Fatwa ID: 04491

Answered by: Maulana Muddasser Dhedhy

Question

What is the ruling in Islam regarding a marriage where an adult Muslim male, in the presence of two witnesses, does his own nikah to a divorcee female? The mahr is set but neither the girl nor the witnesses were allowed to announce the marriage. After some time, if this man utters talaq once, what is the status of the marriage then? Will such a nikah or divorce take place in Islam?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Islam does not encourage secret nikah.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Publicise this marriage, and hold it in the Masjid, and beat the Duff for it."[1]

However, if nikah takes place and all other conditions of nikah are met, then it will be valid. Hence, given that the nikah is valid, any subsequent divorce will also be valid.^[2]

As for the status of the nikah after the divorce is uttered once, this will depend upon the words used to pronounce the divorce. Further details are required in order to reach a conclusion about the state of the nikah after the divorce.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Muddasser Dhedhy

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Jami` At-Tirmidhi 1089

^[2] ويشترط العدد فلا ينعقد النكاح بشاهد واحد هكذا في البدائع ولا يشترط وصف الذكورة حتى ينعقد بحضور رجل وامرأتين، كذا في الهداية ولا ينعقد بشهادة المرأتين بغير رجل وكذا الخنثيين إذا لم يكن معهما رجل هكذا في فتاوى قاضي خان. (الفتاوى الهندية ج 1 ص 295. دار الكتب العلمية)

فتاوى محمودية ج 10 ص 475-478. دار الإفتاء جامعة فاروقية كراتشي