📜 Akad nikah · #16

Must the offer and acceptance (ijab qabul) be in Arabic?

No. According to the authoritative view of the Shafi'i school, the offer and acceptance are valid in any language as long as the meaning is clear and understood by the wali, the husband and the witnesses.
In Malaysia, the words are usually said in Malay. For foreign couples or converts, the words may be said in English or another language, and the religious affairs office may provide an interpreter so that the witnesses understand. What matters is using words that carry the meaning of marriage, not vague words such as "gift" or "hand over". See Marriage contract.

Difference between schools. Some Hanbali scholars give preference to Arabic wording for those who are able, but still validate other languages for those who are not.

Sources

Surah Ibrahim 14:4

← PreviousIf the words of acceptance (qabul) are said wrongly or falteringly, how many times must they be repeated?Next →Is a marriage contract by video call or online valid?

Related questions

What is a valid wording of ijab and qabul?The ijab is pronounced by the wali (or his representative) and the qabul by the groom, in words that are clear, continuous and matching. …If the qabul is said wrongly or falters, how many times must it be repeated?There is no set number; the wording is repeated until the ijab and qabul are complete and confirmed by the witnesses. The contract is valid as soon as…Is a marriage contract via video call or online valid?This is a contemporary matter of scholarly disagreement (khilaf); many Shafi'i scholars require the wali, the husband and the witnesses to be physically present in one sitting…What are the pillars of marriage in Islam?In the Shafi'i school, the pillars of marriage are five: the groom, the bride, the wali, two witnesses and the sighah (ijab and qabul)…May one marry a woman who is still in her ʿiddah?It is forbidden and invalid to marry a woman who is in her ʿiddah, whether the ʿiddah of talaq or the ʿiddah following her husband's death. Allah …May the marriage contract be held at home, or must it be in a mosque?Yes — the venue is not a condition of a valid contract; a marriage is valid at home, in a hall or in a mosque as long as its pillars and conditions are complete. The pillars of ma…

This answer is general reference, not a fatwa. For your situation, consult the religious affairs office, a Syarie lawyer or your state Syariah Court.

Comments or feedback

Read only by the MYPolygyny administrator — never published.

About Us · Ask · Site Map · Privacy · Editorial policy · Disclaimer