Short answer
Yes. Nikah is allowed in every month and on every day, including Muharram, Safar, Ramadan and the days between the two Eids. Beliefs that some months bring bad luck to a marriage have no basis. The only real limits are a woman's iddah and, in the other schools, ihram. In Ramadan the nikah is fine, but intimacy waits until after iftar.
There is no month or day in which nikah is disliked. A nikah during ihram is valid in the Hanafi school, though intimacy is forbidden until ihram ends. A woman in her iddah may not be married or openly proposed to.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- A nikah contracted while the groom, the bride or the wali is in ihram is void.
- Maliki
- A nikah contracted in ihram is void.
- Hanbali
- A nikah contracted in ihram is void.
Explanation
Aisha said the Messenger of Allah ﷺ married her in Shawwal and brought her to his home in Shawwal, and asked which of his wives was more favoured than she was. She said this because some Arabs thought Shawwal unlucky for weddings. He also said there is no evil omen (tiyarah). No month spoils a marriage.
- Muharram: some families avoid weddings in Muharram out of grief for Husayn. Honouring the sacred months means avoiding sin in them (9:36), not avoiding marriage. A nikah in Muharram is valid and not disliked.
- Safar: the idea that it is unlucky is a pre-Islamic superstition.
- Between the two Eids: there is no ruling against it.
- Friday: recommended. See sunnahs of nikah.
The real limits.
- Iddah: a woman in her waiting period cannot marry (2:235). See iddah.
- Ihram: the Hanafis hold the nikah valid, based on Ibn Abbas's report that the Prophet ﷺ married Maymunah while in ihram; the other schools hold it void, based on the hadith "the one in ihram does not marry". Intimacy in ihram is forbidden in every school. See ihram.
- Ramadan: a nikah is fine, but intimacy is only at night. See intimacy in Ramadan.
- Her period: the nikah is valid; intercourse waits.
The evidence
Quran, Surah At-Tawba 9:36
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًۭا فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌۭ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ وَقَٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةًۭ كَمَا يُقَٰتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةًۭ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٣٦﴾
Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him].
The sacred months call for avoiding sin, not avoiding marriage.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:235
وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُم بِهِۦ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ أَوْ أَكْنَنتُمْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ سَتَذْكُرُونَهُنَّ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا إِلَّآ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًۭا مَّعْرُوفًۭا ۚ وَلَا تَعْزِمُوا۟ عُقْدَةَ ٱلنِّكَاحِ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ ٱلْكِتَٰبُ أَجَلَهُۥ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ فَٱحْذَرُوهُ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌۭ ﴿٢٣٥﴾
There is no blame upon you for that to which you [indirectly] allude concerning a proposal to women or for what you conceal within yourselves. Allah knows that you will have them in mind. But do not promise them secretly except for saying a proper saying. And do not determine to undertake a marriage contract until the decreed period reaches its end. And know that Allah knows what is within yourselves, so beware of Him. And know that Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.
The iddah is a real time limit on marriage.
Sahih Muslim 1423
Sahih... تزوجني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في شوال وبنى بي في شوال ...
"The Messenger of Allah married me in Shawwal and took me to his home in Shawwal."
Aisha used her own marriage to refute the belief that some months are unlucky.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5757
Sahih... لا عدوى ولا طيرة ...
"There is no contagion and no evil omen."
Superstitions about dates have no place in Islam.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1837
Sahih... تزوج ميمونة وهو محرم ...
"He married Maymunah while in ihram."
The Hanafi evidence that a nikah in ihram is valid.
Sahih Muslim 1409
Sahih... لا ينكح المحرم ولا ينكح ...
"The one in ihram does not marry, nor is he married off."
The evidence of the other three schools.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Nikah, Fasl fi Bayan al-Muharramat, on marrying in ihram. A man or woman in ihram may contract a nikah.
- Minhaj al-Talibin (Nawawi), Kitab al-Nikah. The Shafi'i rule that a nikah in ihram is void.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.