# Salafi Nikah Guide: From Search to Walimah > The steps to a Salafi nikah in order: a biodata, where to search, involving the wali, the questions to ask, istikhara, the mahr, the contract and the walimah, with a sourced guide for each. Canonical: https://www.salafimatch.app/salafi-nikah Last updated: 2026-11-06 Eight stages, from writing a biodata to the walimah, with a fuller guide behind each one. Rulings are explained on the linked pages, each with its sources. ## 1. Write down who you are and what you need A biodata gives a family the facts it needs to decide whether to take a proposal further. Before you start, separate what you require from what you would prefer, and the search has a clear brief. - [Biodata maker (free, nothing leaves your device)](https://www.salafimatch.app/resume-builder) - [Write a biodata introduction without oversharing](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/write-marriage-biodata-introduction) - [Turn your preferences into a search brief](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/marriage-search-preferences-brief) ## 2. Choose where to search Families search through relatives, their masjid, WhatsApp groups, marriage media pages, bureaus and apps. Whichever you use, check who can see a sister's details, whether the wali is told, and whether anyone reviews profiles. On SalafiMatch a person reads every profile before it goes live, and sisters do not upload photographs. - [Five questions to ask of any group, bureau or app](https://www.salafimatch.app/ahle-hadees-matrimony) - [Compare marriage services](https://www.salafimatch.app/compare) - [Guides by country](https://www.salafimatch.app/salafi-marriage) ## 3. Involve the wali from the start The wali contracts a woman's marriage on her behalf, and her consent still decides it. Tell him early, with the facts you know, the questions still open and the next step. On SalafiMatch, a sister's first message in a conversation sends her wali a WhatsApp notification with the brother's details. - [What a wali is, and who can be one](https://www.salafimatch.app/glossary/wali) - [Prepare an introduction for your wali or family](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/prepare-wali-family-introduction) ## 4. Ask the questions that matter Settle the practical questions early: where you would live, work and study, family commitments, language and expectations. Write the questions down and agree who follows up after each meeting. - [Build a printable question list](https://www.salafimatch.app/marriage-discussion-checklist) - [Plan the first family discussion](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/first-family-marriage-discussion-agenda) - [Discuss relocation before a cross-border search](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/relocation-discussion-before-marriage) - [Looking at the person you propose to marry (Shaikh al-Fawzān)](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/looking-at-prospective-spouse) ## 5. Pray istikhara Istikhara is two rak'ahs and a supplication asking Allah to decree the matter if it is good for you. The guide covers how to pray it and what it does not do. The SalafiMatch app has an Istikhara tracker for recording your reflections. - [Istikhara for marriage: how to pray it](https://www.salafimatch.app/glossary/istikhara) ## 6. Agree the mahr The mahr is the marriage gift a husband gives his wife. The Shari'ah fixes no amount, and what is owed is what the two parties agree. The mahr guide covers who owns it, how to choose an amount and when it is due. - [Mahr: what it is and how to decide](https://www.salafimatch.app/mahr) - [Mahr estimator (it deliberately gives no figure)](https://www.salafimatch.app/mahr/estimator) - [Agree a wedding spending limit first](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/wedding-spending-limit-discussion) ## 7. Prepare the nikah contract The nikah is the marriage contract itself, and the glossary sets out the four things that make one valid. Before the day, check family relationships properly, take any proposed conditions to someone qualified, and keep the documents in order. - [Nikah: the contract explained](https://www.salafimatch.app/glossary/nikah) - [The marriage contract according to the Sunnah](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/marriage-contract-according-to-the-sunnah) - [The family-relationship check before nikah](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/family-relationship-check-before-nikah) - [A workbook for contract conditions](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/marriage-contract-conditions-workbook) - [A nikah-day checklist for the couple, wali and families](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/nikah-day-checklist-for-families) ## 8. Keep the walimah simple The walima is the feast after the nikah. Plan it around hospitality and what you can afford, without debt or waste. - [Walima: the Sunnah wedding feast](https://www.salafimatch.app/glossary/walima) - [Plan a simple walimah](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/simple-walimah-planning-guide) - [Permitted nikah preparations](https://www.salafimatch.app/blog/permitted-things-at-nikah) ## Searching on SalafiMatch SalafiMatch is a matrimonial app for Salafi and Ahlehadith Muslims. Creating a profile, browsing approved members and replying are free, and a free account includes five conversation starts. [See what is free](https://www.salafimatch.app/pricing). ## Questions ### What is marriage media? In South Asia, marriage media usually means a bureau or a social media page that passes biodata between families looking for a rishta. It is one way to find a proposal; the questions about privacy, the wali and profile checks apply to it as much as to an app. ### Do I need an app for a Salafi nikah? No. An app is one way to find a suitable proposal. The nikah itself follows the conditions explained in the nikah guide, however the two families were introduced. ### Is SalafiMatch free? A free account can create a profile, browse approved members, reply to everyone who contacts it and start five conversations in total. Premium lifts the limit on starting conversations.