Chala: Sending the Bride to Her Husband’s Home a Full Year After the Nikah

Question

It is a common custom that the bride’s departure to her husband’s home takes place a year after the nikah, or after a period more or less than that, which is called “chala” (the custom of sending the bride to her husband a year after the nikah). What is its ruling?

Answer

If the girl is a minor at the time of the contract, then the bride’s send-off to her husband’s home should wait until she reaches puberty (bulugh). There is no harm in giving the girl the things she needs so that she does not face difficulty there right away.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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