Nikah through a Letter

Question

Fatima sent a registered letter by post from Lucknow to Rafiq, residing in Calcutta, in which she wrote: “Respected brother Rafiq, I want to marry you, therefore I have given myself to you in marriage. I hope you will accept,” and then she signed it. When this letter reached Rafiq, he kept the letter with him for ten or five days, then called two men to bear witness, saying: “My own paternal cousin (daughter of my father’s sister)

Answer

In the case asked about, besides agency (wakala) there can also be another way, and by it too the nikah can be valid. [ar]ينعقد النكاح بالكتاب كما ينعقد بالخطاب، وصورته أن يكتب إليها يخطبها، فإذا بلغها الكتاب أحضرت الشهود وقرأته عليهم وقالت: زوجت نفسي منه، أو تقول: إن فلانًا كتب إلي يخطبني فاشهدوا أني زوجت نفسي منه، أما لو لم تقل بحضرتهم سوى زوجت نفسي من فلان لا ينعقد؛ لأن…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.