My Speech at my Daughter’s Wedding

Bringing up children is challenging, but at the same time extremely rewarding. We also had our fair share of challenges, but Allah enabled us to witness a day of happiness and joy as we celebrated the post-nikah wedding ceremony of my eldest daughter Naba this Summer. I was asked to give a speech on this auspicious occasion as the father of the bride. The words below came from the bottom of my heart. I am sure many fathers will echo my words. Please pray for them so that Allah gives them eternal happiness in both worlds!

Assalamu Alakum. Peace be with you all.

First of all, on behalf of our family and Adam’s family, I would like to thank you all for coming here today to celebrate the union of two beautiful souls – my daughter Naba and our new son Adam. I have been given the most difficult task of expressing my honest feelings on this auspicious occasion without ruining my daughter’s wedding make-up. The heart of gold that she is blessed with, I am not sure how my emotional daughter will manage to control her tears. Naba, please don’t get too emotional as I speak.

We have been blessed with three daughters. I love them all but through Naba, I tasted fatherhood for the first time. When I first saw her face on the day she was born, it was a feeling that could never be expressed in words. My parents were abroad at the time when Naba was born. My father sent me an email quoting Dr Samuel Johnson that says, married life has many pains but celibacy has no pleasure. Then he wrote, and I quote, “You may have had some pains in your married life, but you can now see the pleasure of it”. Unfortunately, my father is not alive to witness the biggest pleasure of my life as I see the sight of my beloved daughter in a bridal dress.

Both Naba and I know that the journey to here has not been easy. I always say that the first child is a parenting guinea pig. We learned parenting the hard way moving from Bangladesh to the UK, struggling to earn livelihood, and sometimes mixing culture and religion. Naba had to go through a lot of changes in her life – having to change schools many times, while we moved from one country to another, one city to another, and one locality to another until we settled into our current home. We had our ups and downs, and we encountered challenges, but in the end, with the endless mercy of God, we are where we are today.

Naba, you are truly special! Your pure heart and infectious smile make you even more special. What you achieved makes me extremely proud. However, I know very well that the talent you have will take you to many new heights, but always remember that whatever you do and wherever you are, we will always be with you. Your dad will stand by you, support you, and will do everything to keep you happy as long as I live.   

Daughters are wonderful gifts from the Divine and it is always a worry for parents with daughters about their life partner. Alhamdulillah, through Adam, Allah has gifted us with a son. Adam, of course, you belong to your parents, but you have also become a part of our family. Your behaviour and personality are so pleasing masha Allah that we can’t thank Allah enough for bringing you into our family. The only thing parents want when they see their daughter married is that she is loved. What we can see is an abundance of love between you two, thanks to your continuous efforts. I must give credit to your parents for bringing you up the way they did. 

I sincerely pray that Allah guides you both in your spiritual journey. One of the beautiful aspects of married life is the way one partner can help the other in their path towards jannah. I always acknowledge that my wife has made me a better Muslim. I am sure, through your faith journey, you two will support each other in achieving the pleasure of Allah.

I think with 28 years of a happy married life, I have some credentials to give you advice for your married life. I always feel that there should be three elements of a happy married life – love, trust, and sacrifice. There will be trials and tribulations, there will be arguments, and there will be moments of difficulty, but if these three things are there, your relationship will always be strong.  

Naba and Adam, may you both have a long and happy married life. May you be blessed with righteous children. May your life be full of happiness and joy. Finally, may I request everyone here to pray for this beautiful couple.

4 thoughts on “My Speech at my Daughter’s Wedding”

  1. Very dear Salman, salaam.
    I’ve no language to praise for such a brilliant speech, one of the best that i’ve heard (in this case read) in my life. In my nearly 30 yrs military life, i had to give speeches thousands of times. But, I bet, i cud never have delivered such a wonderful, well articulated, perfectly customized speech. Salman, i’m proud of u.
    Dearest ammu Naba & Adam, i echo with Salman’s dua, pray for u two the same way. For dear ma Naba – i prayed for u and ur wud be (i say ‘wud be’ bcoz i was totally out of the world had no access to knowledge about anything) partner, nights after nights, in my tahajjud salaat. Having read ur abbu’s speech, i’ve a feeling that Almighty has fulfilled my dua. I’m so happy – also grateful to Allah. We all luv u, and be rest assured that, we all will be with both of u, all the way thru iA.
    Note: i take this opportunity to refer to one quotation that i read decades ago – “a son is a son until he gets himself a WIFE (coz, he then forgets parents, which is true in western scenario; our sons r not like that), a dughter is a daughter for ALL her LIFE.

    Reply
    • Jazakallah khair Choto bhaia for your beautiful and loving message. It shows your love for Naba. Please continue to pray for them.

      Reply
    • Salaam Amaan Chachu,

      Thank you for your beautiful words. Your duas mean the world to us, and alhamdulillah your prayers were answered. To think that you were praying for me in the situation you were in brings tears to my eyes. May Allah reward you for your hardship and your imaan through the unimaginable pain you were put through. Thank you again for your kind words, we feel incredibly blessed to have our families love, duas and support!

      From Naba and Adam

      Reply
  2. Thank you Abbu for the most beautiful speech, it exceeded our expectations by far. Reading this, I find myself brought to tears again. We are so incredibly blessed to have a family that loves and supports us through everything. Thank you for being an incredible father, and for being the role model husband to ammu, so I could learn to understand the characteristics of what a good husband looks like – which alhamdulillah I have found in Adam.

    We will treasure this speech forever, and pass this down for generations inshallah, so they can all come to learn what a loving, doting father you were, through the beautiful words you have written in this speech.

    Reply

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