The Sermon for Marriage

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that one day a group of banu ‘Umayyah during the time of the government of ‘Uthman came together in Masjid of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, on a Friday and they wanted to solemnize marriage for one of their people and ’Amir al-Mu’minin, Alayhi al-Salam, was nearby. They said to each other. If you want to embarrass Ali, call him now to give a speech and we will keep talking. He will feel embarrassed and will not be able to speak. They went to him (the Imam) and said, ‘O abu al-Hassan we want you to deliver for us a speech.’ He (the Imam) asked, ’Are you waiting for someone?’ They replied, ’No, we are not waiting for anyone.’ He (the Imam) by Allah, without delay said, ‘All praise belongs to Allah who is special in oneness, who advances with warning, who does whatever He wants, who is curtained with light from His creatures, who has aspiring horizon, who in mystification is lofty, whose Kingdom is high and is worshipped for His bounties, Lord of the earth and sky. I praise Him for His good trial, generous charity, and abundant favor and for our Lord’s diverting afflictions from us. I praise Him in a way that servants worship Him, lands become fertile and I testify that no one deserves worship except Allah alone who has no partner. There was nothing before Him and there will be nothing after Him. I testify that Muhammad (SAW), is His servant and His Messenger whom He chose with excellence and guided through him people from straying. He chose him especially for Himself and sent him to His creatures with His message, and statements. He calls people to worship Him, believe in His oneness, and acknowledge that He is the Lord and confirm that he is His Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, whom He has sent at a time of lapse of the presence of the messengers of Allah among people, when people had turned away from the truth, had become ignorant about their Lord, denied the resurrection and warnings. He delivered His message, strove hard for His cause, gave good advice to his followers and worshipped Him until death approached him, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, a great deal. I advise you and myself to become pious before Allah, most Great. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has assigned a way out for the pious ones out of what they dislike, and sustenance from sources that they do not expect. So complete the promise of Allah and seek what is with Him through worshipping Him and working for what He loves because goodness cannot be achieved without Him and nothing that is with Him can be achieved without obeying Him. There is no protection against the creatures except His protection and there is no means and power without the power of Allah. ‘Thereafter, Allah has settled things and has approved them in measures and they do not stop in their channels without reaching their goals as they are determined for them. Of the things He had determined of His inevitable issues and His decisions measured and determined is that the successors come in branches and the means continue. He has determined the end of issues to take place about us and you to be present here in this gathering for which He has given us the opportunity that we speak of His bounties and of His good trial and describe His blessings. We ask blessings from Allah for you and for us. It is the blessing which has made us to come together here for its benefits. Thereafter, so and so has mentioned so and so and he as far as his status is as you know him and as matters of genealogy is not unknown to you. He has paid mahr (dower) of an amount that you know so return good, you will be praised for it and ascribe to it (good), O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin once gave a woman from banu ‘ Abd al-Muttalib in marriage, solemnized her marriage and said, ‘All praise belongs to Allah, most Majestic, most Powerful, the Forbearing, the Forgiving, the one Dominant, the most Great, most High - no matter whatever anyone of you says of words in secrecy or in public, when hidden in the night or conspicuous in the day - 1 praise Him, ask assistance from Him, believe in Him, and place my trust with Him; Allah is sufficient legal representative. Whomever Allah guides no one is able to mislead him and whomever Allah causes to go astray, no one is able to guide him and you can never find anyone other than Him as true guide. I testify that no one deserves worship except Allah alone who has no partners, the kingdom belongs to Him and all praise and He has power over all things. I testify that Muhammad (SAW), is His servant and His Messenger whom He sent with His book and Authority over His servants. Whoever obeys him has obeyed Allah and one has disobeyed Allah if he has disobeyed him, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and peace a great deal. He is the Imam of guidance and the chosen prophet. I thereafter advise you to become pious before Allah; it is the advice from Allah in the past and bygone.’ Then he (the Imam) pronounced them wife and husband.”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), once addressed with the following speech: ‘All praise belongs to Allah, I praise Him, beg assistance from Him, ask forgiveness from Him, seek His guidance, believe in Him and place my trust with Him and I testify that no one deserves worship except Allah alone who has no partners and I testify that Muhammad (SAW), is His servant and His Messenger. He sent him with guidance and true religion to make it dominant over all other religions, as a guide to Him and calling to Him. So he destroyed the pillars of disbelief and lit up the beacon of belief. Whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger of Allah, the right guidance becomes his path and the light of piety becomes his guide. Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger misses the straight path altogether and harms no one except himself. I recommend you, O servants of Allah, to become pious before Allah with an advice from an adviser and a preaching of one who delivers and strives. Thereafter, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has made Islam the bright landmarks with shining light houses. In it hearts come together and on its basis are brotherhood and what is between us and you, of such facts are to love Him and old memories among us and everyone knowing everyone else of that on which we are based. May Allah forgive us and you and peace be with you and the blessing of Allah and His kindness.’”

“When ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), wanted to solemnize a marriage he would say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah, I praise Him, beg assistance from Him, believe in Him and place my trust with Him and I testify that no one deserves worship except Allah alone who has no partners and I testify that Muhammad (SAW), is His servant and His Messenger. He sent him with guidance and true religion to make it dominant over all other religions, even though the pagans dislike it. O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, may peace and blessings of Allah be with you. I recommend you, O servants of Allah, to become pious before Allah, who is the Owner of bounties and mercy, the Creator of the people and the Planner of all issues in it with power over it and firmness, to Allah, belongs all praise for the matters of the past and the bygone. All praise belongs to Allah alone and glorification is purely for Him for His favor that He has done to us as a beautiful bounty on us with grace and has beautified it to us. He is the Creator that never runs out of resources, humbles down all difficult issues, softens what is hard and achieves with ease. He is the Inventor of the creation which He began first on the day He created the sky when it was smoke and said to it and the earth, “Come voluntarily or by force.” They responded, “We come voluntarily.” Then He made them seven heavens in two days. He never runs out of resources and no runaway can go faster than Him and no perishing thing is lost for Him. There will be the day when every soul will receive what it has earned without any injustice being done to it. Thereafter so and so . . .’”

narrated to me al-‘Abbas ibn Musa al- Baghdadiy in a marfu’ manner has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), as response in Khutbah for marriage has said, ‘All praise belongs to Allah who chooses praise especially for Himself, glorified is thereby His mention and facilitated thereby is His command. We praise Him without any doubt in it; we see what we prepare in the hope for success and as key to its benefit. We receive what we need from Him and we seek guidance from Allah, a safe guidance and strong means of safety and the determination for piety. We seek protection with Allah against blindness after guidance and against working in misleading desires. I testify that no one other than Allah alone, who has no partners, deserves worship and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, a servant who never worshipped anyone other than Him. He chose him by His knowledge and entrusted him with His revelation, as a messenger to His creatures, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. Thereafter, we have heard your words and you are the nearest generation with whom we like to have marital relationship and assist you in your needs. We are greedy for your brotherhood. We have accepted the mediation of your mediator and given in marriage to the one from you who have proposed for marriage for the designated mahr (dower) and we ask Allah who decides all issues with His power to make the consequences of our meeting towards His love; He is the guardian thereof and has power thereat.’”

“I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.), give the following as Khutbah (sermon) when solemnizing a marriage: ‘All praise belongs to Allah who knows what is to come into being before anyone of His creatures with the ability to recognize (and know) can recognize it (the being that is to come into being). He is the Inventor of the skies and earth, harmonizer of the means about which the Pen has moved and the determination has been made in His knowledge of the past and measures of His wisdom. I praise Him for His bounties, and seek protection with Him against His dislikes, appeal before Allah for guidance, seek His protection against straying and destruction. Whomever Allah guides has found guidance, has walked on the right path and has earned the great benefit. Whomever Allah causes to go astray, misses guidance and is headed to destruction. I testify that no one other than Allah alone, who has no partners, deserves worship and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His chosen messenger and His friend with whom He is pleased, His Messenger with guidance whom He sent at a time of lapse of the existence of His Messengers, when differences among nations were a great deal, cutting off of the roads, decadence of wisdom, wiped out landmarks of guidance and clear signs, were all everywhere. He preached and delivered the message of his Lord, executed His commands, fulfilled the right he owed and left this world and he is very much missed. O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. ‘All issues are in the hands of Allah. He allows them to run by their means and measures. The command of Allah applies to His measures and His measures work to the appointed time and His appointed time works to His record; for every appointed time there is a record. Allah deletes whatever He wants and establishes whatever He wants; He has the original record and ‘Umm al-Kitab (mother book). Thereafter, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has made marriage to bring the hearts close together and a relation for the relationship, to interlace a relationship among relatives. He has made it for compassion and kindness and in this there are signs (of existence of Allah) for the worlds. He in His firmly established book has said, “It is He who has created man from water and has designed them for marriage and offspring.” (25:56) He has also said, “Arrange marriage for your unmarried ones and the virtuous ones of your servants and slave-girls.” (24:32) So and so is of those whom you know for his status, position, religion and discipline and he is interested in your participation and likes to establish marital relationship with you and has come with marriage proposal to the young lady from you so and so daughter of so and so and has offered a mahr (dower) of such and such amount for immediate payment and such and such amount payable on credit. Accept our mediation and give in marriage to our proposing gentleman who has arrived at a beautiful arriving place, and say to him good words and I ask Allah to grant forgiveness to me and you and all Muslims.’”

“Al-Rida’ (a.s.), once read the following as Khutbah (sermon) when solemnizing a marriage: ‘All praise belongs to Allah who has praised Himself in the book and has opened His book with it, has made it the first reward of the recipient of His bounties and the last words of the dwellers of His paradise. I testify that no one other than Allah alone, who has no partners, deserves worship, a testimony that I present purely for Him and save in reserve with Him. O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. He is the last in the line of prophets and the best of the people, and his family is the family of mercy and kindness, the tree of bounties, the source of Divine message, the junction of coming and going of the angels. All praise belongs to Allah who had it in His eternal knowledge and in His speaking book and true statements that the most deserving means, for compensation and preference and the foremost issue to be interested in is the means that involves a means and issue that is followed by freedom from want. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said, “It is He who has created the human being from water to have relationships of both lineage and wedlock. Your Lord has all power.” (25:54) “Marry the single people among you and the righteous slaves and slave-girls. If you are poor, Allah will make you rich through His favor; He is Bountiful and All-knowing.” (24:32) Had there been no clear verse of the Quran about marriage or texts of Sunnah which are followed or any other source of law unanimously accepted, it (marriage) would have been of what Allah has made of the very close and nearby good deeds and of the facts that bring far away things close and bring the hearts near together, to intermingle rights and to multiply numbers of children to help in difficult conditions of time and happenings of issues. It is of the facts in which people of reason are interested, fortunate people strive to achieve and skillful people of the field of discipline feel greedy about. People close to Allah are those who obey His command, execute His orders, approve His decision and hope for His reward. So and so son of so and so is one whose condition and excellence are well known to you. His soul has agreed to give preference to you over the others and to choose proposing marriage to so and so daughter of so and so, your graceful daughter and has decided to pay such and such amount as mahr (dower), so please welcome him with acceptance, respond to him with interest and ask Allah to show what is in your interest and well-being in your affairs. He will decide for you what is reasonable, if Allah so wills and we ask Allah to bring harmony among you by means of piety and virtuous manners, bring him close with affection and love and complete for him with agreement and pleasure; He listens to the prayers and is subtle in what He wishes.”’ Certain persons of our people have narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan ibn Faddal from ‘Isma’il ibn Mehran from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr who has narrated the following: “I heard abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), saying, . . he then has mentioned this sermon just as Mu‘awiyah ibn Hakam has narrated, which is a similar sermon.’”

8. Muhammad ibn Ahmad, from some of our companions, said: 'Al-Ridha (as) would address the marriage with the following: 'All praise is due to Allah, in reverence of His power; there is no deity but Allah, in submission to His might; and may Allah send blessings upon Muhammad and his family when His name is mentioned. Indeed, Allah created mankind from water and made them kin and by marriage, up to the end of the verse.'"

“When the Messenger of Allah (saww) decided to marry Khadijah daughter of Khuwaylid, Abu Talib with his family and certain individuals of Quraysh went to the house of Waraqah ibn Nawfal, uncle of Khadijah. Abu Talib began speaking and said, ‘All praise belongs to the Lord of this House, (al-Ka’bah) who has made us of the offspring of Ibrahim and Isma’il and has given us accommodation in the secure sanctuary, has made us judges for people and has blessed for us our land in which we live. The son of my brother, this one (meaning the Messenger of Allah, (saww)) is as such that he cannot be compared with any man from Quraysh, He is above them and he is greater (in excellence) than whomever he is compared with. There is no one as his equal among the creatures even though he is not wealthy because wealth is a favor (from Allah) that comes and goes. He is interested in Khadijah and she is interested in him and we have come to you to propose (on his behalf) marriage (to Khadijah) if she agrees. Her order and mahr (dower) for her is on my assets of whatever amount you ask for advance payment and on credit. His share (the share of the Messenger of Allah) by the Lord of this House is great, his religion is publicly known and his opinion is perfect.’
Abu Talib then remained quiet and her uncle began to speak but he stuttered and could not give complete answer to Abu Talib, his words became disconnected and he was overwhelmed. He was a clergyman. Khadijah then began saying, ‘Uncle, even though you are my guardian in public, I have more control of myself. O Muhammad, I have given myself in marriage to you and mahr (dower) is on me from my assets. Ask your uncle to slaughter a camel for the wedding ceremony and you can join your family (wife).’ Abu Talib then said, ‘O people, bear witness to her accepting Muhammad (as her husband) and her taking responsibility of mahr (dower) from her wealth.’ A certain person from Quraysh said, ‘This is strange. Mahr (dower) is paid by women for men! ’ It made Abu Talib very much upset and he stood up on his feet. People feared his anger and he said, ‘If they were like the son of my brother such people are sought with the highest price and the greatest amount of mahr (dower), and if they are of the like of your kind they cannot marry without paying a large amount for mahr (dower).’ Abu Talib slaughtered a she-camel for the wedding ceremony and the Messenger of Allah (saww) joined his family (wife).
A man from Quraysh, called ‘Abd Allah ibn Ghanm, composed the following lines: ‘Congratulations and blessings! O Khadijah, the bird (of your good luck) has flown for you to the one happier than you. You have married the best of all the people. There is no one among people like Muhammad (in excellence). Happy news about him was given to all people by Jesus son of Mary as well as by Moses, son of ‘Imran and how close the promised time is! Writers of long ago in time had determined that from al-Batha there will come a messenger (of Allah) for guidance well guided.’”