Question Summary:
Announcing Nikāh

Question Detail:

 
I understand that the nikah has to be announced publicly. What does Islam say when two individuals get enagaged. By engagement I mean in an Islamic way where a boy promises to marry the girl. Does it need to be announced to everyone that the couple have got engaged or should it only be announced when inviting people for the nikah ?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
 
If a boy and girl are proposed to marry, it is advisable to inform family and friends. The wisdom behind this is that people will come to know that the girl is already proposed to marry and she is not in a position to entertain any other proposal. This is based on the following Hadith:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ يَخْطُبُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى خِطْبَةِ أَخِيهِ 
Translation: Abu Huraira (Radiyallahu anhu) reported that Rasool (Sallahu Alayhi Wasallam) as saying: A man must not make proposal of marriage to a woman when his brother has done so already. 
 
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Muhammad bin Hashim Amod
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.