Nikah is legally binding—Sheikh

Islam forbids a union of a man and a woman who have not had their marriage officiated.

The sentiments were made by Sheikh Abdul Razzaq Fattani on Wednesday in an interview on the sidelines of officiation of 33 Nikahs at Che Lifa Mosque in Lirangwe, Blantyre.

“God commanded that Nikahs [marriages] haves to go through the blessings of either Sheikh or the church minister. Nikah is compulsory in Islam. People should not just take each other for marriage. That is against God’s will of marriage.

“The man has to pay dowry for the woman. If he does not have money, the two families have to agree to pay by instalments. Nikahs have to be legally bound,” said Fattani.

He said Muslims encourage blessed Nikahs and scriptures say men and women have to be stoned for illegal procession of marriage.

Islam insists that its members should be blessed before declaring themselves man and woman, saying Nikah is important in the eyes of God.

Prophet Muhammad said when one reaches adulthood should perform Nikah before being in the family, saying this was a command from the prophet.

Fattani, who is also the executive director of Islamic Relief Agency (IRA), said it is his vision is to see that all Nikahs go through the eyes of the sheikh in the area the people come from.

This year, alone, IRA have performed over 1 000 Nikahs in the areas they work, especially in the rural areas. n