Nikah Nama columns explained in English: all 25
The Pakistani Nikah Nama, the marriage form under the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961, has 25 numbered columns. Below is each one in English with a plain Urdu paraphrase of its heading, so you can match it to your own form, and a note on how a translator usually writes the entry. Some provinces print slightly different wording; the order is the same.
| No. | Column in English | Urdu heading (paraphrase) | How the entry is usually written |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ward, town, union council, tehsil and district where the marriage took place | جگہ نکاح | Ward No. 4, Union Council 112, Tehsil Model Town, District Lahore |
| 2 | Name of the bridegroom and his father, with residences | دولہا کا نام، ولدیت، سکونت | Name, son of father's name, resident of address |
| 3 | Age of the bridegroom | دولہا کی عمر | 29 years |
| 4 | Name of the bride and her father, with residences | دلہن کا نام، ولدیت، سکونت | Name, daughter of father's name, resident of address |
| 5 | Whether the bride is a maiden, a widow or a divorcee | کنواری، بیوہ یا مطلقہ | Maiden / Widow / Divorcee |
| 6 | Age of the bride | دلہن کی عمر | 25 years |
| 7 | Vakil appointed by the bride, his father and residences | دلہن کا وکیل | Often the bride's father or brother |
| 8 | Witnesses to the appointment of the bride's vakil, and their relationship to the bride | وکیل دلہن کی تقرری کے گواہ | Two names, with fathers, residences and relationship (uncle, brother) |
| 9 | Vakil appointed by the bridegroom, if any | دولہا کا وکیل | Often blank: the groom accepts in person |
| 10 | Witnesses to the appointment of the bridegroom's vakil | وکیل دولہا کی تقرری کے گواہ | Often blank |
| 11 | Witnesses to the marriage, their fathers and residences | گواہان نکاح | Two adult witnesses |
| 12 | Date on which the marriage was contracted | تاریخ نکاح | 14 February 2025 |
| 13 | Amount of dower | حق مہر کی رقم | Rs. 2,00,000/- (Rupees two hundred thousand only) |
| 14 | How much of the dower is mu'ajjal (prompt) and how much ghair mu'ajjal (deferred) | مہر معجل اور غیر معجل | Prompt: Rs. 50,000/-; deferred: Rs. 1,50,000/- |
| 15 | Whether any dower was paid at the time of marriage, and how much | نکاح کے وقت ادا شدہ مہر | Yes. Rs. 50,000/- |
| 16 | Property given in lieu of dower, with its description and agreed value | مہر کے بدلے جائیداد | 10 tola gold ornaments; or a 5 marla house, with address and value |
| 17 | Special conditions | خصوصی شرائط | Any agreed terms, or Nil |
| 18 | Whether the husband has delegated the power of divorce to the wife, and on what conditions | طلاق کا حق تفویض | Yes / No / [Struck out in the original] |
| 19 | Whether the husband's right of divorce is curtailed in any way | شوہر کے حق طلاق پر پابندی | No / details / [Struck out in the original] |
| 20 | Any document drawn up at the marriage about dower, maintenance and so on | مہر اور نان و نفقہ کی دستاویز | No, or a short summary |
| 21 | Whether the bridegroom has an existing wife and, if so, the Arbitration Council's permission | پہلی بیوی اور ثالثی کونسل کی اجازت | No |
| 22 | Number and date of the Arbitration Council's permission | اجازت نامہ نمبر اور تاریخ | Usually blank or Nil |
| 23 | Person who solemnized the marriage, his father and residences | نکاح خواں | Name, son of father's name, resident of address |
| 24 | Date of registration of the marriage | تاریخ رجسٹریشن | Can be later than column 12 |
| 25 | Registration fee paid | رجسٹریشن فیس | Rs. 200/- (Rupees two hundred only) |
The examples are made up, to show the style. Columns 13 to 16 hold the dower, and Pakistan's Supreme Court has told registrars to fill every column properly (ProPakistani, September 2026). The Lahore High Court has also noted differences between the Urdu and English wording of some clauses (ProPakistani, May 2026), which is why the translation should follow the Urdu on your own form.
Fastest fix: open NikahDraft, type what is written in each of the 25 columns, and it lays out the English translation in the form's own order, with mehr amounts in words and a translator's statement. The preview is free and runs in your browser; the clean PDF and Word file cost $9 once.
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