What Is the Minimum Number of Witnesses for a Nikah?

Question

(1) If some place is a land of unbelief, and the Muslims are far away at a great distance, there being only a single Muslim household, and the girl is young, sane and adult (baligha), and the boy is also young, and the two of them conclude their nikah in the presence of one man and one woman — out of necessity, owing to the absence of Muslims and out of apprehension, and in order to avoid the haram — is the nikah permissible? (2)

Answer

(1, 2) According to the Hanafis, the offer and acceptance must take place before at least two sane men, or one man and two women. A nikah is not concluded by the testimony of one man and one woman. If one man and two women duly heard the offer and acceptance of the nikah, their testimony is valid; and the testimony of the fourteen-year-old girl, since she is adult, is valid.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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