Marriage proposals

[manzbajwa]

Different cultures have different customs for making marriage proposals. In most of the Muslim countries it’s the groom’s family, which proposes to the bride’s family for the marriage of their son with other family’s daughter.

Can somebody tell what’s the custom in Arab countries? I am asking this question because the history confuses by stating that the bride’s families offered their daughters for marriage to some highly respectable personalities.

[Te'oma]

My understanding is that the offer can come from either side so long as it is done Islamicaly ie the bride and groom do not meet alone

[manzbajwa]

My understanding is that the offer can come from either side so long as it is done Islamicaly ie the bride and groom do not meet alone

I am not asking what can be done. I am asking what's the general practice or custom in Arab countries. In the south Asian countries it's not considered respectable for the bride's family to extend a proposal for their daughter. Also it's not considered very respectable if the boy or the propect groom himself makes the proposal. Some senior or elderly person preferably the mother of the groom makes the proposal. It's considered even more respectable if the initial proposal is made through some common family friend or relative. Offering daughters to rich or influential persons is also done in some classes of south Asian countries but that is for political or financial benefits and not considered respectable in educated families.

[Jannah123]

Different cultures have different customs for making marriage proposals. In most of the Muslim countries it’s the groom’s family, which proposes to the bride’s family for the marriage of their son with other family’s daughter.

Can somebody tell what’s the custom in Arab countries? I am asking this question because the history confuses by stating that the bride’s families offered their daughters for marriage to some highly respectable personalities.


In Arab countries, it is the norm for the father and son to approach the family of the girl. This is the case amongst Arabs in general-not just Arabs residing in Arab countries.