Date: 13.02.2016
Presenter: Ml Sajjad Timol
Guests: Ml Ahmed Akoo; Ml Zaheer Ali

Ml Sajjad hosted a relevant and important discussion with guests Ml Ahmed and Ml Zaheer on the loss of Barakah in our weddings and Walimahs.

Ml Ahmed began by explaining the great Sunnah of the Walimah, a practice which was encouraged by the Prophet SAW. The focus of marriage nowadays is on the wedding or Walimah festival instead of on the marriage itself. Many youngsters are not taught how to live with their spouse after the wedding and thus they are not prepared to deal with the everyday challenges of a marriage. Parents need to lead by example. The Prophet SAW has warned against imitating the Kuffaar. Unfortunately Western trends and norms have crept into and overtaken the way we perform our Nikahs today and we are losing the essence and the beauty of the Sunnah. Ml Ahmed mentioned the origins of modern day wedding customs such as the bouquet and bridesmaids and gave some pointers on removing these trends from our Nikahs. Customs must not take precedence over the Sunnah practice of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam. Ml Ahmed discussed the need to avoid getting into debt when planning our wedding and Walimah functions, we must avoid taking loans with the intention to impress others. Even the affluent will be questioned by Allah SWT as to how they used their wealth. Our ‘big day’ is not the day of our Nikah, our actual ‘big day’ is the day we will have to stand before our Creator and answer for our deeds. Ml Ahmed concluded with the need to guide the Muslim community with regard to simplifying our wedding and Walimah functions. Sincerity is lacking in the Ummah in general so it is impossible to please everyone, we should rather focus on pleasing Allah SWT.

Ml Zaheer gave an overview of the significance of the Walimah. The best Walimah is the simplest one and the Sahabah RA served basic foods at their Walimahs in the time of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam. The norms and criteria that have been set by a society which anticipates huge functions make it extremely difficult for Muslims to abstain from throwing a lavish wedding or Walimah. Such noble verses of the Quran are recited at these occasions that modern weddings have become a farce. Lavishness leads to much debt and wastage. When we make it difficult for people to make Nikah, we make it easy for them to commit Zina. Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam encouraged all of his Sahabah RA to get married so that they could save themselves from evil. Ml Zaheer gave some guidelines when hosting a Walimah: the poor should also be invited to these functions; the function should not clash with the times of Salaah and the couple should be advised correctly prior to the performance of the Nikah. Ml Zaheer concluded by mentioning some of the Duas recited by Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam after the Nikah.