Part 17

| 4 hadith on that matter has been recorded by al-Tirmidhi (#1097), the Book of Marriage, Chapter on what has been narrated concerning the waleemab. Its text is, “The food of the waleemah on the first day is a right act, on the second day it is a sunnah and on the third day it is showing off. Whoever does acts for show, Allah will make it be known [that he did it for show].” Al-Tirmidhi found fault with one of its narrators who had heard from his source after his source became senile. However, that hadith has other evidence for it that shows that it has a basis. Ibn Hajr pointed that fact out in al-Fath (vol. 9, p. 243) and he mentioned that hadith just alluded to. [There is nothing in ibn Hajr’s discussion that explicitly states that the above hadith is hasan. Indeed, earlier in ibn Hajr's discussion he quoted the hadith mentioned in an earlier footnote from this translator in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) had a waleemab for three days. Ibn Hajr explicitly stated that the chain of that hadith is hasan. Al-Albaani has discussed the hadith, “The food of the waleemab on the first day is a right act, on the second day it is a sunnah and on the third day it is showing off. Whoever does acts for show, Aflah will make it be known [that he did it for show]” in detail and he concluded that it is weak, with none of its supporting evidence being strong enough to raise it to the level of hasan. See al-Albaani, Irwaa, yol. 7, pp. 8-11. Allah knows best —JZ]

isa al-Raudb al-Muraba bi-Sharh Zaad al-Mustaqni, vol. 6, pp. 408-409, See al-Fath, vol. 9, p. 243.

The Figh of Marriage

The Ruling Concerning Answering the Invitation for the One Who is Fasting

Fasting is not an excuse for not responding to the wedding feast invitation. If a person is invited while he is fasting, he must respond in the same way that one who is not fasting must respond. The purpose will be met by him simply appearing at the feast, even if he does not eat. The people offering the food and those present will benefit from his supplications or he is protected from what he would not be protected from in his absence.

It is obligatory on the fasting person to respond to the invitation but it is not obligatory upon him to eat. “It is confirmed that Abdullah ibn Umar used to respond to the invitation of a wedding feast or other feasts and he would come while he was fasting.”!

The fasting person will be in one of two cases:?

The first case is where he is fasting an obligatory fast, such as a fast that is the result of a vow or the fast of Ramadhan. If he is invited under this case, he must attend but he does not eat. This is because it is forbidden for him to break his obligatory fast for Allah has said,

Leet fos Sab | glhs Yy “Do not invalidate your deeds” (Muhammad 33). It is preferred for the fasting person to inform [the host] so that they will know his excuse [for not eating].

In the second possible case, the person is performing a voluntary fast. In this case, he must respond to the invitation and it is permissible for him to break his fast or not to eat. However, if by not eating he will dishearten his host, it is best for him to break his fast and put his brother’s heart at ease and make him happy by his breaking his fast.> If that is not the case, it is better to complete the fast than to break it.

1 Ap Muballa Sharh al-Mujalla, vol. 11, p. 22, issue #1824; Fath al-Baari, vol. 9, p.

3 Al-Mughni, vol. 10, p. 197.

‘The Figh of Marriage

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw a person separating himself from the people and he explained that he was fasting. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told him,

Std Of IS Ley me FIST pS Gy pT pol Stes “You brother has invited you and exerted efforts on your behalf. Eat and

then fast another day in its place, if you wish.”!

The one who was fasting an obligatory fast must attend and it is recommended for him to pray for the people and then leave. This is based on what Abu Hurairah narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),

“If one of you is invited, he must respond. If he were fasting, he should pray [or invoke blessings on the people] and if he were not fasting, he should eat.”

Al-Nawawi said, “Scholars have stated that the meaning of ‘he should pray,’ means ‘he should supplicate.’ And the meaning of the last word is ‘he should eat.’”3 In fact, in the narration of Abu Dawood it states, “he should supplicate.”*

It is not obligatory upon the person attending to actually eat, even if he were not fasting. The thing that he must do is attend; that is

| AL-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Baihagi, vol. 4, p. 279. It was also recorded by ibn Maajah. However, in its chain is a weak narrator but he is supported in this narration. Such has been stated by ibn Hajr in al-Fath, vol. 9, p. 248. (Al-Albaani also concludes that this hadith is hasan. See al-Albaani, Irwaa, vol. 7, pp. 11-

The Figh of Marriage

the act that there is a warning concerning not doing. However, he does not have to eat. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, a a ae oo Bf Uo Of ab ts U8 Lan Go “Whoever is invited should respond to the invitation. If he wishes, he

may eat; and if he wishes, he may abstain [from eating].”" Tbn Taimiya stated,

It is not necessary for the host to insist on feeding the guest if he refuses to break his voluntary fast or ifhe refuses to eat even if he is not fasting. Both of those matters [fasting or not eating] are permissible [for the guest]. The host should not make a vow that his guest must eat. Similarly, the guest should not insist on not eating if he sees that such will result in some harm, for it is permissible for him to break his fast. If his not doing something permissible will lead to something that should be avoided, he should then do that permissible thing. In fact, [under such circumstances,] it may even become obligatory upon him [to do that otherwise simply permissible act].2

" Sunan Abi Dawood (#3740), Book of Foods, Chapter on what has been narrated concerning responding to invitations. [According to al-Albaani, this hadith is sabib. See Muhammad Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani, Sabeeb Sunan Abi Dawood (Riyadh: laktabah Tarbiyyah al-Arabi li-Duwal al-Khaleej, 1989), vol. 2, p. 713—JZ] {bebtiyaaraat al-Fighiyyah min Fataawa Shaikb al-Islaam ibn Taimtyab, p. 241.

‘The Figh of Marriage

The Acceptable Excuses for Not Attending the Wedding Feast!

It has been stated that it is obligatory to attend the wedding feast. However, if one has a valid excuse or if there is some evil that the person will not be able to put an end to, this obligation is dropped due to that reason. Other excuses include the following:

(1) The invited person is invited to a place in which there is a great deal of evil and wrong, such as alcohol, mixing of the sexes, music and so forth. Only ifhe has the ability to stop such evil should he then attend.

(2) If the invited person has a shareeah excuse for not attending, such as what excuses a person from attending the prayer in congregation in the mosque (rain, fear, illness), then it is not obligatory upon him to attend.

(3) If the invited person will be harmed with respect to his religion, such as when backbiting is taking place in such a gathering, he is excused from attending.

(4) If the invitation is for which only the rich are invited, to the exclusion of the poor, it should not be responded to.

(5) If the person is invited to the third day of the wedding feast, he should not attend for such is considered a day of showing off and acting for reputation.?

(6) If the inviting person is not careful about permissible or forbidden foods or delves into doubtful matters, the invited person is excused from attending.

(7) If the inviting person is from the non-Muslim citizens of the Islamic state, it is disliked to respond to the invitation. This is because a goal is to belittle the non-Muslim citizens, to remain away from doubtful matters or what contains something forbidden. But if there is some

' Cf, Al-Mughni, vol. 10, pp. 194-107; Sharh Sabeeb Muslim, vol. 9, p. 234; Haashiyah al-Raudh al-Muraba bi-Sharh Zaad al-Mustaqni, vol. 6, pp. 408-416; Sharh al-Sunnab by al-Baghawi, vol. 9, pp. 147-149; Al-Figh al-Islaami wa $dillatubu by Wahbah al-Zuhaili, vol. 7, p. 127; Fath al-Baari, vol. 9, Bp. 247-248.

{The permissibility of a third day for the waleemab was discussed in an earlier footnote —JZ]

The Fight of Marriage

benefit with respect to calling that non-Muslim to Islam, then he may attend.

(8) If the person is invited to a funeral feast, it is disliked to attend. Similarly, if he is invited to a feast [where the host] is boasting about his invitation, he should not attend.

(9) According to ibn Taimiyah, a person should not greet or accept the invitation of a person who does not pray.

(10) Ifa person is invited by a spendthrift who will have musical instruments or complete statues, casting shadows not just etched in the walls or furnishings, one should not attend. This is because pictures or statues of animals are forbidden by consensus if they cast a shadow, as opposed to partial figures which are missing a part of the animal that would be needed for it to live and as opposed to sketches that do not cast a shadow which are found in paper or walls. Looking at something forbidden is forbidden in itself. However, pictures of other than animals, such as the ocean or trees, are not forbidden.

(11) Another excuse that makes it not obligatory to attend the wedding feast is if the place is too crowded or if the person comes but finds the doors locked preventing his entrance. Allah knows best.