Traditionally, the bride and groom do not exchange vows. The imam or officiant will often recite a chapter or a couple of verses from the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book, and give a short sermon, or khutba, sometimes about the meaning of marriage, the rights, and responsibilities of the husband and wife or a similar topic.

The Proposal
As with any marriage, someone has to propose for the Nikah process to start. The woman or the man can make the proposal as long as the intention is for marriage. While in many cultures, it is often more common for a man to propose, in Islam the woman (or her family) can propose as was the case with Khadijah, the first wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Acceptance
The qubool is the acceptance of the proposal—but you don’t have to say yes right away. During the time between the proposal and the acceptance, the couple can meet as many times as they like to get to know each other as long as the meeting takes place in public or within close proximity of a chaperon.
The Witnesses
For the Nikah, there has to be a minimum of two male witnesses that can attest to the fact that both the bride and groom say, “I do” or “Qubool” from their own free will and without any force from family members or anyone else. It must be the bride and the groom who agree.
The Mahr
The Mahr is an obligatory gift from the groom to the bride that the bride or her family can request. More often than not, it is a lump sum of money that the bride decides. Other times, the bride may ask for a trip, gold, or anything she wishes like helping her memorize a Surah (chapter) that her husband has memorized and she has not. Of course, she is encouraged to be fair and keep her future husband’s income in mind. The Mahr is also symbolic of the responsibility the man has for providing for and taking care of his wife.
The Wali
The Wali is usually the father of the bride who “gives away” his daughter. The Wali gets the consent from the bride—he does not give it on her behalf without asking her. If the father is deceased or there is some reason that he cannot “walk her down the aisle,” so to say, then another male guardian or relative can take on that role. The Imam may also serve as the guardian in some cases.
The Nikah
Once all the requirements are met anyone can officiate the Nikah ceremony. The bride and groom repeat the word “qubool” or “I accept” three times. Then the couple and the two male witnesses sign the contract, which the imam can provide or the couple can get their own, making the marriage legal according to civil and religious law.

The Nikah ceremony is the Muslim marriage ceremony. In the Islamic tradition, the marriage contract is signed during the Nikah and it’s during this event that the bride and groom say, “I do.”
Traditionally, the Nikah ceremony often takes place in a mosque and the leader or imam of the mosque officiates the Nikah. Most couples will set up a time for the Nikah and invite family and friends to attend the ceremony. In the Islamic tradition, the Nikah is supposed to be as simple as possible, so as not to place a financial burden on the couple.
Nowadays, it’s also common to have the Nikah ceremony either at a venue or at the bride’s house, and depending on the family, the event can become quite glamorous as people tend to mix Islamic and Western traditions.
The Nikah is a religious ceremony for a Muslim couple to be legally wed under Islamic law. It’s a Prophetic tradition and the only permissible way that a man and woman can be married. This ceremony makes the wedding official because in the Islamic tradition it’s not permissible for a couple to be intimate without a Nikah. The Nikah legitimizes the relationship in front of God and it’s when the couple says, “I accept.”

In Islam, Nikah is the traditional marriage function. There are three components needed for a Nikah to be valid:
a couple who are willing to marry each other,
witnesses,
a wedding gift named mahr that the groom gives to bride.
The most important thing among these is the mutual agreement between the bride and groom to get married. They should meet each other and talk before the Nikah arrangements are begun. They should agree upon a dowry. It can be a sum of money, objects or property as demanded by the bride. It is a symbol of the groom’s commitment. It is decided based on the groom’s financial conditions.
There should be at least two adults as witnesses for the function. Usually there is an Imam to perform the Nikah ceremony and he guides the function.
The Nikah can be performed in a mosque or wedding hall as per the convenience, but the masjid is the preferred venue for a Nikah. Prior to the Nikah function, getting a marriage license from the local county government is required in the U.S.

The Nikah in Islam is a very simple occasion as it is taught by the model of prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
From Prophetic tradition, we know that the Islamic wedding was a simple ceremony with about 10 guests attending. Cultural expectations nowadays call for a ceremony that is extravagant and expensive. Also, the dowry or wedding gift demanded by brides in some Muslim-majority countries is sometimes too much expensive that the groom is unable to meet the demand. In other countries like India, it is the bride’s family who need to give a dowry to the groom. In most of the cases it is a huge amount and it makes their life miserable too. The Nikah ceremony these days are also occasions for ostentation to show off and people do not hesitate to spend lavishly on their ‘once in life time’ event.
From the invitation card to wedding halls, splendid meals and other wedding related arrangements like dress, ornaments, flowers and more, people do not try to fit into minimum, but spend extravagantly. As it becomes a social trend, everyone is literally forced to follow the trend and spend accordingly to keep up their social status and good will. This makes Nikah expensive and even unaffordable for many. That is a troubling departure from the way things are supposed to be, according to the Islamic faith.

Aqd in Arabic means contract. Islam considers Nikkah to be a contract and not a sacrament. Even though in Islam, Nikah is a religious sanction for individuals to have sexual relationships and to have children and live like a family, it considers marriage as a civil agreement, entered into by two individuals or those acting on their behalf. And because it is a contract (‘aqd), it conveys legal rights and obligations to each spouse.
Islamic jurisprudence, as elaborated by various schools of legal thought, considers the main purpose of the marriage contract to make intercourse lawful (halal) between a husband and wife and to legitimize any resulting offspring. Also, the marriage contract establishes further rights and duties for each spouse. It is basically required to treat each other well and good and each one’s rights and duties are differentiated by gender. They are also interdependent: a failure by one spouse to perform a specific duty may jeopardize his or her claim to a particular right.

Yes. Many scholars have acknowledged that it is permissible to conduct a Nikah online as long as the usual conditions are met for a valid Nikah. They suggest that there is no issue with conducting the ceremony online via Zoom, Skype, or other online mediums. According to the mainstream Sunni schools of thought, for a Nikah to be valid, what is necessary are the verbal acceptances from the bride & bridegroom, in the presence of witnesses, with consent from the bride’s Wali (legal guardian), and a Mahr (bridal dower) agreed beforehand.
It is to be noted that, during the circumstances of Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021, many renowned Muslim scholars, including Mufti Ismail Menk and Shaykh Hasib Noor, have taken to social media to openly encourage Nikah through online considering the emergency circumstances. This should be considered as a wise suggestion and a feasible alternative for many Muslim couples because, otherwise they have to delay their Nikah for many more months to have the guardian, the bride and groom and the witnesses on-site. With the advanced technology at our disposal today, an online Nikah is the best suggestion for those who are apart distances.

A walima is the marriage reception function in the traditional Islamic wedding. It designates a feast in Arabic. Walima is used as a symbol to show domestic happiness in the household post-marriage. Usually walima takes place after the Nikah function and is hosted by the groom. The venue can be at groom’s place or at a selected place like the masjid, parks, halls, etc. A Walima is a Sunnah and it is just an event where the new couple mingles with their guests instead of sitting on the stage the entire time. There are no rituals or customs associated with Walima. The bride and groom enter together, walk down the aisle, sit on stage, sometimes they cut a cake, and then they mingle with the guests. It celebrates the happiness and joy inside the family and it is an occasion for the bride and groom to meet and familiarize their dear ones.

*Registration is closed. Please join waiting list.*
After filling out this form, MCC administrative staff will make sure there is room for your child in his or her respective age level and send you enrollment information to make an account on MCC’s FACTS class portal for registration and payment.
The Urdu classes focus on comprehension are designed for children who have grown up in the United States. No previous knowledge of Urdu is necessary. In the first one or two sessions, the teacher will assess your child and we may move your child to a class that is most suitable for his or her learning.  The maximum class size is 10 students. Students in the Kindergarten level must be accompanied by a parent for the duration of their online session each week.
Questions? urdu@mcceastbay.org

The Urdu classes focus on comprehension are designed for children who have grown up in the United States. No previous knowledge of Urdu is necessary. A teacher will assess each new student to cater to his or her unique needs.
The maximum class size is 10 students. Students in the Kindergarten level must be accompanied by a parent for the duration of their online session each week.

Urdu class sessions are held each Sunday from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. (to accommodate students after the MCC Sunday School).
Classes are from January 10 to April 11 and follow MCC’s academic calendar.

The 12-week Spring semester cost is $200 per student. This includes course material.
This semester, there is no sibling discount or returning student discount.
There is no refund policy. However, if you are dissatisfied after the first class, please let us know within 24 hours after the first class at urdu@mcceastbay.org.

This program is overseen by two program managers who will ensure you will receive the training, resources, and encouragement to be a successful mentor.
Amongst other training, we will build your capacity for mentorship by using an evidence based online program with five courses to teach mentorship skills. After the MCC facility reopens, we will have opportunity to meet and train in person. During training, your monthly time commitment is about four hours from September 2019 to February 2020. There is no training cost to you to become a mentor.

The MCC Youth Team has a matching process, such as shared interests, hobbies, and/or compatible temperaments. That is why it is important to share as much as you feel comfortable in your online application. Our initial cohort is 20 mentors. All information is kept strictly confidential.

In this initial launch stage, MCC will be soliciting and training mentors. We will be recruiting for mentees in early 2021. Please subscribe to the weekly MCC newsletter here to get notified when mentees applications open.

Volunteer mentors will meet face-to-face with their mentee at least weekly and attend a group meeting at least once per month. Mentors will be asked to commit to one year of participation after assignment and will receive ongoing support from the program coordinator. Mentors will meet with the mentees to ensure they have the tools and resources to be successful in life. Those resources may include tutoring, referral to counseling, and navigation of social and family support resources.
The mentor agrees to participate and cooperate in the program for at least six to nine months preferably for the year.

Mentors candidates will be interviewed and receive a background check. After approval, you will be part of our initial 20-person mentor cohort to participate in online training.