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Marriage in Shawwal

Marriage in Shawwal

Imam Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) in his collection of hadiths relates the following hadith transmitted from `Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): “The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) married me in Shawwal and consummated the marriage in Shawwal and which of the wives of the Messenger of Allah was more favoured by him than me?”

Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) in “Sharh Muslim”, commenting on the above, writes: “In this hadith there is an indication of the desirability of marriage and the first wedding night in the month of Shawwal.”

Our alims consider that this hadith suggests that it is recommendable to get married in Shawwal. These words of `Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) refute the opinion that existed in the pre islamic “jahiliyya” period and also the notion of others that considers marriage and sexual intimacy in Shawwal to be undesirable. Such an opinion has no basis. These are vestiges of jahiliyya, like the superstitious belief that to be married in Shawwal is a bad omen supposedly because there will be no love in the marriage as the name of the month means “to raise” or “to eliminate”.

Imam Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) cites a plague that befell the people in the month of Shawwal as the probable reason why the jahiliyya Arabs considered marriage undesirable in Shawwal. Based on these and other similar arguments, we conclude that in the Shafii madhab it is desirable to marry in Shawwal.

The leading Shafiite scholar Khatib ashShirbini (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in “Mughni Muhtaj” (4/24) that it is advisable to get married and spend the first wedding night in Shawwal. It is also desirable to marry early in the morning in a mosque in the presence of people, as per the hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “O Allah, grant blessings to my Ummah in the early hours.”

“I`anatu talibin” (4/431) also states that marrying on Friday is desirable as it is the best day of the week.

To conclude, it is advisable to marry in the month of Shawwal following Ramadan, and to solemnise it early on a Friday, in a mosque in the presence of people.

2026-05-01 (Dhul-Qaida 1447) №5.


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