Marriage in Islam is an important religious ritual. The divine religion orders its followers to enter into marriage after attaining adulthood. It is more important to vow a marriage for a Muslim as Islam strictly opposes the state of celibacy. Vowing a marriage is a Sunnah (action that bears the Prophets recommendation). Quran, the words of God, has also endorsed marriage. There are several verses in the holy book that exhort Muslims who are single to marry.

Unlike the marriage rituals which are found in other religions, Islamic marriage is basically a contract. In Islam, all the actions as well as transactions have religious implications. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to term the marriage contract as a secular contract. If you want to give a term to an Islamic marriage, you can call it a Devine Institution.

An Islamic marriage can be valid only if it fulfills certain conditions. These conditions are mentioned below.

• It should involve a clean-cut proposal
• It should involve clear-cut acceptance
• It should involve at least two grown-up witnesses

One important aspect of Islamic marriage is that it underlines certain categories of relationships which cannot be changed into married partners through marriage avowal. If people with these relationships become spouse, the marriage would stay nullified. These categories of relationships include:

• Father’s wife (widowed or divorced)
• Mother and grandmother
• Sisters (both step sisters and half sisters)
• Daughter of one’s own brother
• Daughter of one’s own sister
• Paternal aunt
• Maternal aunt

Apart from it, Islamic marriage laws also prohibit one to marry with foster aunt, foster sister, foster niece or foster mother who has breastfed him at the time of weaning.

While following sharia marriage Muslim girls and boys have been given the freedom to choose their partners. But they are strictly required to follow the codes and conducts prescribed by the religion while making their choice.