Getting Married According to the Sunnah

Zeinab  Al-`Alawani, Instructor of Fiqh and Islamic Studies, Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences, states the following: “1. It is not a requirement that the nikah is performed in the mosque; it can be done in any place as long as it meets the conditions of marriage.
2. It is the sunnah to do waleemah for marriage and stop such culture of not inviting the poor. We need to start to build another tradition of inviting the poor and the needy before we think about the rich. You can give sadaqah any time if you think those poor people need more, but it is very important to invite them to share you the wedding ceremony and eat from the waleemah.
3. There is nothing wrong with women beating drums of having some people do them and singing on the wedding day. What matters is that they don’t do anything against the teachings of Islam. Make sure that no mixed dancing happens, and no vulgar songs or music is played.
4. Dowry is a condition of nikah; it is the husband’s gift for his wife.
5. Gently approach your parents and tell them politely about the teachings of Islam, but first and foremost you are to follow what Allah Almighty has dictated as no body is to be obeyed at the expense of disobeying Allah.
6. There is nothing wrong with giving a diamond ring for finance as long as he can afford it and it won’t put him in big debt after marriage. If it is part of the agreement, he should fulfill his promise unless it is beyond his means.”