Expert: Jamshaid Zubairee - 8/26/2009

Question
I have a question, so in christianity people wear wedding rings as a symbol they are married, how does it work in islam?  what do they do to so others know they are married?  thanks

Answer
In Islam you have a ceremony after Nikah (Marriage) called Walima.
Walima (Arabic: وليمة‎), or the marriage banquet, is one of the two traditional parts of an Islamic wedding. The walima is performed after the nikah, or marriage ceremony. The word walima is derived from walam, meaning to gather or assemble. It designates a feast in classical Arabic and newspaper Arabic. Walima is used as a symbol to show domestic felicity in the household post-marriage. In Modern Arabic the word "ʿurs" عرس is used for "wedding".

[edit] Debate: The Time of Walima

Scholars have different views on what the correct time of walima is; for example some believe it should take place

   * at the time of the wedding contract (nikah)
   * after nikah and prior to consummation
   * at the time of the wedding procession (Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, 9/287)
   * after consummation (but this is not a certainty)

On Walima you will invite your friends and family memebers and All others you want to invite. They will know about your marriage.
Wedding rings are also used in Pakistan and India.