Conducting Marriage in the Presence of the Bride and the Groom

Dr. Marawan Shahin, Professor of Hadith and its Sciences, Faculty of Usul Ad-Din (Theology),Al-Azhar Univ. states: “As far as Islamic Shari`ah is concerned, there is nothing wrong in the presence of both the bride and the groom in the same room in the presence of everybody while contracting the marriage as long as they abide by the following:

1. She (the bride) does not do the marriage contract procedures herself because the one who is supposed to do so on her behalf is her wali (guardian) whose presence is one of the requirements of the marriage contract to be valid.

2. The bride should abide by the Islamic ethics and morals regarding dress and adornment in the presence of non-mahrams.

If the above-mentioned conditions are fulfilled, there is nothing wrong in the presence of the bride along with her groom in the same room while her contract of marriage is being conducted.”