About valima..

[ayub1986]

u alaikum to all....

Need some clarification on the subject of sex... As im on the road to my marriage....

I have heard from some people that, if one does not have sexual intercourse with his partner on the day of nikkah then,

the valima function is not jaayaz (permitted)...

How far is this true....

Pls clarify on this asap....

Thanks a lot in advance to all the help....

Allah hafiz....

[Naqshbandi]

walima function has nothing to do with it

[Naqshbandi]

instead of listening to and getting confused with peoples views its always better to consult the person who can guide you with authentic knowledge and that person should be a scholar or Mufti.

[ayesha.ansari]

There is no shy in learning of Islam, Quran and sunnah, rules and guidelines so if you asked question liked that so we everyone never need to hesitate for reply. If anyone knows the perfect answer plz reply this thread.

[_knownothing_]

u alaikum to all....

Need some clarification on the subject of sex... As im on the road to my marriage....

I have heard from some people that, if one does not have sexual intercourse with his partner on the day of nikkah then,

the valima function is not jaayaz (permitted)...

How far is this true....

Pls clarify on this asap....

Thanks a lot in advance to all the help....

Allah hafiz....

walikumsalaam
i heard same thing about walima

[Hassan1953]

u alaikum to all....

Need some clarification on the subject of sex... As im on the road to my marriage....

I have heard from some people that, if one does not have sexual intercourse with his partner on the day of nikkah then,

the valima function is not jaayaz (permitted)...

How far is this true....

Pls clarify on this asap....

Thanks a lot in advance to all the help....

Allah hafiz....

Walaikkumm Salaam

If I may be permitted to say that Valima is celebrated in happiness and thanks giving to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala who made the mating of man and woman halaal by the way of nikah. It has become customery to invite relations/friends to join the happiness by arranging feast.But you do not have that kind of facility to treat the wholesome, it is enough to make a plate of farni and distribut among relations and request dua for your well being.

Nikah is only consent of woman to marry a man in the presence of witness and wakil who could be father of bride or a guardian with recitation of Kalamullah/hadith and dua for barkath.

It is natural for a young man not have sexual intercourse with her wife on the first day itself in anxiety or nervousness or weakness, but the same gets better and better day after day. So have no fear.
If the man and womam has seen each other and before entering the woman, it has ejacualted. no problem in doing the function next day.

I do not think it is necassary to see a doctor or hakim if you do not have real wealness..

May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala Shower His Blessings on you and your wife.
Ameen.

[tanveer.shaikh]

Wedding Announcement, Dawat E -Walimah

Aauzo Billaahi Minash Shaitaan Nir Rajim Bismillaah Hir Rahman Nir Raheem ;
Allah - Beginning With The Name Of - The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم)



The majority of the scholars say that the public announcement of the wedding is mustahabb (preferred, but less than obligatory), but authentic hadith prove that it is obligatory. It is never permissible to follow the opinions of scholars and imams once an authentic and clear hadith is found to the contrary. All of the four imams and other scholars forbid us to do this with their opinions. Az-Zuhri says that the announcement is obligatory and states that if two people get married secretly with two witnesses and ask them to keep it secret, they should be separated immediately and the woman must wait an 'iddah and receive her dowry. As we saw earlier, Imam Malik's opinion on this situation was that they be separated and never again allowed to marry. A likely reason for the opinion of many scholars being that announcement was less than obligatory is: They were either unaware of the hadith which make this clear or unaware of their authenticity.

Secret marriages were not practiced in the early days, so the announcement had the appearance of being mere custom, not something specifically endorsed by the shari'a.

There are a number of hadith on this topic and all of them are hassan. Hassan is a rating somewhat less strong than sahih. It is the opinion of ahlus-sunnah wa al-jama'a (the mainstream of Muslims) that all hadith which are hassan or sahih are binding upon Muslims both for rulings and beliefs unless they are contradicted by a stronger form of evidence. In fact, the classification of hassan branched off from sahih - in the early days of hadith science hadith were either sahih (sound) or dha'if (unsound). Later, hassan as added as a sub-category within the sound hadith. The following hadith on the subject at hand are all hassan:

"Make the marriage well-known and announce it."

"That which separates the halal from the haram is the beating of the duff (drum) and voices at the wedding."

As you can see, these hadith are unambiguous and show clearly that Az-Zuhri's opinion is the correct one - that public announcement of a marriage is obligatory and an essential part of the marriage (since it separates the halal from the haram).
As for the percussion and singing, this is something which Islam has allowed on certain occasions, namely the two 'eids and at wedding feasts. There are various hadith which show this in the following excerpt from Albani's Adaab az-Zafaaf (The Etiquettes of Marriage):

SINGING AND BEATING OF THE DUFF (BANGLELESS TAMBOURINE)
It is allowed for the husband to give the women permission at his wedding to announce the wedding with beating on the duff and with allowed singing only. Allowed singing is that which does not contain descriptions of physical beauty or mention of any kind of sin. There are various hadith about this:
On the authority of Ar-Rubai' bint Mu'awwadh, who said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered my house after my wedding night, and sat on my mat as close as you are now sitting to me (the address here is to the one who narrated the hadith from her). Then, some servant girls of ours began beating on the duff and singing about our ancestors who were killed at the battle of Badr. Then one of them said: "And among us is a prophet who knows what tomorrow will bring." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Leave this and go back to what you were saying before it."
On the authority of Aisha, that she took a woman to her husband, a man among the Ansar. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "O Aisha did you not have any singing (lit: frivolity) with your procession? Verily the Ansar love such things." In another version of this hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: "Did you send a servant girl along with her to beat the duff and sing?" ...
On the authority of Aamir ibn Saad Al-Bajliy, who said: I entered upon Qardha ibn Kaab and Abu Masud and (he mentioned one other person whose name I can't remember), and saw servant girls beating on the duff and singing. I said: "Are you all in silent acceptance of this and you are among the companions of the Messenger of Allah?!" They said: "Verily, he gave us permission for this at wedding celebrations, and for crying over the dead as long as it is not wailing."
It should be noted that none of this give permission for live bands, mixing between men and women, videos, and other evils which are practiced today. All of these practices should be stopped and a wedding involving such practices should not be attended.

The Walimah

The welimah is the "wedding feast". The husband is required to sponsor this feast after the marriage contract, the sunnah being three days after husband and wife have been together. There are many hadith about this important practice, among them:
"A wedding must have a feast."
The above was spoken to Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) when he sought Fatimah, the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) daughter in marriage. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Auf in the form of an order:
"Give a walimah, even if it is just with one sheep."
As for three days, it was mentioned as the Prophet's practice when he married Safiya:
On the authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon his wife and sent me to invite some men for food."
Also on the authority of Anas that he said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married Safiya, and her freedom was her dowry. He gave the banquet after three days." [Adaab Az-Zafaaf]
Although many scholars view the walimah as a highly stressed sunnah, the above hadith and others favor the interpretation that it is obligatory. In any case, it clearly should not be taken lightly or neglected without strong reasons.

How Much?
The Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) order to Abdur-Rahman ibn 'Auf to give a feast "even if only with on sheep" would seem to set a minimum for the walimah. However, it is permissible for the walimah to be simple and not include meat according to the following hadith:
"The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stayed between Khaibar and Al-Madinah for three days during which he had entered with his wife Safiya. Then I invited the Muslims to his wedding banquet. There was neither meat nor bread at his banquet. Rather, leather eating mats were brought out and on them was placed dates, dried milk, and clarified butter. The people ate their fill."
Serving meat is clearly preferable, however, since it was the consistent sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Companions and based on the Prophet's order to Abdur-Rahman. The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was on an expedition in the above narration may also have been a factor bringing into question the general applicability of the hadith.
Clearly, the walimah should not involve excess or wastefulness which are forbidden at all times. This has become an almost universal custom in most Muslim countries and is an evil practice which should be stopped. Making more food than can possibly be consumed and wasting what remains is a form of tabdhir (wasting or destroying wealth), about which Allah said:
"And give the relative his right and the needy and the traveler and do not waste wealth needlessly. (26) Verily, those who waste wealth are the brothers of the devils and the devil is in rebellion against his Lord." [Noble Quran 17:26-27]

Who to Invite?
When giving the walimah, you should invite family, friends and neighbors. It is also commendable to give some of the food in sadaqa in gratitude to Allah for the blessing of the marriage. It is very important NOT to invite only the wealthy or people of influence and ignore the poor. Rather, focus should be directed to inviting the best Muslims one knows regardless of their "social" standing. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"The most evil food is that of the walimah. The rich are invited to it but the poor are left out. And whoever ignores the invitation has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger" [Bukhari]
It is clear from the above that if one is invited to a walimah and there is not disobedience being practiced than it is obligatory to respond to that invitation without valid excuse. This is also found explicitly in the following hadith:
"When one of you is invited to a walimah, he should go." [Bukhari & Muslim]


What if You are Fasting?

If you are fasting an obligatory fast, you should still attend the invitation but abstain from eating and make du'a for the host. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to a man who remained away because he was fasting:
"When one of you is invited to a meal, let him respond. If he was not fasting, let him eat. If fasting, let him supplicate (for the host)." [Muslim]
If you are fasting a voluntary fast, you have your choice. You can break your fast and participate (especially if your host wishes that) or you may continue fasting and pray for your host. If you break a voluntary fast, there is no need to make it up.

Acceptable Excuses for Not Attending

Anything which allows one not to attend prayer in the masjid such as illness, great distance, etc.
You should not attend a walimah where evil practices are committed such as mixing of the sexes, music, alcohol, etc. Only if you have the ability to stop such evil may you attend for that purpose.
If the invitation is for which only the rich are invited to the exclusion of the poor. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) described this as the "most evil food".
According to Ibn Taimia, a person should not accept the invitation of another person who does not pray.

Greetings to the Groom

The guests should make du'a for the groom and his bride and ask Allah to bless them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say to the groom:
"May Allah bless you, bestow blessings upon you and join you two together in all that is good." [Abu-Daud & others - Sahih]

[tanveer.shaikh]

Aauzo Billaahi Minash Shaitaan Nir Rajim Bismillaah Hir Rahman Nir Raheem ;
Allah - Beginning With The Name Of - The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم)



Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

It is proved that the Mahr of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) (money paid by a husband to his wife on the occasion of marriage) to his wives was 12.5 Awkeias of silver (each one equals 40 Dirhams).
It was reported from Abu Salama that when he asked Aisha about Allah's Messenger's () Mahr, she said: "His Mahr to his wives was 12 Awkeias and one "Nash" and she added: 'Do you know what is the Nash'. The answer was in negation. Aisha said: 'one half of Awkeia'. So, all will be 500 Dirhams (i.e. about 1490, grams of silver)."
Al-Tirmizi reported from Umar Ibn al-Khattab (RAA) that he (Umar) said: 'I have no knowledge that Allah's messenger () got married to any of his wives or married any one of his daughters for a Mahr exceeding 12 Aukeias'. And Umar did not mention the fraction, i.e. 0.5. According to some narration Umm Habiba's Mahr was 4000 Dirhams. For sure, that Mahr was paid by Negus, the ruler of Abyssinia, on behalf of Allah's Messenger ().
As for Walima (banquet of marriage), it is proved that Allah's Messenger () gave banquets to all his wives. But, there was difference between them (i.e. concerning walima). He gave walima for some wife with one sheep; others with two Mudds (measure about 543 grams).
It is recorded in al-Bukhari from Thabit from Anas (while they were talking about Zainab's marriage, who said: I did not see that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) gave banquet for any of his wives as done for Zainab Bint Jahsh. He gave a banquet for her with one sheep."
Another Hadith in al-Bukhari from Safiya Bint Shaiba reads: "The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) gave a banquet for some of his wife with two Mudds of barley."
We think that such a difference was due to the Prophet's financial state.
As for specifying the time of Walima, there is disagreement among scholars in this concern. Ibn Hajar said: 'There was disagreement on this issue among al-Salaf, if Walima should be done the time of the contract or after it, after consummating the marriage with the wife or after that, or if is with a prolonged time starting from the contract till consummating the marriage with the wife.' For sure, there are many opinions. There is no hard and fast rule in this concern. Some scholars said: 'Walim should be after consummating the marriage with the wife. This Walimah is sunnah for one time, and there is no harm if it is done again, and this is the opinion of Ibn Qudamah , who legalizes making the Walima, for more than one day.
As for spending on the arrangements of marriage with the second wife, we state it is not obligatory to do with the second wife as you did with the first, i.e. concerning Mahr, donation, Walima and so on.
Ib Hajar , while commenting on the above-mentioned Hadith reported by Thabit said: Ibn al-Muneer said that 'since there is some preference to one wife over the other concerning walima, it becomes legal to give some wife a special present and so on.'
Allah knows best.

[tanveer.shaikh]

The Fiqh Of Walima

Aauzo Billaahi Minash Shaitaan Nir Rajim Bismillaah Hir Rahman Nir Raheem ;
Allah - Beginning With The Name Of - The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم)


In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.


The Arabic word Walima (marriage banquet) is derived from the root word Walam, which literally means to gather and assemble. The Arabs used it for a meal or feast where people were invited and gathered. Later, the term became exclusive for the wedding banquet.

The Arabs used different terms for the various feasts they enjoyed. For example: al-I’zar on the occasion of a child’s circumcision, al-Khurs for a marriage not ending in divorce, al-Wakira on building a new home, al-Naqi’ah when a traveller returns home, al-Aqiqah on the seventh day after childbirth, al-Ma’duba for a general meal without any specific reason, etc. (See: Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, 9/300 & Ibn Qudamah, al-Mugni, 7/1)

The marriage feast (walima) is a Sunna of our beloved Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace). It is an outward expression of gratitude and pleasure and a great means of publicising the marriage, which has been greatly encouraged.

Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) saw a yellow mark on Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (Allah be pleased with) and said: “What’s this?” He replied: “I have married a woman with the dowry being gold to the weight of a date-stone.” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “May Allah bless you (in your marriage), perform a Walima, even if it is only with a goat.” (Sahih al-Bukhari,no. 4872)

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) himself provided a Walima after many of his marriages. He provided meat and bread on the occasion of his marriage with Zaynab bint Jahsh (Allah be pleased with her), Hays (a type of sweat-dish cooked with dates, cheese & butter) on the occasion of his marriage with Safiyya (Allah be pleased with her) and barley on another occasion. (See: Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim)

Thus, it is a Sunna and strongly recommended to have a Walima. Ibn Qudamah, the great Hanbali Imam, states in his renowned al-Mugni:

“There is no difference of opinion between the scholars, in that Walima is a prescribed Sunnah at the time of marriage, for the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) ordered it and himself practiced it…..It is not necessary (wajib) in the opinion of most of the scholars.” (al-Mugni, 7/1-2)

The time of Walima

The scholars have disagreed as to the correct time of this Walima. There are many opinions. For example:

1) At the time of the marriage contract,

2) After the marriage contract and before consummation of marriage,

3) At the time of the wedding procession (bride leaving for her husband’s house) (Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, 9/287)

However, the majority of the scholars (jumhur) are of the opinion that Walima is a meal that is prepared after the marriage has been consummated. This was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), as explicitly mentioned in one narration.

Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was a boy of ten when the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) migrated to Madina. (He added): “My mother and aunts used to urge me to serve the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) regularly, thus I served him for ten years. When the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) passed away, I was twenty years old, and I knew about the order of Hijab more than anyone else, when it was revealed. It was revealed for the first time when the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) had consummated his marriage with Zainab bint Jahsh (Allah be pleased with her). The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) in the morning was a bridegroom, and he invited the people to a banquet. So they came, ate, and then all left except a few who remained with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) for a long time….. (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 4871)

Sayyiduna Anas (Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) consummated his marriage with a woman (Zainab), so he sent me to invite people for a meal.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 4875)

The great Hadith master (hafidh), Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (Allah have mercy on him) states:

“The Hadith of Anas (quoted above) is clear in determining that Walima is considered to be after the consummation of marriage.” (Fath al-Bari, 9/199. Also see: I’la al-Sunan, vol. 10, p. 11)

It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya:

“The marriage banquet (walima) is a Sunna and there is great reward in it. And it is carried out when the marriage is consummated.” (al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, 5/343)

Having said this, scholars mention that there is also scope in following the other opinions, thus if one had a Walima before consummation, it is hoped that one will gain the reward of Sunna, Insha Allah.

How many days?

The Hanafi jurists (fuqaha) are of the opinion that, a banquet up to two days will be considered to be a Walima, after which it will no longer be considered a Walima.

It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya:

“There is nothing wrong in inviting people the next day after consummation or the day after. After that, marriage and Walima celebrations will come to an end.” (5/343)

It has also been reported from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) that he stated: “Walima on the first day is confirmed (haq), and on the second day, it is good (ma’ruf), and on the third day, it is showing off.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, no. 3738)

Although scholars mention that if there is a need, such as not being able to invite everybody on one day, then it will not be wrong to invite them on separate days.

Who should be invited?

Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) states: “The worst food is that of a wedding banquet (walima) to which only the rich are invited whilst the poor are not invited. And he who refuses an invitation (to a banquet) disobeys Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him & give him peace).” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 4882)

It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya:

“It is recommended to invite neighbours, relatives and friends.” (5/343)

Thus, one should invite family-members, relatives, friends, associates, scholars and pious people and others. It is wrong to invite only rich people or those who are regarded to be from the upper-class.

Accepting a Walima invitation

Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “If one of you is invited to a wedding banquet (walima), then he must accept the invitation.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 4878)

Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Accept this (marriage) invitation if you are invited to it.” And Abd Allah ibn Umar used to accept the invitation whether to a wedding banquet or to any other feast, even when he was fasting. (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 4884)

Due to the above and other narrations, many scholars regard the acceptance of a Walima invitation to be binding, and one will be sinful for refusing it.

The great Hadith and Sahfi’i scholar, Imam al-Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned various opinions of the scholars in this regard:

1) It is personally obligatory (fard ayn), except if there is an excuse,

2) It is a general obligation (fard kifaya)

3) It is recommended (mandub) (See: Nawawi, al-Minhaj, Sharh Sahih Muslim, 1080)

In the Hanafi Madhhab, the preferred opinion is that, accepting a Walima invitation is an emphatic Sunna (sunna al-Mu’akkada), and accepting other invitations is recommended (mandub). This is in normal cases, for if there is a valid reason, one will be excused from not attending.

Imam Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on him) states:

“The (hanafi) scholars have differed as to the ruling of accepting a Walima invitation. Some have stated that it is necessary (wajib), in that it is impermissible to refuse. However the majority of the scholars mention that it is a Sunna. It is better to accept it if it is a Walima invitation, otherwise (on other occasions) one has a choice to accept it, and to accept it would be better, because it creates joy and happiness in the heart of a Muslim.

When one accepts the invitation and attends the party, one has fulfilled the responsibility, regardless of whether one ate or otherwise, although it is better to eat if one is not fasting……It is stated in al-Ikhtiyar: “A Walima is an established Sunna. The one who does not accept it would be sinful, for the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him& give him peace) said: “He who refuses an invitation (to a banquet) disobeys Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him & give him peace).” If one is fasting, then one should attend and make Dua, and if not, then one should eat and make Dua. However, if one neither eats nor attends, then one will be sinful….

This indicates that accepting a Walima invitation is Sunna al-Mu’akkada, contrary to meals and invitations on other occasions. Some commentators of al-Hidaya have declared that it is close to being a Wajib.” (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr, 6/349)

In light of Ibn Abidin’s explanation, it becomes clear that accepting a Walima invitation is Sunna al-Mu’akkada, and one must accept it. Refusing to attend will be offensive if not sinful, provided one does not have an excuse, and also that one was specifically invited to the Walima.

Simplicity

Finally, it should be remembered that, the simpler the Walima (and the marriage ceremony as a whole) is kept, the better it will be. At times, people spend thousands upon thousands in feeding people, a sum which can be used for other indispensable needs of the Muslims. And if the intention behind spending such an amount is to show-off, then this will be regarded a grave sin.

The idea here is to feed people with sincerity and simplicity. If one feeds people with the simplest of meals but it is from the heart, that is far better (and the food is also more enjoyable) than feeding them quality food, where the intention is not so sincere.

Sayyida A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “The most blessed marriage (nikah) is the one with the least expenses.” (al-Bayhaqi in his Shu’ab al-Iman & Mishkat al-Masabih).

And Allah Knows Best

[_knownothing_]

jazakAllah bro for detail reply

[Rania]

i see that it is becoming a fad not to consumate marriage on night of marriage.but why? don't you want the wedding day to have all the good memories. i mean you celebrate the wedding anniversary, nt the anniversary of the day the marriage contract was signed? that means something special has to happen on the wedding day which didn't happen on marriage contract day. and it's not just the weddinng party. i think it is best to consumate on night of wedding so the whole thing can be real. otherwise you need another party after consumation?

i don't know about valima validation, but youmight go for something like : engagement ... 6 months later - marriage contract ... 6 months later - wedding ... 2 weeks later valima.
i think that would be a bit weird.

why not get nikah first, then get to know your spouse by chatting and going out - in family company if you like - and then getting married. by the time you are married, you won't be able to wait for each other.

good luck what ever you do.

[Hassan1953]

If following Islam and the Beloved Prophet Hazreth Mohammed Sallahu Allai Wa Sallam, do as per rules as has been narrated by.
If you do not have any regard for Islam and the Barkath (rewards)of following sunnas, just fo it your way as you may like.