Muslim wedding invitation wording starts with Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim, the opening verse of Surah Al-Fatiha. Then the hosts invite you to the nikah of their son or daughter, with the date, the namaz after which the nikah will be read, and the masjid or hall. The walima, hosted by the groom's family, gets its own line or its own card.
The samples below are for Indian families, in English, Urdu and Hinglish. The names, dates and venues are made up. Our general wedding invitation wording guide has a short Muslim sample, and this page goes into each part of the card.
How a Muslim Wedding Card Is Laid Out
Most nikah cards in India follow this order.
| Part | What it says | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Bismillah, or 786 | Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim |
| Verse (optional) | A Quran verse about pairs or spouses | "And We created you in pairs" (78:8) |
| Hosts | Usually the father, or both parents | Janab Mohammed Ismail and Begum Shabana Ismail |
| Invitation | The request to attend the nikah | request the pleasure of your company at the nikah of |
| Couple | Bride and groom, with parents | their daughter Sana with Faizan, son of Janab Abdul Kareem |
| Nikah | Day, date, and the namaz it follows | Sunday, 13 December 2026, after Zuhr namaz |
| Venue | Masjid or function hall | Masjid-e-Rahmat, Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad |
| Walima | Date, time and place, if on the same card | Tuesday, 15 December 2026, 1 pm |
| Closing | Who invites, and a dua request | Minjanib: the Ismail family |
The bride's family prints the nikah card. The groom's family usually prints the walima card, because the walima is their dinner. Some families print one combined card for both.
Opening Phrases for the Top of the Card
Bismillah
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim means "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful". It is the first verse of Surah Al-Fatiha, listed as verse 1:1 on Quran.com.
| Card text |
|---|
| بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم |
| Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim |
The Arabic is usually printed in calligraphy at the top centre, with the English letters below it on an English card.
786
Many South Asian cards print the number 786 in place of the Arabic. It stands for Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim in the abjad system, where each Arabic letter has a number value. Some families prefer the full Arabic, so ask the elders which one they want.
A Verse About Spouses
Two verses are often printed under the Bismillah.
| Reference | What it says |
|---|---|
| Surah An-Naba, 78:8 | وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا (Wa khalaqnakum azwaja): "And We created you in pairs" |
| Surah Ar-Rum, 30:21 | Among Allah's signs is that He created spouses for you from among yourselves, so that you find peace with them, and placed love and mercy between you |
You can read both on Quran.com, at 78:8 and 30:21. For a long verse like 30:21, print the reference and a short English meaning, or ask the maulana for the Arabic text, so the printer copies it correctly.
Because the card carries Allah's name and a verse, some families add a line at the bottom: "This card carries the name of Allah. Please do not throw it away." Elders appreciate it.
Nikah Invitation Samples in English
From the Bride's Parents
| Card text |
|---|
| Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim |
| Janab Mohammed Ismail and Begum Shabana Ismail |
| request the pleasure of your company |
| at the nikah of their daughter |
| Sana Ismail |
| with |
| Faizan Kareem |
| son of Janab Abdul Kareem and Begum Rukhsana Kareem |
| on Sunday, 13 December 2026 |
| after Zuhr namaz, Insha'Allah |
| at Masjid-e-Rahmat, Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad |
| Lunch at Noor Function Hall, Tolichowki |
A Shorter One
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. With the grace of Allah, we invite you to the nikah of our son Faizan with Sana, daughter of Janab Mohammed Ismail, on Sunday, 13 December 2026, after Zuhr namaz, at Masjid-e-Rahmat, Mehdipatnam. Your presence and duas will mean a lot to us.
Write the namaz, and also give a clock time if you can. "After Zuhr namaz (about 1:30 pm)" helps guests who are not from the area. Prayer times shift through the year, so take the time from the masjid where the nikah will be read.
Walima Invitation Wording
The walima is the dinner or lunch given by the groom's family after the nikah. Its card is simpler, because there is no ceremony to describe.
| Card text |
|---|
| Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim |
| Janab Abdul Kareem and Begum Rukhsana Kareem |
| request the pleasure of your company |
| at the walima of their son |
| Faizan |
| with Sana |
| on Tuesday, 15 December 2026, at 1 pm |
| at Royal Palace Function Hall, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad |
On a combined card, put the walima in its own small block under the nikah details, with its own date, time and venue.
A Combined Card for a Three-Day Wedding
Many families in Lucknow, Hyderabad and Bhopal hold the mehndi, the nikah and the walima over three or four days. A small table on one card works well.
| Function | Day and date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mehndi | Thursday, 21 January 2027 | 7 pm | At home, Aminabad |
| Nikah | Friday, 22 January 2027 | After Jumma namaz | Masjid-e-Bilal, Lucknow |
| Rukhsati | Friday, 22 January 2027 | After Isha namaz | Shahi Lawn, Kapoorthala |
| Walima | Sunday, 24 January 2027 | 8 pm | Shahi Lawn, Kapoorthala |
Rukhsati is the bride's farewell from her parents' home. Check every weekday against the date before printing. 22 January 2027 is a Friday, which suits a nikah after Jumma.
Many cards also print the Hijri date next to the English one. The Islamic month depends on the sighting of the moon, so get the Hijri date from the masjid or a local Islamic calendar close to printing time.
Urdu and Hinglish Samples
Urdu
| Card text |
|---|
| بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم |
| بسلسلۂ شادی خانہ آبادی |
| جناب محمد اسماعیل صاحب |
| اپنی صاحبزادی ثنا کی تقریبِ نکاح میں |
| آپ کو مع اہل و عیال شرکت کی دعوت دیتے ہیں |
| آپ کی تشریف آوری باعثِ مسرت ہوگی |
| منجانب: اسماعیل خاندان |
In English letters, line by line: Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. Ba-silsila-e-shadi khana abadi. Janab Mohammed Ismail sahab apni sahabzadi Sana ki taqreeb-e-nikah mein aap ko ma'a ahl-o-ayal shirkat ki dawat dete hain. Aap ki tashreef aawari baa'is-e-masarrat hogi. Minjanib: Ismail khandaan.
Shadi khana abadi is the old blessing that the wedding should fill the house with happiness. Taqreeb-e-nikah means the nikah ceremony. Ma'a ahl-o-ayal means "with your family", and minjanib means "from".
Get the Urdu proof read by someone who writes Urdu every day, like the imam or an elder. Printers who set Urdu from a phone photo often mix up the dots.
Hinglish
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. Allah ke fazl-o-karam se hamari beti Sana ka nikah Faizan (wald Janab Abdul Kareem) ke saath tay paaya hai. Nikah Insha'Allah Itwar, 13 December 2026 ko Zuhr ki namaz ke baad Masjid-e-Rahmat, Mehdipatnam mein hoga. Aap sab ki shirkat aur duaon ke talabgaar: Ismail parivaar.
Wald means "son of". Itwar is Sunday.
WhatsApp Nikah Invite
For friends and colleagues, a short message with the card image attached is enough.
Assalamu Alaikum. Sana's nikah is on Sunday, 13 December 2026, after Zuhr namaz at Masjid-e-Rahmat, Mehdipatnam. Lunch after at Noor Function Hall, Tolichowki. Please come and keep the couple in your duas. Location: (paste the Google Maps link)
Send the card as a JPG or PDF, never as an app file. Our WhatsApp wedding invitation messages has more samples and the timing for reminders.
Keep One Card for the Paperwork
Keep two printed cards after the wedding with the nikahnama. Many registration offices ask for the wedding invitation as one of the proofs. Our list of documents for marriage registration shows what else to carry.
If someone in the family is still looking for a match, you can make a Muslim biodata with the family details that go on the card too. More wording guides are in our invitations and gifts section.
Common questions
What Is Written on a Muslim Wedding Card?
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim at the top, then the hosts and the couple with their parents' names. After that come the nikah date with the namaz it follows and the venue. A combined card adds the walima.
How Do You Write a Nikah Invitation in English?
Write "Mr and Mrs (name) request the pleasure of your company at the nikah of their daughter (name) with (name), son of Mr and Mrs (name)". Then add the day and date, the namaz, and the masjid or hall.
What Is the Walima Invitation Wording?
The groom's parents "request the pleasure of your company at the walima of their son (name) with (name)", followed by the date, time and venue. No namaz time is needed.
Which Islamic Phrases Are Used on Wedding Cards?
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim or 786 at the top, Insha'Allah with the nikah time, and verses such as Surah An-Naba 78:8 or Surah Ar-Rum 30:21.
Can I Write 786 Instead of Bismillah?
Many South Asian families do. Others prefer the full Arabic Bismillah, so follow what your elders and your masjid are comfortable with.
Sources
Related Guides
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