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Muslim wedding traditions

A Muslim wedding centers on the nikah, a contract between two people with consent, witnesses and a gift to the bride.

A Muslim wedding centers on the nikah, a contract between two people with consent, witnesses and a gift to the bride. The rite itself is short and simple, while the celebrations around it vary enormously by country, language and culture. Much of what is called a Muslim wedding is local custom.

The nikah and the mahr

The nikah requires an offer, an acceptance, two witnesses and the mahr, a gift that belongs to the bride and is stated in the contract. It is conducted by an imam, a qazi or any knowledgeable person, and often includes a short sermon, the khutbah, and a prayer. The couple may add conditions in the nikah nama, such as the right to work, and many do. Schools of law differ on details such as the role of a guardian, and scholars are open about these differences.

Walima and what comes after

The walima is a feast hosted by the groom, based on the example of the Prophet. It may be held a day or more after the nikah. Many families also celebrate a henna night, a procession and a reception, but these are cultural, not required. Some communities keep men and women in separate rooms, others do not.

Cultural diversity

A Moroccan wedding includes the amariya and multiple dresses, an Egyptian one the zaffe, a Pakistani one the mehndi, barat and rukhsati, a Turkish one the kina gecesi, a Malay one the akad nikah and bersanding, and an Indonesian one the siraman, a ritual bath. In Somalia and Sudan other customs hold. In the Gulf a groom's party may cost a great deal, and several governments have capped the amount.

About this page

Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Muslim (faith). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
KindRiteVowBetrothalGift customAttireAdornmentPerformanceFeast customBlessingPlayFamily roleSettingModern
StageFinding a matchEngagement and betrothalThe weeks beforeThe eveProcession and arrivalThe ceremonyThe wedding feastReception, dance and giftsAfter the wedding
🇮🇷 Iran and 1 moreNikahnikāḥ (Arabic: نِكَاح) The Islamic marriage contract that establishes a binding union between two people.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreBlessing ceremony of the Unification ChurchHoly Marriage Blessing Ceremony (축복결혼식) A large-scale marriage rededication or new union ceremony that engrafts couples into a sinless lineage.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan and 1 moreKazakh wedding ceremonyҮйлену тойы (Üilenu toiy) The multi-stage Kazakh marriage process featuring the face-revealing feast and the Islamic religious contract.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇾🇪 Yemen and 4 moreKafa'ahالكفاءة (al-kafā'ah) The Islamic legal principle of social and religious equivalence between spouses in marriage.Vow · Finding a match 🇮🇳 IndiaOppanaഒപ്പന A circle dance and song tradition of the Mappila Muslim community in Kerala weddingsPerformance · Engagement and betrothal 🇲🇱 MaliWeddings in Mali Multi-day Malian wedding traditions blending Islamic rites, civil law, and local customs with bazin attire.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreBride price Wealth paid by the groom or his family to the bride or her kin to formalize a union.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 IndiaChild marriage in India A contested practice where minors marry, defined by law as unions involving a bride under 18.Modern · Engagement and betrothal 🇦🇿 AzerbaijanAzerbaijani wedding traditionsAzərbaycanın toy adətləri The multi-step family rituals of Azerbaijani weddings, from matchmaking to the henna night.Rite · Finding a match 🇮🇷 Iran and 1 moreIranian weddingمراسم عروسی در ایران A multi-stage celebration rooted in Zoroastrian tradition and adapted by Islamic customs across Iran.Rite · Finding a match 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreNikah mut'ahنكاح المتعة A private contract for a fixed-term marriage practiced in Twelver Shia Islam.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 IndiaArabikalyanam A temporary marriage arrangement between Arabian men and women in Kerala that has been linked to exploitation.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇶 Baghdad, IraqWedding traditions in Iraq A structured sequence of arranged matches, religious vows, and family feasts across Iraqi communities.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreArranged marriage in the Indian subcontinent The family-led matchmaking process that shapes most marriages across South Asia.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreHausa traditional marriage The Islamic marriage rites of the Hausa people in Northern Nigeria and Niger.Rite · Finding a match 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 4 moreWatta sattaوٹّا سٹّا / شغار A reciprocal marriage arrangement where two families swap brides to bind households and manage domestic tensions.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreArab weddingزفاف or فرح or عرس A series of family-centered rites and processions that mark marriage across the Arab world.Rite · Finding a match 🇮🇳 Mumbai, India and 3 moreDowry system in Indiaदहेज (Hindi), ज़ेहर (Urdu) The transfer of cash and goods from the bride's family to the groom that has become a source of financial strain and vioGift custom · Engagement and betrothal 🇧🇳 BruneiBrunei Malay wedding The sequence of ceremonies that mark the engagement and marriage of Brunei Malays.Rite · Finding a match 🇮🇶 Iraq and 1 moreInterdenominational marriage A wedding between two people of different denominations within the same religion.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreRing fingerdigitus annularis The fourth digit of the hand where wedding and engagement rings are traditionally worn.Attire · The ceremony 🇪🇬 Egypt and 2 moreMisyar marriageزواج المسيار (zawāj al-misyār) A Sunni Islamic contract where the wife waives cohabitation and financial support in exchange for a legal union.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreInterfaith marriage A union between spouses of different faiths, navigating legal and religious boundaries across the world.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇬🇳 GuineaPolygamy in Guinea A polygynous marriage structure regulated by Guinean family law since 2019.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal 🇦🇫 Kabul, AfghanistanPolygamy in Afghanistan The practice of Afghan men taking multiple wives under Islamic and civil law.Family role · Engagement and betrothal 🇷🇼 RwandaPolygamy in Rwanda The traditional practice of men having multiple wives, now illegal but still found in rural areas.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal 🇿🇦 South AfricaPolygamy in South Africa The practice of men marrying more than one wife under customary and Islamic law in South Africa.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇧🇩 BangladeshPolygamy in Bangladesh The practice of men taking multiple wives, regulated by different laws for Muslims and Hindus.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal 🇬🇭 GhanaPolygamy in Ghana A practice where a man has multiple wives, recognized under customary law but illegal under civil statutes.Family role · Engagement and betrothal 🇾🇪 YemenPolygamy in Yemen A legal practice allowing Muslim men to marry up to four wives under specific conditions.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal 🇵🇰 Lahore, Pakistan and 1 morePolygamy in Pakistan The legal allowance for Muslim men to have up to four wives under Pakistani law.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇰🇪 KenyaRecognition of same-sex unions in Kenya The legal ban on gay marriage alongside traditional female-to-female unions that persist in some communities.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia and 2 morePolygamy in Saudi Arabia A legal marriage structure allowing a man to have up to four wives under Islamic law.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇩 IndonesiaPolygamy in Indonesia The legal and customary practice of men having multiple wives across Indonesian faiths and communities.Family role · Engagement and betrothal 🇲🇻 MaldivesPolygamy in the Maldives The legal practice allowing men to marry multiple wives under strict financial conditions.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal 🇺🇿 UzbekistanPolygamy in Uzbekistan The practice of men taking multiple wives in a country where the law strictly forbids it.Modern · Engagement and betrothal 🇿🇲 ZambiaPolygamy in Zambia A legal form of marriage allowing one man to have multiple wives under customary law.Family role · Engagement and betrothal 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia and 5 moreCousin marriage in the Middle East A traditional practice of marrying close relatives, especially paternal cousins, across Middle Eastern communities.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇳🇬 Kano, NigeriaPolygamy in Nigeria A marital practice where men take multiple wives, legally recognized in twelve northern states under Sharia law.Family role · Engagement and betrothal 🇺🇬 Uganda and 3 morePolygamy in Uganda The legal practice of a man having multiple wives simultaneously in Uganda and neighboring nations.Family role · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 India and 3 moreInter-caste marriage A union between people of different castes, often contested in South Asia.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

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The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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