9-16-78

MARRIAGE CEREMONY
The Honorable Wallace Deen Muhammad
Chicago, IL

(To be used as the Standard Marriage Khutbah)

The marriage of  name(s) of couple(s) given and it is agreed that we give one sermon called khutbah in Arabic.  And khutbah really doesn't mean sermon in Arabic, khutbah means just a speech or lecture. I always make a point of putting emphasis on direction - Islamic direction for couples, for man and woman or, husband and wife. And we have selected here some verses from the Qur'an that are reported to be traditional verses, that is verses that were used by Prophet Muhammad when he was on earth with us 1400 years ago in his wedding khutbah - wedding sermons - we can use that word.

We begin with Opening Prayer, The Standard Prayer in Al-Islam called A--Fatiha - The Opening.  So we all join me in this Dua , this small prayer. (Al-Fatihah repeated in Arabic)  I'll read the English translation as given by Maulana Abdullah, the translation of that prayer we just recited ( Al-Fahtiha repeated in English).

"Oh humanity reverence your Guardian Lord Who created you from a single being; created of like nature its mate and from them scattered 

like seeds countless mm and women.  And reverence God through Whom you demand your mutual rights.  And reference the wombs that bore you, for God ever watches over you."  In this verse our attention is called to the beginning of society or the beginning of the human social order or civilization, we might say.  We read this verse to show the
meaning and great value of marriage - the institution of marriage to a society.  In religion, we see the whole world beginning from the union of man and woman called Adam and Eve in Christian Theology and most of the theology - "Adam and Eve".

Just as the world  was made from such union, our own private worlds are made from such unions and we need God's Guidance as did Adam and Eve.  If we observe Divine law in our own lives, then we have a great saving source for all of our relationships.  And there
is no relationship more precious, more valuable to society than the relationship of husband and wife.

All of these verses that I'm going to read begin with the same cautioning words: "Oh humanity, or Oh believer, reverence God". Reverence in the religion, in our religion is the same as it is in other religions , but I feel it needs just a word of explanation, because
we use it so generally -- the word , term "reverence", we use it so broadly.  The word in Arabic is "ith-taqam" and this word means a love, a respect, a spirit of gratitude, fear, and a belief that God deserves obedience from me.  All of that is included in this word -  reverence and the spirit, the love, the appreciation for  the graces, the goodness of God and a respect that demands that I obey God first. All of this is this word,  "ith-taqam"  and is translated as reverence here.  Sometimes it is translated as "fear God."

And it's translated here , he says as reverence God.  The word is very rich in meaning and that's why I felt that it needed some quick or very brief explanation.

I turn now to the second of these verses that we have selected. "Oh you who have faith, fear God as He should be feared and die not except in a state of A1-Is lam."  The very same word is used here - "ith-taqum," but here the translator translated this word as "fear," rather than reverence.  And I guess it is because people fear death. Here it says "fear God as He should be feared and die except in a state of Al-Islam."  The first verse reminds us of the great social value for the human society in the institution of marriage, that the institution of marriage holds for us and that two people can make a paradise or a hell for themselves.  And in this verse, we have God reminding us that our religion, the Guidance of God, is a saving source for us.  "Die not unless in a state of Al-Islam."  
Remember our ancestry, remember that two people can make paradise or hell for them-
selves) and remember that God revealed to man, when he makes mistakes, God revealed to man Divine Guidance.  And that we have become Muslims because of God's Divine Guidance, and our religion is salvation for us.

I turn now to the last of these traditional verses.  And this verse also begins by asking us to "reverence God" - "ith-taqu-allah". "Oh you who believe, fear God.  And always say a word directed to the right."  Here he chose to use the term "fear," the English word fear
for "ith-taqum." "And always say a word directed to the right."  The Arabic expression is "kaulin saudidah." "Kaulin saudidah" means a word that goes straight and boldly to the point.  Why are we including this in this khutbah , in this speech or wedding sermon?  It is because most of the problems that we have in our relationships, whether  it be a business relationship or a sacred one as this marriage, no matter what it is.  Most of the problems for human beings is the fear to speak an open and straight word. We like to go around the bush or we like to hide some of the information.  And God is telling us that this makes for a lot of trouble.  

The best way and especially in a relationship that is so close - no relationship is closer than the relationship of man and his woman or husband and wife.  No relationship is closer than that husband and wife.  Sometimes  we think of relationship with our children being closer than the relationship with each other, but that's not so.  No parent can be as close to the child as husband and wife are to each other. The husband and wife are so close that really God speaks of us as one.  Allah in the Qur'an, He says that you are the halves of each other.  You are the halves of each other, which means that we are not whole.  I'm half a unit, and you're half, and only together do we become a complete unit.  Says you are the halves of each other.  And I believe that's what we are saying in English, when we say mate -"my mate." Mate of the half, it takes two to make the mate, to complete it.  So I believe we are saying the same thing.  

God says in the Qur'an that we are the halves of each other.  Well, how can such relationship allow secrecy?  No secrecy .- there should never be secrecy between husband and wife. The success is to keep things open between you, never to allow any secrecy.  The first secret - the first damage to that relationship.  The one that the secret is kept from knows nothing about the secret, but it starts doing something to the one who is holding the secret. And pretty soon, it effects the one that the secret is kept from.  So God says speak a word directed straight to the point, don't go around the bush and don't hide anything from each other.

"And always say a word directed to the point and to the right that God may make your conduct whole and sound and forgive your sins." Here God tells us that He will make our conduct whole and sound for us. And He says that He will forgive us our sins.  God is telling us that we can be free of problems, but not without His help. And God is telling us that we are human beings, we are going to make mistakes.  They might be minor sins, but we are going to make mistakes .  So we have to forgive each other, and the best forgiveness is the forgiveness that we seek from God.  And He in the One to turn to first for forgiveness. Says, "He that obeys God and His Apostle..." How do we obey God's
Apostle?  God's Apostle was here 1400 years ago; he's not here now. He's been gone for over thirteen centuries.  How do we obey God's Apostle?  The Speech of God's Apostle, that he got from God is this Book.  Here is his whole Speech; here is what he said in his lifetime. So we follow the Guidance of this Book, we can't go astray.  The one who follows - the Muslim who follows the Qur'an, the Quranic teachings, he is following the Prophet Muhammad.  If he obeys this teaching out of love, real reverence for God, then he is obeying God and His Apostle.

For a word on the role of man and woman in Al-Islam - I feel it very much necessary in Western Society, because so much has been said about Christians and about Muslims that have really uglied up things, that have made things very ugly for all of us.  During the Crusades, it was centuries of fighting between Muslims and Christians.  And Muslims said the worst things about Christians, and Christians said the worst things about Muslims.  And I think we suffered the most; maybe because they had better propaganda machines - I don't know. But we suffered the most.

In Al-Islam, God said regarding the intelligence of the human being and the spirituality of the human being and human morals, or morality - God says there is no difference between the male and the female, that both have the same nature, the same human nature and both have the same human excellence - spiritual equality, intellectual equality, and moral equality.

And God-says that men have been given a degree of superiority over women, in that they have accumulated great wealth and they have powerful physique.  Now, I usually warn the frail man that if he's frail, and his woman has the powerful physique, just give up that degree of superiority; let her have it to avoid problems.  Just give her that; God says you have it but if some kind of way you didn't get it, don't claim what you don't have.  Now the other part of that degree of superiority is the accumulation of great wealth.  We know that if you give the woman equal chance with a man to do a physical job, in time the woman will equal the man.  There will be no difference - in time!  If you don't believe it, look at some of these mail carriers; go to the Post Office and look at some of these women who have been carrying mail now for the last twelve months or so.  

They have already started to develop ugly muscles.  I saw one look like a balloon filled with water - You ever try to fill a balloon with water? All the water goes down in the bottom, you know well, that's how she was shaped.  From her hips up, from the bottom up - just like a balloon filled with water.  Every... (missing lines)... man drives a bus or drive a truck, those trailers - semis for a long time - shaking up and down and sitting .all the time and eating. Pretty soon he just spreads out right at the seat level.  And I see
all these nice looking women all messed up like that. And I wonder if God didn't design this thing the right way, you know!  I don't like to sec the women doing jobs like that.  In
Al-Islam, the man is the maintainer of the woman.  God says the man is the maintainer of the woman.  The man must maintain the woman. Livelihood - that burden is on him.  

If the woman earns good money or happens to be rich, if she wants to give her husband something - that's her privilege.  But the husband has no right in Al-Islam to demand a nickel of his wife.  The only way he can demand her of something is that if she has been guilty of a horrible act, broke the agreement of the contract and he has given her money.  Then he can take the money back that he gave.  But he can't take a penny from her.  He can only take what he gave.  I'm not talking about what he gave in terms of buildings, the house, and other duties - no.  When Muslims marry, there is a dowry given,  and here in the United States a dowry is give according to your means. . So we accept a ring as a dowry, unless someone has a bigger gift for the wife.  Sometimes we had a brother who
had to be wealthy, he must have been because I know I couldn't give my wife - he pledge I think $5000 dowry or $10,000 - something like that.  

It was a big amount of money; so much I forgot about it right after he said it.  I don't like to think about money like that.  We can't afford that; we accept the ring.  The ring is a good dowry.  In fact, in this society, I think we give more in America; we give more than they normally give -in other societies, because we have ore. We have more material wealth than most countries.  The man can only ask for the dowry back, and God says, "It is better for you to be kind and to give up that right."  But you have it; you could take the dowry back.  But even if she does wrong, it's best for you to just give it up. That   would   be a good act, Man Act of Goodness" God says.

So  here   we   see   the   spirit   of   Al-Islam   regarding   the   relationship of man and wife - in Al-Islam no superiority except the superiority that history and physiology have given us.  History has given us wealth and power, political power.  But God wants to break this;  when Prophet Muhammad came, what did He say to Prophet Muhammad?  He told Prophet Muhammad - God revealed to Prophet Muhammad that the woman has the right to inherit the wealth, and the woman has the right to engage in business.  So immediately women were encouraged to go in business. And they were given their rights of inheritance; they could inherit wealth from their parents.  And also they were given the right to criticize their political leaders, their government officials.  So right away they were given the voice, the political voice, the voting power political voice.

So this tells us, no matter what has happened to the world - maybe the world as Allah says in the Qur'an, that this revelation has been given to teach the believers, the faithful, and it has been given to give clear explanation to the learned people.  Now remember, this was in ignorant society; the Qur'an was revealed to a people who were called 
"jahaliyah."  "Jaha1iyah" means ignorant people; the whole Arabia was called "jahaliyah" - ignorant. people.  They had no culture no great culture,  They had no significant contribution to civilization.

...says in this Book that "this Book is teaching to the faithful and clear explanations for the learned people." If the Islamic world had not come to what God invited us to come to, should we look at the Islamic  world  and   say   because   the  woman   is   not   respected   in   India, because   she   is   held   back   in   Nigeria,   or   in   Ghana   or   in   Sierre   Leon  or in   the   Sudan,   that   that's   what   Al-Islam   is   -   that's   what   the   woman   is in   Al-Islam?     No,   God  never   said   to   go   to   the   Sudan   to   follow   this Book.      God   said   "follow   this   Book."      If   the   Book   is   advanced   and   the society   is   backwards,   let   us   not   make   this   a   reflection   on   the   Book; it   is   a   reflection   on  the   people.      They   have   not   kept   their   responsibility.      In   the   days   of   Prophet   Muhammad,   the   society   was   ripping   and running. They became   the   bearers,   the   torch bearers   of   education,   of learning,      not only   for   the   ignorant Arabs  but   for   Europe;   the   Renaissance  was  kicked   off  by   this   Prophet  who   was   inspired   by   God.

Yes,  so   I   advise   you   to   come   into   the   real   understanding   of   the role   of   male   and   female   and    live  Al-Islam   as   it   should  be   lived   and let   us   be examples   in   America   to  those  other   communities   in   the  world that   failed   to  keep  up   with   the   advanced   teachings   of   Al-Islam.    

Lastly, I'll refer to a word in the Qur'an that's intended to get us to reflect on our basic or fundamental nature. God says He has made the woman and the man, He has made us of water and clay "ma-wa-tin"   -   water   and   clay.      Water   is   a   symbolic   term;   it    tells us that   the   human   being  by   nature,    that   God  has   put    in   our   nature
to   want   peace,    and    to  want   to   contribute   to   the   growth   of   things. This   is   very   important.      The   term   water   is   so   rich   in   the   language of   social development  -   so   rich!  It would   take   hours   to   really

You shake water up, leave it alone - it settles.  You throw it out in rough places, it's going to find rest.  It seeks peace, and you have heard the expression, "lead me by the still waters" or "peaceful waters."  So God is telling us we want peace.  So, we have to struggle to preserve peace in the lives of each other.  Make an effort always to keep peace in the lives of each other!  Each one must struggle to keep that peace in the life of the other.

And God has said also that He has made us "clay," clinging clay. What's the difference? Water needs a container. You have to put water in a container. If you don't put it in a container, it's going to find something to hold it. It will rip and run and seek its freedom, until it's caught again.  It needs some discipline; it needs a container. But the clay, we can put it into form and leave it  fix its form and leave   it.      It   will   keep   that    form   until   something   stronger   comes    again it   and   breaks   it.      It   will   hold   its   form.      Allah   says   that   all   life had   its   beginning   in   water.      Scientifically   speaking   this is correct. But   spiritually   speaking,    it   means   that   all    life   first   wants   peace;    it loving,   it   wants   peace.      It   doesn't   want   war;    it   wants   peace.

God   then   raised   the   level   of  human   life   to   intelligent    level, where   the   human   being   doesn't have to be contained by the strict laws of   the    religious   order.      We   don't    have   to   be   constantly    told   "lower your dress;   wear   a   more   decent   dress.      Don't   drink   liquor."     We   come   to   a point   where   we   are   able   to   understand   with   our   own   human   intelligence that   what    God   has   ordered    is   good for us. And we don't have to hear the law; we don't have to hear it daily; we don't have to hear it weekly; we don't have to hear it monthly. We can do on not ever hearing it.

And we know the good form for us.  We can go on not even hearing it, we will keep our form as God wants it.  So we have become at that point like clay.  We don't have to be held with the grip of a container; we can be to ourselves and yet hold our form.  So God wants us to have an intelligent understanding of our nature and the form that that nature
should take to make for a healthy family life  and a healthy society. And He wants us to use the intelligence, not to be pricked by the law, but to use the intelligence and to hold your shape because you want to keep it yourself - because you see that it is best for you and you like this for yourself.

God says to Prophet Muhammad in reply to the Jewish people who put the importance a lot of importance on man being made from clay. God   says,    "Yes,   and He   has   made   the   man   from   sounding   clay   -   sounding clay."      Clay   holds   its   shape,   but   clay   also   gives   off   sound.      The fresh   clay,   when  you hit   it,   it   gives   off   no   sound.      But    the   clay that   has   been   made   into   the    form by   the   potter,   when   you   hit   it,    it has   a   ringing sound.      It   gives   a   sound.      So   what   is   God telling   us here?     That   God  hasn't   only   made   us   to   use  our   intelligence   to  keep us   morally   disciplined,   but   He  has   given  us   the   intelligence   to   express ourselves.     We   are   able   to   respond.      So human beings,    they   must   be
responsive.      

When   you   are   questioned,   you   should   reply.      When   your   rights are   hurt,   you   should   speak   out.      And   when  you   are   questioned   concerning your   infringement   upon  someone's   rights,   you   should   reply   -   you   should answer.      So  expression   -   lastly,    the   human   being   is   blessed   with    expression. And   God has   told    us   that   our   relationship   with   each   other,    we
have   been   able   to   maintain   good  order  because   we    have   been   blessed   with the   power   of   intelligent expression.

So  we   remember   these   things   that   God has   told us   about   ourselves, and   who   is  best   to   tell   us   about   ourselves   than   God,   who created   us and  knows   all   about   us?     He  has   told   us   that   our   nature   fundamentally   -we   need   peace;   we   have   to  help   preserve   the   peace   of   each   other.      We want   to   rip;   we want   to   run  like  the  water  wants   to   run,   but   we   have  the   nature   to  be  peaceful within the   confines   of   our   religious    discipline.  And   He   has   told   us   that   we   can   even   rise   above   this. We   can come into the knowledge, into the intelligent understanding of why these disciplines are here and how they serve us in the society.  And we don't have to be getting a sermon all the time; we can keep our life disciplined with our own intelligence, with our own self-control and intelligent life.  You see, God is telling us all these great things.  And lastly, I have referred you to the teachings in the Qur'an concerning the relationship, how communication, intelligent communication is needed to preserve good relationships.  So may Allah bless us with better understanding and with more strength to live the best human life and that is the best Muslim life.

They have a saying, especially in the West, that anytime a Muslim wants to divorce his wife, he just says, "I divorce you" three times: "I divorce you.  I divorce you.  I divorce you."  Well, let me tell you something, we know nothing about that ruling or that law.  In fact, in   Al-Islam,   there   is   a period   of   four   months   and   ten   days   that   a   man must   wait   before   even  approaching   another   woman.      No   matter how  bad the   situation   is,   he  wants   to   get   a   divorce   - he  has   to   wait   four months   and   ten   days   before even approaching another woman. Yes, and he has to wait three months after he has expressed the desire for divorce, he has to wait then three months. And if the problem still exists,    he   can   again   express   the    desire.      And    after   he   has   gone through   these   periods   of   waiting,    if   he pronounces   for   a    third   time, then   it   is   final.      That    is   if   the   wife    doesn't  have   counter-charges.
If   the   wife   has    counter-charges,    it   has    to  be   heard   before   a   judge.
But   if   she   is   satisfied   for  him   to    divorce  her   that   way,    it'?   finished
In   America,   you   know   you   can't   do   that,  because   we   are also   advised by   God   to   recognize,    respect   the  law  .of   the   land   that   you   are   in.  So  the   Muslim   that   lives   in   a   land    that's   ruled  by   a   law   other   than Quranic   laws,    if   those   laws   do   not   deny   us   our   religion,    then   we   have to   respect   those   laws   too.

Someone asked   me   about polygamy   -  what   about  polygamy?      I   said no   polygamy   in    the   United   States.      Said,    "how   come;    doesn't   God   tell
me   I   can have   more   than   one   wife?"      I   said   yes.      When   Prophet   Muhammad came,   h e   found men having   as   many   wives   as   they   wanted   to   and   God inspired him   to   limit   it    to   four   wives.      I   said but   you   are    not   reading everything;    God  says   one   is best   for   you,   if   you only   knew.     I   said   if the   country   says   one,   are   they    doing   us   any   wrong?     They   are   forcing us   to   do   the   best.      God  says   one   is   best    for   you,    if   you   only  knew. And   if   America      says   one;   then   America   is   just  bringing  out    the best in   me.      Yes,    regarding   this   particular   problem   -  so   one wife   in America.       

Anyone   wants   two   wives,    if  he   wants   a   second   wife,   he   has to   go   to   a   polygamous    country,   where   he'll have   the   Islamic   protection In   Al-Islam,   there   is   no   marriage   without   witnesses.      There   is   no marriage  unless   it's   open,    public.      There   is   no   marriage   without   a contract   -    formal,     legal     contract ,    agreement   between   the    two   people. And the   contract   is   no   good,   if   it    is   not   registered;    the contract is no good if it's not witnessed by the public. We don't have that kind of   system   for   polygamy.      So   those   who   want   polygamous   marriages,    they have   to   go   to   a   country   that    recognizes polygamy.      And   it?  hard   to find   a   judge  that   will   handle   polygamous   marriages   in   the    Muslin   World today. In   most   of    the   countries,    monogamy   -   one  wife   -   is   the    rule.

And I'm telling you, a poor Bilalian that starts asking for two wives, I think he's cursed by God. He's just cursed by God. we can hardly handle one wife. We have to care for them; God says you have to   treat    them   equally.      You have   to   care    for   them   on   the   same    level. If   I  buy   one   a     Cadillac,    I   have    to   buy   the   other   one   a   Cadillac.  If there   are    four,   I have    to   buy   four   Cadillacs   and   they   can't   be   old Cadillacs,   they have   to be  all  the    same   Cadillacs!      Yes,   and if  I give   one   a   new house,   if her  house makes   the  other   one's  house    look like   its' beneath  her   or   inferior,    then   I   have    to   give    them all the same  house.      How   can   you   do   that?      God  was   putting  before   us   the   impossible,    so   that   we   would   come   to   our   senses   and   give   up   the   idea   of polygamy.      Most   of   the   scholars   in   Al-Islam   throughout   the   Islamic world,    they   say   polygamy   was   allowed just   as   the   remedial   kind   of thing   to   work   on   the   social   problems   that    existed in   Arabia    in   those days   and   in   most   of   the   world   in   those   days.

Many   of    us   don't   know   that   there   are   still    some   Christians   practicing   polygamy.       Yes,    even    today,    so   don't   think    that    it    is    just the   Islamic  world.       See   you   haven't   gotten   the   wind    from   our   propaganda   machine.      It's   the   Christian   world    too.      Just    recently   in   history, the   man   was   limited   to   one  wife.      And   the   church    is  what   did   it   I believe,   but   before   then   it    wasn't.       And   even   now    there   are   some  Christian   Sects    that   believe    in   more   than   one   wife,    and   they   don't have a limit like we do - four - just as many as he can get. But it's not    accepted   in   Christianity   and    it's   not    accepted   in   Al-Islam.

We   pronounce   our   vows   three    times.      Why   do   we   pronounce three   times?      So   that    this   is   buried   deep   in    the   human   fabric,   the soul,    the   total   person,    that    it's   buried real    deep   -   engraved.       This is   the   most    important,    occasion   in   your   whole    life. So   should   we   just    come   up   here   and   think   about     the  cake   and   song   or the   music?      Should   we   just   come   up   here   and   have   a   big   old   beautiful cake   with   all   decorated   icing.      We   want   to   know   the   goodies,   where   is the   essence?       Let's talk about the essence, later on we'll have the icing. You   see," so you   begin   with    the   most    important   things    and    then take   care   of   the   superficial    things.      The  most   important   things   is   what we   are   doing   here.      

We   are   beginning   a    life   together   that   God   called one   life -   He   calls   it   one   life.      And   from   it   will    come,    if   God blesses   us    from   this   union   will   come    new   lives.      Personalities,   total human   beings   will   come    from   this-union.!      What    is   more important   than this   particular   occasion?      Nothing   -    nothing!      The   soundness,   the   health the   peace   of   the   whole   civilization,    of   the   nation   rest    upon    this particular   institution   right   here   -   marriage.   If   it's   preserved,    if it's   kept   right,   believe me   government,    churches,   the    religion, everything   will be   better.     The  whole   world   is   in   a  bad   shape,   because  we treat   this   occasion   here    like   it's   fun.      This   is   no   fun;    this    is    the most   serious   matter   in   your   whole   life.

We   pronounce    the   vows    three    times    -    it has   the   benefit    of engraving the particular evening deeper into you and it also speaks symbolically to our religious knowledge. For the human being is a creature that evolves a long three stages of development. And we are being united in our flesh, and we are being united in our intelligence - the 

mind, and we   are being   united   in   our spirit.  So   the   union   of   husband and wife   is   no t   just    a   flesh union. It's a total union.  And    the best union,    the   one   that's   going   to last,  out  last   all    the   rest is   the spiritual   union.  Isn't   it; that's   the   spiritual  union.  So now  I ask you to recite your vows.  Are you prepared to take your vows now?  (Couple replies.)

Do you (name of Groom), accept to marry (name of Bride) in accordance with Islamic law and in accordance with the law of the United States of America, and do you accept to be her lawful and faithful husband?' Do you (name of Groom) accept to marry (name of Bride) in accordance with Islamic law and in accordance with the law of the United States of America, and do you accept to be her lawful and faithful husband?  And for the third and final time, do you (name of Groom) , accept to marry (name of Bride) in accordance with Islamic law and in accordance with the law of the United States of America, and do you accept to be her lawful and faithful husband?

Do  you (name of Bride), accept to marry (name of Groom) in accordance with Islamic law and in accordance with the law of the United States of America, and do you accept to be his lawful and faithful wife? Do you (name of Bride) accept to marry (name of
Groom) in accordance with Islamic law and in accordance with the 'law of the United States of America, and do you accept to be his lawful and faithful wife?  And for the third and final time, to you ( name of Bride) accept to marry (name of Croon) in accordance with Islamic law and in accordance with the law of the United States of America, and do you accept to be his lawful and faithful wife?

In Muslim  society,   we   also   ask who is presenting the bride? Usually   it   is the husband   or   a   big  brother.      And   then,   we   ask   is   the bride    coming  of her   own   free  will.      They   used   to   kidnap  women.  Yes, and  in   some   societies   they   still kidnap  women   -   just   take  a   bride.

As   officiating   Imam,   I   pronounce   you husband  and  wife   in   accordance with the   Islamic   law and in  accordance  with the law of  the United   States   of   America,   and   I  wish  you the blessings  of  God goodness   and   every   good.      If  there   is   a  token  or   a   ring,   you may   now   give it  to her.     And I will say   to you (each   couple)    congratulations   and I hope   that  Allah bless  you with   children because we need  children from such   unions.

AS-SALAAM-ALAIKUM

NOTE:      If   there   are   more   than  one   couple,   for   the  next  vows   to  be heard,   have   this   couple   to   move   up   to   the   front  seats.     It   is   preferable   that   the   chairs   of   the  bride   and  groom   are  sat   facing  each other,  with  the  bride   to   the   left  of  the   rostrum  and   the   groom  to the  right  of  the   rostrum.
