Marriage In Islam – Unveiling The Myth
Very much like our own marriages, Islamic marriages hold two facets of the relationship: the legal aspect, and the spiritual bond between the two.
The utter importance of both practicality and spirituality is very much reflected and the wedding ceremony called nikah. Husband and bride sign an official contract, which enumerates terms and conditions of the future partnership. If bad times arrive in the future, this practical aspect will guarantee the success of the negotiations.
In Arabic, the bride acknowledges that she has made herself a wife and has accepted the mahr. The mahr is a gift that the man offers to the woman to signify the gravity of his intention and love for her. This gift symbolizes his sacrifice to his new bride, and she decides what she is going to do. Learn more and follow the link how to save your marriage
Anything can be a Qur’an, from a poem, to a ring, to a property. After the bradie has been given a mahr, she does with it whatever she wishes, and nor a husband, nor a family can influence her.
The marriage begins after the bride accepted the mahr. In Islamic tradition, the bride is the one who offers herself for marriage, and the groom accepts her or not.
The nikah bonds man and woman in the eyes of law, and makes them allowable before nupitals.
Then on the wedding ceremony a couple makes their vows, and spiritual part of the marriage comes into play. The marriage focuses on relationship between man and woman, and how the complete each other, and it is in every detail influenced by Qur’an.
An interesting change taking place in Islamic marriages is the inevitable Western influence on Muslim culture. In any Islamic relationship, religion comes first and foremost. Deen – means religion in Arabic – and is also the first criteria of choosing a spouse.
However, Muslim youth are now engaging in Western hobbies, movies, activities and culture more than ever. Western media has placed an importance on attractiveness on the minds of young people.
Youth is connected in copletely new ways: they all chat and converse together on facebook, email, chatrooms and so on. Modern couples are less patient and don’t take time to get to know each other and their religious views.
Times when religion was place above looks and common interests are passing, while elder do still try to resist the change and emphasize on traditions. Muslim culture is still evolving fast, and changes continue to comem and it will be interesting to watch them in the near future.
So what is more important than marriage? Maybe it is love? A hidden treasure that couples must reveal on their journey.
It is not desirable (makruh) for a man who possesses no sexual desire at all or who has no love for children or who is sure to be slackened in his religious obligations as a result of marriage.