Islamic marriage advice and family advice

Can I do nikah over the phone or skype?

internet wedding marriage

Need help please!!!! I have met a woman on the internet and we wish to marry over the phone or skype. I have asked an imam and he said he cannot. I don't know why this is not possible. I only want to make a verbal nikah with witnesses on her side and witnesses in the masjid here. Why is this not possible? Verbal nikah has been done all the time why am I having such a hard time? Can anyone give me number for an imam or someone with authority in this matter who can help me complete this task?  shukriya

Tabrez Hamidani


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16 Responses »

  1. If you feel that a verbal nikah over Skype is adequate , why do you need a Imam to justify what you want to do. Just simply gather some witness and be done with it. you should also pay the mahr by bitcoin. But i am assuming those witnesses won't be from her family or yours. I mean it a terrible idea simply because there is no legal protection for anyone involved. By the way does anyone want to answer the questions what's up with alot of South Asian people not wanting to register their marriages legally?

  2. Here's a crazy idea. Why don't you go to This girl's home and do a nikah in real life????

    I'm sure the imam thinks something weird is going on. I think something weird is going on. Who gets married over the Internet??? Do the honourable thing, attend at her family's home, and have a nikah in person.

  3. I am interested to know what is the significant of doing a Nikah mean for you? Is it a form of legitimize of you doing something with her over the internet? A proper nikah should be done when both parties are ready to stay together in the near future as a couple. Besides, a nikah over the phone does not serve as a valid document to apply for any immigration status. Are you planning to unite as a couple?

    • It isn't true that a Nikah over the phone can't be used as a legal immigration document for immigration--I know quite a few people who have done this and used the documents to sponsor their spouse.

      To the OP, you should probably keep talking to local Imams because at the end of the day, you will need one of them to help you in getting a valid Nikah done--speak to them about how it can be done with reprensatives on both sides--if it can't be done, then obviously, one of you will have to travel, or both travel to a country where you both can meet.

      • One party still has to register LEGALLY in their homeland in order to make it official after the "web nikah or proxy marriage".

        Quote from the article in Daily News, Revealed: How immigrants are gaining U.S. citizenship by getting married on Skype - to people thousands of miles away

        "Not all U.S. states allow proxy marriages, however in Colorado, Texas, Montana, Alabama, Missouri, and California, couples separated by distance are permitted to marry via webcam. The process is illegal in all other American states, unless one partner is in the military.

        In countries such as India, England, and Israel, proxy marriages via Skype are legally-binding. And because the U.S. recognizes a legal overseas wedding between an American and their foreign fiancé, many are saying 'I do' via Skype and registering the wedding on foreign soil so that the marriage is considered legal."

        I suggest the brother should check with his country of origin and her country of origin.

        • I agree Sister.

          When I replied to your comment, I only wanted to clarify that some countries do recognize a Nikah over the phone--even Canada and the US--but I didn't mean to suggest that it was alright to do--some Imams will perform the Nikah, but they will probably have conditions and representatives for the boy and girl on both sides otherwise it could be considered an invalid Nikah. Some Imams probably even differ on this matter as well--the OP should definitely check with the country he resides in, the country the girl resides in and be thorough in the process. It is best to talk to someone who has done this successfully or even to those who did it and failed to find out what the problems are. As for marrying someone he met on the internet, one should always be careful and cautious about this.

  4. I'm not sure why the discussion is whether a Skype marriage is legal or not for immigration purposes.

    Marriage is a big deal in Islam. It is a question of honour. Go to the girl's family in person, and marry her in person. Why on earth would you use Skype? Are you going to consummate the marriage via Skype too?

    • Sister Precious Star,

      I have seen respectable families do this and it still happens. I was a child when I first heard about it and found it strange, but the familes didn't do it to belittle marriage. The families that chose this method for their children knew each other really really well and this helped speed the process up for the couple to be together in one country if visas could not be obtained. The problem with this method is that it can be abused very easily --which I can see how -- but there are sincere families who believe marriage is a huge deal and have done this--so that is why the discussion included this information.

      • Marriage by proxy is very common in muslim cultures, but hardly ideal.
        In this situation, it doesn't sound like the families are involved -- he says in the first line that "I have met a woman over the Internet". Digital/electronic relationships do not have a solid base for marriage. It sounds more like he needs to get this done asap for immigration purposes.

        I think also sister Saba, we tend to approve of things if they are practiced on a regular basis, without really thinking about the implications. Would you invite an Internet friend into your home for the night, never having met them in person? Would you allow your mother to be seen by a virtual, web-based physician, rather than have her seen at the hospital by a physician who can renaming her In Real life? Similarly, why would you betrothe yourself to a man over the Internet without seeing him in person and speaking to him?

        • Above I have already said that one should be cautious about marrying someone that you have met over the internet so I am not promoting that and nor has the OP given many details.

          The families that I know that married in this fashion did not meet over the internet and I have already said that they did so for immigration purposes. That was some 15, 20 years ago. I still know the families and they are together.

  5. Yes i like to get married on skype cant get a passport because of child support the imaam not sure if he want to do it she cant get a imaam because she doesn't have 4 people she lives alone with her son

  6. I want to get married on skype my fiance live in Pakistan I live in New Jersey they do not do Skype wedding in new jersry but it is legal in Pakistan I like to set an appointment

  7. Dear Brothers/Sisters,

    Please note few things and not to get emotional on this topic.
    - Proxy Nikah is valid. Both husband/wife does not need to be present in the same location (physical) at the time of Nikah if there Wakil is present there and there are certain situations better known those parties and their families. Even our prophet saws done Nikah proxy with
    - We should not judge person that if they met online or something then their intention not good. Allah(swt) knows the best .
    - 3rdly Marriage can be abused also when both are present as in one case I have seen a brother travelled to Pakistan for nikah, he done the Nikah and then stole lot of jewlerry and after few days of Nikah ran away to a different country. We have also observed in one case that the couple got to know online and got married via Skype few years ago and Alhamdulillah they did not abuse the marriage and live in a responsible way.
    - During 17 and 18 th century when Loud speaker first comes into existence then there was strong resistance also that this is not part of Sunnah.

    • this is bid'A .MARRIAGE is a big part of deen and deen is fulfilled by rasul pbuh before 1400 years back ,if you add something new in deen then it is bid'a which is haram and voided

  8. Rabbi yassir wala tu’assir wa tammim bil khair

    (Oh Allah, make this task easy and do not make it difficult. Oh Allah! Make it end well).

  9. you don't need molvi brother if u are honest and she is honest with u just get wakeel from her side and witness and you can say it as well the kutbah of nikah is sunah so if ur witness or u can read that khutbah by seeing from book can be done to no need any molvi if he is not doing

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