Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
It is not wrong or Makruh (disliked) to marry in the month of Muharram. Such a claim has no evidence from Quran and Hadith.
فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «تَزَوَّجُوا الْوَدُودَ الْوَلُودَ، فَإِنِّي مُكَاثِرٌ بِكُمُ الْأُمَمَ» هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحُ الْإِسْنَادِ، وَلَمْ يُخَرِّجَاهُ بِهَذِهِ السِّيَاقَةِ. قال الامام الذهبي: صحيح
Ma’qil bin Yasar (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) narrated that The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Marry women who are loving and prolific in bearing children, for I shall be proud of your greater numbers as compared to other nations.’ (Mustadrak Hakim 2685, Sahih).
There is nothing in the Holy Quran or Noble Hadith narrations that declares marriage in Muharram to be restricted or disliked. Rather we find general permission and encouragement to marry. Therefore, it is not permitted to claim that marriage in Muharram is disliked or wrong in any manner.
It is important for Muslims to recognise that one must prove any and every religious claim that is made. This is what makes us different to people of other religions. They allow people to corrupt the religion and do not insist on authentic authority from God Most High. Whereas we insist that anyone making a religious claim must prove that it has authority from Allah Most High and His Messenger ﷺ.
The authoritative works of the Hanafi Madhab have not placed a restriction upon marriage in the month of Muharram, nor have they mentioned that it is Makruh. Therefore, it is particularly surprising that people who follow the Hanafi Madhab consider it to be Makruh or wrong to marry in the month of Muharam.
As well as the lack of evidence to substantiate the claim that one should not marry in the month of Muharram, we actually find evidence to the contrary. In some books of Seerah it is mentioned that the Holy Prophet ﷺ married in the Month of Muharram.
وَكَانَ تَزْوِيجُهُ إِيَّاهَا فِي الْمُحَرَّمِ سَنَةَ سِتٍّ مِنَ الْهِجْرَةِ. (البداية والنهاية)
And his ﷺ marriage to her (Sayidah Raihanah) took place in Muharram in the sixth year of Hijrah. (Imam Ibn Katheer, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah).
Although it is difficult to authenticate this narration. When considered together with the distinct lack of evidence to prove the dislike of Marrying in Muharam, it should give people who claim it is Makruh more cause for concern. There is at least a possibility that the Holy Prophet ﷺ married in the month of Muharam, yet they claim it is wrong without evidence.
When confronted with the possibility of the Holy Prophet ﷺ marrying in Muharram, some people respond by saying, well that was prior to the events of Karbala. This argument is without merit for many reasons. I will mention two. Firstly religious practice is established through Quran and Hadith. Therefore anything that occurred after has no impact upon matters of belief (Aqeedah) or jurisprudence (Fiqh). Secondly, the Prophet ﷺ was given knowledge regarding the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, yet he did marry in the month of Muharam.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (02.08.2022)
See also:
Is everything found in a book of Seerah authentic?
Karbala Gatherings in Shafi’i Madhab
Can Sunni Masjid hold Karbala gatherings like the Shia?
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