees, and they would refrain from engaging in such customs because they consider the person’s attendance as significant, and they fear that the person would not attend future events if such activities persist, then it becomes necessary for the person not to attend. By abstaining from such gatherings, they set an example, cautioning others to avoid indulging in improper customs.
Law: The invitation for the Walima feast is traditionally observed on the first day or the day after the consummation of the marriage. In other words, the Walima can only last for two days, signifying the conclusion of the wedding ceremonies. Going beyond this Sunnah practice, as some may do in India where wedding events often extend for many days, is considered boastful and done for the sake of seeking recognition. It is necessary to refrain from such practices and stick to the Sunnah limit.
Law: It is permissible for a guest to pass food or items to another person at the same dining spread, provided the guest is certain that the host will not be offended by this gesture. However, if the guest is aware or unsure that the host might be offended, they should refrain from passing items to others during the meal.
Law: Some people may serve the best and more lavish foods to dignitaries while offering only ordinary or common dishes to the poor guests. Although such behavior is not commendable, as it hurts the feelings of the less privileged, there might be instances when the host takes offense if someone takes food from the special spread and shares it with those who were not offered it directly. In such situations, it is impermissible to give something from the special spread to others. However, if it is the same variety of food, like bread or meat, and one person’s portion is finished, and another person shares their portion from the same dish, it is more apparent that the host would not take offense in such cases.
Law: If one is partaking in a meal at someone else’s home, and a beggar asks for something, the guest is not allowed to give a piece of roti (bread) to the beggar. The host provided the meal for the guest, and the guest does not have the authority to distribute it to others.
Law: If the meal is being served on two different dining spreads, a person may not take food from one spread and offer it to someone eating at the other spread unless they are absolutely certain that the host will not be offended by this action.
Law: While eating, if the child of the host or a servant comes over, the guest is not allowed to give anything from his meal to them.
Law: If the food becomes contaminated (impure – Na Paak), it is not permissible to feed it to an insane person, a child, or any animal that is permissible to consume.
There are four essential etiquettes for a guest: (1) To sit where asked to sit. (2) To be content with whatever is served and avoid making comparisons or complaining about the food. (3) Not to get up without the host’s permission. (4) To make dua (supplication) for the host when leaving.
The host should occasionally offer the guest more food but should not insist, as it might lead the guest to overeat, causing harm. The host should remain present with the guests and not leave after serving the meal. Additionally, the host should not show displeasure with servants or others in the presence of the guests.
If the host has sufficient provisions, they should not reduce the household’s food due to the presence of guests. It is the host’s responsibility to personally show courtesy to the guests, following the Sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
If there are only a few guests, the host should sit and eat with them, as it is customary for hospitality. However, if there are many guests, the host should focus on serving and feeding them, rather than sitting to eat with them. Those who might make the guests uncomfortable should not be seated with them.
After everyone finishes eating, the host should arrange for their hands to be washed. It is advised not to discard the water after washing each person’s hands until the next person’s hands are washed.
Law: If someone sends you a gift and this person possesses both Halal (permissible) and Haram (forbidden) possessions, but the majority of their wealth is Halal, there is no harm in accepting their gift. The same rule applies to partaking in a feast at their home. You may participate in the meal if you are certain that the food being served is Halal. However, if most of the person’s possessions are Haram, it is advisable not to accept their gift or partake in a feast at their home until you can be certain that the offerings are Halal.
Law: If a person owes you a debt and invites you to a meal, you may accept the invitation if they used to invite you in a similar manner even before taking the loan. However, if they have changed their behavior and now invite you more frequently, preparing more sumptuous meals, it might be due to the loan they owe you. In such a case, it is better not to accept the invitation.