Getting married (solemnising a marriage – nikah) and holding a reception (walimah) during the month of Ramadan after sunset (Maghrib) is fully permissible in Islamic law. Islam does not prohibit contracting a marriage at any specific time of the year.
Restrictions on Conjugal Relations
The legal restrictions concerning marriage during Ramadan apply strictly to the hours of fasting between dawn (Fajr) and sunset (Maghrib). Engaging in marital intimacy during daylight hours breaks the fast and incurs spiritual penalties. Similarly, physical intimacy is prohibited while in a state of sacred consecration (ihram) for Hajj or ‘Umrah.
Nighttime Allowance in the Quran
Once the fast is broken at sunset, all marital relations—including the nikah, walimah, and consummation—become completely lawful throughout the night until the dawn prayer. Divine revelation explicitly establishes this permission:
“It has been made lawful for you to approach your wives on the night of the fast. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:187)
Practical Guidance for Couples
As long as the wedding feast (walimah) and marital intimacy are kept strictly to the nighttime hours after iftar, couples can safely celebrate their union during Ramadan without compromising their religious obligations.
