Difference between Hindu Wedding and Muslim Wedding
Religious marriages seek to bind two people in an alliance of permanence. However, they have always been accompanied by the elaborate rituals originally conceived by wise men ages ago, and this ritualistic aspect makes marriages a social affair. Religions follow their own customs and traditions attributed to marriage. In the case of Hindu and Muslim marriages, both follow their respective holy texts and associated dictates in order to sanctify the marriage bonds and to ensure marital success. Laws laid down by local governments or specifically by the Indian Parliament, vary for both.
Eligible Candidates
In terms of eligibility, Hindu marriage laws are more inclusive than their Muslim counterparts. While Hindu religious texts do not prohibit inter-religious marriages, Islam does. In fact, for Hindus, the 1955 Hindu Marriage Act as sanctioned by the Parliament of India has allowed for all creeds, castes and sects of Hinduism to intermarry. Furthermore, the Special Marriage Act passed in 1954 has enabled non-Hindus to be legally married to Hindus. Within Islam, the prevailing practice is that of kinship marriages where cousins often inter-marry. The idea is one of convenience where the property stays within that particular familial fold. Also, a strong sense of pride in one’s bloodline prompts this kind of an alliance.
Laws and Allowances
In the matter of the number of partners that a marriage law allows, Hindu and Muslim dictates differ. While the Hindu ancient texts like the Vedas and the Puranas do not ban polygamous practices, the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955 is vociferous about the outlawing of this practice. Islam on the other hand, working under the terms and conditions of the Sharia law, allows a man to engage in polygyny where he is permitted to take a maximum of four wives, subject to the regulations of nikah. In modern times this practice has fallen out of favor for most people and certain Muslim states have either done away with this law or regulated it further.
Sources
While Hindus follow the Vedic customs of marriage and thereby give primacy to the Vedic yajna or the fire-sacrifice, Muslims abide by the rules laid down by Sharia law. For Hindus, this sacred fire stands as the sanctifier of rituals. Through the prayers, the gods are called upon to shower blessings on the couple. For Muslims, marriage is both a social as well as a legal contract where the nikahnama is of prime importance.
Similarities and Differences
- Since all social marriages are largely communal affairs, it is only natural that the entire family would be fully engaged in pre-marriage ceremonies.
- Chiefly for arranged marriages, it is the elder members of the family who select eligible partners as well as represent the family at the formal occasion of visiting the potential mates family. This however, often is done with little regard for the opinions of the people who are to be married. This happens in both Hindu and Muslim arranged marriages.
- Today, both Hindu and Muslim marriages are undergoing subtle and not so subtle changes. In fact, many couples are showing signs of divergence from traditional religious rules and practices. Many young Hindu and Muslim couples are gradually opting for civil marriages to avoid what is sometimes perceived as unnecessary involvement in the selection of a life partner and other aspects of the marriage process.
