❖ Delivering the Nikāḥ Khutbah is Sunnah
Written by: ʿImrān Ayyūb Lāhorī
❖ Prophetic Practice of Reciting the Khutbah Before Nikāḥ
It is narrated from ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه:
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ taught us the following khutbah for occasions of need, including nikāḥ:
"إِنَّ الحَمدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا، وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا..."
“Indeed, all praise is for Allāh. We praise Him, seek His help, and His forgiveness…”
Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 1860 — Kitāb al-Nikāḥ, Bāb: Khutbah of Nikāḥ Abū Dāwūd: 2118 Al-Nasāʾī: 3/104 Al-Ḥākim: 2/182 Al-Bayhaqī: 7/146❖ Qur’ānic Passages Commonly Recited in the Khutbah of Nikāḥ
The following verses are part of the standard Sunnah Khutbah al-Ḥājah and are often included in the Khutbah of Nikāḥ:
➊ Sūrah Āl ʿImrān – 3:102
"يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ"
➋ Sūrah al-Nisāʾ – 4:1
"يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ..."
➌ Sūrah al-Aḥzāb – 33:70–71
"يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا..."
❖ General Form of the Khutbah of Need (خُطْبَةُ الحَاجَة)
"أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللهِ، وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا..."
Tamām al-Minah: pp. 334–335 Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl: 608❖ Bayhaqī’s Report on the Khutbah Before Nikāḥ
From a narration of al-Bayhaqī, it is stated:
"إذا أراد أحدكم أن يخطب لحاجة من النكاح أو غيره، فليقل: الحمد لله نحمده..."
“When one of you intends to deliver a speech for a need such as nikāḥ or otherwise, let him begin with: Alḥamdulillāh…”
Al-Bayhaqī: 7/146 Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr: 3/315❖ Shaykh al-Albānī’s Position
According to Shaykh al-Albānī رحمه الله, the Prophet ﷺ used this format for all formal addresses, whether it was for:
✔ Nikāḥ
✔ Jumuʿah
✔ Or other public needs
Khuṭbat al-Ḥājah — by Shaykh al-Albānī
Important Note:
Making the bride and groom recite the shahādah (kalimah) before the khutbah is not established from any authentic ḥadīth.❖ Conclusion:
✔ Reciting the Khutbah before the Nikāḥ is a proven Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ
✔ It contains praise of Allāh, exhortation to taqwā, and verses of the Qur’an
✔ The wording used is known as Khuṭbat al-Ḥājah, and is applicable to Nikāḥ
✔ Adding innovated elements, such as forcing the couple to recite the kalimah during the khutbah, has no basis in Sunnah
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
And Allāh knows best what is correct.
