Muslim Marriages

Muslim Marriage: (Nikkah)

All Muslims are governed by Islamic law for marriages and divorce Nikkah is a contract between a man and a woman. Essentials of a Muslim marriage are:

(a) The person must have attained puberty before marriage.
(b) There must be a proposal and acceptance in the presence of two witnesses and the proposal and acceptance should be in same meeting. If the contract takes place before these witnesses that should suffice. There need be no written contract. There is no need for religious ceremonies and injunctions. The nikkah can be held before a Kazi (Muslim priest).
(c) Marriage should not be between close relations.
(d) A Muslim man can marry and take four wives while the woman cannot have more than one husband at the same time.

Shia Muslim law has two types of marriages - one is Nikkah and the other is known as Muta marriage. This marriage is for a specific period (short or long) and at the expiry of that period the marriage stands dissolved. All wives were legally wed wives in Muslim law.