Reasons for Getting Married in the Month of Shawwal Highly Recommended in Islam, Not Just a Tradition

The reason for getting married in the month of Syawal is highly recommended in Islam, not just a tradition.

Dream - Muslims around the world are eagerly awaiting the month of Shawwal, especially because of the arrival of Eid al-Fitr. However, this month has another special feature besides the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, which is being a good month for getting married.

Reasons for Getting Married in the Month of Shawwal Highly Recommended in Islam, Not Just a Tradition

Ignorance Beliefs

Syawal is often considered a good time to get married, and this is often discussed during this month. There are several reasons behind the recommendation to get married in the month of Syawal. Some people may avoid certain months to get married because they are considered unlucky, and a similar phenomenon also occurred during the era of ignorance. People in the era of ignorance believed that the month of Syawal was a bad time to get married.

Then, the Prophet Muhammad SAW denied that belief. As a form of his rejection towards that ignorance belief, he instead married Sayyidah 'Aisyah in the month of Shawwal. Sayyidah 'Aisyah radhiyallahu 'anha said: The Prophet Muhammad SAW married me in the month of Shawwal and had our first night in the month of Shawwal. Which wife of the Prophet Muhammad is more fortunate than me in his eyes?" (HR. Muslim)

Meanwhile, Imam Nawawi explained in the Book of al-Minhaj fi Syarhi Shahih Muslim that Sayyidah Aisyah conveyed this to reject the belief that was widespread among the ignorant society and the arbitrary behavior among the public that it is makruh to marry, to arrange marriages, or to have intimate relations between spouses in the month of Syawal. "However, this is a baseless falsehood and it does not have any influence from the viewpoint of the ignorant people who consider that month as unlucky because the word Syawal is derived from isyalah and raf (to lift)."

The explanation of Imam Nawawi contains two important points, namely first, the assumption that the month of Shawwal or any other month as an unlucky month does not receive legitimacy from Islamic teachings. Second, scholars, especially from the Shafi'i school of thought, consider it a Sunnah to get married, to marry others, or to have lawful intimate relations during the month of Shawwal.

Recommended Time to Get Married

According to scholars from the Shafi'i school of thought, the month of Shawwal is highly recommended for marriage. However, it must be understood that getting married during that month is only recommended if possible. The same applies to other months. If there is a reason to get married outside of the month of Shawwal, then go ahead with the marriage.

Apart from the month of Syawal, the month that is also recommended for marriage is the month of Shafar. This is based on the narration of Az-Zuhri, who stated that the Prophet Muhammad PBUH married his daughter, Sayyidah Fatimah ra, to Ali bin Abi Thalib ra in that month.

Abdul Hamid Asy-Syirwani in Hasyiyatus Syirwani stated, "The statement, it is recommended to get married in the month of Syawal means that if it is possible to be carried out in that month, while in other months it is the same. If there is a reason to get married in a month other than Syawal, then do it. Similarly, the recommendation to get married in the month of Shafar is valid, and in this matter, Az-Zuhri narrated a hadith stating that the Prophet Muhammad married his daughter, Sayyidah Fathimah, to Ali bin Abi Thalib in the month of Shafar at the end of the twelfth month of hijrah."

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