Nikah The Qadi led the assembly in the declaration of faith: “There is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His servant and messenger." He smiled softly at us at the conclusion, and gently began to quote from the Quran. “O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from this pair scattered, like seeds, countless men and women. Reverence Allah, through Whom you demand your mutual rights, and reverence the wombs that bore you; for Allah ever watches over you.” “In this as in all things, ‘Allah should not be disobeyed; He should be always mentioned and should not be forgotten and He should be thanked and ingratitude should not be shown to Him.’” “For as Imam Hasan Basare said: ‘The pious is the one who abstains from the prohibitions and practices only the good acts.’ And Ali bin Abu Talib said: ‘Taqwa means fearing Allah, practicing according to the Quran and Hadith, being content with little, and preparing for the Day of Judgement.’” “O ye who believe! be not like those who maligned Moses; but Allah cleared of what they said about him. And he had a great position in the sight of Allah. O ye who believe! Fear Allah and say the straightforward word.” He clasped his hands together, and smiled once again before beginning the Hadith: “By Allah! Among all of you I am the most God-fearing, and among you all, I am the supermost to save myself from the wrath of Allah, yet my state is that I observe prayer and sleep too. I observe fast and suspend observing them; I marry woman also. And he who turns away from my Sunnah has no relation with me". “Has the bride a wakeel, and does he give of her freely?” “I am her wakeel, and I have accepted his dowry.” The Qadi turned to me and asked, “Have you the Mahr?” I produced from my pocket an apple as gold as the sun and, on bended knee, gave it to my bride. “Today, and all the days that we live.” She bit into the ripe fruit in my hand, and as its juices splashed into her throat the sphere dropped to the floor. Her witness picked it up and put it away. “The nikah is a strong covenant; have either of you any words to add?” His eyes moved from me to my bride, and lingered there. She looked to me, and I nodded. “Meh-eh-eh-eh,” she ululated. “Very well,” he smiled. “Do we have an agreement?” “Ijab.” “And what say you?” She licked her lips, and my heart paused in its work; she battered her eyes and finally mewled, “Meh-eh-eh-eh-eh.” The Qadi smiled broader, and addressed the assembly; “I believe we can consider that a proper 'qubul.' Now if you would all join me in a dua, for the groom, his bride, and their community.” “The khutba-tun-nikah is an ibadah, and it is fitting that we and the entire Ummah should share in it, to solemnize the nikah as Allah wishes. The Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wasallam, said, ‘the best wedding is that upon which the least trouble and expense is bestowed.’” “The walima will follow,” I silently thanked Allah that he did not mention our sinful zina that brought us before the assembly with such haste. “And remember, the Prophet, sallalahu alayhi wasallam, remarked, ‘he who refuses to accept an invitation to a marriage feast, verily disobeys Allah and His Prophet,’ and ‘the worst of the feasts are those marriage feasts to which the rich are invited and the poor are left out.’” “We are pleased to welcome the two of you wholly into the Ummah, as the unmarried man has performed only half his duties to Allah. Now you may kiss your goat.”