Is it a Sunna to Get Married on a Friday?

There seems to be no ‘specific’ Hadith stating that conducting the marriage (nikah) ceremony on a Friday (jumu’ah) or after Asr prayers is Sunna or more rewarding. As such, it is perfectly acceptable to hold the marriage on any given time of any given day of the week – without dislike.

However, many classical scholars and jurists (fuqaha) state that given the fact Friday is the most blessed day of the week and much significance is attached to it, it is preferable and recommended to conduct the marriage ceremony on this day.

Mulla Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him) – whilst commentating on the Hadith “Announce the marriage, conduct it in the Mosques, and beat the duff over it” (Tirmidhi) – states:

[The directive to] “Conduct it in the Mosques” is because it leads to more publicity for the marriage, or to attain the blessings of the location (makan). It is recommended to try and attain the blessings of the time (zaman) also, so that the illumination and happiness is doubled. Imam Ibn al-Humam said, ‘It is recommended to conduct the marriage in a Mosque because it is a form of worship, and on a Friday because it gives hope for more attendance or there is hope for more reward.’” (Mirqat al-Mafatih 6/217)

Another Hanafi jurist Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) states in his Al-Durr al-Mukhtar, “It is recommended to conduct the marriage on a Friday.” The commentator Imam Tahtawi provides the reason saying, “Because it is the most blessed day of the week.”  (Hashiyat al-Tahtawi ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar 2/5)

The Hanbali jurist Imam Ibn Qudama states, “It is recommended to hold the marriage contract on a Friday.” (Al-Mughni 7/64. See also: Al-Fawakih al-Dawani 2/11 for the Maliki School, and Asna al-Matalib 3/108 for the Shafi’i School)

As such, the ‘recommendation’ (istihbab) to conduct the marriage on a Friday is based on the general blessedness of the day, and thus it is hoped that a marriage conducted on a blessed day will also be blessed (baraka), In Sha Allah. However, it is not specifically established as a Sunna from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace).

Accordingly, one may aim to conduct the marriage on other blessed times as well such as the day of Eid, the night preceding the day of Jumu’a, during Ramadan, the day of Arafa, and so-on-and-so-forth.

In regards to conducting Nikah after Asr prayers on Friday, this again is not established as a Sunna. However, since the time between Asr and Maghrib prayers is a blessed time – especially on a Friday – some scholars consider it to be a good time to conduct it. Others say it is better after Jumu’a prayers since more people are likely to attend the ceremony, which will help in the desired publicity as well as be a means of obtaining their supplications (du’a). 

And Allah knows best