Three's Company: SA wedding invite for one groom and two brides
A marriage ceremony
Image: FILE
LOVE may be patient and kind, but social media is fast.
An invite to a religious wedding ceremony featuring one groom and two brides has gone viral, faster than you can say “save the date.”
The star of the show? Abdul-Maalik Rajab, who is set to marry both Ashika Abdin and Kiara Baadjies — on the same day.
Originally intended for close friends and family, the nikaah invite somehow found its way online and now it’s being RSVP’d by the entire internet (emotionally at least).
According to the invitation, the ceremony is set to take place on Saturday, September 13, in Johannesburg.
Rajab said he was not much of a speaker and referred the Sunday Tribune to a close family friend.
The wedding invitation that has gone viral on social media.
Image: Supplied
His friend, who did not want to be named, described Rajab as an ardent and dedicated Islamic scholar and a Qari (an Islamic reciter) comes from a very grounded spiritual family and background.
"The invite was never meant to go out as it was just intended for family and friends. People from all over South Africa have now expressed interest in attending the ceremony," he said.
Rajab first tied the knot two months ago to a woman living in Durban.
"All three women are very happy and are in unison. The two ladies who he will marry next week said they will get married together but have separate ceremonies. They are like best friends.
"Their admiration and respect for the groom extends past physical and financial bounds. It is based on a foundation of mutual love and respect between everyone, which reflects Islamic tradition and law. It's not done as a joke or to get fame, neither to follow their egos's. They are taking it very seriously from a spiritual aspect," he said.
He said Rajab has been counselled and advised by Islamic scholars and family.
"There is a huge amount of responsibility and it's life changing. Everything he has to do he has to do with justice, integrity, fairness, honesty and sincerity. With having more than one wife you have to be fair and just to all.
People need to understand he is not doing it because he is lustful or ignorant," he said.
Arshad Mohamed Al-Azhari, of the National Assembly for Iftaa and Islamic Affairs South Africa, said in accordance with the Shari’ah, it is permissible for a man to enter into a contract of Nikaah with two women on the same day.
He said the Fatwa (a formal ruling or interpretation on a point of Islamic law given by a qualified legal scholar) was based on a verse of the Qur’an, which translates to "Marry women of your choice, two or three or four".
"In light of the verse coupled with the fact that there exists no explicit prohibition preventing a person from entering into a contract of marriage (Nikaah) with more than one women on the same day, it is permissible for a man to marry two women on the same day.
"One should draw clear distinction between the entering into of the contract of marriage (Nikaah) with two women on the same day on the one hand and on the other hand celebrating the wedding ceremony for both brides on the same day. The above fatwa clearly deals with the former and not the latter," said Al-Azhari.