❖ Question:
Is the presence of witnesses necessary at the time of nikāḥ?
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
✿ Answer:
Yes, for nikāḥ it is necessary to have at least two just men or one man and two women as witnesses. Without witnesses, nikāḥ is not valid.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لا نكاح إلا بولي وشاهدي عدل
“There is no nikāḥ without a guardian and two just witnesses.”
(Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1881 – sanad ḥasan)
Conclusion:
- Presence of witnesses is an essential condition for the validity of nikāḥ.
- A marriage conducted without witnesses is invalid in Sharīʿah.
