Marriage, is the oldest contract between two individuals even before Islam. Nowadays; with all the social and economic frustration it is not an easy decision to take. For a person to decide that he is ready to marry he has to choose between; if he wants an arranged marriage or he will marry a girl whom he chose. What is meant by arranged marriage is marriage that is arranged between two families without even the couples having seen each other yet, and in many cases it is usually between kin. Although there is modernization in the Arabian region yet; there are customs and tradition that can not be discarded and we still follow and apply. For example; a highly educated man who may be living a westernized life when it come to marry he will choose to marry in the traditional way and follow the rites of the marriage like the dowry, the wedding ceremony, the engagement. These kinds of customs are practiced in the Arabia with no differentiation between Muslims or Christians they both follow the same sort of marriage rites. This article tries to throw a light of some of the marriage rites and traditions in some Arabian countries like Lebanon, Jordan and specifically in Sudan. The

It is just an attempt to give a cultural understanding of marriage in the Arabia. The book of law of desire gave a definition to marriage that" it is a contract of exchange that involves a sort of ownership. They gain an exclusive right of sexual union. (Shahla:33).

the tribe is endogamous. A man is not allowed to marry outsides of his own stock. the tribe is exogamous. A man is not allowed to marry a woman of his own stock. marriage is allowed with kinsfolk and aliens indifferently.

First, of all to be mentioned before talking about the marriage rituals, is the suddenness preference to marry women who are circumcised. This is an Islamic tradition to them that they see it acceptable. In the book Seasons of immigration to the north, the author writes with description of the wedding ceremony in Khartoum. First, of all the marriage for the mother of the bride and of the groom is to recoup themselves for the presents they gave to other villagers on the marriage of their sons and daughters. For example ; the mother pays money at wedding feasts. (Salah: 250). On interviewing Ashraf Makram a Sudanese student at the American University in Cairo, he talked about some of the Sudanese tradition concerning marriage rituals. He said that the majority of the Sudanese with no difference of which tribe they do not see the their bride during the wedding ceremony since it is believed of bringing bad luck,he also said that the bride goes out from her father house only with her wedding gown (tub), and that it is a custom for the groom to buy everything for the bride in dozen. For example; he buys her 12 tub and 12 pair of chooses . As for the dowry he said that it can be either in gold, animals or money. It was a custom to be followed that the marriage ceremony can last for seven days, but nowadays due to the economic constraints it is only the rich families that perform this custom ( personal Interview ).

This is the period that proceeds the marriage, and it did not appear except in cities while among villages and tribe, and Bedouins it does not exist, since the groom is not even allowed to see the bride before their marriage. In the cities, the groom visits his bride house and arrange the weddings needs, then he asks about the dowry and if agreement reached then there is a reception held at the brides house called engagement. Then the next step towards marriage is writing the marriage contract.(Holy:35).

Some common words found in the essay are:
Shahla33 Kinds, Conclusion Marriage, Marriage Sudan, Changing Family, Immigration North, University Cairo, Islam Nowadays, Beni Yasin, Israel Holy85, Sudan Khartoum, age marriage, american university, concerning marriage, student american university, wedding ceremony, student american, immigration north, university cairo, sudanese student, marriage rites, seasons immigration north, sudanese student american, american university cairo, bride price, changing family patterns,
Approximate Word count = 2926
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)