Fatwa ID: 08937
Answered by Alimah Inayah Ahmed
Question:
During my Nikkah I said qabool with the Imam, my dad and witnesses around me, however after the Nikkah I developed doubts about whether I head the contract properly and whether this affects its validity. To remove this doubt one of my older cousin brother asked me if I accept the marriage again to which I said yes, around us was a few people who did not go to my husbands house to witness his nikkah, therefore they only witnesses my side.
My question is, does repeating it with my cousin invalidate the first proper Nikkah done with my dad and all witnesses and is the second one valid as the people who heard me say yes were not there when my husband said qabool on his part?
I am a hanafi and I am struggling with waswasas so some clarity will really help me.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
May Allah reward you for your patience in this confusing time.
First of all, the first nikāḥ remains valid. The conditions of a nikāḥ are that, at minimum, there be consent of both parties (i.e., proposal and acceptance), and muslim, adult and sane witnesses – whether that be two males or one male and two females. [1] Therefore doubts regarding hearing the contract do not invalidate the nikāḥ as the main conditions have been met and the designated witnesses were present for both statements.
However, the repetition is legally void as witnesses must be present for both proposal and acceptance. This is known as Ittihaadi-Majlis i.e. unity of gathering. [2] This constitutes that the witnesses must hear the words of ijaab and qabool, in person, in the same gathering. [3] However, as you have correctly understood, your witnesses of the second qabool failed to be present at the proposal (ijaab). This results in the words being said in two separate majaalis and thereby the criteria required for a valid witnessing of the nikāḥ contract was not fulfilled. Therefore, this repetition has no legal effect and does not result in a new nikāḥ; it should be treated as a verbal emphasis on the binding and completion of the first marriage. The first nikāḥ remains fully valid.
As for the wasāwis, keep in mind the principle that “certainty is not removed by doubts”. Meaning, that once something is established, only clear proof can negate it, not doubt. This is a legal maxim is expressed as اليقين لا يزول بالشك (al-yaqin la yazul bi-shakk)
May Allah grant you ease.
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Aalimah Inayah Ahmed
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
النكاح ينعقد بالايجاب والقبول…و لا ينعقد النكاح المسلمين الا بحضور شاهدين حرَّين بالغين عاقلين مسلمَين أو رجلٍ و امرأتَين
{مختصر القدورى، الصفحة ٤٦٨–٤٦٩، مكتبة البشرى}
[2]
ومن شرائط الإيجاب والقبول: اتحاد المجلس لو حاضرين
{رد المحتار، المجلد ٤، كتاب النكاح، الصفحة ٧٦، دار الكتب العلمية}
[3]
شرِطَ سماعَ كلٍّ منهما لفظَ الاخر و حضور حريّن او حر و حرتين مكلفين مسلمين سماعين معا لفظهما فلا يصح إن سمعا متفرِقين
{شرح الوقاية، كتاب النكاح، الصفحة ٩، مكتبة امدادية}
(وَمِنْهَا) سَمَاعُ الشَّاهِدَيْنِ كَلَامَهُمَا مَعًا هَكَذَا فِي فَتْحِ الْقَدِيرِ …ِ وَلَوْ سَمِعَا كَلَامَ أَحَدِهِمَا دُونَ الْآخَرِ أَوْ سَمِعَ أَحَدُهُمَا كَلَامَ أَحَدِهِمَا وَالْآخَرُ كَلَامَ الْآخَرِ لَا يَجُوزُ النِّكَاحُ هَكَذَا فِي الْبَدَائِعِ […]
{الفتاوى الهندية، الباب الأول في تفسير النكاح شرعًا وصفته وركنه وشرطه وحكمه، الصفحة 268، المكتبة الشاملة}
https://shamela.ws/book/21640/267#p2