Implication of Nikah and Rukhsati
| Fatwa #741 | Category: Marriage & Divorce | Country: United Kingdom | Date: 18th April 2024 |
| Fatwa #741 | Date: 18th April 2024 |
| Category: Marriage & Divorce | |
| Country: United Kingdom | |
Question
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh
Hope you’re well & in good health.
My question is a straight forward one in which I already know the answer to. I would like to know what I should do regarding the situation that I am in.
I will provide some context so you can get a full understanding of my situation.
Alhumdulillah in June of 2023 I got nikkahfied with the woman of my dreams. We were both 22 years of age at the time of nikkah.
The wedding/rukhsati is set to be in Pakistan in October of 2024 In Sha Allah. So at the moment my wife is still living with her parents in a different city to me.
Myself and my wife’s father wanted to do a straight nikkah, and skip past any engagements and that kind of stuff.
Ever since the nikkah I have only been alone with my wife once and that was also only for 2 minutes or less.
I am not able to take her out anywhere and not even able to spend some time alone with her anywhere.
The reason for this is my parents and her parents. They always keep a close eye on us and if we ever try to be alone, my parents will scold me and her parents will scold her.
If I do take my wife out to eat or even just on a drive, we have to bring a third person with us otherwise we’re not allowed to go.
It has been like this ever since the nikkah and believe it or not the only time we spend alone together is when we’re on the phone to each other.
I don’t know what the state of thinking of our parents is, but every time we mention something like this they would say “the rukhsati isn’t done yet”
Please correct me if I am wrong, but rukhsati has no importance in Islam. Nikkah is the main thing which makes a couple husband and wife.
It does get to me sometimes that our own parents won’t let us spend time together.
I would like some advice on what to do in this situation please.
Jazakallah
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Once a nikah has been conducted, everything which was Haram prior to nikah becomes Halal. This is irrespective of whether rukhsati is done or not.
The primary purpose of nikah is to enable the spouses to live and interact as a legitimate couple without committing any sin. Therefore, it is incorrect to prohibit the spouses from spending time with each other due to rukhsati being pending.
Having said that, one must tackle this matter with the utmost caution as there is no barakah in displeasing ones parents. Our advice is that you raise your sentiments to a senior family member who shares these views and ask him to intercede on your behalf to both sets of parents. Alternatively, a local Aalim respected by all parents can be approached and he may speak to the parents.
Almighty Allah has given us this blessing of nikah so that we protect our chastity. Therefore, it does not make sense to impede the very purpose of nikah due to culture.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Bilal Pandor
Concurred by
Mufti Muhammad Patel
Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah
Lusaka, Zambia