Muslim Matrimony

All Muslim marriages including Pakistani matrimony process is governed under the Islamic law. The Islamic institution of marriage has three main processes which unite a man and woman. These processes are the Nikah, rukhsati and Walima according to the Quranic injunctions. This whole process does not include any engagement ceremonies which are found in other religions and cultures. The unification of a man and woman is Islam is comparatively a short process.
Nikah
It is a very short function which would bring together the woman and the man legally. The presence of an Imam and two witnesses is essential for this ceremony. It is sanctified when the Imam delivers the khutbah sermon. The man is required to sign a legal contract after accepting the dowry of the bride. Although, it is a short procedure but this is the most important for binding the man and the woman.
Rukhssati
It is the next process after the Nikah in which the groom and the bride are required to live together. This process is also known as Rukhsati in Pakistan and India. This is relatively more lavish than the first one and both sides spend huge amounts of money. Although, the basic process is essentially small but a lot of glamour and spending make it a large affair. In this function the groom comes to the bride home with his immediate and extended family to take the bride with him to the new house. Bride leaves her parents for good and goes to stay with her husband. This is how a new family emerges.
Walima
It is the last function in the Muslim marriage according to the Islamic law. In Islamic culture, there is a two days’ gap between rukhsati and Walima function. It is an official announcement in favor of the groom and bride and it is in the form of a feast. Lunch or dinner is given and all the friends and families are invited to let them know about the matrimony. It consists of large gatherings which belong to both sides. At the Walima/reception function, the food is served and gifts are exchanged. It is a time of celebration and festivity.
In Pakistan Punjab, marriage functions have not ended here after walima even. It extends to another day where the bride returns to her mother home and her mother side relatives arrange some customs to celebrate her return at home for one day. She meets her relatives and takes the blessings and good omens with positive vibes from relatives and then goes back with her groom to her in-laws. The initial days of marriage seem like days of heaven. They fly away with the passage of time. The more the relationship gets older the more it gets stronger.
Muslim matrimonial style and cultural matrimonial styles are different. In Pakistan the base of wedding is on Muslim way but the functions and traditions that are followed are always belong to culture.
Although all of these processes were revealed hundreds of years ago in the Quran but these are still performed in Pakistani matrimony and other Islamic countries.