Islam is one of the oldest religions in the world. From century to century, Muslims sacredly honor their traditions. Of course, this also applies to the wedding ceremony, which in Islam is called "nikah" and is held according to ancient rites.
Of course, the modern rhythm of life and new technologies have made adjustments to the life of even the most orthodox families of Islam, but the majority, albeit formally, try to comply with the wedding conventions. So, before the wedding, the bride and groom are strictly forbidden to be alone, they can communicate only in the presence of relatives. In this case, the groom can only see the face and hands of the bride. However, before officially becoming a bride and groom, the young will have to undergo an engagement ceremony.
Matchmaking
Muslim boys and girls do not always get to know each other on their own, often parents choose a bride for their son. The matchmaking ceremony takes place in several stages. First, the matchmaker comes to the bride's house to look at her. Then, if everything goes smoothly, the messengers of the groom's family ask the girl's older married relative for consent to the marriage. If consent is obtained, you can proceed to the next stage - the appointment of the day of fatih (i.e. engagement). At the same time, as a sign of respect for the bride's relatives, matchmakers bring all kinds of gifts from the groom's family: jewelry, clothes, sweets, as well as money as a gift to the mother who raised the future wife.
After the engagement has taken place and the kalym (bride price) has been paid, the date of the wedding is discussed. On the evening before the wedding, it is customary to gather her friends and relatives in the bride's house. The girls sing, embroider, prepare food and say parting speeches to the bride.
Rite
In Muslim culture, the wedding ceremony is called "nikah". It must be carried out in the presence of two male witnesses, one of them being the girl's guardian or father. During the ceremony, the imam explains to the young people their rights and responsibilities in family life and asks the consent of the bride and groom.
Further, according to tradition, the imam reads the fourth surah from the holy Koran for the bride, after which the marriage is considered concluded. But there is one detail: in Islam it is not customary to kiss in public, therefore a new union is never sealed with a kiss between a husband and wife.
The bride's outfit plays an important role. Traditionally, the dress is not white, on the contrary, it is embroidered with gold and has a rich ornament. At the same time, the dress necessarily has a long sleeve and completely covers the bride's body so that no one could see the girl's charms.
Interestingly, according to the canons of Islam, drinking alcohol is a grave sin, therefore, alcoholic beverages are absent at weddings. This, however, does not prevent the guests from having fun from the heart.
There is one more feature, the fact is that according to Sharia, mixing of the sexes is strictly prohibited, therefore men and women always sit separately. It is possible to talk for a very long time about a Muslim wedding, rituals and traditions rooted in the past. It is important that these traditions are carefully preserved and passed on from generation to generation.
