This page answers common questions about True Nikkah, how our online nikah ceremonies work, what is included, and what couples should expect when using our service.
These FAQs provide general information. For full details, please see our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Code of Practice and Disclaimer.
True Nikkah is a scholar-led online nikah service that arranges and conducts Islamic marriage ceremonies over live video for couples worldwide. Every ceremony is conducted by a qualified Imam trained in classical Islamic jurisprudence, with wali and witness services available for couples who need them, and a nikah certificate issued immediately afterwards.
We exist because many couples find an in-person nikah difficult or impossible to arrange, whether because they live in different countries, have no local mosque willing to help, have no Muslim family able to take part, or need to marry at short notice.
True Nikkah was founded in 2023. Since then we have helped over 1,000 couples complete half of their deen.
Yes. True Nikkah operates as a fully online service. Booking, verification, the ceremony itself and certificate issue are all handled remotely, so neither party needs to travel or attend in person.
Ceremonies are conducted over live video, which allows both parties, their witnesses and any guests to take part from wherever they are in the world.
True Nikkah works with a small team of qualified Imams trained in classical Islamic jurisprudence, each with years of experience conducting nikah ceremonies for couples in a wide range of circumstances.
Every Imam is verified before conducting any ceremony, including confirmation of their formal training, the institution attended, any ijazah held, practical experience, and references from recognised scholars or institutions.
The Imam who conducts your ceremony is named on your nikah certificate. You can meet our Imams on our Our Team page.
All ceremonies operate under the religious oversight of our Director, Dr Mahmoud Abdelrahman, who is responsible for religious standards, verifying the credentials of every Imam who joins the service, advising personally on complex cases, and maintaining consistency across every ceremony we conduct.
Religious decisions are made independently by the Imam conducting the ceremony and are never influenced by commercial or administrative considerations.
No. True Nikkah is a service that arranges and conducts nikah ceremonies. We are not a mosque, a madrasah, a Sharia council or a religious authority, and we do not issue fatwas or rulings on matters beyond the conduct of your ceremony.
Where a question falls outside arranging your nikah, we will say so and suggest you consult a scholar or institution in your own community.
Over 1,000 couples since 2023, across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and further afield.
All of them. Because the ceremony takes place over video, where you live makes no difference to whether we can conduct your nikah.
Most of our couples are in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, but we conduct ceremonies for couples all over the world.
Yes. True Nikkah conducts online nikah ceremonies for couples across the United States, in every state.
A nikah is a religious marriage and is not registered with any US authority. Couples who also want to be legally married register separately, which normally means a marriage licence from a county clerk.
Yes. True Nikkah conducts online nikah ceremonies for couples across Canada, in every province and territory.
A nikah is a religious marriage and is not registered with any Canadian authority. Couples who also want to be legally married obtain a provincial or territorial marriage licence separately.
Yes. True Nikkah conducts online nikah ceremonies for couples across Australia, and schedules around the time difference so that neither party is joining at an unreasonable hour.
A nikah is a religious marriage and is not registered with any Australian authority. Legal marriage in Australia is registered through a state or territory registry with an authorised celebrant.
Yes. True Nikkah conducts online nikah ceremonies for couples across the United Kingdom and throughout Europe.
Yes, and most of our couples do. Both parties join the same video call from wherever they are, and we schedule the ceremony around the time difference so neither of you is joining in the middle of the night.
Family and guests can join the same link from any country.
A nikah ceremony with True Nikkah starts at $195. That includes a qualified Imam, the full ceremony conducted over Zoom or Teams, and your digital nikah certificate issued straight afterwards.
Additional services are available if you need them, including a wali, two witnesses, a printed certificate posted to you, and urgent scheduling. Every price is shown before you pay. Full pricing is on our Fees page.
Every booking includes:
No. A wali and witnesses are available as additional services rather than being part of the base price, because many couples bring their own.
If you need either or both, you can add them when you book and the cost is shown before you pay. Full pricing is on our Fees page.
No. Every cost, including anything you add such as a wali, witnesses, a printed certificate or urgent scheduling, is displayed before payment is taken. There are no charges applied afterwards.
Payment is taken in full at the time of booking through secure third-party payment providers, currently Stripe, PayPal and supported digital wallets including Apple Pay and Google Pay. We accept all major debit and credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard and American Express.
True Nikkah does not store full payment card details.
Yes. You may cancel at any time before your ceremony and receive a full refund. No reason is required and no deduction is made. This applies to the ceremony and to anything you added alongside it.
After the ceremony has taken place, refunds are not available as the service has been delivered, though exceptions apply where an error on our part affected your ceremony or certificate.
Yes. Contact us as early as you reasonably can and we will arrange another time subject to Imam availability. There is no charge to reschedule.
Booking takes a few minutes. You complete our online form with your details, your preferred timing, and whether you need a wali or witnesses. We then confirm your Imam, agree a time that works for both of you, and take care of the rest.
On the day you join the call, your Imam leads the ceremony, and your certificate follows straight afterwards.
Most ceremonies are arranged within a few days. Urgent bookings can usually be held within 24 hours.
Some couples plan weeks ahead. Others need it done before a flight, a visa appointment, or simply because they do not want to wait any longer. Tell us your timeframe and we will tell you honestly what is possible.
In most cases yes. Urgent bookings are subject to the availability of a suitable Imam and are priced separately from standard bookings. If you need a ceremony quickly, say so when you contact us and we will prioritise it.
Both of your full names, dates of birth, and the mahr you have agreed. If you are bringing your own wali or witnesses, we will need their names too.
We also ask you to confirm that both of you are entering the marriage freely and that the information you have given is accurate.
Yes. Both parties provide photographic identification confirming identity and age before the ceremony. A passport, driving licence or national identity card is normally sufficient.
This is how we confirm that both of you are who you say you are and that both of you are aged eighteen or over. Identity documents are stored securely and deleted once verification is complete.
Yes, and we would encourage it if your circumstances are unusual or you are unsure whether we can help. Message us on WhatsApp or email info@truenikkah.com and we will give you an honest answer before you pay anything.
Around twenty minutes from joining the call to being married.
Your Imam opens with a short khutbah, confirms the mahr with you both, and takes the offer and acceptance in front of your witnesses. Once both of you have said qabool, he closes with a dua and you are married.
If family are watching, allow a little longer so everyone can join and settle before you begin.
Your Imam greets you both, confirms your identities, and explains what is about to happen so nothing takes you by surprise. He then opens with a short khutbah, confirms the mahr you have agreed, and confirms directly with each of you that you are entering the marriage freely.
He takes the offer and acceptance in the presence of your two witnesses, and once both of you have said qabool he pronounces the marriage complete and closes with a dua.
Your certificate is issued straight afterwards.
Ceremonies are held on Zoom or Microsoft Teams. You receive a link in advance and simply click it at the agreed time. No account or paid subscription is needed.
If one platform works better with your device or your assistive technology, tell us and we will accommodate it.
Yes. Anyone you invite can join using the same link, from anywhere in the world. Some couples have a handful of guests, others keep it to themselves and their witnesses. It is entirely your choice.
If your family are not Muslim and would like to watch, they are welcome. Your Imam can explain what is happening as the ceremony goes along.
A device with a working camera and microphone, a stable internet connection, and somewhere reasonably quiet. That is all.
Your witnesses need to be able to join and hear the exchange clearly, whether they are in the room with you or joining separately.
Yes. A phone is fine, though a laptop or tablet is easier if family are joining or if you want a steadier picture. All that matters is a working camera, a working microphone and a stable connection.
Your Imam will wait and resume once everyone is back.
Nothing is concluded until both of you have given your offer and acceptance in front of your witnesses, so a dropped connection cannot leave you half married. If the ceremony cannot be completed that day, we reschedule at no cost.
Neither do most of our couples.
There is only a small amount of Arabic in a nikah. Your Imam recites the khutbah, and you say qabool to accept the marriage. If there is a dua or a short phrase he would like you to repeat, he says it line by line and you follow along. He goes through all of it with you beforehand, so there is nothing to memorise and nothing to worry about getting wrong.
Everything else, including the mahr and the terms of the contract, is discussed in English so you both understand exactly what you are agreeing to.
Whatever you would like. Some couples dress fully for their wedding, others keep it simple. There is no requirement either way, and your Imam will not mind.
Tell us in advance if you would like your ceremony recorded and we will arrange it. Because an online nikah produces no photographs, the recording is often the only record couples have of the day itself.
Every certificate issued by True Nikkah records:
Your digital certificate is issued straight after the ceremony. If you have asked for a printed copy, it is posted to you separately.
Yes. A printed certificate can be posted to you anywhere in the world. It is available as an additional service and can be added when you book, or afterwards if you decide later.
Yes. We retain a record of every ceremony we conduct, so a copy can be reissued on request subject to identity verification. Couples come back to us years later for exactly this reason.
No. True Nikkah does not backdate certificates under any circumstances.
We do not issue certificates for ceremonies that did not take place, and we do not record details that differ from what actually happened. We understand why couples sometimes ask, and we do not judge anyone for asking, but a certificate that does not reflect reality is worthless as a record and dishonest as a document.
No. A nikah certificate is a religious record of your marriage contract. It is not registered with any government and carries no legal effect on its own.
Full detail is set out in our Disclaimer.
Yes. What makes a nikah valid is the contract itself, not the room it takes place in. A live video call satisfies the requirement that both parties hear and answer one another in real time, in one sitting, before witnesses.
A clear offer and acceptance made in one sitting, two adult Muslim witnesses able to hear it, an agreed mahr, and the free consent of both parties. Your Imam confirms each of these before pronouncing the marriage complete.
Where the bride’s wali can attend and give his consent, we would always encourage it. Where that is not possible, there is established guidance and it need not prevent the marriage.
Yes. We can provide a wali for your ceremony, appointed in accordance with Islamic guidance. This is available as an additional service. If you are unsure whether this applies to your situation, speak to us before you book.
Two adult Muslim witnesses of sound mind, present and able to hear the offer and acceptance clearly. On a video call they join the same link as everyone else.
Yes. If you do not have your own, we can provide two practising Muslim witnesses for your ceremony. This is available as an additional service, and they are named on your certificate.
The mahr is a gift from the groom to the bride and it is her right. It can be money, gold, or anything of genuine value, given immediately or deferred. There is no fixed amount, and it is agreed between the two of you.
Yes. Our Imams exercise independent religious judgement and may decline to conclude a marriage where any condition of a valid nikah cannot be confirmed, where identity or age cannot be verified, where an impediment exists, or where either party does not appear to be entering the marriage freely.
Where we cannot help, we tell you before you pay. If a situation only becomes apparent during the ceremony, the ceremony stops and no marriage is concluded. Those decisions are final and cannot be overridden by our commercial or administrative staff.
Yes, and we do this often. You are a Muslim, and your nikah is arranged exactly as it would be for anyone else. If you have no Muslim family to act as wali or stand as witness, we can arrange both.
Yes, in the case Islamic law permits. A Muslim man may marry a woman from the People of the Book, and we conduct those ceremonies in the usual way.
A Muslim woman’s marriage to a non-Muslim man is not valid in Islam, so that is not something we can carry out.
Where the marriage is permitted, no. A Christian or Jewish wife does not need to convert for the nikah to be valid, and the ceremony is conducted exactly as any other.
No. A nikah is a religious marriage under Islamic law and is not registered with any government. That is just as true of a nikah at your local mosque as it is of one held online.
For most couples that is exactly what they are looking for. If you also want your marriage recognised legally, that is a separate step. Full detail is in our Disclaimer.
Legal marriage in the United States is arranged through your county clerk, who issues a marriage licence, followed by a ceremony conducted by someone authorised in your state. Requirements vary state by state.
Legal marriage in Canada requires a provincial or territorial marriage licence and a licensed officiant. Requirements differ between provinces.
We cannot guarantee that any authority will accept a nikah certificate for any particular purpose. Acceptance always rests with the body concerned, and many immigration authorities require a civil marriage certificate rather than a religious record.
If you need a certificate for an official purpose, check the requirements with the receiving authority before booking. Further detail is in our Disclaimer.
Message us on WhatsApp or email info@truenikkah.com and we will get back to you quickly. You can also use the chat on this page or our Contact page.
If you have a question about your circumstances before booking, ask us first. We will tell you honestly whether we can help.