Observing a Muslim couple tie the knot, you'll find that their union involves a multitude of unique traditions and rituals. These practices serve to deepen the bond between the couple prior to the day of their actual marriage ceremony.
The first ceremony is Istikhara where religious figures seek the blessing of Allah for the marriage. After the approval, a Maulvi will perform the wedding.
Manjha
During an Indian Muslim wedding, the Manjha is an important pre-wedding ritual that entails decorating the bride’s hands and feet with henna. This ancient marriage ritual is equivalent to the Hindu haldi tradition and is enjoyed with the bride’s closest female relatives a few days before the wedding.
The groom’s family will visit the bride’s house and handpick an outfit that she would wear on the day of Nikah, along with lavish gifts to add to her beauty. This process is called Sanchaq among the followers of Islamic religion.
After the Manjha ceremony, the bride and the groom are not supposed to leave their respective houses until the wedding. This is a custom that’s followed in most Muslim weddings.
Another common pre-wedding ritual is the Mehndi, which is a dark, plant-based dye that’s used to decorate the bride’s hands and feet. This tradition is celebrated a few days before the Nikah and includes the bride’s bridal party as well as her close female relatives.
Chinese manjha is also a popular choice, but it isn’t without its risks. This synthetic string is a strong conductor of electricity and often gets caught on electric poles, which is dangerous for both humans and birds. In fact, reports show that crows, mynahs and kites have been killed by this string. In India, fire departments and NGOs receive calls to rescue birds every year that get caught in it.
Salatul Ishtikara
Salatul Istikara is a very important ritual that takes place in a Muslim wedding. It is a prayer that seeks Allah's guidance in all matters, whether they are big or small.
In this ritual, a Maulvi (Islamic religious head) sits down between the bride and groom and asks them three times "Qubool Hain?" which means "Do you give your consent". Once the women answer this, they are then separated from each other.
The Maulvi will then recite some Quranic verses for the couple, and will also recite a special prayer to ask Allah to approve their marriage. After this, the Maulvi will sign a contract that outlines all the responsibilities that both the bride and groom are expected to fulfill during their lives as a married couple.
There are many other rituals that go on during a wedding in Islam. One of the most important ones is the Mehar ceremony which is a dowry that is offered by the groom to his family. This dowry is typically money but can also be property, jewels, and other items that are valuable.
The Mehar is a symbol of the groom's love and commitment to his future wife. It is also a contract that he makes to her for the rest of his life. It is a very important ritual that is performed in all Muslim weddings. It is a sign that the groom will always take care of his wife and make her happy.
Mangni
The Mangni is one of the most important pre-wedding rituals performed in a Muslim wedding. It is a ceremony that brings together the bride and groom's family members to celebrate their engagement before the marriage takes place.
At the Mangni, the bride and groom exchange rings. This is a symbol of their commitment to each other and represents the beginning of their lifelong journey together. The bride and groom are then surrounded by their families who shower them with gifts, sweets, and dry fruits.
Another significant part of the Mangni is the chunni or scarf. A chunni is a family heirloom that has been passed down from one generation to the next. The groom's sister places this around his neck and holds it open for the bride's family to present him with gifts.
Traditionally, the bride and groom are dressed in traditional attire, such as saris or lehengas. The bridal party also wears ornamental jewelry that is worn on their ring fingers and wrists to add more glamour to the occasion.
Henna (mehndi) is applied to the hands and feet of the bride during this ceremony. Henna is a natural cooling agent that can help soothe the skin and ease stress, fever, and headaches.
After the Mehndi is done, the bride and groom get a chance to relax and have fun. They play games and compete with each other in a number of activities. They also get to enjoy a delicious meal.
Haldi
Haldi is a turmeric-based paste made of turmeric powder, water or rose water and sandalwood. It is applied over the bride and groom’s body in a special ceremony on the morning of their wedding.
It is also an important pre-wedding ritual, which takes place a day or two before the actual Nikah ceremony. This involves a mixture of turmeric, water and sandalwood paste being applied over the bride’s face, hands and feet. This is a practice that makes the bride’s skin glow and is a way of wishing her good health as she enters her new life.
The wedding hand is an important symbol of the Muslim marriage and has a very special significance. It is believed that the wedding hand holds a person’s future in its palm and protects them from danger. It also gives a person strength and is considered an important part of any Muslim wedding.
Traditionally, the bride and groom’s families would approach a religious figure (Maulvi) at the local mosque to perform certain Islamic prayers in order to receive blessings for their union. This is a vital part of every Muslim wedding, as it is a chance for the family to check that the marriage will be a good fit.
The Nikah is the religious wedding ceremony where the couple are formally sworn to be husband and wife, accompanied by two witnesses from each family. The Maulvi then recite some verses from the Quran before asking the bride and groom to consent to the marriage by saying 'Qubool Hai' (I accept) three times in a row.
Walimah
The walimah, or marriage banquet, is the second traditional part of an Islamic wedding. It is usually held to celebrate a couple’s wedding, but it can also be used to mark the birth of a newborn or the purchase of a new home.
The first part of the wedding is the nikah or wedding ceremony, which is conducted by an Iman or maulvi. Men and women are seated with the groom and bride separated by a curtain and the Maulvi recites verses from the Quran.
After the nikah, the family comes together to host the walimah or marriage banquet. This is often a lavish affair, with dinner, music, dance and lots of fun!
Before the walimah, the bride is smeared with turmeric paste by all of her female relatives to give her a bridal glow. This is the equivalent of a Hindu Haldi function.
Another important pre-wedding ritual, the Salatul Ishtikara marks the official notification of the marriage in the community. It involves a prayer that seeks Allah’s permission and blessing for the new couple.
The bride is then presented with a dowry, or “Mehr” as it is called in Islamic culture, which the groom’s family agreed to pay for her wedding. This is an outdated practice, but it remains a necessary part of the Muslim wedding.
Chauthi
Chauthi is one of the most beautiful Muslim wedding hand rituals. It takes place a few days after the nikah ceremony and marks the conclusion of all the formal Muslim wedding ceremonies between the two families.
In this event, the bride is greeted by her mother-in-law with a huge welcome and a lot of gifts. She is given a daala of clothes and accessories for her marriage and she is also given a Shahana Joda that she will wear on the wedding day.
This is a very special and unique hand ritual for the bride in Muslim weddings as it symbolizes her formal acceptance into her new family. She is given a silver coin wrapped in a silk cloth by her mother-in-law and ties it around her hand.
Besides this, the bride's cousins apply henna designs on her hands and feet as well. Traditionally, the groom's initials are also included within the henna designs which he is supposed to recognize on their first night together.
Another interesting and unique islamic wedding hand ritual is the Sanchaq that is performed by the groom's side of the family. During this ceremony, the bride's future in-laws visit her home bearing gifts that include sweets, a bridal outfit, accessories and jewelry.
A few days before the Nikah ceremony, a bride is dressed up in yellow finery and a paste of haldi, sandalwood and rose water is applied to her face, hands and feet. This is a fun and exciting event where all the women on her side of the family take turns in applying this paste to her. This is a very unique and memorable islamic wedding hand ritual that Indian Muslims follow.
