Fatwa

Witnesses in Nikah

Fatwa #697 Category: Marriage & Divorce Country: Pakistan Date: 22nd August 2023
Fatwa #697 Date: 22nd August 2023
Category: Marriage & Divorce
Country: Pakistan

Question

My question is about female witnesses in nikkah. Nikkah will be valid or not if there are only female witnesses . Some scholars says that nikkah without witnesses is irregular nikkah and some says that it does not take place. What is the correct opinion in this matter?  Which opinion is true?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

There are 3 major conditions for a valid nikah.

  1. Ijaab (Proposal)
  2. Qabool (Acceptance)
  3. Presence of 2 male witnesses or 1 male and 2 female witnesses.[1]

If the nikah had only female witnesses, meaning not even one man besides the groom was present, then the nikah is invalid.[2]

It should be noted that if the khateeb (the one conducting the nikah) is there, he too can be counted as a witness.

 

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

 

Mufti Bilal Pandor

Checked and Concurred by:

Mufti Muhammad Patel

 

Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah


Lusaka, Zambia

daruliftaazambia.com

 

شرح مختصر الطحاوي للجصاص (4/ 243) [1]

قال أبو جعفر: (ولا نكاح إلا بشهود أحرار، مسلمين، بالغين، شاهدين أو أكثر، أو رجل وامرأتين)

الأصل للشيباني ط قطر (10/ 212) [2]

وإذا تزوج الرجل بشهادة نساء ليس معهن رجل فالنكاح باطل