Nikah card matter
Nikah card wording, in English
What to write on your nikah and walima cards — whole wordings to copy, a line for every day, and each word on the card explained.
A nikah card often begins with Bismillah, invites guests with the blessings of Almighty Allah, names the bride and groom with their parents, gives the date and the time of the nikah — often after a namaz — and the venue, and ends with the family's names. The walima has a card of its own. Six wordings below are ready to copy.
Updated
How a nikah card reads, top to bottom
An opening line
Optional. Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, its meaning in English, or 786.
The invitation
With the blessings of Almighty Allah, the family requests your company — with your family.
The bride and groom
Their names, with whose daughter and son they are — and grandchildren, if you wish, with Marhoom for the late.
The nikah
The day and date, Insha'Allah, and the time — often "after Asr namaz", with the clock time beside it.
The venue
The name of the place, its area and the city — with a map, if you send it digitally.
The other days
Mangni, manjha, mehendi, rukhsati — each with its day, time and place. The walima usually has its own card.
The names at the foot
The family inviting, and the Muntazir awaiting you.
A closing line
Dinner — and separate seating for ladies, if there is.
An opening line, if you wish
Many cards begin with Bismillah — in its own words, in English, or as 786; others begin with the invitation itself. Every wording below works either way.
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Bismillah
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
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Bismillah, in English
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
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786
786
Wordings to copy
Change the words in brackets to yours.
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From the bride's parents
With the blessings of Almighty Allah, Janab [Arif Siddiqui] and Mohtarma [Nazia Siddiqui] request the pleasure of your company, with your family, at the nikah of their daughter [Zoya] with [Ayaan] son of Janab [Imran Qureshi] and Mohtarma [Farah Qureshi] Insha'Allah on [Saturday, 13 March 2027] Nikah: after [Asr] namaz, at [5:00 pm] at [Noor Mahal, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad] Dinner follows the nikah. Muntazir: [Faisal, Sana and all the Siddiqui family]
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From the groom's parents
With the blessings of Almighty Allah, Janab [Imran Qureshi] and Mohtarma [Farah Qureshi] request the pleasure of your company, with your family, at the nikah of their son [Ayaan] with [Zoya] daughter of Janab [Arif Siddiqui] and Mohtarma [Nazia Siddiqui] Insha'Allah on [Saturday, 13 March 2027] Baraat: [4:00 pm] · Nikah: after [Asr] namaz, at [5:00 pm] at [Noor Mahal, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad] Your presence and your duas will make the day complete.
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Dawat-e-Walima
Dawat-e-Walima Janab [Imran Qureshi] and Mohtarma [Farah Qureshi] request the pleasure of your company at the walima of their son [Ayaan] with [Zoya] on [Sunday, 14 March 2027], from [8:00 pm] at [Noor Mahal, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad]
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In plain English
Mr. [Imran] and Mrs. [Farah Qureshi] and Mr. [Arif] and Mrs. [Nazia Siddiqui] invite you to the nikah of [Ayaan] and [Zoya] on [Saturday, 13 March 2027] at [5:00 pm] — please be seated by [4:45 pm] at [Noor Mahal, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad] Dinner follows.
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From the couple
[Ayaan] and [Zoya] are getting married, Insha'Allah! With the blessings of our families, we would love you to be with us for the nikah on [Saturday, 13 March 2027] in [Hyderabad], and the walima the next evening. Every day, with its time and place, is in our invitation. With love and duas, [Ayaan and Zoya]
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Short, for WhatsApp
Assalamu Alaikum [Khan sahab and family], With the blessings of Allah, our daughter [Zoya]'s nikah with [Ayaan] is on [Saturday, 13 March 2027] in [Hyderabad], Insha'Allah. Please come with your family and bless them. Every day, with its time and a map, is here: [link] [Nazia and Arif Siddiqui]
A line for each ceremony
For the foot of the card, or a page of its own.
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Mangni
Mangni (engagement) · [Sunday, 6 December 2026] · [7 pm] · [the Siddiqui home, Tolichowki]
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Manjha
Manjha · [Thursday, 11 March 2027] · [5 pm] · [the Siddiqui home, Tolichowki] — wear yellow
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Mehendi
Mehendi · [Friday, 12 March 2027] · from [7 pm] · [the Siddiqui home, Tolichowki]
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Nikah
Nikah · [Saturday, 13 March 2027] · after [Asr] namaz, at [5:00 pm] · [Noor Mahal, Banjara Hills]
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Rukhsati
Rukhsati · [Saturday, 13 March 2027] · after dinner · [Noor Mahal, Banjara Hills]
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Walima
Dawat-e-Walima · [Sunday, 14 March 2027] · from [8:00 pm] · [Noor Mahal, Banjara Hills]
Every word on the card, explained
- Nikah
- The marriage itself: the couple's consent before witnesses, and the nikahnama signed.
- Walima
- The feast the groom's family gives after the nikah. Dawat-e-Walima is the invitation to it.
- Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
- "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful".
- 786
- Bismillah written as a number — common on cards in India and Pakistan.
- Insha'Allah
- "If God wills" — written before the date: "Insha'Allah on Saturday, 13 March".
- Janab and Mohtarma
- Respectful words for a man and a woman, like Mr. and Mrs.
- Marhoom and Marhooma
- "The late", for a man and a woman: "grandson of Marhoom Janab [Yusuf Qureshi]".
- Asr, Maghrib and Isha
- The afternoon, sunset and night prayers. A nikah is often set "after Asr" or "after Maghrib namaz".
- Mangni
- The engagement.
- Manjha
- The turmeric ceremony before the wedding. Further north it is often called mayun.
- Baraat
- The groom's party arriving for the nikah.
- Rukhsati
- The bride's farewell from her parents' home.
- Duas
- Prayers and blessings — as in "your presence and your duas".
- Muntazir
- "Awaiting you" — the family's names at the foot of the card.
Before you print or send
Give the namaz and the clock time
"After Asr namaz, at 5:00 pm." Prayer times move through the year, so check the time for your date and your city.
Give the walima its own card
The groom's family hosts it, often the next day — so it usually has its own card, or at least its own line.
Check every name with both families
The spellings, Janab and Mohtarma, and the elders named — Marhoom included. Ask the eldest in each family before you print.
Say if seating is separate
"Separate arrangements for ladies" on the card lets families plan who sits where.
Keep the card itself to the nikah
The mangni, manjha and mehendi can each have a line, or a page of their own.
A nikah card that opens
Gulistan turns these words into an invitation where a curtain of jasmine parts and a Mughal garden grows as guests scroll — the nikah and the walima, each with its time, place and map, and each family greeted by name.
Free to try · ₹1,999 when you’re ready to send
Questions families ask
What is written on a nikah card?
Usually: an optional Bismillah, the invitation with the blessings of Almighty Allah, the bride and groom with their parents, the date (Insha'Allah) and the time of the nikah — often after a namaz — the venue, and the family's names at the foot.
What is the difference between the nikah and the walima?
The nikah is the marriage itself, often hosted by the bride's family. The walima is the feast the groom's family gives afterwards, often the next day — so it usually has a card of its own.
How do we write the time of the nikah?
With the prayer and the clock time together: "Nikah after Asr namaz, at 5:00 pm". Prayer times change through the year, so check the one for your date and city.
Should the card begin with Bismillah or 786?
Either, or neither — it is your family's choice. Many cards begin with Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, in English or as 786; others begin with the invitation itself. Every wording here works either way.
Can we send the nikah invitation on WhatsApp?
Yes. With Invitetale it is a link that opens with each family's name in a garden of jasmine, with every day — the nikah, the walima and the rest — its time, place and a map. Free to try; ₹1,999 once to send.
Sending it on WhatsApp? Wedding invitation messages, ready to copy.