15th August 2022
Question: What is the Islamic ruling on performing Nikāh online with the bride and groom and witnesses in different locations?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
In reference to the above query, virtual Nikāh whether online or over the phone performed in a manner where the bride, groom and witnesses are physically in different locations is not valid. Legal jurists have outlined that it is necessary for all of the above to be physically present in one session at the same time for the Nikāh to be valid. [1] As a result of a virtual Nikāh, marital relationship between them will not be lawful as they won’t be classed as husband and wife. This is the adopted position amongst contemporary Hanafi jurists more particularly the Deobandi tradition.[2]
If the groom for instance is able to be physically present with the Imām and the witnesses but the bride is in a different location (or vice-versa), then an alternative solution is that the absent bride to appoint an agent (wakeel) to represent her in the gathering. Appointing an agent is permissible as was the case with King Najashi when he performed the Prophet’s sallallahu alayhi wasallam marriage with Sayyidah Umme Habibah radhiyallahu anha at Habashah. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was in Madinah whilst she was in Habashah with King Najashi representing the Messenger of Allāh sallallahu alayhi wasallam as his wakeel.[3]
[Allãh Knows Best]
Written and researched by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed
Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Durrul Mukhtār wa hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitāb Nikāh, vol 3 p. 14
وَمِنْ شَرَائِطِ الْإِيجَابِ وَالْقَبُولِ: اتِّحَادُ الْمَجْلِسِ لَوْ حَاضِرَيْنِ
(قَوْلُهُ: اتِّحَادُ الْمَجْلِسِ) قَالَ فِي الْبَحْرِ: فَلَوْ اخْتَلَفَ الْمَجْلِسُ لَمْ يَنْعَقِدْ، فَلَوْ أَوْجَبَ أَحَدُهُمَا فَقَامَ الْآخَرُ أَوْ اشْتَغَلَ بِعَمَلٍ آخَرَ بَطَلَ الْإِيجَابُ؛ لِأَنَّ شَرْطَ الِارْتِبَاطِ اتِّحَادُ الزَّمَانِ فَجُعِلَ الْمَجْلِسُ جَامِعًا تَيْسِيرًا؛ وَأَمَّا الْفَوْرُ فَلَيْسَ مِنْ شَرْطِهِ؛ وَلَوْ عَقَدَا وَهُمَا يَمْشِيَانِ أَوْ يَسِيرَانِ عَلَى الدَّابَّةِ لَا يَجُوزُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ سَائِرَةٍ جَازَ. اهـ. أَيْ؛ لِأَنَّ السَّفِينَةَ فِي حُكْمِ مَكَان وَاحِدٍ.
Fatawa Hindiyyah, Kitāb Nikāh, vol 1, p. 269
(وَمِنْهَا) أَنْ يَكُونَ الْإِيجَابُ وَالْقَبُولُ فِي مَجْلِسٍ وَاحِدٍ حَتَّى لَوْ اخْتَلَفَ الْمَجْلِسُ بِأَنْ كَانَا حَاضِرَيْنِ فَأَوْجَبَ أَحَدُهُمَا فَقَامَ الْآخَرُ عَنْ الْمَجْلِسِ قَبْلَ الْقَبُولِ أَوْ اشْتَغَلَ بِعَمَلٍ يُوجِبُ اخْتِلَافَ الْمَجْلِسِ لَا يَنْعَقِدُ وَكَذَا إذَا كَانَ أَحَدُهُمَا غَائِبًا لَمْ يَنْعَقِدْ حَتَّى لَوْ قَالَتْ امْرَأَةٌ بِحَضْرَةِ شَاهِدَيْنِ زَوَّجْتُ نَفْسِي مِنْ فُلَانٍ وَهُوَ غَائِبٌ فَبَلَغَهُ الْخَبَرُ فَقَالَ: قَبِلْتُ، أَوْ قَالَ رَجُلٌ بِحَضْرَةِ شَاهِدَيْنِ: تَزَوَّجْتُ فُلَانَةَ وَهِيَ غَائِبَةٌ فَبَلَغَهَا الْخَبَرُ فَقَالَتْ زَوَّجْتُ نَفْسِي مِنْهُ لَمْ يَجُزْ
[2] Jalandhari, Khayrul Fatawa, Nikāh, vol 4, p. 369, Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, Kitāb Fatāwa, KItāb Nikāh, vol 4, p. 305, Mufti Islamil Kacholvi, Fatāwa Diniyyah, Kitāb Nikāh, vol 3, p. 202, Mufti Mahmod Hasan Gangohi, Fatāwa Mahmoodiyyah, Kitāb Nikāh, vol 10, p. 680
[3] Maulana Idrees Khandhelwi, Seertaul Mustafa, vol 3, p. 246