In this article we will talk about the ritual and celebration of marriage according to the customs of Islam, you will understand the whole protocol issue and you will discover the most common vows for Muslim weddings .
The marriage ritual of Islam is a c contract between a man of legal age and the legal guardian of a woman. The father usually performs the role of guardian, but it can also be a brother, for example, this guardian is the one who gives it in marriage For her part, the woman must demonstrate her consent and her will to consummate the union.
The Nikah is a formal contract, it is considered religiously and legally valid. The rights and duties of both the groom and the bride are described in the ceremony.
For a Muslim wedding to take effect it must be resolved inside a mosque. The religious person responsible for the wedding is called “Magnet”.
The Imam in deference to Catholic priests is an extra religious figure, a spiritual but also a social leader. In many cases they have political offices.
By tradition the groom cannot see or be present in any of the bride’s preparations, such as the dress or makeup test, it is considered unlucky. He also cannot approach the bride’s rooms, even if he does not see her.
As long as they are men, Muslims can marry women of other faiths who have revealed books, like Jews and Christians.
On the other hand women do not have this privilege, this is because it is men who traditionally maintain Muslim customs and way of life. For a woman to marry a man of another religion implies that traditions will be broken.
The purpose of the Muslim marriage rite, or Nikah, is to consummate the union contract between both parties.
This contract is certified by the groom and the legal guardian of the bride, who is usually a close relative, usually the father. All laws are set forth in the Quran.
When the time comes, the husband will have to present “ The dowry”, a truly generous or representative contribution that guarantees the economic stability of the family. It can be from jewelry to property contracts.
The dowry is by prior agreement between the bride and groom or, most commonly, between the groom and the bride’s family or their guardian. This can be paid in installments if the groom does not currently have the required amount.
According to the Qur’an the wife should be provided with something material. This in order to preserve the financial security of the bride if she is to separate from the groom.
Once the ritual has been completed, the bride and groom then present themselves with three witnesses to the “Sheikh”, to formalize the marriage contract.
With the marriage formalized the couple is spiritually united and the bride returns home to plan the celebration.
The celebration at Muslim weddings usually occurs one week after the ceremony.
The parties to celebrate the consummation last for at least three days and are usually the home of one of the bride and groom. It is also allowed to rent a room just like in any other religious festival.
The first night is dedicated only to the bride and the women of the family. The bride will be dressed in a caftan and her hands and feet will be decorated with henna.
Henna is used with a specific symbolism: Henna means “Find for”. Henna is considered to offer “Baraka” in Arabic meaning probability. It is understood that the bride uses henna to find favor with her husband, it is also seen as a symbol of fertility and good fortune.
That night neither male friends nor family members are invited. The bride enjoys a relaxing steam bath, this is intended to purify her.
Throughout the first night, the bride must be escorted by the rest of the women, who will carry candles and incense. The women will sing and dance to the bride in allusion to her beauty and her marriage.
The bride’s mother-in-law will give her a tray with symbolic content: Keys, bread and milk.
The keys represent your approval of the union, they are the welcome to the family, the entrance ticket to the groom’s family.
For its part, food represents abundance and well-being. Throughout the Arab ceremony and celebration, tribute is paid more to the union of two families than to the union of two people.
The remaining two moches as tradition dictates are two banquets, one for the bride and one for the groom.
During these two nights it will be celebrated, eaten and danced according to Muslim traditions.
Muslim wedding vows
During the Nikah ceremony couples can recite their wedding vows.
However it is not the most common, in general the words of the Imam are more powerful, they represent the meaning of marriage and their responsibilities as a couple and with Allah.
In case there are no votes, the couple simply consents to be husband and wife, and then they are blessed by the entire congregation.
In cases where the votes are consumed, the form is as follows:
Bride : “I, ___, offer myself in marriage, according to the instructions of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him. I promise, with honesty and sincerity, to be an obedient and faithful wife to you. ”
Boyfriend : “I promise, in honesty and sincerity, to be for you, a faithful and profitable husband.”
These are the most common Muslim wedding vows , but there are also some variations. In the end what matters is that it is shown that both are there on their own and that they accept the marriage.