Conducting the Waleemah before the nikaah is consummated

Q: If someones nikaah is at zuhr time, then they feed people after zuhr but the groom will meet his wife after magrhrib. Will the meal time after zuhr suffice for waleema or should he distribute dates after spending time with his wife and class that as waleema?

A: This is also counted as waleemah, but the way that the waleemah was practised in the time of Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was that it was after the marriage was consummated.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)