Part 17

1 Recorded by Ahmad and an-Nasa’i. Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (Sahih ulJami‘ no. 2419 & Adab uz-Zifaif pp. 144-145).

2 In the early years of Hijrah, the Prophet (8) paired the Muslims as brothers, with one of the pair from the Muhdjirin and one from the Ansar. The Ans@r, being the original residents of al-Madinah, were ready and willing to accommodate their brothers from Makkah who had left everything behind them when they made Hijrah.

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Regulations and Recommendations The following additional regulations apply to the walimah: THE WALiMAH's TIME Following the Prophet’s (&) practice, the walimah should normally be held on the wedding night or within the first three days following it. Anas (4) reported: “Allah’s Messenger (&) once consummated his marriage with one of his wives, so he sent me and I

invited some men for food.” *

Anas (4) also reported:

1 Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others. 2 Recorded by al-Bukhari and al-Bayhaqi.

Quest for Love & Mercy 103 The Walimah

“When the Prophet (4) married Safiyyah, her freedom was her mahr. And he held the walimah for three days,” !

In a similar report, Anas (45) said:

“The Prophet (8) camped between Khaybar and alMadinah for three nights, consummating his marriage with Safiyyah. I invited the Muslims to his walimah, which had no bread or meat. Leather sheets were spread on the ground, dates and agit (dried yogurt) and butter were tossed over them, and the people ate their fill,” *

“When Allah’s Messenger (88) had his wedding with Zaynab, he offered a walimah in which the Muslims ate their fill of bread and meat, Then (in the morning) he went out to the Mothers of the Believers, gave them salam, and supplicated for them. In return, they gave him salam and supplicated for him. This was his practice on the morning following his wedding.” *

We conclude from the above reports about ‘Ali and ‘Abd ur-Rahman Bin ‘Awf that it is recommended to include meat in a walimah, with a minimum of one sheep or goat — if that be affordable.

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Recorded by Abii Ya'la. Verified to be hasan by al-Albant (Adab ue-Zifaf p. 146). 2 Recorded by al-Bukhati, Muslim, and others. 3 Recorded by an-Nasai and Ibn Sa‘d. Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (Adab uz-Zifaf pp. 137-138).

“[ never saw Allah’s Messenger (@) offer as much food in any of his wives’s walimahs as he did in Zaynab’s. He slaughtered a goat and fed the people bread and meat until they were full.” '

However, meat is not a condition for a walimah. We saw above (and will see again below) that the Prophet’s (&) walimah when he married Safiyyah did not include any meat.

HELPING WITH THE COST

The walimah is the husband’s obligation. However, it is permissible for other Muslims to help him in its cost or preparation. We have seen above that a number of Muslims helped ‘Alf in preparing his walimah.

Thus, people brought agit, dates, and butter, and made hays (name of a dish) with them, and everyone ate of that hays and drank from rain water that gathered in basins next to them. a

A newlywed should invite to the walimah his Muslim relatives, friends, and acquaintances, especially the righteous among them. Abii Said al-

Khudri (5) reported that Allah’s Messenger (88) said:

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1 Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others. 2. Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others.

Quest for Love & Mercy 105 The Walimah

<Do not accompany except a believer, and do not feed your food except to a pious persons

Sinful individuals and non-Muslims should largely be excluded from the invitation — unless there is an important benefit in inviting them, such as exposing them to da‘wah, provided that their presence would not influence the attendees in a negative way.

In inviting to a walimah, there should not be a distinction between the poor and rich. Abi Hurayrah (<s) reported that the Messenger (#8) said:

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<The worst food is that of a walimah to which the rich are invited but the poor are not. And he who rejects the invitation (to a walimah) has surely disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. !

In another report from Abii Hurayrah, Allah’s Messenger (i) said:

<The worst of food is that of a walimah to which those who come (because of hunger) are turned away, and those who are invited do not wish to attend (because they have no need for food). And he who does not answer the invitation (to a walimah) has surely disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. ?

2 Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others. See the previous footnote.

Manners for the Host

There are certain etiquettes that should be implemented by a host when he invites people to a wedding walimah or any other meal. Some of them have been included in the previous section. In what follows we include some additional important ones.

One should realize and remember that feeding is an act of worship. Thus it should be performed with sincerity — only seeking Allah’s reward for it.

‘Abdullah Bin ‘Amr Bin al-‘Ag (t#) reported that a man asked Allah’s Messenger (&), “Which acts are superior in Islam?” He (8)

<The best among you are those who feed the food (to others) and respond to the salam. *

AVOIDING EXTRAVAGANCE AND SHOW-OFF

Some people like to impress others about their wealth and status by holding extravagant banquets and receptions in expensive hotels, and by offering costly food and services that are often beyond their means and are extremely straining to their resources for a long time to follow.

This is prohibited in Islam. It reflects an imitation of Satan as

1 Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 2. Recorded by Ahmad, al-Hakim, and others. Verified to be hasan by al-Albani (Sahih ul-Jami‘ no. 3318).

Quest for Love & Mercy 107 The Walimah Allah (8) says:

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And Allah (88) says:

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Al-Mughirah Bin Shu‘bah (%) reported that the Prophet (&%) said:

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Jundub Bin ‘Abdillah and Ibn ‘Abbas (@) reported that the Prophet (88) said:

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<Whoever does things for others to hear, Allah will make people hear about his sins (on Judgment Day). And whoever does things for others to see, Allah will show his sins to others (on Judgment Day). *

Once two men visited Salman, Salman brought before them bread

3 Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others. E 4 Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others,

and salt, which was all that he had at home, and said:

“Had Allah’s Messenger (8%) not prohibited us from being excessive in what we offer to our guests, we would have burdened ourselves for your sake.” |

One form of extravagance that some people practice in banquets and walimahs is serving food in gold or silver plates or using silverware made of or plated with gold or silver.

Huthayfah (45) reported that Allah’s Messenger (5) said:

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<Do not wear silk or dibaj (an expensive garment with silk lining and borders), nor sit on it; and do not eat or drink in silver or gold utensils; such things are for them (the disbelievers) in the worldly life, and will be for us in the Hereafter. *

Umm Salamah (t#) reported that Allah’s Messenger (BS) said: dndeed, he who eats or drinks in gold or silver utensils only echoes in his stomach some of the Hell-

Many scholars permit using silver-plated silverware — provided

1 Recorded by Ahmad, al-Hakim, and others. Verified to be authentic by al-Albant (nwa? ul-Ghalil no. 1957).

2. Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others.

3. Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others.

Quest for Love & Mercy 109 The Walimah

that the silver layer is so thin that it is negligible compared to the overall substance. However, even then, using that kind of silverware is a source of shubhah (doubt), and is better to be avoided.