In Islam there are 4 conditions which must be met for a marriage to be considered valid.
- Consent– There must be mutual consent from both the bride and the groom. Both must explicitly express there interest to marry each other.
- Wali– A wali is a male guardian who looks out for the best interests of the bride.
- Witnesses– Two adult witnesses must be present.
- Mahr– The bride has a right to receive a gift from the groom. This gift is the sole property of the bride, even in case of divorce.
If these four conditions are met a marriage is considered legal in Islam. However, in order for the Sheikh to perform the nikah the couple must provide a marriage license from the State of Minnesota.