Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If anyone of you is invited to a wedding banquet, he must go for it (accept the invitation)."
Hadith Text
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If anyone of you is invited to a wedding banquet, he must go for it (accept the invitation)."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 5173 | Book: Wedlock, Marriage (Nikaah)
Legal Ruling & Significance
This hadith establishes the communal obligation (farḍ kifāyah) of attending wedding feasts when invited. Scholars classify this as either strongly recommended (sunnah mu'akkadah) or obligatory (wājib) unless there is a valid excuse.
The wisdom behind this ruling includes: strengthening Muslim brotherhood, sharing joy with the newlyweds, publicizing the marriage, and fulfilling the rights of fellow Muslims.
Valid Excuses for Non-Attendance
Classical scholars mention several valid excuses: presence of unlawful entertainment (music, mixed gatherings), serving prohibited food/drink, excessive extravagance, personal illness, travel requirements, or prior conflicting obligations.
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani notes that if the invitation includes something Islamically objectionable, one should either decline politely or attend while avoiding the prohibited elements.
Scholarly Commentary
Imam al-Nawawi explains that this command emphasizes the importance of maintaining social bonds and participating in community celebrations. The wedding feast (walīmah) is a Sunnah that brings blessings to the marriage.
Al-Qurtubi adds that responding to invitations demonstrates gratitude to Allah for the blessing of marriage and helps prevent envy and social isolation within the Muslim community.
Practical Application
One should make reasonable effort to attend, even if briefly. If unable to attend, one should politely decline with a valid reason and offer congratulations and prayers for the couple.
The duration of stay should be appropriate - neither too brief to seem dismissive nor too long to cause burden. One should participate in the permissible aspects while maintaining Islamic decorum.