What are the steps of marriage in Islam?

[kwolney01]

:)Assalamu Alaykum brothers and sisters.

I need some help understanding the steps and procedures of an Islam marriage. I am a recent convert and I have know a Muslim guy for awhile, I have met his family and everything. We have been thinking about taking the next step and getting married so we do not find ourselves in sinful situations. I am 19 and he is 21 and I know some may say this is too young to get married and that we should wait, but isn't it best to get married as soon as possible? We both do not want to continue to live like we are now we talk to each other on the phone and I know that is bad in itself. We want to make everything legit so we can no longer have to worry about sinning if we are together.

I'd like to know these things:

1. I am a Muslim convert and my father died a very long time ago so I do not have any male family member to be there, so how would I get someone to be a witness?

2. We would prefer to have just the marriage contract signing at a local masjid, so we do not have to stress about money issues being that we are so young. How does the ceremony happen? What goes on during the contract signing? Who should be present?

3. What are the procedures before the actual contract signing? Do we have to get any documents? (We are both from the USA)

Anything else anyone can tell me would be extremely beneficial. If you have any web sites you would like to show me I would be very grateful. I just want to know what steps we can take to get married in an Islamic way.


Thank you and I wish you all the best!!

Jazak Allah Khair

[kwolney01]

No one???

Come on people...someone has to know something??? Please help...........

[Umu 'Isa]

:sl:
Sis, do you have a wali? You will need to get a wali who will act as your guardian during the marriage contract. No marriage is valid unless the bride has a wali. If you don't have one, just ask the sheikh at your local masjid :)

After you get a wali, you will need 2 (male) witnesses. That should be the groom's responsibility to find. It could be his family, for example.

You don't need to be present for the actual marriage, but your wali has to be there. You have to talk to your future spouse about mahr (dowry - whatever you like that is reasonable) before the marriage contract takes place.

Ummm... and your wali will ask if you agree to the marriage and you will say yes and then that is it.

[cute123]

first of all congrats. mashllah may allah make it all easy for you both. and as sis UMM Isa said thats the method to be followed

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[kwolney01]

Okay thank you both so much!!

[Skillganon]

The two witness has to be muslims if I remember correctly. It probably does not matter since it is from the grooms side.

[islamirama]

Wa'alaikum as'salaam

Inshallah get married soon as you can as it is sunnah to marry young and early.

If you are a convert then your wali has to be a Muslim can't be a non-Muslim. You can ask your brother or uncle to be wali if they are Muslims. If not then the local imaam can act as your wali, as that falls under one of his duties as community leader.

You need two witnesses, which won't be hard if you're doing it in a masjid. Procedure wise the imaam asks the groom to be if he accepts this marriage and then he asks the wali if the girl's consent is in yes as well.

A few years back two converts got married in our community. They did it as magreb time. After the salah, friends and family and anyone else there gathered in the community prayer hall. The groom sat next to the imaam and so did the girl (which she doesn't have to). He imaam performed the nikaah right there and then and it was does in 20 minutes. Afterwards there was a small reception at the masjid for everyone to enjoy some sweets and that was all to it. Nothing expensive, simple and sweet.

As for legality issues, you'll have to check with your local district office to register your marriage to be on record or something, if that's something want. You will be married islamically and you can take that marriage contract to city hall if you like and be recognized in US law system as well. It's better to ask the imaam (he may have dealt with this before) or just call up your city hall people and see what they say.