Praise be to Allah عزّ وجلّ, peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammed صلَّى الله عليه وسل
In Islam, marriage is not principally a “sacrament,” i.e., a religious rite, like it may be in other religions.
It is a civil contract, subject to a private ceremony and, therefore, it is not necessary to have an official religious ceremony. However, Muslim marriage is a sacred commitment, a marriage before Allah عزّ وجلّ, since it is done according to rules He established. |
The Quran defines a marriage contract in Arabic as a “Mithaq Ghaliz” (Quran 4:21), which means “a sacred and solemn pact” meant to endure “in affection and mercy” (al Mawaddah wa al rahmah).
| Muslim marriage is a contract both between two people and also between them and Allah عزّ وجلّ. |
Marriage is considered a duty in Islam (Quran 24:32)
Allah عزّ وجلّ decided that a marriage contract should be between spouses, through a guardian, except in the Hanafi school.
Therefore, the presence of an imam is not required for a Muslim marriage since it is never the imam who is marrying the spouses. Rather, spouses are married through the consent they give during the ceremony, whether directly or through a legal representative (wali).
| It is, therefore, entirely unnecessary for a religious authority to be present. |
The Prophet Mohammed صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم could marry people (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 1857/1856), but this was not always the case, and his companions got married without him being present (Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 2109).
| Any Muslim who knows the rules may lead a “Nikah’’ ceremony, whether he is a devout Muslim, a friend, a witness or the husband himself. |
An officiant is not even required to be present and the ceremony may consist, at a bare minimum, of the spouses’ exchange of vows (oral offer and acceptance, ijab/quabl) in the presence of the legal representative (wali), where applicable, and two witnesses
Of course, the spouses may nevertheless have an imam or other religious representative take part in the ceremony if they wish.
And Allah عزّ وجلّ knows best
