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Marriage Ceremony in Islam
The Wali.
A wali (guardian) of the bride is necessary
to represent her in concluding the contract. The wali is
a male relative who would be her guardian if she were a
minor, for example her father. However, if he is not
available, a brother, uncle, grandfather etc. will
suffice.
If none of these exist then a Muslim ruler or judge, and
if they do not exist then a prominent leader of the
Muslim community (see Fiqh us sunnah, Syed Sabiq, Sar
al-Kitab al Arabi, Beirut, 2nd ed, 1973, vol 2 page
120)."No marriage contract is valid without a wali." -
Tirmidhi and Abu Dawood
"A woman may not act for another in concluding a
marriage contract, and a woman may not |
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conclude her own marriage
contract." - Ibn Majah and Daraqutni.
The Offer and Acceptance.
Both offer and acceptance must be
explicit in mentioning the word marriage (or any
other word in any language implying a similar
situation). Both statements should be made at the
same sitting, i.e. one party to the other.
The Bride's Agreement.
The bride must be agreeable to concluding
the marriage by her wali. This agreement should be
specific to marrying a specific man and all other
conditions, if any, must be agreed upon also.
The Witnesses.
At least two Muslim male witnesses are
required or one male and two females - all of them
having reached the age of puberty and being of good
character.
The Sadaq/Mahr.
The Sadaq or Mahr (dower) is a required marriage
gift given by the groom to the bride. It represents
his commitment to take care of all the family
expenses including her personal needs… "And give
women their dower as a free gift." (surah 4 verse 4).
Sadaq may be money or in kind, but it
should be specified in its kind and quantity. It may
be paid in full at the time of the marriage
contract, or postponed until a definite or
indefinite date in the future. That which is
deferred becomes due upon divorce. The value of
Sadaq can be anything from $1 upward (and must be
agreed upon by both parties).
The Procedure:
1. Witnesses and guests take their
seats.
2. The wali of the bride and the
groom sit facing each other, close to the witnesses
so that they can be seen and heard by the witnesses.
3. A learned man delivers a short
ceremonial speech (see the khutbah at the end of
this article).
4. Then the wali of the bride
addresses the groom with the following words or
something similar:
"In the name of Allah the Merciful, the
Mercy giving, Praise be to Allah, Lord of the
worlds, and Prayer and Peace be upon the Prophet
Muhammed, his family and the companions.
I marry to you my daughter (sister/niece etc -
mention the full name) whom I represent, in
accordance with Islamic Law and the tradition of the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and for the Sadaq agreed
between us." (details of the sadaq and method of
payment may be mentioned).
The groom answers:
In the name of Allah the Merciful, the
Mercy giving, Praise be to Allah, Lord of the
worlds, and Prayer and Peace be upon the Prophet
Muhammed, his family and the companions.
I accept to marry the woman you represent, in
accordance with Islamic Law and the tradition of the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and for the Sadaq agreed
between us." (details of the sadaq and method of
payment may be mentioned).
[This offer and acceptance should be declared in the
presence of the witnesses, Allah is the best of
witnesses. By this the marriage concluded and the
bride and groom become husband and wife].
5. To make the marriage publically
it is reccomended to have a walimah. The Prophet (pbuh)
saw a trace of yellow colouring on Abd al Rahman and
asked, "What is this?" He answered, I got married.
The Prophet (pbuh) said, "May Allah make it a
blesing for you. Make a walimah even with only a
sheep." - Bukhari, Muslim and others.
6. The best way to congratulate the
bride and the groom is to say: "May Allah make it a
blessing for you and a blessing to you together with
all that is good." - Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood
The Marriage Khutbah:
[This is not essential; the marriage will be legal
without it; however, it is Sunnah to have a Khutbah].
Praise be to Almighty Allah, the
Sustainer of the Worlds Whom we ask help and pardon.
We seek refuge in Allah from the evils within
ourselves and from our evil actions. He whom Allah
guides no one can lead astray and he who He leaves
in error has no one to guide him. I testify that
there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad is His
servant and His messenger.
Almighty Allah has created humanity, male and
female, each in need of another, and has established
the institution of marriage as a means of uniting
the souls in a blessed bond of love leading to their
pleasure and happiness in a way advantageous to
humankind.
The Quran says, "It
is He Who has created man from water: then has He
established relationships of lineage and marriage:
for your Lord has power (over all things). " (25:54)
And He reminds us of His great favors: "And among
His signs is that He created for you of yourselves
spouses that you may live in joy with them, and He
has set between you love and mercy. Surely in that
are signs for those who reflect." (30:22)
And Peace and Blessing be upon His great
and beloved Prophet and last Messenger Muhammad, who
emphatically urged Muslims to marry. He said: "Young
men, those of you who can afford to marry should do
so. Marriage is the best check for lustful eyes and
an effective help to maintain chastity."
Brothers and sisters, at this auspicious
moment, we are uniting in the bond of marriage and
obedience to the guidance of our Creator and in
obedience to the practice of our beloved Prophet (pbuh),
our brother (his name) and sister (her name) who
have decided to live together as husband and wife,
sheltered with the blessings of Almighty Allah and
His divine Benevolence. May Allah fill their lives
with joy and may He grant them peace, health and
prosperity. May they always live together in an
atmosphere of tranquility and never diminishing love
and tender regard for each other. |
