Extracted from Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani’s book: "Aḥkām wa Masā'il – In the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah"
Is it permissible to get married during the days between the two Eids — specifically in the month of Shawwāl following Eid al-Fitr? Some schools of thought deem marriage during this period to be disliked (makrūh). Kindly respond in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah so that you may be rewarded by Allah.
There is no prohibition in Islam on getting married in any Islamic month, including Shawwāl and Muḥarram. It is completely permissible and valid to marry during the month of Shawwāl following Eid al-Fitr.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself married during the month of Shawwāl. During the pre-Islamic era, people regarded marriage in Shawwāl as inauspicious. However, Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah al-Ṣiddīqah رضي الله عنها narrates:
«زوجني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في شوال وبنى بي في شوال، فأي نساء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان أحظى عنده مني؟»
"Allah’s Messenger ﷺ married me in Shawwāl and consummated the marriage with me in Shawwāl. Which of the wives of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ was more fortunate than me?"
She also preferred that her female relatives get married and consummate marriage in Shawwāl.
Imām Sindhī wrote in his marginalia on Musnad Aḥmad that Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah’s رضي الله عنها intention was to refute the practice of those who prohibited marriage between the two Eids.
Imām Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله states:
«وفي دخوله عليه السلام بها فى شوال ردا لما يتوهمه بعض الناس من كراهية الدخول بين العيدين... وهذا ليس بشيء.»
“His ﷺ consummation of marriage with her in Shawwāl is a refutation of those who mistakenly believe that marriage between the two Eids is disliked due to fear of separation between spouses — this notion is baseless.”
Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله titled the chapter in Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim as:
"Bāb Istiḥbāb al-Tazwīj wa al-Dukhūl fī Shawwāl"
“Chapter on the Recommendation of Marriage and Consummation in Shawwāl”
In the commentary of the ḥadīth, he writes:
«فيه استحباب التزويج والتزوج والدخول فى شوال... وهذا باطل لا أصل له وهو من آثار الجاهلية...»
“This ḥadīth proves the recommendation (istiḥbāb) of marrying and consummating in Shawwāl. Our scholars explicitly stated this is recommended, based on this narration. Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah intended to refute the ignorant customs of the pre-Islamic era and some commoners of today who think that marriage and consummation in Shawwāl is disliked — this is false, baseless, and a remnant of jāhiliyyah. They used to take ill-omens due to the meaning of the word Shawwāl which implied separation.”
The word Shawwāl linguistically implies raising, separating, or drying up. Due to this, pre-Islamic Arabs used to believe that marriages contracted in this month would result in separation between husband and wife.
Imām al-Sakhāwī رحمه الله states:
Shawwāl is derived from "shālat al-ibil" which means “the she-camels would raise their tails due to heat (lust), seeking mates.” Based on this association, the month was named Shawwāl. Also, during this time Arabs would leave their homes to hunt, and their camels’ milk would dry up — thus they linked these events with misfortune.
Imām Ibn Manẓūr رحمه الله writes:
«كانت العرب تتطير من عقد المناكح فيه... فأبطل النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم طيرتهم...»
“The Arabs would take evil omens from marriages in Shawwāl, claiming that the bride would be repelled from her groom like a she-camel repels the male during mating. The Prophet ﷺ invalidated their superstition. Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها proudly mentioned her own marriage and consummation in Shawwāl as a proof.”
Also see:
Islam categorically prohibits taking bad omens (ṭiyarah).
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لا عدوى ولا طيرة»
“There is no contagious disease (without Allah’s will) and no bad omen.”
He also said:
«الطيرة شرك»
“Taking bad omens is shirk (polytheism).”
Authenticated by Imām Ḥākim and agreed upon by Imām Dhahabī.
This clearly proves that taking bad omens or avoiding marriage in Shawwāl is an act of shirk and ignorance from the era of jāhiliyyah.
✦ Marriage in the month of Shawwāl is fully permissible and even recommended.
✦ The Prophet ﷺ himself married and consummated in Shawwāl.
✦ Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها considered it auspicious for her female relatives to marry in Shawwāl.
✦ Avoiding marriage during this month due to superstition is baseless and contradicts the Sunnah.
✦ Muslims should abandon pre-Islamic practices and embrace the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ with love.
❖ Question:
Is it permissible to get married during the days between the two Eids — specifically in the month of Shawwāl following Eid al-Fitr? Some schools of thought deem marriage during this period to be disliked (makrūh). Kindly respond in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah so that you may be rewarded by Allah.
❖ Answer:
There is no prohibition in Islam on getting married in any Islamic month, including Shawwāl and Muḥarram. It is completely permissible and valid to marry during the month of Shawwāl following Eid al-Fitr.
❖ The Practice of the Prophet ﷺ:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself married during the month of Shawwāl. During the pre-Islamic era, people regarded marriage in Shawwāl as inauspicious. However, Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah al-Ṣiddīqah رضي الله عنها narrates:
«زوجني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في شوال وبنى بي في شوال، فأي نساء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان أحظى عنده مني؟»
"Allah’s Messenger ﷺ married me in Shawwāl and consummated the marriage with me in Shawwāl. Which of the wives of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ was more fortunate than me?"
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: 30/319
She also preferred that her female relatives get married and consummate marriage in Shawwāl.
❖ Scholarly Commentary:
Imām Sindhī wrote in his marginalia on Musnad Aḥmad that Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah’s رضي الله عنها intention was to refute the practice of those who prohibited marriage between the two Eids.
Imām Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله states:
«وفي دخوله عليه السلام بها فى شوال ردا لما يتوهمه بعض الناس من كراهية الدخول بين العيدين... وهذا ليس بشيء.»
“His ﷺ consummation of marriage with her in Shawwāl is a refutation of those who mistakenly believe that marriage between the two Eids is disliked due to fear of separation between spouses — this notion is baseless.”
Reference: Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah: 3/41
Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله titled the chapter in Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim as:
"Bāb Istiḥbāb al-Tazwīj wa al-Dukhūl fī Shawwāl"
“Chapter on the Recommendation of Marriage and Consummation in Shawwāl”
In the commentary of the ḥadīth, he writes:
«فيه استحباب التزويج والتزوج والدخول فى شوال... وهذا باطل لا أصل له وهو من آثار الجاهلية...»
“This ḥadīth proves the recommendation (istiḥbāb) of marrying and consummating in Shawwāl. Our scholars explicitly stated this is recommended, based on this narration. Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah intended to refute the ignorant customs of the pre-Islamic era and some commoners of today who think that marriage and consummation in Shawwāl is disliked — this is false, baseless, and a remnant of jāhiliyyah. They used to take ill-omens due to the meaning of the word Shawwāl which implied separation.”
Reference: Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 9/179, Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah, Beirut
❖ Origin of the Superstition in Jāhiliyyah:
The word Shawwāl linguistically implies raising, separating, or drying up. Due to this, pre-Islamic Arabs used to believe that marriages contracted in this month would result in separation between husband and wife.
Imām al-Sakhāwī رحمه الله states:
Shawwāl is derived from "shālat al-ibil" which means “the she-camels would raise their tails due to heat (lust), seeking mates.” Based on this association, the month was named Shawwāl. Also, during this time Arabs would leave their homes to hunt, and their camels’ milk would dry up — thus they linked these events with misfortune.
Reference: Takrīm al-Kā’ināt, p. 172
Imām Ibn Manẓūr رحمه الله writes:
«كانت العرب تتطير من عقد المناكح فيه... فأبطل النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم طيرتهم...»
“The Arabs would take evil omens from marriages in Shawwāl, claiming that the bride would be repelled from her groom like a she-camel repels the male during mating. The Prophet ﷺ invalidated their superstition. Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها proudly mentioned her own marriage and consummation in Shawwāl as a proof.”
Reference: Lisān al-ʿArab: 7/243
Also see:
Reference: Tāj al-ʿArūs: 13/398
❖ Condemnation of Superstition in Islam:
Islam categorically prohibits taking bad omens (ṭiyarah).
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لا عدوى ولا طيرة»
“There is no contagious disease (without Allah’s will) and no bad omen.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ṭibb, Bāb Lā Hāmata (5707)
He also said:
«الطيرة شرك»
“Taking bad omens is shirk (polytheism).”
Reference: Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī: 1614; Mustadrak al-Ḥākim: 1/180-181, Ḥadīth: 44043
Authenticated by Imām Ḥākim and agreed upon by Imām Dhahabī.
This clearly proves that taking bad omens or avoiding marriage in Shawwāl is an act of shirk and ignorance from the era of jāhiliyyah.
❖ Conclusion:
✦ Marriage in the month of Shawwāl is fully permissible and even recommended.
✦ The Prophet ﷺ himself married and consummated in Shawwāl.
✦ Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها considered it auspicious for her female relatives to marry in Shawwāl.
✦ Avoiding marriage during this month due to superstition is baseless and contradicts the Sunnah.
✦ Muslims should abandon pre-Islamic practices and embrace the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ with love.
