What is the method of performing Nikah?

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب

Nikāh is the name of offer and acceptance; before Nikāh takes place, the person performing it should approach the bride and become a representative of (take permission from her for) performing her Nikāh [i.e. on her behalf], for example, he would say, ‘Do you make me a representative for yourself in order to perform your marriage with so and so son of so and so?’ When receives permission from the bride, then the performing the marriage should now approach the husband and first read the khutbah [sermon], as this is mustahabb [recommended]; the khutbah is as follows:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ نَحْمَدُہٗ وَنَسْتَعِیْنُہ، وَنَسْتَغْفِرُہ، وَنَعُوْذُ بِاللہِ مِنْ شُرُوْرِاَنْفُسِنَاوَمِنْ سَیِّئَاتِ اَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ یَّہْدِہِ اللہُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَہٗ وَمَنْ یُّضْلِلْہُ فَلَا ہَادِیَ لَہٗ وَاَشْہَدُ اَنْ لَّا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللہُ وَحْدَہُ لَا شَرِیْکَ لَہٗ وَاَشْہَدُاَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُہٗ وَرَسُولُہٗ اَعُوْذُ بِاللہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْمِ بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ (یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوۡا رَبَّکُمُ الَّذِیۡ خَلَقَکُمۡ مِّنۡ نَّفْسٍ وَّاحِدَۃٍ وَّخَلَقَ مِنْہَا زَوْجَہَا وَبَثَّ مِنْہُمَا رِجَالًا کَثِیۡرًا وَّنِسَآءً ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللہَ الَّذِیۡ تَسَآءَلُوۡنَ بِہٖ وَالۡاَرْحَامَ ؕ اِنَّ اللہَ کَانَ عَلَیۡکُمْ رَقِیۡبًا

[Sūrah al-Nisā’, v 1]

If does not remember the khutbah, then after ta’awwudh and tasmiyah, may recite Sūrah al-Fātihah. Then should ask the groom to recite the First and Second Declaration of Faith, but this is not necessary. Next is to ask the groom to offer and accept in the presence of two witnesses^[1], meaning is to say to him that, ‘I have performed the nikāh of so and so daughter of so and so in exchange for such and such amount of mahr [dowry] with you. Do you accept?’ Then the husband will say, ‘I have accepted.’ The nikāh will occur by doing so, but it is better to repeat the offer and acceptance parts thrice. The minimum amount of mahr is ten dirhams i.e. two tolas and seven & a half māshas (approximately 30.618g of silver), or its monetary value, and there is no limit to its maximum amount, so long as it is mutually agreed by the husband and wife.

^[1] Please bear in mind the conditions to be a witness

واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری

Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Haider Ali

Read the original Urdu answer here: [Q-ID0632] What is the method of performing Nikah?