A Blessed Walimah โ Wedding Banquet ๐ธ
โGive a wedding banquet (Walima) even with one sheepโ โ Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ
In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
Preface
Alhamdulillah, who has sent us straight guidance and right direction.
ููููููุฏู ุฌูุงุกูููู ู ููู ุฑููุจููููู ู ุงููููุฏูููฐ
And there has already come to them from their Lord guidance. (53:23)
ููููู ู ููุฌูุนูู ููููู ุนูููุฌูุง * ูููููู ูุง
He has not made therein [in the book] any crookedness. [He has made it] straight. (18:1โ2)
He has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, as a giver of good news and a warner, as a teacher and one who makes easy, who recited to the people his verses, and purified them, and taught them the book and wisdom, while before they were in clear error.
ูููููุชูู ู ุนูููููฐ ุดูููุง ุญูููุฑูุฉู ู ูููู ุงููููุงุฑู ููุฃููููุฐูููู ู ููููููุง
And [recall when] you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, then He saved you from it. (3:103)
To proceed,
Among the guidance of the Messenger of Allah ๏ทบ is the walimah ๐(wedding feast).
After hearing about the marriage of Abdur Rahman bin Auf, the Prophet ๏ทบ told him:
ุจูุงุฑููู ุงูููููู ูููู ุฃูููููู ู ูููููู ุจูุดูุงุฉู
May Allah bless you โ๏ธ. Give a wedding banquet (Walima) even with one sheep. (Bukhari 6386)
Among the benefits of the wedding banquet is the following.
Blessings of Walimah
1. It is a place of spreading the salam, feeding food, and connecting the ties of blood.
The Prophet ๏ทบ said upon arriving in Madinah, as narrated by Abdullah bin Salam:
ููุง ุฃููููููุง ุงููููุงุณู ุฃูููุดููุง ุงูุณูููุงูู ู ููุฃูุทูุนูู ููุง ุงูุทููุนูุงู ู ููุตููููุง ุงูุฃูุฑูุญูุงู ู ููุตูููููุง ุจูุงูููููููู ููุงููููุงุณู ููููุงู ู ุชูุฏูุฎููููุง ุงููุฌููููุฉู ุจูุณููุงูู ู
O people! Spread (the greeting of) Salam โ๏ธ, feed others ๐, join the ties of blood ๐ฑ, and pray during the night ๐คฒ when people are sleeping, and you will enter Paradise โฒ with Salam.
(Ibn Majah 3251, Sahih โ Darussalam)
Spreading the salam causes affection ๐ between believers (Muslim 54a) and brings in rewards (Tirmizi, 2689).
Feeding others ๐ is a part of Islam (Bukhari: 28) and a source of reward and good ๐น.
Upholding the ties of blood ๐ฑ is a means to having your lifespan extended and your provision increased ๐ช. (Bukhari, 2067)
2. It is a means by which marriage is publicized.
The Prophet ๏ทบ said:
ุฃุนูููุง ุงูููุงุญ
Proclaim ๐ the marriage.
(Ahmed, from Abdullah bin Zubayr, Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Irwaโ al-Ghaleel, 1993)
Publicizing ๐marriage through the wedding feast encourages other non married Muslims to also consider getting married ๐ธ.
It dispels doubts when the husband and wife are seen together ๐ซ as to their relationship.
It normalizes the sunnah of getting married ๐, and alienates the promiscuous culture of living together as seen in some cultures โ ๏ธ.
3. It brings people together
Among the goals of the shariah is to create amity ๐ and love between people, to live in harmony and fraternity ๐.
The Prophet ๏ทบ said:
โ ูุงู ุชูุฏูุฎูููููู ุงููุฌููููุฉู ุญูุชููู ุชูุคูู ููููุง ูููุงู ุชูุคูู ููููุง ุญูุชููู ุชูุญูุงุจูููุง โ.โ ุฃููููุงู ุฃูุฏููููููู ู ุนูููู ุดูููุกู ุฅูุฐูุง ููุนูููุชูู ูููู ุชูุญูุงุจูุจูุชูู ู ุฃูููุดููุง ุงูุณูููุงูู ู ุจูููููููู ู โโ
You shall not enter Paradise ๐๏ธ until you believe. And you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not direct you to a thing, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread the salam among yourselves ๐. (Muslim, 54a)
Be careful of these in the Walimah
Whilst this is a beautiful deed, a believer should take caution, lest Satan ๐ฅmisguides his intention, and what was a beautiful act that brings reward and good, transforms into a sin and regret ๐ฉ๏ธ.
ู ูููู ุฃูุนูุฑูุถู ุนููููู ููุฅูููููู ููุญูู ููู ููููู ู ุงููููููุงู ูุฉู ููุฒูุฑูุง
Whoever turns away from it โ then indeed, he will bear on the Day of Resurrection a burden ๐ชจ. (20:100)
Do not make the walimah a platform to show off ๐ถ๏ธ, to display your power ๐๏ธ, status and honor, etc.
ุฅูููู ุงูููููู ููุง ููุญูุจูู ููููู ู ูุฎูุชูุงูู ููุฎููุฑู
Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-conceited arrogant. (31:18)
Do not make the walimah a party only for the rich ๐๏ธ where the poor are left out.
Abu Huraira said, โThe worst food is the food of a wedding banquet, in which the rich are invited and the poor are left out.โ (Muslim 1432)
It is the start of a beautiful relationship, that wills, if Allah will, be eternal and abiding.
So do the walimah for seeking the blessing of Allah, following the sunnah, and bringing in joy โ๏ธ to others.
And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.