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Is it permissible, Islamically, to repeat the marriage contract after a previous secret contract, in order to complete it in the presence of the family without their knowledge of the first contract?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

If the first marriage contract fulfilled the conditions and pillars [of a valid marriage], then it is a sound marriage (nikah sahih) and its effects are binding. If any condition was lacking, then it is an invalid marriage (nikah fasid), and the contract must be renewed. It is recommended to consult the parents regarding marriage and strive to please them. If informing them about the previous contract will not lead to apparent harm, then it is preferable to inform them and seek their approval. This is further emphasized if the wife becomes pregnant. However, if informing them would result in apparent harm, then it is permissible to pretend to conduct the marriage contract in their presence or register it officially, while informing the guardian that the valid contract is the first one.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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