12/28/2024
Do you know sometimes combining different cultures into one is really hard. You have to look at each of the couples faiths and decide which rules you follow. Religion defines the cultures together. Interfaith marriages are complex. You can’t just throw something together and say it’s good enough. You have to take tremendous thought on how to combine the two together. Today I did just that.
I had to take the Quran & Christian religion aspect and think really hard on how to blend it to meet both of their cultures religious and cultural differences together. They are getting married very soon. Please take a look and let me know what you think about the blending of cultures and if you think they are appropriate for both cultures.
Dearly Beloved and Honored Guests,
Heavenly Fathers, we come before you on this special day, asking for your blessings upon Adriana Bonilla and Junaid Khan. May their union be filled with love, grace, and divine guidance. Grant them strength and wisdom to build a strong foundation for their marriage.
OFFICIANT (to congregation):
The story of creation is laid out in the Quran. When it was time for Allah to create the first man and the first woman he saw, when the man was alone, that something was missing. The Quran tells us "It is He Who created you from a single person, and made his mate of like nature, in order that he might dwell with her in love" (7:189). The message is clear, a man ought to have a wife, and a wife ought to have a husband.
The covenant we are to witness today goes back for thousands of years, and is a promise repeated throughout cultures and across continents. It is a commitment for Adriana Bonilla and Junaid Khan to hold one another up in faith, and help one another grow together.
OFFICIANT (to couple):
This marriage is an agreement you make today is sacred. You make it in the sight of Allah, God the Heavenly father and to all of these witnesses. It is not to be taken lightly, nor broken easily. It is a sacred trust, built on faith and love, and it’s yours to keep, protect, and honor.
Celebrant: (Addressing the guests) Marriage is a respected institution, and one deserving of deep regard. Today we observe the union of Adriana Bonilla and Junaid Khan in holy matrimony, a commitment they have chosen to accept with all the sincerity that it warrants.
While marriage is a sacred and serious tradition, it also brings forth tremendous joy. Married life is full of surprises, adventures, and memory-making – all made possible by the enduring power of love. When Adriana Bonilla and Junaid Khan finalize this union, they will begin a new life of partnership, one defined by shared hopes, dreams, and successes.
(Addressing the couple) Adriana Bonilla and Junaid Khan, as you learn to live as one; you will face many challenges that will help you grow. Spend time doing the things that make life precious – cooperate with each other, always make time to laugh together, and never lose appreciation for the love that you both share. Remember to adhere to the vows that you will make today. Find strength in each other, give hope to each other, and let your trials help you grow as one. They say love can build bridges and climb mountains — and they’re right. You will find that as it grows and matures over time, your love for one another will prove both fulfilling and empowering.
There will be challenges in life, but the strength of your bond will give you protection against life’s difficulties. Always make your relationship a priority, and continue to nurture one another. Through a commitment of love, and with the power of faith, together you will be able to navigate any obstacles that come your way.
OFFICIANT (to congregation):
Now it’s time for the Meher, which starts in Muslim tradition with an offering by the groom to the bride. Today we use a ring as this offering.
Adriana Bonilla and Junaid Khan will now share their vows.
Ring Exchange (Meher)
As is tradition, Junaid Khan will now give the ring to Adriana Bonilla, as a symbol of his promise to provide for her, care for her as his most prized possession, and to make her life better for all of the times to come both the good times, bad times and the trials of time. This ring is a testament to his love for her.
OFFICIANT (Junaid Khan):
Mr Khan, We are gathered today with all of your loved ones, friends and families and myself as witnesses. Will you give her this ring as a symbol of your promise to honor and provide for her the rest of her life, and as a symbol of your love to your wife?
*(Wait for Confirmation)*
Junaid Khan: I do. (Puts the ring on Adriana’s finger)
*(Vows)*
Do you Adriana Bonilla take this man Junaid Khan in marriage to love as your husband and best friend from this day forward? Do you promise to encourage and inspire him, and to comfort him in times of sorrow and struggle?both the good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when your love is simple, and when it is an effort? Do you promise to cherish him and to always hold him in highest regard today and for all the days of your life?”
Adriana Bonilla “I do.”(Puts the ring on Junaid’s finger)
*(Wait for Confirmation)
The Importance of Marriage
OFFICIANT (to congregation):
Now that the ring has been delivered and the covenant has been signed by Adriana Bonilla & Junaid Khan, I’d like to offer a blessing by giving them a few words on marriage.
Marriage, as we’ve covered, is not only a sacred tradition among the ways of man, it’s a sacred tradition in the eyes of Allah and The Lord. It’s part of His design and purpose for our lives. We are created as beings who are not meant to be alone. We are meant to have someone to help us on our journey in faith and in life. A husband and a wife ought to be patient with one another. They should be respectful and kind. They should not hold grudges, and be quick to forgive. Those qualities are built on a foundation of love, faith, and trust.
It’s love that is going to help you get through the tests and valleys, and it’s love that’s going to make the joys of life that much sweeter.
It’s faith that’s going to keep you on the path of righteousness and steady you when you’re in the midst of turmoil. A faith that’s shared between the two of you is twice as strong.
Finally, it’s trust that allows you to be vulnerable and honest with one another. Trust is built through faith at first, then strengthened by evidence, and finally demonstrated in the devotional acts of love we do for each other every day.
By the authority vested in me by American Marriage Ministries and the State of California I now pronounce you wife and husband!