Can a widow re-marry without having any witnesses?
Question
is it true that a widow can re-marry without witnesses.
the man she intends to marry is already married. both are sunni muslims.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
It is a prerequisite for the validity of a marriage to have two witnesses present to witness the exchange of the proposal and acceptance of the marriage[1]. If there are no two witnesses, the marriage will be invalid. Accordingly, the widow cannot marry without two witnesses witnessing the marriage.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Immad Bin Arshad
Student Darul Iftaa
California, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
[1] المبسوط للسرخسي (5/ 30)
(قَالَ:) بَلَغَنَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «لَا نِكَاحَ إلَّا بِشُهُودٍ» وَبِهِ أَخَذَ عُلَمَاؤُنَا رَحِمَهُمْ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى
العناية شرح الهداية (3/ 199)
قَالَ (وَلَا يَنْعَقِدُ نِكَاحُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إلَّا بِحُضُورِ شَاهِدَيْنِ حُرَّيْنِ عَاقِلَيْنِ بَالِغَيْنِ مُسْلِمَيْنِ أَوْ رَجُلٌ وَامْرَأَتَيْنِ عُدُولًا كَانُوا أَوْ غَيْرَ عُدُولٍ) أَمَّا اشْتِرَاطُ الشَّهَادَةِ فَلِقَوْلِهِ - عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ - «لَا نِكَاحَ إلَّا بِشُهُودٍ»
مجمع الأنهر في شرح ملتقى الأبحر (1/ 320)
(وَ) شُرِطَ أَيْضًا (حُضُورُ) شَاهِدَيْنِ
لا ينعقد نكاح المسلمين الا بحضور شاهدين(اللباب في شرح الكتاب ج4 ص6)
- Answered by
- Immad Bin Arshad
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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