In some countries, a handkerchief is placed on the hand of the guardian and the groom during the marriage contract. What is the ruling on this custom?
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The questioner : In some countries, the custom during the contract is that the guardian ... the wife ... then it is covered with a handkerchief ... and the contract is not concluded ... with this formula ... .
The Shaykh : Perhaps this is a sign that the husband and wife will be under one blanket.
The questioner : Is there ... a basis for this, or is this a religious innovation?
The Shaykh : In any case, this is a religious innovation, and it is necessary that the contract not be concluded unless there is a handkerchief.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : By what custom in Egypt, I mean?
The questioner : Yes, the official marriage officer will be sitting ... .
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, and they want one person to witness with you?
The questioner : Yes, O Shaykh ... .
The Shaykh : Okay, is this Egypt, Sudan?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, okay, Syria? Likewise?
The questioner : Syria without a handkerchief, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Without a handkerchief?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, that is it, nothing comes, but we are done, three Islamic countries, yes, where did this come to them from? I mean, if they said the husband and the guardian, for example, shake hands, we would say the believer to the believer is like a building, each part strengthening the other, meaning it has some merit, but a handkerchief, except as you said, they want to indicate that the future of this husband and wife is to be under one blanket, and this handkerchief is in the position of the blanket, as an auspicious sign, I do not know.
The questioner : But O Shaykh, they jostle for the handkerchief.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : ... the handkerchief, O Shaykh ... behind ... on who takes it ... .
The Shaykh : Strange!
The questioner : ... they snatch it from each other.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : They snatch it from each other.
The Shaykh : They snatch it from whom?
The questioner : The handkerchief is on this official marriage officer, so when he finishes the contract ..
The Shaykh : Sometimes the official marriage officer and the husband, or the guardian and the husband?
The questioner : The guardian and the husband.
The Shaykh : Ah, is the handkerchief on them now?
The questioner : The handkerchief is on them.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ... the contract ends ... around them they snatch the handkerchief, whoever is first and believes ... .
The Shaykh : Whether they are relatives of the husband and the guardian or not?
The questioner : Yes ... the husband is who I think.
The Shaykh : I am afraid that this contains a belief, an assumption.
The questioner : Since ... it is a belief, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : Since they keep it, they believe ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, I am afraid that in it, after all, is a belief.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : It means the handkerchief will have written on it that on this night or on this day so-and-so and so-and-so were married.
The questioner : Yes, he keeps it and knows that this is so-and-so's handkerchief.
Another questioner : May Allah reward you, I asked one of them about this issue.
The Shaykh : Which one?
The questioner : The issue of the handkerchief ... does not occur except among the common people, they ..
The Shaykh : Which country are you from?
The questioner : Yes, from Egypt.
The Shaykh : From Egypt, okay.
The questioner : Yes, it does not occur except among the common people and those who are the ignorant ones far from Islam ... I asked the official marriage officer and he said this is a matter of joking and banter so that joy is achieved by taking the handkerchief, and of this sort, so the matters are not arising from a belief or anything.
The Shaykh : Why do they keep it forever?
The questioner : I mean, it was inherited by imitation of this sort.
The Shaykh : In any case, it is obligatory for you, O students of knowledge, to clarify to the people that this is a religious innovation and has no basis.
The questioner : al-Fatihah.
The Shaykh : Perhaps this is a sign that the husband and wife will be under one blanket.
The questioner : Is there ... a basis for this, or is this a religious innovation?
The Shaykh : In any case, this is a religious innovation, and it is necessary that the contract not be concluded unless there is a handkerchief.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : By what custom in Egypt, I mean?
The questioner : Yes, the official marriage officer will be sitting ... .
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, and they want one person to witness with you?
The questioner : Yes, O Shaykh ... .
The Shaykh : Okay, is this Egypt, Sudan?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, okay, Syria? Likewise?
The questioner : Syria without a handkerchief, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Without a handkerchief?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, that is it, nothing comes, but we are done, three Islamic countries, yes, where did this come to them from? I mean, if they said the husband and the guardian, for example, shake hands, we would say the believer to the believer is like a building, each part strengthening the other, meaning it has some merit, but a handkerchief, except as you said, they want to indicate that the future of this husband and wife is to be under one blanket, and this handkerchief is in the position of the blanket, as an auspicious sign, I do not know.
The questioner : But O Shaykh, they jostle for the handkerchief.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : ... the handkerchief, O Shaykh ... behind ... on who takes it ... .
The Shaykh : Strange!
The questioner : ... they snatch it from each other.
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : They snatch it from each other.
The Shaykh : They snatch it from whom?
The questioner : The handkerchief is on this official marriage officer, so when he finishes the contract ..
The Shaykh : Sometimes the official marriage officer and the husband, or the guardian and the husband?
The questioner : The guardian and the husband.
The Shaykh : Ah, is the handkerchief on them now?
The questioner : The handkerchief is on them.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ... the contract ends ... around them they snatch the handkerchief, whoever is first and believes ... .
The Shaykh : Whether they are relatives of the husband and the guardian or not?
The questioner : Yes ... the husband is who I think.
The Shaykh : I am afraid that this contains a belief, an assumption.
The questioner : Since ... it is a belief, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : Since they keep it, they believe ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, I am afraid that in it, after all, is a belief.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : It means the handkerchief will have written on it that on this night or on this day so-and-so and so-and-so were married.
The questioner : Yes, he keeps it and knows that this is so-and-so's handkerchief.
Another questioner : May Allah reward you, I asked one of them about this issue.
The Shaykh : Which one?
The questioner : The issue of the handkerchief ... does not occur except among the common people, they ..
The Shaykh : Which country are you from?
The questioner : Yes, from Egypt.
The Shaykh : From Egypt, okay.
The questioner : Yes, it does not occur except among the common people and those who are the ignorant ones far from Islam ... I asked the official marriage officer and he said this is a matter of joking and banter so that joy is achieved by taking the handkerchief, and of this sort, so the matters are not arising from a belief or anything.
The Shaykh : Why do they keep it forever?
The questioner : I mean, it was inherited by imitation of this sort.
The Shaykh : In any case, it is obligatory for you, O students of knowledge, to clarify to the people that this is a religious innovation and has no basis.
The questioner : al-Fatihah.