Islamic Marriage
The Wedding Night
It is highly recommended that the wedding should take place at night.
The hadith says, “Take the bride to her new home during the night.”
[^1]
When the bride enters the room, the groom is recommended to take off
her shoes and wash her feet (in a washbowl) and then sprinkle the water
around the room.
Then he should perform wuzu and pray two rak’at sunnat prayer and
then recite the following du’a:
اَللّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِىْ اِلْفَهَا وَ وُدَّهَا وَ رِضَاهَابىِْ وَ اَرْضِنِىْ بِهَا وَ اَجْمَعْ بَيْنَنَا بِاَحْسَنِ اِجْتِمَاعٍ وَ اَنَسِ اِيْتِلاَفٍ فَاِنَّكَ تُحِبُّ الْحَلاَلَ وَ تُكْرِهُ الْحَرَامَ.
Allahummar zuqni ilfahaa wa wuddaha wa rizaaha bi; warz”ini biha,
wa-ajma’ baynana bi ah’sane ijtimaa’in wa anasi i-tilafin; fa innaka
tuh’ibbul h’alaala wa tukrihul h’araam.
O Allah! 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 lawful things and
dislike unlawful things.
Then he should ask the bride to do wuzu and pray two rak’at sunnat
prayer.
When they are ready to go to bed, the groom should put his hand on the
bride’s forehead and pray the following du’a while facing the
qiblah.
اَللّهُمَّ بِاَمَانَتِكَ اَخَذْتُهَا وَ بِكَلِمَاتِكَ اِسْتَحْلَلْتُهَا فَاِنْ قَضَيْتَ لِىْ مِنْهَا وَلَدًا فَاجْعَلْهُ مُبَارَكًا تَقِيًّا مِّنْ شِيْعَةِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ لاَ تَجْعَلْ لِلشَّيْطَانِ فِيْهِ شِرْكًا وَّ لاَ نَصِيْبًا.
Allahumma bi amaanatika akhadhtuha wa bi kalimaatika is-tah’laltuha. Fa
in qaz’ayta li minha waladan, faj-’alhu mubaarakan taqiyyan min Shi’ati
Aal-i Muh’ammad (s’al-lal-laahu a’layhi wa aalihi wa sallam) wa laa
taj-’al lish Shayt’aani fihi shirkan wa laa naseeba.
O Allah! I have taken her as Your trust and have made her lawful for
myself by Your words. Therefore, if You have decreed for me a child from
her, then make him/her blessed and pious from among the followers of the
Family of Muhammad [peace be upon him and them]; and do not let Satan
have any part in him/her.[^2]
Is it necessary to have sexual intercourse on the very first night after the wedding or can it be delayed? As far as the Shariah is concerned, it is neither obligatory nor forbidden to have sex on the first night. It is a private decision between the newlywed couple; it has nothing to do with others.
[^1]: Wasa’il ul-Shi’a, vol. 14, p. 62
[^2]: Al-’Urwah. p. 624.