Nikaah & Marriage Issues

Nikaah without witnesses

Q: I am writing this email because someone known to me is facing a strange situation and have insisted me to ask you this question. He is already married but have contracted nikah with someone else as well. However, when he committed the second lady about nikah, there wasn't any witness to that. Soon after that promise (or whatever you call it) the lady called her father and told about it. Father called the person and showed his agreement to her daughter's decision. Then they publicized this agreement to their family members. The first wife of the person called the lady and discussed various matters about her husband's marriage with the lady. Subsequently, the first wife announced that in their family. everyone accepted this decision. However, till date no formal document has been signed.

Now a million dollar question is about validity of this nikah. Please comment in the light of Quran and Sunnah.

Witnesses for the nikaah

Q: My father in law asked his daughter in front of myself and my two uncles whether she agreed to marry my brother. She allegedly replied 'yes.' My wife seen her sister nod her approval. My two uncles both heard the reply but I neither heard the question nor the reply because it was done in such a soft tone. Subsequently, in my presence and my brother in laws presence she was asked again to clarify. This time I heard the reply. My question is that tomorrow at the Musjid my uncle and I are witnesses to this marriage on the documentation that the girl signed. My uncle and I will also have to sign the same or another document.

  1. Will the marriage be valid based on the fact that, when asked by the Imam, both witnesses on the documentation, my uncle and I did not both hear the girl say yes at the same time, i.e. I heard her say yes about half hour later, when the girl was asked again.
  2. Is it permissible for me to sign the document saying I was a witness and say so when asked by the imam.

Pocket money for the wife

Q: I just want to ask a question about the money for a wife. I am pregnant my husband fulfills my all needs, but he does not give me pocket money as I need it for myself. e.g for my parents. My husband can afford it. Should he give me money or not?

Marrying within close family

Q: I read a Hadith which says,” The prophet (peace be upon him) once told one of his companions to choose a wife from a tribe different to his, and then to choose for his son a wife from a third tribe and to seek for his second son a girl from yet another tribe”. My question is, is this Hadith authentic? If so then it means that marriages should not be done within close family as cousins etc. I appreciate if you please comment.

Adultery

Q: I need some information on adultery. What is the sin of visiting whore houses and indulging sex with a prostitute. What happens to the nikahaa whilst indulging in this?

Nikaah after an illicit relationship

Q: Musa and zainab are involved in illicit relationship for couple years, by the occurrence of the days and nights their relation became more solid because now zainab fell pregnant. To get rid from this shame the two families decided to get them married. What will be the hukam of this nikkah according to shaafi and hanafi mazhab and what will be the solution to this matter (for these people to be saved from this shame Islamically)?