I posted this a few days back and posting again to answer your question regarding walimah...
What is the concept of walimah in Islam? Isn't it a must to give walimah after the consummation of marriage?
Walimah is the feast given on the occasion of marriage. Since marriage in Islam is a solemn contract and a happy occasion in a person's life, it is recommended to share this joy with others, namely, relatives, friends and the poor members of the society through a wedding feast. It is also one of the ways of giving thanks to Allah for His favors. Besides these, walimah serves another purpose, namely publicizing the marriage itself. There is no better way of publicizing it than through a public feast.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, set an example in offering walimah at the time of marriage. It is reported that he offered a grand feast at the time his marriage with Zaynab by sacrificing a sheep.
All scholars of Islam agree on the importance of the marriage feast on the occasion of marriage, though they vary in their estimate of the precise nature of it: some scholars consider it obligatory (farz), while the majority consider it as highly recommended (sunnah).
The Prophet, peace be on him, has further elaborated on the nature of the feast to be offered on the occasion of marriage. He discouraged people from restricting the invitation to the rich alone; he said, "the worst of feasts is a marriage feast to which the rich are invited and the poor have been left out." (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)
Now, the question remains as to the timing of the feast: whether it should be after or before consummation of marriage. If one approaches the sources with an open mind, one can hardly find anything specific on this issue. In other words, there is no hard and fast rule to be applied. It is all left to the person or persons concerned. We cannot restrict something for which there is no restriction from the Lawgiver. In other words, it is all left to the convenience of the parties concerned. Whether it is given before or after marriage consummation, the Sunnah is fulfilled.
