Is the marriage religiously valid given the absence of a second witness, the failure to explicitly mention the wife's name during the contract, and the occurrence of a private meeting with the wife before receiving the final marriage document?
Previously, the conditions for a valid marriage were explained: the صيغة (formulation, i.e., offer and acceptance), the guardian, and witnesses. According to the majority of jurists, the marriage is valid even if the acceptance precedes the offer. There are also scholars who do not stipulate a specific formulation for marriage and consider it valid with anything that people deem a marriage. As for witness, the contract is not valid according to the majority without two witnesses. However, the Malikis hold that having witnesses at the time of the contract is commendable, and that widespread knowledge (publicity) suffices over witness, a view also held by Ibn Taymiyyah. If the marriage becomes well-known and its news spreads, it is considered valid, especially if consummation has occurred and a period of time has passed.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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