FAQs

A. The minimum age for marriage in the United Kingdom – which includes Nikah – is 18 years old. This standard is expressed across other European countries as well. 

A. Scholars have different views on this matter. Some argue that a wali is absolutely necessary and without one, a nikah will not be valid. Others argue that it’s not fundamental to the nikah, and a nikah will be valid without the presence of a wali. We follow the Hanafi madhab and can proceed without a wali if there is a legitimate reason for not having them present or involved. 

A. You need a minimum of 2 witnesses for a nikah to be valid. The witnesses need to be Muslim, classified as adults and able to understand what they are being witnesses to. There’s a misconception that witnesses NEED to be from both the bride’s side and the groom’s side. This is incorrect, only 2 witnesses are required regardless of whether they are from the groom’s side, brides side or a third party. 

A. In short, no. Some scholars argue that publicly announcing the nikah is necessary for validity. But often when people want a secret nikah theres always a story behind it, and it’s problematic. 

A. The mahr is the bride’s right according to Hanafi fiqh. As such, the amount of mahr should be discussed with the bride and agreed with her knowledge and consent. There is no maximum figure, but Hanafi scholars stipulate a minimum amount of 31 grams of silver, or the equivalent value. Whatever mahr is agreed, it should be in consultation with the bride or her wali and should be reasonable, taking account of the groom’s financial capability.

A. No, mahr can be anything of material value. The only requirement is that it meets the minimum value threshold of 31 grams. 

A. Yes, either by the bride or her wali. As mahr is the bride’s right, she can dismiss any requirement for it. 

A. There are three ways in which the mahr can be paid: in full on the day of the nikah, delayed to be paid at an agreed time/date (referred to as muajjal) or a combination of both, where part of the mahr is paid immediately, and the rest is delayed. 

Again, mahr is the bride’s right, so any agreements regarding deferred or delayed payments need to be discussed and agreed with her or her wali.

A. Witnesses are the responsibility of the bride and groom.  On very rare occasions, we may be able to assist in providing witnesses.  But we’ll need to be satisfied with why you do not have anyone available to support you on what is, for many, one of the biggest days of their lives.

A. No

A. That’s not something we support.  In fact, we’ve turned around whilst on route to a nikah when the groom has disclosed that he is already married and his first wife is unaware he is getting married again.  These sorts of relationships don’t end well, and the secret second wife is almost always the casualty of such relationships.

A. We hear this a lot.  But there’s more than one way to make a relationship halal, the most obvious being to end the haram.  Whether nikah is the best way to do that is something we need to discuss with couples, which can, on occasion, be an uncomfortable conversation for some.  Our main priority is to ensure no party is compromised, exploited or left in a position of vulnerability.  Our stance is that nikah is a privilege which needs to be earned, not a right that can be demanded. 

A. This is always a difficult situation to be in, but it’s important to make decisions with as much objectivity as possible.  If your parents are loving, caring individuals who typically want the best for you, then it’s worth listening to them and trying to understand their objections.  Often, when people are so close to an issue, they can’t see the glaring problems in their choice of partner.  Unfortunately, we’ve dealt with a lot of couples who have found this out the hard way.