Marriage in Afghanistan

Marriage in AfghanistanShimona KumarBlock #3/NowackyMarch 4. 2013

Basic Information about Muslim Marriage:

Muslim wedding rituals include three main phases Pre-wedding Wedding Post-wedding

Muslim weddings take up to three days Muslims weddings rituals are mainly known for their

inviting and welcoming the guests The venue of the wedding does not have a particular

location “Muslims observe customs in different parts of the

world depending upon their local cultures and traditions” (muslimweddingrituals)

Laws of Afghanistan wedding:

Traditions allow girls to be engaged from the age of 10 or younger. The marriage would happen at the age of 16.

Afghanistan women are not allowed to marry non Muslim men however Afghanistan men are allowed to marry non Muslim women but the marriage will only include the Nikah

Proposal

In Afghanistan, the women consult with the other family members and identify the grooms who could be suitable for the girl

The bride’s father then communicates with the groom’s family about the interest in marriage. If the groom’s family agrees, then a formal proposal is made by the priest to the father of the bride.

After the proposal is accepted, the bride’s family throws a party to symbolize the acceptance (Afghan Marriage Traditions and Prevailing Laws)

Family Obligations

“If the boy has chosen his bride, he informs his family of his interest in marrying a particular girl. If the bride is of the same community, the father of the groom may make enquiries about the girl, her character, beauty and family background. If satisfied, he may send an elderly relative to the girl’s house with a proposal. If the proposal is acceptable to the girl’s parents, the time and date for the announcement of the match and celebration of the engagement is decided. “(Afghan Marriage Traditions and Prevailing Laws)

Pre wedding ritual: Magni

This is the ring exchange ceremony. After the bride and groom exchange rings, they are committed to each other to become life partners (muslimweddingrituals)

Pre wedding ritual: Mehendi

The bride puts turmeric paste to bring out the glow in her complexion and after that the Mehendi is applied. The bride is also not allowed to step out of the house for three days (muslimweddingrituals)

Pre wedding ritual: Mahr

This is where the groom comes in with his “baraat” and his band of musicians to announce the arrival to the place where the marriage is held. The groom drinks sherbet with the bride, relatives, and his friends. The bride’s sisters also plays pranks with the guests in a playfully manner (muslimweddingrituals)

Wedding Rituals

The priest reads some selected verses from the Quran. Here the groom proposes again and the bride gives her consent. This is very important because it orders the marriage to be legal. Then the senor members sit and decide the amount of money they should give to the bride’s family. To legalize the Nikahnama, the signature of the bride and groom is required. A grand dinner is offered after the wedding. Usually the men and women sit separately. After dinner, the newly weds sit next to each other for the first time and an holy Quran is placed between them (muslimweddingrituals)

Post-wedding rituals

The bride bids her family farewell before she leaves to go to her husband’s house. The Quran is held over the new daughter-in-law by the groom’s mother and is welcomed to the new house. On the fourth day after the wedding, the bride visits her house.

Marriage custom:

If a girl impresses a guy then all the guy has to do is either cut off her hair or throw a sheet over her and proclaim her his bride. After that, the groom has to make a bargain with the girl’s father before he is allowed to take her home (Marriage Customs Of Afghanistan)

More information: It is very rare to have a divorce in Afghanistan. The word

called Polygamy allows all wives to be treated equally. “The first contacts often are made discreetly by women in

order to avoid a public refusal. Then the two families negotiate the financial aspects of the union and decide on the trousseau, the bride price, and the dowry. The next step is the official engagement, during which female relatives of the groom bring gifts to the home of the bride and sweets are consumed. The wedding is a three-day party paid for by the groom's family during which the marriage contract is signed and the couple is brought together. The bride is then brought to her new home in a lavish procession.” (Afghanistan)

This is where the priest reads out paragraphs from the Quran and the red sheet symbolizes the uniting of the groom and bride

This is when the turmeric paste is put on the bride’s skin to make her skin glow.

This is the contact that is signed between the groom and the bride to legalize their marriage.

Works cited:

"Muslim Wedding Rituals." Muslim Wedding Rituals. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013.

"Afghan Marriage Traditions and Prevailing Laws." Afghan Marriage Traditions. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013.

"Marriage Customs Of Afghanistan." Marriage Customs Of Afghanistan. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013.

"Countries and Their Cultures." Culture of Afghanistan. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013.