When a Muslim wants to consummate his marriage , a number of things are recommended in the sunnah:
- He should treat his bride kindly and gently, like offering her something to drink and so on, because of the hadith narrated by Asma bint Yazid ibn al-Sakan, who said:
- “I prepared ‘Aishah as a bride when she married the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).I came to him and invited him to see her (uncover her face). So he came and sat beside her, and a large cup of milk was brought to him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) drank some, then offered it to her, but she lowered her head and felt shy. I rebuked her and said: ‘Take it from the hand of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).’ So she took it and drank a little, then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to her, ‘Give some to your companion (meaning himself).’”
He should place his hand on his bride’s head and pray for her, saying “Bismillah” and asking for barakah (blessing), saying the words reported in the hadith narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, who said that:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you marries a woman or buys a servant, let him say: ‘Allahumma inni as-aluka khayraha wa khayra ma jabaltaha ‘alayhi wa a’udhu bika min sharriha wa min sharri ma jabaltaha ‘alayhi (O Allah, I ask You for her goodness and the goodness which You have created in her, and I seek refuge with You from her evil and the evil which You have created in her).’” Abu Dawud said that Abu Sa’id added: “Then let him take hold of her forelock and pray for blessing from this woman or servant.”
He should pray two rak’ahs with her, leading her in prayer, because this is reported as being the practice of the salaf (early generations).
There are two reports concerning this. (i) from Abu Sa’id, the freed slave of Abu Usayd, which states that a group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught him and told him:
“When your wife comes in to you, pray two rak’ahs and ask Allah for the goodness of what has come to you, and seek refuge with Him from its evil.”
When he wants to consummate the marriage , he should say the words reported in the hadith reported by Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who said:
“When one of you wants to approach (have intercourse with) his wife, if he says: ‘Bismillahi Allahumma jannibna al-Shaytan wa jannib al-Shaytan ma razaqtana
In the name of Allah, O Allah, protect us from Shaytan and protect whatever You give to us from Shaytan)’ – then if they are given a child, Shaytan will not harm it.”
