One woman鈥檚 quest: Use art to bring focus to marriage
Boston
Nushmia Khan wants to make Muslim marriages more beautiful. She鈥檚 reviving the tradition of decorated nikahnamas, or stylized marriage contracts. A former wedding photographer, Ms. Khan started an online nikahnama shop in 2019.
鈥淚slamic art has always been something where you鈥檙e making everyday objects more beautiful,鈥� says Ms. Khan. 鈥淚 was just thinking, 鈥榃hat is something that we all use that could be made more beautiful?鈥� And I found the nikahnama idea.鈥�
Her work is about more than making objects that couples can hang on their walls. It鈥檚 also about giving Muslim marriages a more solid foundation. An integral part of Muslim marriages, wedding contracts make the couple鈥檚 union legal under Islamic law. It鈥檚 also a space where couples negotiate conditions for their marriage 鈥� everything from money to where to live. Ms.聽Khan says she sees many Muslims sign the contracts carelessly, sometimes without even reading them, missing an opportunity to keep problems from arising later.
Why We Wrote This
This video story looks at the universal uplift of art. When design that reinforces cultural traditions is lovingly applied to a marriage contract, the terms can take on extra meaning.
鈥淲hen we are talking about protecting the interests of women in marriage, the contract is fundamental,鈥� says Imam Abdullah Faaruuq, of Mosque Praise Allah in Boston鈥檚 Roxbury neighborhood.
With beautiful designs, Ms. Khan hopes to draw couples鈥� attention to the contract and the negotiation of the bride鈥檚 and groom鈥檚 rights and responsibilities.
鈥淚t鈥檚 better than photos even sometimes,鈥� she says, 鈥淚t鈥檚 what they actually signed and touched, and agreed upon.鈥�