Practicing of other religion rituals and customs at a muslim nikaah.

Q: Recently the daughter of a prominent politician got married to a Hindu boy who em-
braced Islam. At the wedding there were Hindu rituals and customs. Is this Nikah valid and what about those who attended this nikah? A prominent Shaikh also officiated at this func-
tion.

A: If the boy embraced Islam in the true sense, then the Nikah itself was valid. If not, then no.
A Muslim female cannot marry a non-Muslim unless he becomes a Muslim proper. As regards
the kufr rituals and customs that took place, such practices are akin to kufr. Regardless of the
validity of the Nikah, there is definitely no barakah in such a marriage. To participate in such a
function is a major sin. The sin is compounded by the fact that these kufr practices were done under the auspices of Muslims and were incorporated into a Muslim Nikah. This is totally un-
acceptable and must be condemned in the strongest of terms. What precedent will this set for other Muslims, especially the younger generation? This is so serious that some of the Muslim
Jurists of before have regarded such people as out of the fold of Islam who express happiness
with acts of kufr. Allah Ta’ala knows best.