Section 1: Wedding Feast

First: Definition of the wedding feast, its rulings, the requirements of its prepared food, its time, and its duration:
1. Definition: The linguistic meaning of the Arabic word “waleemah”, which translates to a wedding feast, is derived from the root word  “walim”, which means coming together. The relevance of the meaning comes from the fact that the wedding feast marks the joining of the two spouses. However, in Islam, the word is used as a term to refer to the feasts made specifically at weddings. It is said that it refers to every feast made to celebrate an event, but its use for wedding feasts is more common. Nonetheless, it can be used in reference to other happy occasions and ceremonies.
2. Ruling: The scholars differed on the ruling on holding a wedding feast. The majority of scholars [92] According to the official position of the Maliki Madhab, it is recommended. hold the view that it is a confirmed Sunnah (highly recommended). This is the view of the Hanafi and Shafi’i Madhab, as well as the Hanbali Madhab - according to the more likely to be the correct view. It is also the view of most people of knowledge. Other scholars hold the view that it is obligatory, which is one of the views in the Shafi’i and Maliki Madhabs, one of the reported views from Imam Ahmad, and the view of the Dhahiri scholars. It is the view of Al-San’aanee, Ash-Shawkaanee and Al-Albaanee.
3. Time of making the wedding feast: It is recommended to hold the wedding feast after the consummating the marriage, [93] It is permissible before consummating the marriage. which is the famous view in the Maliki Madhab, and it is the view of the Shafi’i Madhab, [94] The Shafi’i scholars explicitly state that it is better to do it after consummating the marriage. and it is the adopted view of Ibn Taymiyyah.
4. Requirement of food: The majority of scholars hold the view that it is recommended for the wedding feast to be according to the financial ability of the husband and that slaughtering an animal is not obligatory. This is the view of the Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali Madhabs. It is reported that the scholars are in consensus that it has no limits.
a. Ruling of honouring the invitation to the wedding feast, eating from it and the requirements to allow attending it:
i. Ruling of honouring the invitation to a wedding feast: The majority of scholars hold the view that accepting the invitation to the wedding feast is obligatory.  This is the view of the Maliki, Shafi’i – based on what is deemed the more likely correct view in the Madhab and the Hanbali Madhab. It is the opinion of some Hanafi scholars and the opinion of the Dhahiri scholars. It is the opinion of most scholars, and it is said that it is a matter of consensus among scholars.
ii. The cases that make attending the wedding feast not obligatory:
1. If sins are committed during the wedding feast:  [95] From the widespread wrongdoings that take place in weddings is sons that are played with musical instruments, poems and eulogies that contain shirk, offering the hubbly bubbly, and free mixing between men and women in some cultures.
a. If one knows about it: The four Madhabs agree that the obligation to attend the wedding feast to which one is invited is removed and should not be attended if one knows sins will be committed there, and he has no power or authority to object to it and stop it.
b. If one has no prior knowledge that it will involve sins: If one attends a wedding feast and, after arrival, he realised that sins are committed of which he had no prior knowledge, he should forbid people from doing them, and if they do not take heed, he must leave and not remain there. [96] The Hanafi scholars hold the view that if that which is sinful exists on the food table, then he must leave and not remain seated. However, if it is far away from the food table, then if he is an individual that is looked up to and people take him as a role model, but he is not capable of stopping the wrongdoing, then he must leave and not remain seated. But if he is not someone who people imitate him, he may remain there. This is the view of the majority of scholars, namely the Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali Madhabs. [97] The Hanbali scholars state that if he knows that there is a wrongdoing in the wedding feast, but he neither can see it not hears it, then it is permissible for him to remain and eat.
2. If the venue of the wedding feast is far: The obligation to attend the wedding feast to which one is invited is removed if the venue wherein the wedding feast will be held is far. This is the explicit view of the Maliki Madhab, and it is the view of Ibn Baaz and Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.
3. If the wedding feast is for a non-Muslim: The obligation to attend the wedding feast to which one is invited is removed if the wedding feast is for a non-Muslim. [98] Even if answering the invitation is permissible. This is the view of the majority of scholars, namely the Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali Madhabs.
4. If most of the wealth of the one holding the wedding feast is not lawful: The obligation to attend the wedding feast to which one is invited is removed if one knows that most of the wealth of the person who is paying for the wedding feast comes from unlawful sources. This is the view of the majority of scholars, namely the Hanafi, Maliki, and Shafi’i Madhabs,  [99] The Shafi’i scholars explicitly state that it is disliked for the invitee to accept the invitation and attend it. and it is one of the views within the Hanbali Madhabs.  [100] It appears from their words that they hold the view that it is forbidden to accept he invitation.
5. If the wedding feast is intended for flaunting and boasting: The four Madhabs agree that the obligation to accept the invitation and attend the wedding feast is removed if the intention of the inviter is to flaunt and show off.
6. If the invitation is exclusive to the rich people: The obligation to accept the invitation and attend the wedding feast is removed if it is made exclusive to those who are rich, while those who are poor are left uninvited. This is the view of the Maliki and Shafi’i Madhabs, and it is the view of some Hanbali scholars. It is also the view of As-San’aanee.
7. If one receives another invitation first: The majority of scholars hold the view that the obligation to accept the invitation and attend the wedding feast is removed if the invitee has already been invited to another wedding feast, which he is obliged to attend. This is the view of the Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali Madhabs.
8. If one had a valid excuse: The majority of scholars hold the view that the obligation to accept the invitation and attend the wedding feast is removed if the invitee has a valid excuse that prevents him from attending the feast. This is the view of the Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali Madhabs.
9. If the invitation is general and not specific: The obligation to accept the invitation and attend the wedding feast is removed if the invitation is made general for everyone and not specific. This is the view of the Shafi’i and Hanbali Madhabs and the view of the Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.
10. If the inviter relieves the invitee from attending: The Hanbali Madhabs states that the obligation to accept the invitation and attend the wedding feast is removed if the invitee informs the inviter of his intention not to attend and the inviter relieves him from attendance.
11. If the husband does not give him permission for his wife to attend: It is impermissible for the woman to leave her house except with her husband’s permission, even if it is to attend a wedding feast. This is the view of the majority of the scholars, [101] The Hanafi scholars hold the view that it is not permissible for the woman to leave her house to attend a wedding feast in all cases, regardless of whether her husband gives her the permission or not. namely the Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali Madhabs.
iii. The ruling of eating from the wedding feast: The four Madhabs agree that it is recommended to eat from the food served at the wedding feast.