QUESTION:
Many Muslims participate in weddings that indulge in music and dancing in a hall of gathering. More often than not, the brides insist on these kinds of weddings because they want to have a memorable moment to cherish. Men, on the other hand, usually concede to the wishes of the wife to avoid problems. How can a Muslim celebrate his wedding without committing unlawful acts while still being open-minded about the requirements and expectations of today’s society?
ANSWER:
In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful.
May Allah bless Muhammad and his Family and damn their enemies.
Listening to music is wholly forbidden, and so is dancing. However, it is only permissible for a wife to dance for her husband as long as it is not accompanied by music or performed in the presence of anyone who is not the husband.
We should not consider doing such forbidden acts just for the sake of having a ‘memorable wedding day’, especially since one of the main reasons why many marriages fail is due to couples committing forbidden acts and disobeying Allah (the Most Exalted) on the first night of marriage. Allah (the Most Exalted) would not bless such marriages. Without His blessings, couples would end up having marital problems and divorce.
On the other hand, there are many permissible ways to celebrate wedding ceremonies, as every way that does not include any forbidden act is considered permissible. What is essential, however, is to avoid committing any prohibited acts, such as dancing (including the dancing of the wife in front of people), impermissible exposure of women’s adornment and beauty to non-Mahram males, playing music, or having some sort of gender-mixing which includes other prohibited acts.
The Office of Sheikh al-Habib