Social Interactions 93relationships are frowned upon by the majority of people in
Egypt. This kind of behaviour is frequently seen as decadent
and a sign of Western moral decay.
Negotiating Marriage
Under Islamic law, a non- Muslim man must convert to Islam
to marry a Muslim woman. However, a non- Muslim woman
does not have to convert to Islam to marry a Muslim man. It
is permissible for a Muslim man to marry a ‘woman of the
Book’, i.e. either a Jewish or Christian woman. That being
said, it is preferable for a non- Muslim woman to convert
for both social, cultural and inheritance reasons. Muslim
marriages involve several steps. Significant differences in
each phase of marriage occur depending on geographical
region and local custom. Therefore, the following represents
only a general procedural pattern.
First, the potential partner is selected; this is discussed
in detail below. Second, the dowry must be negotiated. This
step involves settling on an appropriate dowry that the groom
must give to the bride. The bride is not directly involved in
these negotiations. The dowry is given to the bride’s family,
which is then given to the girl. The dowry usually consists of
some type of durable wealth. Depending upon the economic
status of the families, dowries range from some fixed amount
of gold to household wares. Among Bedouins, men usually
give camels for their brides. The dowry is the woman’s
to keep and never becomes the property of her husband.
Some social scientists call the dowry a ‘bride price’. In many
ways, this is a misnomer since the dowry eventually goes
to the prospective bride. The groom is not ‘buying’ a wife.
Neither is the family ‘selling’ their daughter. Giving the bride
a dowry is better regarded as a statement of good faith and
intention. It does not signify a transfer of ownership, rather
a transfer of responsibility. In fact, the dowry establishes the
girl’s independence in some regards because it means she
has her own wealth.
The third step, which is actually the first of the two-part
marriage ritual, is the signing of the marriage contract. No
vows are exchanged at any step in the Muslim marriage