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Q & A --> Family and Gender Relations --> The Ruling for the Bride’s Wedding Procession

Question : A question was asked regarding whether [Muslim] women should be permitted to make a wedding procession for the bride from the entrance hall [of the place housing the party] to the dais (kusha) upon which the bride and groom sit [for the party]. In this procession, women beat the traditional drum (duff), recite hymns in praise of God and His Prophet (upon him be peace), and offer greetings to the couple. What, then, is the ruling regarding such a wedding procession? And what is the ruling for sitting in the dais?

Fatwa in Brief: This [the wedding procession/dais] is not permitted. It is an innovation, and all innovations are reprehensible. A Muslim woman is naturally modest. By sitting in the dais, the bride presents herself to a crowd of onlookers; thus, she cannot be described as modest.

Shaykh Ibn Jebrin

Response:

Announcing the marriage [to one’s community] is recommended (Sunna); the wedding procession for the bride is part of this announcement.

Commentary:

Announcing and declaring the marriage, so that news of it spreads among the community, is recommended (Sunna). The hadith: “Announce the marriage, hold it in the mosques, and beat tambourines on its occasion”, included by al-Tirmidhi, with a good (hasan) chain of tradition, calls for this announcement to be made through all possible means. Among these is included the beating of tambourines (daffs), the gathering of well-wishers, and the wedding procession for the bride. Regarding what is permitted women: during the bride’s wedding procession, [as she moves] from the entrance hall to the dais (kusha), people may beat tambourines and recite hymns, both are recommended acts. Hence, al-Bukhari includes a hadith, attributed to ‘Aisha, in which she [‘Aisha] prepares a woman to marry a man from among the Followers (ansar). [At which point] The Prophet said to her: “O ‘Aisha! Do you have no forms of entertainment (for the marriage ceremony); for, the Followers enjoy these?”

It is permitted for the bride to sit on the dais, so that other women see and congratulate her. Likewise, as mentioned already, it is permitted for women to dance when in the company of each other [but not of men]. However, if the dais includes both the bride and the groom, the wedding party [automatically] involves mixing (ikhtilat). And [the evils of] this has also been discussed above. If those who put on the wedding are confident that such mingling of men and women will not result in a contravention of [the spirit and demands of] Islam, it remains within the limits of the law. Nowadays, however, in most countries, people’s traditions [at weddings] all too often exceed these limits. It is better to be cautious, therefore, and to designate one place for men and another [separate place] for women. This way, women are free to behave as they wish, and not as they must in the company of men.

And God knows best.

Dr. Anas Abu Shadi