used to go to the Prophet himself or the Imam of the Mosque or sometimes to Amir El Mo’mnen to perform the marriage ceremony, mainly to seek their blessing. But with the many responsibilities and the many conflicts, that started to appear as the community grew, the job of the Ma’azoun was fashioned. Now the Ma’azoun is the person authorized by the legal court and the Ministry of Justice to perform marriage contracts. DJ: What is the criteria to become a Ma’azoun? MA: In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Ma’azoun has to attend the college of the Islamic Studies either in King Abdul Aziz University or in Um El Quraah University. He has to acquire full knowledge of the Islamic culture and teachings, specially the Islamic Marriage Studies. Moreover, one thing the Ma’azoun has to be fully aware of is the rules of the divorce, the waiting period, and when the contract can be terminated; this issue confuses most of the people and can cause severe problems. DJ: How have marriage traditions changed since your late father’s time? MA: 20 years ago, weddings were always held at the bride’s parents house, where all the couple’s acquaintances and neighbors used to go. Hence, everyone will know that they got married and share the joy and happiness with the newlyweds. Nowadays, a girl can marry and many of her relatives will not even know. When I was studying abroad, in college one of my professors used to tell us that as cities became bigger and more civilized, the more the inhabitants became detached from each other and actually became less social.
the wife is obliged to do If she isn’t willing, it would be because she wants to, not because she has to. Also, she can mention that if her husband remarries, their wedding contract could be cancelled. Islam is a beautiful religion that ensures women all of their rights. DJ: Do you have to see the bride, to seek her approval, or is just her signature enough? MA: No, I don’t have to see her; I just need to hear her approval, as usually she is concealed by a curtain. Because many problems happened before, the court now states that the two witnesses have to come from the bride’s side, people who know the bride personally, or better yet, are related to her, like her uncle, her brother or a cousin. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “There is no marriage without a guardian and two witnesses.” DJ: Based on your experience, do you feel the age of the bride and groom has changed over the past 20 years? MA: Yes, of course. In our old days, the boy graduates high school at 18 and finishes college by the age of 25, so by the time he starts thinking about marriage, he will be in his mid-20s. But thanks to Allah and our amazing King Abdullah’s scholarship program, youth can now pursue marriage by the time they finish high school, and can then go abroad together to continue their studies. That’s really a very successful program that has helped a lot of young couples build a new life together without doing that which angers Allah.
DJ: Do you think pre-marital agreements are Islamic? MA: Islam gave the right for women to state down anything they want to mention in the marriage contract. For example, she can mention that she wants to continue her education, or that she wants to remain financially independent, or even if she wants to have a maid, as housework is not a thing that DESTINATION JEDDAH 27