Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

21 August 2025

3-minute read

Focusing on the walimah in this episode of the Pathways to Marriage series, Ml Ebrahim Bham quoted a hadith of Nabi SAW: “If anyone of you is invited to a walimah, he should attend.”

The word walimah comes from the word awlamah, a gathering among the Arabs where people used to come together for meals. Prior to the nikah, husband and wife were strangers to each other. After the nikah, many families have a wedding ceremony or reception, and while this is not a sunnah, it is permissible when done within the boundaries of the shariah. The walimah is performed to signify the marriage and make it public.  The walimah is a great sunnah emphasized by Nabi SAW and is an outward expression of gratitude and pleasure after the nikah, it is an occasion for rejoicing and showing gratefulness to Allah SWT. Nabi said something to the effect: “Make walimah even if you have to slaughter a sheep”.

So, when should the walimah take place? It is preferable to have the walimah once the marriage has been consummated. If there is sufficient seclusion between the husband and wife, the walimah can also take place. Nowadays, a common trend is a joint function given by both the bride and groom’s side, and this is also acceptable. The walimah can be performed up to two days after the nikah is performed, with the day after being the preferred option. There is a narration in which Nabi SAW said, something to the effect, that the walimah is for two days, and if it is performed on the third day, it is a matter of pride and showing off. Hence the walimah is that function that is performed within two days of the nikah.

The walimah of Zainab binte Jahsh RA stands out, where the day after the nikah, Nabi SAW slaughtered a sheep and served it with bread to the Muhajireen and the Ansaar who were invited to the ceremony. Certain of the walimah of Nabi SAW were kept very simple, where dates, cheese and butter were served as in the case of the walimah of Safiyya RA.

There should be no formality and no compulsion on what must be served and who must be invited. Whatever one can afford can be considered the walimah. There is also no compulsion as to where it should be held, as the tendency for some people is to hold their walimah functions in the blessed city of Madinah.

Abdullah ibn Abbas RA stated that Nabi SAW prohibited us from eating at the walimah from those who try to excel one another. “The worst of walimah is that in which the poor are excluded and only the wealthy are invited”.

Listen to the full discussion with Ml Ebrahim Bham here.