All praise is due only to Allaah. We laud Him and beseech His

participants in the Nikah. 
26
Nevertheless, even if people do listen to the Khutbah, then they 
do so deeming it to be a means of Barkat, and nothing further 
than that. 
The witnesses to this occasion should reflect on the objective of 
the words of the Khutbah and also reflect on why this is being 
recited on this occasion. What is the connection between the 
Khutbah, which was recited by Nabi (sallallahu alayhi 
wasallam) and which he taught to others, and this occasion? 
We should study this aspect slightly in detail, so that we may 
gauge and appreciate the importance and relevance of the 
Khutbah of the Nikah. 
The opening words of the Khutbah constitute the praises of 
Allaah Ta`ala. As Muslims we understand that we have been 
instructed to begin any and all our actions by lauding praises 
unto Allaah Ta'ala and we accept that nothing in this entire 
universe can ever function without His Consent.
Nikah is an important facet of every person’s life. It is a union 
between a couple and the vehicle whereby they are to traverse a 
new path in the journey of life. Therefore, we have been 
specifically taught to begin this journey of life by lauding 
praises unto Allaah Rabbul Izzat. The words of praise and dua 
which were taught to us by Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) 
for this occasion are so beautiful and concise. This beauty can 
be gauged from the translation: 
 
“All Praise is due to Allaah Ta`ala. We praise Him, seek 
assistance from Him, bring Imaan in Him and repose all trust 
in Him. We seek protection in Allaah Ta'ala from the evil of our 
nafs and from the iniquity of our actions. He who Allaah Ta`ala 
guides, there is none to lead him astray and he whom Allaah 
Ta`ala leads astray, there is none to guide him aright. We bear 

---

25
“There is probably not a single one of us who has never been 
near or taken some part in a Nikah. Nikahs regularly take place 
in various venues and thousands of people attend (collectively).
You may have noticed that before the actual Nikah, wherein the 
Ijaab
and 
Qubool
(proposal and acceptance) take place, a 
Khutbah is recited. Thereafter the usual Nikah formalities take 
place. Although the Khutbah is not an integral or obligatory 
constituent of the Nikah or necessary for its being valid, and a 
Nikah where there is only 
Ijaab
and 
Qubool
in the presence of 
witnesses will also be valid nonetheless, this Khutbah before 
the Nikah is a Sunnat of Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). 
Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had taught Hadhrat Abdullah 
Ibn Mas’ood (radhiallahu anhu) the opening verses of this 
Khutbah. These are the very words which we always hear at 
every Nikah ceremony. Generally, the words of the Khutbah, 
its import and object are lost in the ceremony of Nikah. Rarely 
does anyone pay any heed or attention to the Khutbah and 
many a times, if the gathering is large and there is no 
loudspeaker, then the actual words are not even heard by many.
Most of the time, people engage in their own private 
conversations whilst the Khutbah is being recited. 
It is also short-sightedness on the part of many who spend 
thousands, nay hundreds of thousands, on the Nikah 
ceremonies, but they cannot spend a small amount of money to 
arrange for a loudspeaker whereby the words of the Khutbah 
and the 
Ijaab
and 
Qubool, 
which are the essence and crux of 
the entire occasion, may be heard with ease by all the