According to a Saudi newspaper, the Saudi authorities have now permitted the performance of marriage contracts (Nikah) at the two most sacred Islamic sites in Mecca and Medina. This is one of the initiatives introduced to enhance the experiences of pilgrims and visitors.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah introduced an initiative that will allow for the orderly and convenient establishment of marriage contracts at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, according to Al Watan.
Experts are viewing this initiative as an opportunity for companies to devise innovative approaches to organizing these events in a respectful manner, considering the sanctity of both locations.
Musaed Al Jabri, a Saudi marriage official or mazoun, stated that conducting a marriage contract at the mosque is permissible in Islam. He explained that Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) himself was known to have carried out a companion’s wedding ceremony at the mosque.
Al Jabri highlighted that it’s already a common practice among Medina locals to conduct marriage contracts at the Prophet’s Mosque.
Al Jabri explained, “There are several reasons for this. In some cases, it’s traditional to invite many relatives of the couple who are about to get married. Often, the family home of the prospective bride can’t accommodate all the guests. Therefore, the marriage contract is conducted at the Prophet’s Mosque or the Quba Mosque (the first mosque ever constructed in Islam).”
Some people, according to him, hold the belief that performing a marriage contract at the mosque brings “blessing and good fortune.”
Regarding the rules that participants of the ceremony should follow, Al Jabri stated that they should avoid distracting worshippers with loud voices. “It’s also crucial to respect the sanctity of the location and avoid bringing in excessive amounts of coffee, sweets, or food,” added Al Jabri.
Annually, millions of Muslims within and outside Saudi Arabia visit the Grand Mosque to perform Umrah and pay a visit to the Prophet’s Mosque and other Islamic landmarks in Medina.
