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| Question: According to a H~adi#th,
the best Wali#mah is that in which
the poor are fed. Considering this, does a Wali#mah
mean giving food to the poor on this happy occasion?
Answer: If we collect and analyze all the Ah@a#di#th on this subject, the picture which emerges is: 1. In Arabic, the word Wali#mah means a feast or a banquet. Using it specifically for a post-wedding banquet is a later practice. It is not by any means part of the Islamic Shari#‘ah. It is basically a cultural function that depends on the customs and traditions of a society. 2. The Ah@a#di#th which urge Muslims to call the poor to such banquets consequently do not just pertain to the post-wedding functions of today, but to all banquets. 3. The words poor and the needy in these Ah@a#di#th particularly refer to the poor who are known to the bridegroom – eg if there are some among his relatives or friends; similarly his servants at his house or office. Of course, these Ah@a#di#th do not mean that it is required to go out and hunt for them. |