Wedding feast and wedding rites (irs)

العُرْس

In the lexicon, irs is the marriage arrangement and the building of the home; some say it is the name of the wedding feast alone. Arus denotes both bride and groom while they are at their wedding, and zifaf is the handing over of the bride to her husband, a narrower word than irs ¹. The Malikis and Shafi'is hold that the bridegroom may not leave congregational prayer and works of piety during the wedding days except at night; the Hanbalis allow him to stay with his bride to be at ease with her ². The wedding feast (walima) is prescribed by consensus; for most jurists it is a confirmed sunna, but accepting the invitation to it is obligatory ² ³. Congratulating the couple and praying for them is recommended, and the Shafi'is disliked the saying 'with harmony and children' ³ ⁴. The husband is recommended to take his bride by the forelock and pray, and the marriage is to be announced with the drum ⁴. On the division of nights, the majority give a new bride seven nights if she is a virgin and three if she is a widow or divorcee, with disagreement ⁵.

Summary

In the lexicon, irs is the making of a marriage and the building of the home; some say it is the name of the wedding feast alone. Zifaf is the handing over of the bride to her husband, a narrower word than irs ¹.

Attendance during the wedding

The Malikis (in the preferred view) and the Shafi'is hold that the bridegroom may not leave congregational prayer and works of piety during the wedding days except at night; the Hanbalis allow him to stay with his bride ².

The wedding feast and accepting it

The wedding feast (walima) is prescribed by consensus. For most jurists it is a confirmed sunna, but accepting the invitation is obligatory ² ³.

Congratulations and prayer

Congratulating the couple and praying for them is recommended; the Shafi'is disliked saying 'with harmony and children' ³ ⁴. The husband is recommended to take his bride by the forelock and pray ⁴.

Drums and the division of nights

Announcing the marriage with the drum is recommended ⁴. The majority give a new virgin bride seven nights and a widow or divorcee three, with disagreement ⁵.

Where it is discussed

The rules of the feast are treated under walima and the division of nights under the entry on dividing nights between wives ⁵.

Sources

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11544

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11545

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11546

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11547

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11548

Wedding feast and wedding rites (irs)

At a glance