As salaamu'alaikum waRahmatullah waBarakaatuhu
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
The Islamic Marriage Ceremony
Lets look at the basics.
The nikah is a simple ceremony in which a man and woman declare their commitment to each other as husband and wife. It is a "contract" to which both must agree and it is considered an act of worship (ibadah).
In the very simplest form of the ceremony:
There is the Al-Ijab wal-Qubul (offer and acceptance) only, where the Wali (woman’s guardian in marriage) offers the bride to the groom, who then accepts.
One matrimonial party expresses 'ijab' willing consent to enter into marriage and the other party expresses 'qubul' acceptance of the responsibility in the assembly of marriage ceremony.
(The Wali may say:
“I give you my daughter/the girl in my guardianship in marriage in accordance to the Islamic Shari'ah in the presence of the witnesses here with the dowry agreed upon. And Allah is our best witness.”)
The husband-to-be replies with:
“I accept marrying your daughter/in your guard giving her name to myself in accordance to the Islamic Shari'ah and in the presence of the witnesses here with the dowry agreed upon. And Allah is our best witness.”
The ceremony is then complete! Yes, over in just a few minutes!
May Allah(SWT) grant us a long life to witness the day we complete half of our deen
Ameen Ya Rabbal 'Alamin
As salaamu'alaikum waRahmatullah waBarakaatuhu
