AIMPLB's new nikahnama bans dowry, wasteful expenses during nikah

Lucknow: In an important move, the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has released a new ‘nikahnama’ for Muslims in the country to ban dowry and extravaganza during nikah ceremony.

The 11-point new nikahnama has been released by the Board Chairman Maulana Syed Rabe Hasan Nadvi and General Secretary Maulana Wali Rehmani after approval from renowned Muslim clerics including Maulana Arshad Madani, Maulana Asgar ali Imam Mehdi Salfi, Maulana Fakhruddin Jilani, Maulana Kalbe Jawad etc.

The Board Chairman Maulana Rabe Hasan Nadvi has appealed to all members of the Muslim community to stay away from the social evil of dowry and wasteful expenditure during nikah. He urged Muslims to solemnize nikah at mosques as per Islamic traditions instead of holding mega functions in marriage halls.

The Board has already launched a ten-day campaign to educate members of the community across the country to put an end to social evils plaguing marriages in Muslims. During the campaign, all Muslim clerics will strees on solemnising nikah as per Islamic traditions to do away with dowry and wasteful expenditure.

The new nikahnama completely bans dowry, Manjha (Haldi ceremony) and other un-Islamic traditions like marriage procession, fire-works, DJ, dancing, etc. The nikah ceremony will now be held at mosques instead of marriage halls to check wasteful expenditures.

Though it permits Dawat-e-Walima, it has disallowed a big feast after Nikah. Dinner after Nikah will be served only to family members, guests coming from outside, and poor and hungry members of the community. Sharia allows only simple Nikah and Dawat-e-Walima in which invitation is also extended to poor and hungry people of the community.

The new nikahnama stress on strictly following time scheduled for solemnizing nikah. After Nikah, the groom is expected to behave and take care of his wife as well as per Sunnat.

The new Nikahnama by the Board came after suicide by Ayesha, a Muslim girl from Gujarat, over dowry harassment triggered a countrywide debate among Muslim clerics over social evils taking over simple nikah as per Islam.