Married

Marriage is a socially or ritually recognized union or legal contract between spouses that establishes rights and obligations between them, between them and their children, and between them and their in-laws. The definition of marriage varies according to different cultures, but it is principally an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually sexual, are acknowledged. In some cultures, marriage is recommended or considered to be compulsory before pursuing any sexual activity.

Types of Marriage

Marriage can be recognized by a state, an organization, a religious authority, a tribal group, a local community, or peers. It is often viewed as a contract. When a marriage is performed and carried out by a government institution in accordance with the marriage laws of the jurisdiction, without religious content, it is a civil marriage. Religious marriage recognizes and creates the rights and obligations intrinsic to matrimony in the eyes of that religion.

Marriage and Religion

Religious marriage is known variously as sacramental marriage in Catholicism, nikah in Islam, nissuin in Judaism, and various other names in other faith traditions, each with their own constraints as to what constitutes, and who can enter into, a valid religious marriage.

Marriage and Law

Some countries do not recognize locally performed religious marriage on its own, and require a separate civil marriage for official purposes. Conversely, civil marriage does not exist in some countries governed by a religious legal system, such as Saudi Arabia, where marriages contracted abroad might not be recognized if they were contracted contrary to Saudi interpretations of Islamic law.

Marriage and Society

In societies where the concept of marriage has been pertinent, not marrying or the delay of marriage have been perceived as unusual and have been questioned. The societal implications of marriage are far-reaching and permeate into areas such as inheritance, citizenship, and kinship.

See Also

• Divorce
• Family law
• Wedding
• Marriage proposal
• Marriage vows
• Marriage certificate
• Marriage in Islam
• Marriage in Christianity
• Marriage in Hinduism

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