What is needed for a valid nikah?

“A nikaah without witnesses is not valid. Hence, no nikaah had taken place. You do not have to inform your father of what had transpired in the past. Just make taubah and beg Allah Ta'ala's forgiveness for getting involved in a haraam relationship with the boy.”

“In the queried scenario, the Nikah was not valid. There should be a minimum of two witnesses to the Nikah besides the groom; if another male (besides the groom) was present together with the scholar, then the Nikah would have been valid.”

“In the absence of a close male family member to act as your Wali (guardian) it is permitted to appoint another as your Wakeel (representative) for your Nikah. Accordingly, it will be in order to appoint your mother’s sister’s husband to be your Wakeel. Two additional witnesses will be required in addition to the Wakeel.”

“A Nikah conducted online via video conferencing will not be valid. The reason for this is that both parties (the one proposing and the one accepting), along with the two witnesses must be present at the same place at the same time. This is a precondition for the validity of one’s Nikah.”