Muslim Marriage FAQs
We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions on legal and religious marriage and divorce. These are designed to help individuals understand the law and their rights, enabling them to make informed decisions.
29. Is polygamy allowed in Islam?
Polygyny – where a husband may have more than one wife – is permitted in Islam. However, the vast majority of Muslim marriages are monogamous.
In the Quran, polygamy is referred to as follows:
Surah An-Nisa (4:3): This verse permits marrying up to four wives, but only if the husband can treat them all with justice. If not, it instructs men to marry only one wife as the preferred option.
Surah An-Nisa (4:129): This verse acknowledges that perfect justice between multiple wives is impossible, even if a husband tries. Some interpret this as potentially negating polygamy.
The decision to marry more than one wife should not be taken lightly and it comes with significant obligations to treat both with justice and equity.
The Qur’anic context for polygamy refers to looking after women and orphans and that a husband must fulfil his responsibilities with respect to each wife and child.
In the Quran, polygamy is referred to as follows:
Surah An-Nisa (4:3): This verse permits marrying up to four wives, but only if the husband can treat them all with justice. If not, it instructs men to marry only one wife as the preferred option.
Surah An-Nisa (4:129): This verse acknowledges that perfect justice between multiple wives is impossible, even if a husband tries. Some interpret this as potentially negating polygamy.
The decision to marry more than one wife should not be taken lightly and it comes with significant obligations to treat both with justice and equity.
The Qur’anic context for polygamy refers to looking after women and orphans and that a husband must fulfil his responsibilities with respect to each wife and child.
30. Is Mut’ah or temporary marriage allowed in Islam?
Mut’ah marriage occurred in Arabia prior to the spread of the Islamic faith.
At a time when men travelled for long periods of time, they conducted marriages with the intention that they were temporary.
A Mut’ah marriage contains a clause in the Nikah contract putting a time limit on it and there are usually no witnesses. The marriage automatically ends at the date specified in the contract.
At the beginning of the period of Prophethood, mut’ah marriages were still permitted but they were later forbidden.
There is scholarly consensus (ijmaa’) that temporary marriages are forbidden and invalid because they mitigate the very purpose of marriage: to bring children into the world in a strong, stable and loving family.
This type of arrangement can also lead to mistreatment, abuse and exploitation of women, as the usual protections conferred by having the guardian and witnesses overseeing the union, are not present.
Countless scholars have cited a scholarly consensus on its prohibition. [Ibn al-Mundhir, Ijma; Khattabi, Maalim al-Sunan; Maziri, al-Mulim bi fawaid al-Muslim]
Within some Shia’ doctrine, Mut’ah is permitted though much of the legal literature relied on cite evidence against it.
The Zaidi Shiites also say that it is forbidden. [Imam Yahya ibn al-Husayn, al-Ahkam fi al-halal wa al-haram]
It is also worth noting that if a couple marries with the intention of divorcing after a specific period of time but without including this in the Nikah contract, the marriage is still considered invalid as their intention is a temporary marriage.
At a time when men travelled for long periods of time, they conducted marriages with the intention that they were temporary.
A Mut’ah marriage contains a clause in the Nikah contract putting a time limit on it and there are usually no witnesses. The marriage automatically ends at the date specified in the contract.
At the beginning of the period of Prophethood, mut’ah marriages were still permitted but they were later forbidden.
There is scholarly consensus (ijmaa’) that temporary marriages are forbidden and invalid because they mitigate the very purpose of marriage: to bring children into the world in a strong, stable and loving family.
This type of arrangement can also lead to mistreatment, abuse and exploitation of women, as the usual protections conferred by having the guardian and witnesses overseeing the union, are not present.
Countless scholars have cited a scholarly consensus on its prohibition. [Ibn al-Mundhir, Ijma; Khattabi, Maalim al-Sunan; Maziri, al-Mulim bi fawaid al-Muslim]
Within some Shia’ doctrine, Mut’ah is permitted though much of the legal literature relied on cite evidence against it.
The Zaidi Shiites also say that it is forbidden. [Imam Yahya ibn al-Husayn, al-Ahkam fi al-halal wa al-haram]
It is also worth noting that if a couple marries with the intention of divorcing after a specific period of time but without including this in the Nikah contract, the marriage is still considered invalid as their intention is a temporary marriage.
31. What is Misyar marriage and is it allowed?
Misyar is a modern term, meaning ‘to make things easy’.
In this kind of marriage, the bride and groom make a contract with an offer and acceptance with a wali and witnesses and a mahr is agreed upon. However, the bride agrees to give up some commonly accepted rights of a wife, such as having the husband live with her, or financial support or maintenance that would otherwise be expected.
Misyar marriage is generally non-traditional, and may be desirable for some who do not want a conventional marital arrangement, for whatever reason.
Some scholars have said that these marriages are not allowed as the potential harm outweighs the potential benefit and there have been many cases where the arrangements have led to situations that have been damaging for the women involved.
They are also concerned that any children involved could be adversely affected by their father’s absence. However, the majority of the scholars have said that misyar marriages are allowed but would either not encourage people to enter into these types of marriages or would actively discourage it for the reasons mentioned above and the concern that one of the spouses might be disadvantaged or harmed.
In this kind of marriage, the bride and groom make a contract with an offer and acceptance with a wali and witnesses and a mahr is agreed upon. However, the bride agrees to give up some commonly accepted rights of a wife, such as having the husband live with her, or financial support or maintenance that would otherwise be expected.
Misyar marriage is generally non-traditional, and may be desirable for some who do not want a conventional marital arrangement, for whatever reason.
Some scholars have said that these marriages are not allowed as the potential harm outweighs the potential benefit and there have been many cases where the arrangements have led to situations that have been damaging for the women involved.
They are also concerned that any children involved could be adversely affected by their father’s absence. However, the majority of the scholars have said that misyar marriages are allowed but would either not encourage people to enter into these types of marriages or would actively discourage it for the reasons mentioned above and the concern that one of the spouses might be disadvantaged or harmed.
32. What is ‘Urfi marriage?
This is a recent phenomenon which originated in Egypt, and is a ‘customary’ marriage.
Azhari Scholars have allowed one type of ‘Urfi marriage – where a couple has a nikah that is publicised in the usual way but it is not registered with the government and authorities in the country where they live. This is an unregistered marriage and offers no enforceable rights in the state legal system.
The usual conditions for a nikah to be valid are met, in that the bride and groom are both sane adults, there is an offer and acceptance, an agreed mahr, a wali and at least two witnesses.
A second type of ‘Urfi marriage is where the couple conduct a nikah without a wali, there is no mahr and there are possibly no witnesses. This type of marriage is not permitted by any of the scholars as it is clear that it can be abused and manipulated with none of the usual protections in place.
Azhari Scholars have allowed one type of ‘Urfi marriage – where a couple has a nikah that is publicised in the usual way but it is not registered with the government and authorities in the country where they live. This is an unregistered marriage and offers no enforceable rights in the state legal system.
The usual conditions for a nikah to be valid are met, in that the bride and groom are both sane adults, there is an offer and acceptance, an agreed mahr, a wali and at least two witnesses.
A second type of ‘Urfi marriage is where the couple conduct a nikah without a wali, there is no mahr and there are possibly no witnesses. This type of marriage is not permitted by any of the scholars as it is clear that it can be abused and manipulated with none of the usual protections in place.
33. Can a marriage be kept a secret?
Nikah marriages are not to be kept secret and should be announced publicly within the community.
If a couple wants to keep the news of their marriage private for a particular reason, the Shafi’i, Hanafi and Hanbali schools of Islamic law view this kind of marriage as valid but disliked (makruh).
The private/secret nikah ceremony must still meet the conditions for validity: in that the bride and groom are both sane adults, there is an offer and acceptance, an agreed mahr, a wali and at least two witnesses.
The Maliki school classes a secret marriage as invalid as it has not been publicised.
If a couple wants to keep the news of their marriage private for a particular reason, the Shafi’i, Hanafi and Hanbali schools of Islamic law view this kind of marriage as valid but disliked (makruh).
The private/secret nikah ceremony must still meet the conditions for validity: in that the bride and groom are both sane adults, there is an offer and acceptance, an agreed mahr, a wali and at least two witnesses.
The Maliki school classes a secret marriage as invalid as it has not been publicised.
34. Can a Muslim man marry a non-Muslim woman?
According to the Qur’an (5:5), a Muslim man is permitted to marry a woman from the “People of the Book” – meaning Jewish or Christian women – as long as the marriage is conducted in a respectful and lawful way. This means the relationship should be based on commitment.
Scholars differ on how this applies today.
Some emphasise that interfaith marriages can bring challenges, especially around children’s religious upbringing, cultural practices, and legal recognition in different countries. Others highlight that Islam values respect, justice, and mutual understanding in family life, so couples should think carefully about how to uphold these principles in mixed-faith marriages.
In Islam, Muslim men are prohibited from forcing their wives to become Muslim.
Scholars differ on how this applies today.
Some emphasise that interfaith marriages can bring challenges, especially around children’s religious upbringing, cultural practices, and legal recognition in different countries. Others highlight that Islam values respect, justice, and mutual understanding in family life, so couples should think carefully about how to uphold these principles in mixed-faith marriages.
In Islam, Muslim men are prohibited from forcing their wives to become Muslim.
35. Can a Muslim woman marry a non-Muslim man?
This is a question that many Muslims in the UK and beyond are asking, as interfaith marriages are becoming more common.
The traditional view:
Most classical Islamic scholars state that Muslim women cannot marry non-Muslim men unless the men convert to Islam.
The Qur’an:
2:221 prohibits both Muslim men and women from marrying polytheists (those who associate partners with God).
5:5 allows Muslim men to marry Jewish and Christian women. However, Muslim women are not mentioned in this verse. Many jurists take this silence as an implied prohibition on women marrying Jewish or Christian men.
Scholarly debates:
Some modern scholars, such as Shaykh Khaled Abou El Fadl, have questioned this prohibition. He argues that the Qur’an does not explicitly forbid Muslim women from marrying Jewish or Christian men, so the traditional position may rest on interpretation rather than clear evidence.
Classical jurists gave two main reasons for the restriction:
1. Children usually follow the father’s religion.
2. Islam prohibits Muslim men from forcing their wives to convert, but such a safeguard did not historically exist in Jewish or Christian law, raising fears that a Muslim woman could be pressured into leaving her faith.
Critics argue these reasons are not necessarily reflective of modern realities.
Contemporary perspectives:
A small number of Muslim scholars and organisations (such as Muslims for Progressive Values) do not require the non-Muslim partner in an interfaith marriage to convert. They emphasise the Qur’anic principle “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256) and point out that prominent jurists like Mustafa al-Siba’i and Wahba al-Zuhayli described marriage as essentially a civil contract.
In summary:
• The majority Islamic scholarly opinion remains that Muslim women cannot validly marry non-Muslim men.
• A minority of contemporary scholars challenge this view, noting the Qur’an’s silence on the issue.
• For couples considering an interfaith nikah, practice varies widely depending on which scholars or institutions are consulted.
The traditional view:
Most classical Islamic scholars state that Muslim women cannot marry non-Muslim men unless the men convert to Islam.
The Qur’an:
2:221 prohibits both Muslim men and women from marrying polytheists (those who associate partners with God).
5:5 allows Muslim men to marry Jewish and Christian women. However, Muslim women are not mentioned in this verse. Many jurists take this silence as an implied prohibition on women marrying Jewish or Christian men.
Scholarly debates:
Some modern scholars, such as Shaykh Khaled Abou El Fadl, have questioned this prohibition. He argues that the Qur’an does not explicitly forbid Muslim women from marrying Jewish or Christian men, so the traditional position may rest on interpretation rather than clear evidence.
Classical jurists gave two main reasons for the restriction:
1. Children usually follow the father’s religion.
2. Islam prohibits Muslim men from forcing their wives to convert, but such a safeguard did not historically exist in Jewish or Christian law, raising fears that a Muslim woman could be pressured into leaving her faith.
Critics argue these reasons are not necessarily reflective of modern realities.
Contemporary perspectives:
A small number of Muslim scholars and organisations (such as Muslims for Progressive Values) do not require the non-Muslim partner in an interfaith marriage to convert. They emphasise the Qur’anic principle “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256) and point out that prominent jurists like Mustafa al-Siba’i and Wahba al-Zuhayli described marriage as essentially a civil contract.
In summary:
• The majority Islamic scholarly opinion remains that Muslim women cannot validly marry non-Muslim men.
• A minority of contemporary scholars challenge this view, noting the Qur’an’s silence on the issue.
• For couples considering an interfaith nikah, practice varies widely depending on which scholars or institutions are consulted.
This is the position of all major schools of Islamic law, and it remains the mainstream opinion today.
36. Does a woman have to change her name when she gets married?
Muslim women are generally encouraged to keep their existing surname when they marry in line with the tradition of keeping the father’s family name.
37. Is it best to get married on a Friday?
There is no specific evidence stating that conducting the nikah ceremony on a Friday (jumu’ah) or after Asr prayers is Sunna or more rewarding.
It is perfectly acceptable to hold the marriage on any given time of any given day of the week.
However, many classical scholars state that as Friday is the most blessed day of the week and much significance is attached to it, it is preferable and recommended to conduct the marriage ceremony on this day.
Mulla Ali al-Qari (RA) – whilst commentating on the Hadith “Announce the marriage, conduct it in the Mosques, and beat the duff over it” (Tirmidhi) – states:
[The directive to] “Conduct it in the Mosques” is because it leads to more publicity for the marriage, or to attain the blessings of the location (makan). It is recommended to try and attain the blessings of the time (zaman) also, so that the illumination and happiness is doubled. Imam Ibn al-Humam said, ‘It is recommended to conduct the marriage in a Mosque because it is a form of worship, and on a Friday because it gives hope for more attendance or there is hope for more reward.’” (Mirqat al-Mafatih 6/217)
Conducting the Nikah after Asr prayers on Friday is not established as a Sunnah. However, since the time between Asr and Maghrib prayers is a blessed time, some scholars consider it to be a good time to conduct the Nikah. Others say it is better after Jumu’ah prayers since more people are likely to attend the ceremony, which will help with publicity as well as being a means of obtaining prayers from the congregation.
It is perfectly acceptable to hold the marriage on any given time of any given day of the week.
However, many classical scholars state that as Friday is the most blessed day of the week and much significance is attached to it, it is preferable and recommended to conduct the marriage ceremony on this day.
Mulla Ali al-Qari (RA) – whilst commentating on the Hadith “Announce the marriage, conduct it in the Mosques, and beat the duff over it” (Tirmidhi) – states:
[The directive to] “Conduct it in the Mosques” is because it leads to more publicity for the marriage, or to attain the blessings of the location (makan). It is recommended to try and attain the blessings of the time (zaman) also, so that the illumination and happiness is doubled. Imam Ibn al-Humam said, ‘It is recommended to conduct the marriage in a Mosque because it is a form of worship, and on a Friday because it gives hope for more attendance or there is hope for more reward.’” (Mirqat al-Mafatih 6/217)
Conducting the Nikah after Asr prayers on Friday is not established as a Sunnah. However, since the time between Asr and Maghrib prayers is a blessed time, some scholars consider it to be a good time to conduct the Nikah. Others say it is better after Jumu’ah prayers since more people are likely to attend the ceremony, which will help with publicity as well as being a means of obtaining prayers from the congregation.
38. Is it necessary to have a Walima?
A walima is a feast to celebrate the Nikah. It can be held at any time after the Nikah ceremony and is a Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW). However, it is not compulsory.
The Prophet (SAW) said:
“May Allah bestow His Blessing on you (in your marriage). Give a wedding banquet (Walima), even with one sheep.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6386).
The Prophet (SAW) said: