The Celebration Upon the Emergence of Virgin Blood
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa No. ( 17581 )
Q: It has been the custom for a long time in my country, Tlemcen, at weddings, to prepare a piece of cloth called "the shirt." It is taken into the room designated for the couple. When the husband enters his wife's room, the wife's family stays at the husband's family's place until the shirt is brought out to them stained with drops of blood, indicating that the marriage consummation has actually taken place. The wife's family, especially the women and girls among them, then take it, and immediately afterward, dancing and wailing ensue, with the women holding the shirt up in their hands to show all the attendees. Everyone rejoices at the first drops of the first marriage. After an hour or more, the shirt is handed over to the wife's family, who return to their own people carrying the good news in their hands. Upon their arrival, the dancing you are aware of takes place. Often, things happen that do not end well, and the emergence of the shirt is delayed until the morning of that night. The person entrusted with the matter of the shirt remains at the husband's family's place and does not return except with it. If its emergence is prevented, the one who has broken the barrier of modesty—whether a woman, a man, a friend, or a female friend—contacts the husband or the wife in private (to preserve the form of modesty) and asks about every small and large detail that occurred during that hour, until they determine the reason for the actual non-consummation. If they are certain that the matter relates to what is known among us as
binding, that is truly the worst and most serious matter. The reason may be something else, but I do not know it, perhaps due to my youth and not having gone through that stage. So everyone is sad about this or that, and the relief comes on the day of seeking the help of an experienced woman or an "imam" who is skilled in writing amulets. I would add that the shirt may not appear until days later. I am asking about the permissibility of this custom, hoping that Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, will guide you to clarify the ambiguity of the matter and detail its nuances, highlighting what has come from our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, and our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his family.
A: What the questioner mentioned regarding the celebrations held on the occasion of marriage in some countries when a piece of cloth comes out from the bride and groom stained with blood, and the rejoicing and spreading of the news thereof, and the sadness and distress that occurs if this cloth does not come out, or attributing that to sorcery, and then working to break the sorcery with sorcerers, all of that is forbidden and invalid. It has no basis in the religion of Islam. It is a false belief and a bad custom that contradicts modesty, dignity, and decency. Marriage has continued since the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the best manner, free from these invalid customs and incorrect beliefs. It is not necessary for the husband to consummate the marriage with his wife on the first night of
the marriage. That may be delayed due to a preventer among the preventers, and then the desired outcome is achieved without taking any of the measures mentioned. What is prescribed in marriage is: announcing it by witnessing it, holding the wedding feast, and women beating the hand drum, along with some recitation of permissible poetry among them. If it happens that something prevents the husband from reaching his wife due to sorcery, that is treated by the lawful means of ruqyah (healing by Qur'anic recitation) and permissible medicines. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: It has been the custom for a long time in my country, Tlemcen, at weddings, to prepare a piece of cloth called "the shirt." It is taken into the room designated for the couple. When the husband enters his wife's room, the wife's family stays at the husband's family's place until the shirt is brought out to them stained with drops of blood, indicating that the marriage consummation has actually taken place. The wife's family, especially the women and girls among them, then take it, and immediately afterward, dancing and wailing ensue, with the women holding the shirt up in their hands to show all the attendees. Everyone rejoices at the first drops of the first marriage. After an hour or more, the shirt is handed over to the wife's family, who return to their own people carrying the good news in their hands. Upon their arrival, the dancing you are aware of takes place. Often, things happen that do not end well, and the emergence of the shirt is delayed until the morning of that night. The person entrusted with the matter of the shirt remains at the husband's family's place and does not return except with it. If its emergence is prevented, the one who has broken the barrier of modesty—whether a woman, a man, a friend, or a female friend—contacts the husband or the wife in private (to preserve the form of modesty) and asks about every small and large detail that occurred during that hour, until they determine the reason for the actual non-consummation. If they are certain that the matter relates to what is known among us as
binding, that is truly the worst and most serious matter. The reason may be something else, but I do not know it, perhaps due to my youth and not having gone through that stage. So everyone is sad about this or that, and the relief comes on the day of seeking the help of an experienced woman or an "imam" who is skilled in writing amulets. I would add that the shirt may not appear until days later. I am asking about the permissibility of this custom, hoping that Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, will guide you to clarify the ambiguity of the matter and detail its nuances, highlighting what has come from our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, and our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his family.
A: What the questioner mentioned regarding the celebrations held on the occasion of marriage in some countries when a piece of cloth comes out from the bride and groom stained with blood, and the rejoicing and spreading of the news thereof, and the sadness and distress that occurs if this cloth does not come out, or attributing that to sorcery, and then working to break the sorcery with sorcerers, all of that is forbidden and invalid. It has no basis in the religion of Islam. It is a false belief and a bad custom that contradicts modesty, dignity, and decency. Marriage has continued since the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the best manner, free from these invalid customs and incorrect beliefs. It is not necessary for the husband to consummate the marriage with his wife on the first night of
the marriage. That may be delayed due to a preventer among the preventers, and then the desired outcome is achieved without taking any of the measures mentioned. What is prescribed in marriage is: announcing it by witnessing it, holding the wedding feast, and women beating the hand drum, along with some recitation of permissible poetry among them. If it happens that something prevents the husband from reaching his wife due to sorcery, that is treated by the lawful means of ruqyah (healing by Qur'anic recitation) and permissible medicines. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.