The impermissible and forbidden customs of marriage

 

The impermissible and forbidden customs of marriage

 

When we think of marriage, we think of it as a Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  In Islam, marriage also comes under the category of worship.  For this reason, every Muslim fulfils and participates in this Sunnah with much solemnity and religiosity.  Gatherings for marriages and inviting relatives and acquaintances for it has been going on since the era of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) Himself.

 

It is obvious that gathering people but not serving them anything is neither looked upon favorably by the Shariah nor widely accepted by people.  Thus, in gatherings of marriage and the reception (Valima), food is served. 

 

In the terminology of the Shariah, a marriage comprises some things:  Offer and acceptance in the presence of witnesses and performance of the Valima.  To this, some customs were added to enable the families of the bride and the groom to observe each other closely.  Other customs before and after marriage which are practiced by the people, as long as they don’t comprise of anything which is prohibited by the Shariah or which entail taxing people, will be considered as permissible (Mubah).  All those customs which involve indecency, extravagance, etc. of any sort are impermissible and forbidden.  Some of these impermissible things are:

 

The custom of Mehndi

 

This custom involves a lot of indecency.  Young men and women gather at one place and tease and flirt with each other, the outcome of which is even greater sins.  In this custom, the sister of the bride, regardless of her age, applies henna to the finger of the groom.  Two forbidden acts are performed in this custom:

 

1.  A non-Mahram man and woman touching each other.  Those who do this today, should be prepared on the Day of Judgment to grasp embers from the fire of hell as well/

 

2.  It is impermissible and forbidden for a male Muslim to use henna, except as a medicine (when an expert doctor says so).