A wedding in Al-Aqsa that overcame all hurdles

In the first act of its kind, Yousef Khalil and Feda Maraghah from the occupied West Bank got married last Friday in Al-Aqsa Mosque. The bride and groom had to overcome many hurdles by getting through numerous Israeli military checkpoints just to get to the Noble Sanctuary in the Old City of Jerusalem.

The couple specifically chose Al-Aqsa in which to begin married life together. According to Yousef, God destined for him and his bride to get married there, on a Friday and in Ramadan. It all fell into place. “There is no other place with the beauty and holiness of Al-Aqsa Mosque in which to get married,” he said. “It is the centre of blessings, beauty and glory.”

This marriage was also unique in that the bride’s father only required Yousef to present a dowry of half a Jordanian dinar, and did not ask for a delayed dowry. The bride’s father was inspired to do this because of the blessing that surrounds the mosque and in accordance with the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) saying, “The most blessed marriage is one in which the marriage partners place the least burden on each other.” He wished the couple a life of blessing, happiness and success.

The celebration was full of joy and happiness and was attended by the couple’s families as well as elders and notables from Jerusalem.