Marriage is a highly
recommended act (Sunnah) which protects a person from evils and shields one’s morality.
It makes a person’s faith stronger and firmer. Marriage brings comfort and
solace in the couple’s lives. Marriage is equated as an act of
worship. Hence, a lot of importance is given to religious practices and
prayers.
Usually, when talks about marriage
proposal start, most Muslims take help of Istikhara {seeking
goodness from Allah(S.W.T)} which helps them to know if the prospective
proposal is good and will lead to a happy future or otherwise. But, it is not
compulsory and in fact, many Muslims think that in matter of marriage proposals
Istikhara should not be taken.
If both the
boy and the girl like each other , talks are taken further by their parents and
they decide on the Meher or mehriah(dower), a gift willingly given by the groom
to the bride, which can be either in cash or kind or both. It is regarded as a woman’s
Haq (right) to get the Mehr at the time of marriage or whenever she demands or whenever the groom can
give the amount. The amount of the gift and the time of fulfillment of the Mehr
should be clearly written in the Nikah- Naama at the time of marriage. Islam
strongly prohibits asking for dowry from the bride’s parents. But if they want
to willingly gift their daughter ,they can do so.
Once all the
terms and conditions are finalized, it’s time for the Engagement ceremony. It’s
held in the presence of relatives and close friends, where the boy and the girl
exchange rings and announce that they are committed to each other. It is to be
noted that engagement is not recommended in Islam, but it has become a cultural
ritual and a good time for the two families to spend good time and know each
other better.
Usually, two or three days prior to
the marriage, Haldi and Mehndi ceremonies are held only for the ladies of both
the families. It takes place at the bride’s house, where the groom’s family
members and relatives arrive with gifts and Mehndi (shagun).These days, many Muslims have mehendi
ceremony in a hall or a common place and both ladies and gents are invited. It is just another reason for a bride to
feel and look special! Green or red colour lehengas, shararas or salwar-kameez
are mostly preferred by the bride, although she can wear dress of any other colour as per her choice. It is sunnah for females to
apply mehndi and this sunnah is respected
and celebrated to bring good luck and auspiciousness to the bride for her new
life . The bride’s hands when adorned with mehndi, have an altogether
different charm.
Bridal mehendi is mostly Indian intricate
designs, covering the hands and feet of the bride completely, making them look
more delicate and elegant. Arabic designs , ornamental designs,
zardosi mehendi, embroidery mehndi are
recent hits with the modern generation brides and they look stylish and
attractive.
Finally, comes the D-Day when the Nikah ceremony
will be held either at the bride’s place or in a hall. Nikaah is read by a
maulana ( priest) and a part of the Quran-e-Kareem is read by both the bride
and the groom and they accept the sacred marriage contract (nikah) in the
presence of the witnesses and all the guests.
The bride and groom have been waiting all their lives for this auspicious day and so they leave no stone unturned to look their best! In India, Muslim brides generally opt for red or green colour lehengas or salwar-kameez. Accessories and jewellery add to the beauty of the bride. The groom is equally excited and wears sherwani or suit. After the nikah is read, the boy and the girl become man and wife and pledge to be partners in good and tough times lifelong.
The next function is Walima, which is the reception from the groom’s side, where the bride is introduced as a new member of the family to the relatives and friends.Worldwide, majority of the Muslims go in for ‘white wedding’, where the bride wears a white gown or dress, to symbolize purity of the occasion. However, in India, red or green colours are worn, though other colours are in demand, too.
Marriage is that blessing of God which
brings in stability,morality, responsibility, love, peace, tranquility,
contentment and happiness to the bride and the groom, which in turn makes their
families, near and dear ones happy . It is a time when the long lost friends
and relatives get in touch and put in their best efforts to make the
wedding a grand success and a memorable one!
Published on:
http://www.gloriouspercept.com/muslim-weddings/
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