What should a man say when he enters upon his bride?

What is the Sunnah when entering upon one’s wife on the wedding night? Many people mistakenly think that he should read Soorat al-Baqarah and pray, and this custom is widespread nowadays.

Praise be to Allaah

When a man enters upon his wife for the first time, he should take her forelock in his hand and say: “Allaahumma innee as’aluka khayrahaa wa khayra ma jabaltahaa ‘alayh, wa a’oodhu bika min sharrihaa wa sharri ma jabaltahaa ‘alayh (O Allaah, I ask You for the goodness within her and the goodness that You have made her inclined towards, and I take refuge with You from the evil within her and the evil that You have made her inclined towards).” (Reported by Abu Dawood, no. 2160; Ibn Maajah, no. 1918), But if he fears that the woman may get upset if he takes hold of her forelock and recites this du’aa’, then he can take hold of her forelock as if he is going to kiss her, and recite this du’aa’ to himself under his breath, without letting her hear him, so that she will not be upset. If she is a woman who has knowledge, she will know that this is prescribed by Islam and that there is nothing wrong with him doing and saying this in such a way that she can hear it. As for praying two rak’ahs when he enters the room where his wife is, it was reported that some of the salaf did this, so if the man does this it is good, and if he does not do it, there is nothing wrong with that. As for reciting al-Baqarah and other soorahs, I know of no basis for doing this.