Muslim Wedding Traditions

True Love Involves helping each other attains Jannah!

Islam is one of the outstanding religions on the planet with over 1.6 billion ardent devotees of the religion. A wedding is a vital part of Islamic religion and is mandated by the Holy Quran as one of the principal responsibilities of a Muslim. It permits a Muslim to defend and propagate Islam through his family and coming generations. Muslim Wedding customs vary considerably based on nations and territories, but at its core, the ‘Nikah’ celebration remains the same. In India, more than 172 million personalities follow legendary Islamic marriage rituals which are a unique mixture of traditional Islamic folkways as well as modifying the pre-existing rites of the multi-cultural Indian sub-continent. Let’s take a glimpse at the diverse rituals of a Muslim Wedding.

Pre-wedding Rituals

• Salatul Ishtikara– Arranged marriages are common amid Indian Muslims and the matches are usually sought within the same religious faction and identities. Once a match has been settled by the families who consider each other compatible, the religious administrator or the Imam of the nearby mosque is suggested and he offers a special prayer where he seeks Allah’s permission for the proposed union and asks Him to bless the future pair. This indicates the official declaration of the wedlock to the community.
• Imam Zamin– In Imam Zamin, the groom’s mother, on a propitious day, visits the bride’s residence carrying presents and desserts. She also offers a gold or silver coin enclosed inside a silk scarf which she fastens around her future daughter-in-law’s wrists. This ceremony implies the formal approval of the bride into her future family.
• Mangni– Mangni identifies the precise engagement ceremony between the bride and groom and their corresponding families. Close colleagues and relatives from both the families meet on a pre-determined date to observe the bride and groom interchange rings. Each family showers the opposite with offerings of desserts, fruits, dry fruits, garments and sometimes cash. This ceremony authoritatively seals the purpose of the wedding between the two families and the bride and the groom are acknowledged to each other in the perceptions of the community.
• Manjha– This is unquestionably a fostered ritual within the Muslim marriage practices in India. A day or two before the exact Nikah celebration, the bride is costumed up in yellow finery. A paste composed of Turmeric, sandalwood, and rose-water is used to the bride’s face, palms, and feet. The ladies of the family assemble for the event to participate in a fun and full of playfulness event. They take their shift in using the paste to the bride and each other. After the utilization of turmeric paste is finished, the bride goes on to take the shower. After her Manjha, the bride is not allowed to leave the house until her wedlock day. The likewise event is also observed at the groom’s residence as well.
• Mehendi – Middle-East and Indo-Pakistani Muslim brides witness an elaborate ceremony including henna paste identified as Mehendi. It is again a women-centric performance, where the ladies of the family group around the bride the evening before the marriage. The most dramatic lady in the family is consigned with the task of utilizing the henna paste in different, intricate designs on the bride’s hands and feet. Nowadays, trained Mehendi professionals are also hired to do the job. It is common to include the groom’s initials inside the bride’s henna patterns which he has to recognize on their first night together. Additional female members of the group also get their hands decorated with henna.
• Sanchaq – Throughout this pre-wedding ritual, members of the groom’s house visit the bride’s place carrying presents for her from her prospective in-laws. Simultaneously with these gifts of desserts, fruits, etc., the bridal gear to be worn at the point of the Nikah is also sent. Accompanying the gear, matching ornaments and other accessories are also sent.

Marriage Attires

Usually, Muslim grooms wear Kurta Pajama or Kurta with churidar. There is generally no color limitation excluding for black, which is acknowledged as the color of mourning amidst Muslims. Generally, some sort of embroidery work is fancied on the kurtas to have that Marriage kind of feel. Nowadays, Muslim grooms are more and more attracted to wearing a Sherwani or some other form of Indo-Western Attires blended with churidar pajama. The Sherwanis are generally intricately decorated and smartly cut. The groom dresses certain pieces of ornaments in his attire like necklaces in gold, finger rings and maybe men’s ornaments. He seldom may also wear formals like an outfit or tuxedo with ceremonious shoes. With Sherwani or kurtas, the groom usually wears sandals or Nagrai shoes.

The marriage attire for Muslim bride is much strictly described in the Holy Quran. In any case, only her face and hands are to be visible to the audience and she has to be decently clothed up. Salwar Kameez is hence the top pick for Muslim brides when it arrives at marriage attires. Aside from Salwar Kameez, saree or Sharara are also pretty attractive choices. Salwar Kameez has to have proper necklines and a dupatta to conceal the bride’s head at all times. Green is acknowledged to be the most propitious color in Islam and bridal gears in green color are the most widespread. The outfit also comprises complex zari embroidery, dead-work, and patterns. The Muslim bride has to use a nose ring on the right-hand side of her face that requires to be substituted by a nose pin after she is wedded.

Marriage day Customs

Baraat (Groom's wedding procession) – The groom begins from his home with great celebrations and shows attended by a host of his close friends and relatives. A splendidly polished car is usually sent by the bride’s family to bring the groom. A segment of the bride’s family goes to the groom’s house and sort of guides him on the entrance to the marriage venue. The relatives of the groom heed the car and the whole marriage party heading towards the matrimonial venue is distinguished as the Baraat.

Welcome – As the groom appears at the marriage venue he is joined at the opening by the bride’s family members. He is affectionately embraced into the venue and is given a drink of delicious Sherbet by his brother-in-law who provides him company for the drink. The relatives of the groom also get an impressive welcome and are sprinkled with ittar-scented or rose-water as they access the wedlock venue.

Nikah – The Marriage or Nikah celebration is commanded by a religious priest or Maulvi. The audience is seated in separate groups for the tradition. The women usually take their position around the bride and the men with the groom. The father of the bride is designated as Wali or supervisor to attend after the bride’s concern in the Nikah by the Maulvi. The groom’s family offers the bride with Mehr which is a customarily pre-decided outlay of cash to seek her approval for marrying the groom. The Maulvi begins the Nikah proceeding by first stating a prayer from the Quraan. Following, he asks the bride if she is agreeing to marry the groom by admitting the Mehr. This is where he questions the bride the phrase ‘Qubool Hain?’ (Do you give your consent) three times in a series. The bride has to respond by stating “Qubool Hain” in a positive and approving tone all three times. Then the Maulvi goes on to the groom and replicates the method. This rite is recognized as Ijab-e-Qubool. The Ijab-e-Qubool is succeeded by a signing of the Nikahnama or wedlock contract. The Nikahnama describes all reasonable duties and customs of both the bride and the groom as declared by the Quran. At least two spectators from each side need to endure as an eyewitness to signing by both the groom and the bride. This is succeeded by the narrative of Khutba, a holy discourse. The Maulvi then narrate verses from the Holy Quran which are similar to wedding vows. The recital of promises is succeeded by duruds wherein the seniors of the family bless the newlywed pair.

Arsi Mushraf – Throughout this ceremony, the pair gets the opportunity to lay sights on each other for the first time after the wedding has been observed. A mirror is kept within the bride and the groom and the Holy Quran is fixed on top of it. The pair is to observe in the mirror where they can see the image of their spouses.

Post-wedding Customs

Rukhsat – Shortly after the marriage is ended, the bride bids teary goodbye to her parents and sets off for her husband’s home. When she lands at her husband’s home, she is extended a gracious welcome by her mother-in-law. As a sign of greetings as well as a note of her responsibilities, the Holy Quran is laid on her head.

Walimah – The commemoration of Walimah signifies the public announcement of the wedding. It is usually done by holding a huge reception party. For the reception, the bride and groom are usually seated on a royalty atop a platform, where they engage and embrace all members from both families. The event involves a grand banquet of legendary Muslim delights like Meat Korma, Biryani, etc.

Chauthi – This celebration includes the bride attending her parent’s house on the fourth day of the marriage guided by her new companion. Her parents arrange the newlywed pair with a sumptuous lunch and offer them numerous gifts. 

Now that you are aware of the Muslim traditions and all the legendary mystery that they entail, you only require to let yourself be led away by their charm and enjoy the marriage! If you are looking for a Muslim bride or groom for yourself, find your ideal partner at Muslim Wedding Consultant in Bangalore.