Celibacy is disapproved, as it may lead to all sorts of psychological and physical tensions and problems. Following traditional Islamic customs, the bride and groom may share a piece of sweet fruit, such as a date.
In her Pakistani culture, Khan explains, marriage becomes a big issue once a girl hits post-college age, and women are often expected to wed within their own ethnicity.
The bride traditionally wears a formal yellow outfit, and, as the name of the ceremony implies, has wet mehendi henna paint applied on her hands that day. Verses from the Koran are read during a short sermon and the couple is officially wed.
However, Muslims who marry without legal registration are putting their womenfolk at some risk, and their children are not legitimate in the eyes of the UK law - and no Muslim should wish to put his wife and children in this difficult position.
Oddly enough, although mosques are obviously places of worship, the majority of them in the UK have not yet been officially registered as such, and so any Islamic wedding that merely takes place at a mosque has to be registered legally with the UK law as well, in order to be seen as valid in the UK.
The Muslim marriage ceremony features gender separation within the mosque. The meher is considered the bride's security and guarantee of freedom within the marriage. The officiant brings the pair together and pronounces them husband and wife. African-AmericansCaucasiansHispanics and others have elements of both local, and Muslim influence.
In relation to this type of marriage, another trait that is considered ideal in Tausug marriage is to wed sons and daughters with first or second cousins, due to the absence of difficulty in negotiating and simplification of land inheritance discussions. Marriage in Islam is viewed as a religious obligation, a contract between the couple and Allah.
As the couple recesses from the ceremony, the bride is showered with coins in celebration. The newlyweds sit on a throne on top of a stage where they meet all the family members from both parties.