Secondary Requirements
1. Legal guardian (wakeel) representing the bride: I would advise the new muslimah to find a guardian to represent her even if she doesn’t have one. For example, a close friend’s husband or local imam, etc. as this will give her more protection of her rights and make her feel less vulnerable.
2. Written marriage contract (Aqd-Nikah) signed by the bride and the groom and witnesses by two adult and sane witnesses
3. Qadi (State appointed Muslim judge) or Ma’zoon (a responsible person officiating the marriage ceremony)
4. Khutba-tun-Nikah to solemnize the marriage
The Marriage Banquet (Walima)
After the consummation of the marriage, the groom holds a banquet called a walima.
The relatives, neighbors, and friends are invited in order to make them aware of the marriage. Both rich and poor of the family and community are invited to the marriage feasts.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
The worst of the feasts are those marriage feasts to which the rich are invited and the poor are left out. (Mishkat)
A Happy Life of Tenderness and Mercy?
As the Islamic Marriage procedure ends the marriage itself just begins. Rights and duties should be clearly set and defined.
The husband needs to provide and treat his wife with tenderness and mercy. The wife accordingly brings her husband’s provision into action in the home and treats her husband as well with tenderness and mercy.
In that way, the home would be a peaceful place where spouses feel happy and safe being together.
Narrated ‘Abdullah, Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) said:
Each one of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges.
The ruler who has authority over people, is a guardian and is responsible for them, a man is a guardian of his family and is responsible for them; a woman is a guardian of her husband’s house and children and is responsible for them; a slave is a guardian of his master’s property and is responsible for it; so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your charges. (Bukhari)
(From Discovering Islam’s archive.)
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