From the United States to the Middle East to South Asia, Islam
stretches across a diverse terrain of politics and culture with
followers and practices as varied as the countries from which
they hail. Marriage in Islam is viewed as a religious
obligation, a contract between the couple and Allah. The only
requirement for Muslim weddings is the signing of a marriage
contract. Marriage traditions differ depending on culture,
Islamic sect, and observance of gender separation rules. Most
marriages are not held in mosques, and men and women remain
separate during the ceremony and reception. Since Islam
sanctions no official clergy, any Muslim who understands Islamic
tradition can officiate a wedding. If you are having your
wedding in a mosque, many have marriage officers, called qazi ,
who can oversee the marriage. The marriage contract includes a
meher -- a formal statement specifying the monetary amount the
groom will give the bride. There are two parts to the meher: a
prompt due before the marriage is consummated