TRADITION
Muslim weddings vary depending on the culture in which they are arranged.
Muslim women cannot marry men who are not Muslim.
Muslim men can marry non-Muslims, as long as the women are either Christian or Jewish and their children are raised as Muslims.
It is possible for non-Muslim women to convert, by performing the Shadada in which they accept Allah and Mohammed.
Contact the Imam or local cleric of the mosque you wish to celebrate the marriage.

FACTS
There is no marriage licence.
The Imam fills out all forms.
Witnesses have to sign to testify that the marriage has taken place and that the bride has given her consent. (Proof of Nikah)
Traditionally, any male Muslim who has studied Islam may perform the ceremony. Many mosques have marriage officers.
Generally a male elder, (Qazi) of the Mosque officiates at the service.
The parents of the bride and groom generally arrange marriages.
Nowadays the bride and groom have the final say as to whom they will marry.
The proposal of marriage comes from the bride's side.
The proposal is made through an intermediary (a male relative or friend).
If the offer of marriage is acceptable, the groom must send the bride a gift. MAHAR). This is a dowry in the form of money.
The engagement period is three months. If the ceremony has not taken place after that time the contact must be renewed.
Contact between engaged couples is restricted to visits where the bride's male relative is also present. (Normally father, bother or cousins.)
The bride must remain covered at all times.
To be official, only two male witnesses need attend. Even so, weddings are usually well attended.
Marriages can take place at any time of day.
Marriages can take place anywhere. Although most still take place in a Mosque.
Flowers and ornaments are not permitted in the mosque.
There is no fixed notice period.

Weddings cannot take place:
On the 2 days of Eid (these occur after the feats of Ramadan and the day of pilgrimage.
On the day of Ashura- either the 9th or 10th day of the first month of the Islamic calendar (Muharran).

CLOTHES
The bride and groom are traditionally decorated with flowers for the service.

BRIDE
Asian Muslim brides wear sparkling, bright clothes with jewellery and flowers.
Arab Muslim brides wear a white dress and a veil. The hands and feet are decorated with henna tattoos.

GROOM
The groom wears either traditional clothes or western-style suits or a combination of the two.

GUESTS
Guests from all religious denominations can be invited to the ceremony
Revealing clothes for women is not allowed.

ARRANGING THE WEDDING
For weddings where the venue is other than a mosque flowers, banners and streamers are permitted. Therefore the venue coordinator must be contacted and such decorations discussed.
Find out how many people the venue are allowed.
Whether cameras and video equipment is permitted.
Rehearsals are not common as the service is very simple.

THE CEREMONY
The ceremony lasts up to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Traditionally there is no service sheet, although recently they are being supplied.
During the marriage ceremony (the Nikah), the bride and groom are separated, either in different parts of the hall or in separate rooms. The guests are also separated by gender. (This may not now be the case in western societies, where greater mixing is becoming acceptable).
There are no hard and fast specifications to the ceremony and it is conducted to the designs of the officiating Qazi. The sermon that solemnises the wedding can consist of the Fatihah (chapter 1 of the Koran) and the blessing of durud.
The marriage contract and certificate are filled in at the mosque and local government offices.
The ceremony ends with prayer (Duoa) for the bride, groom and their families and the Muslim community everywhere.
In western societies the bride and groom are showered with confetti, but traditionally coins are used. (Savagah)

RECEPTION
After the ceremony, there is normally a marriage banquet (Walima). Guests are served separately by gender.
After the meal the couple are seated together for the first time, their heads covered by a dupatta and prayers are read.

HONEYMOON
The bride and groom spend the first night at the bride's home in separate rooms. The next day the bride's father escorts them to their new home and gives the brides hand to her husband, asking him to protect his daughter. A ritual known as Rukhsat.

TERMS
Imam- Islamic priest
Mahar- wedding dowry
Nikah- wedding ceremony
Qazi- Elder of the Mosque
Mehndi - Henna tattooing of the brides hands and feet.

For more information on Moslim weddings visit web sites-
http://www.weddingguide.co.uk/articles/ceremonies/muslim.asp
or
http://www.uuottawa.com/muslimweddingsmain.htm

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