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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Religion of Al-Islam and Marriage The Wedding Night And It's Etiquette By Saleem Bhimji The first night of the newlywed couple is one full of divine blessings and mercy and it with this in mind that the new couple should start their married life together.

Instead of resorting to music and dance parties to celebrate the happy occasion (as has unfortunately become common place in our time), we must take lessons from the method of the Ahlul Bait (as) and how they commemorated such an auspicious occasion.

The reason why we say night and not day, contrary to the way that most marriages and ceremonies take place these days is that there are clear ahadith from the Prophet (S) and his Ahlul Bait (as) instructing us to have the ceremony at night and for the new wife to be taken to her new home in the evening time (after sunset): قالَ الإِمامُ جَعْفَرَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الصّادِقُ (عَلَيهِ السَّلامُ): زَفُّوا عَرائِسِكُمْ لَيْلاً وَاطْعِمُوا ضُحًّى Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq (as) has said, "Take your wife home at night time and during the day, eat food." By eating food here, it is meant the customary and recommended Walimah or ceremony that is usually kept after the recitation of the Aqd.

Since this is the beginning of a new life, we have been instructed by the Ahlul Bait (as) to begin it in the name of Allah (SwT), and to seek protection in Allah (SwT) from the accursed Shaitan. This is done by performing the following acts which have been narrated in the various books.

It has been recommended that the husband perform Wudhu, a two Rakat Salat for the wedding night and then recite the following supplication: أَللّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِي أُلْفَها وَوُدَّها وَرِضاها بِي وَارْضِنِي بِها وَاجْمَعْ بَيْنَنا بِأَحْسَنِ إِجْتِماعٍ وَأَيْسَرَ ائَتِلافٍ فِإِنَّكَ تُحِبُّ الْحَلالَ وَتَكْرَهُ الْحَرامَ. Allahummar zuqni ulfahaa wa wuddahaa wa ridhaahaa bi; war dhini bihaa waj ma banyanaa bi ahsani ijtimaain wa aysara tilaafin. Fa innaka tuhibbul halaala wa takrahul haraama.

"O' Allah (SwT)! Bless me with her affection, love and her acceptance of me; and make me pleased with her, and bring us together in the best form of a union and in absolute harmony; surely You like the lawful and dislike the unlawful things." The husband should then request his wife to perform Wudhu and also perform a two Rakat recommended Salat before you are ready to go to bed.

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