What is “aqd al-qiran” in Islamic marriage?

عقد القران (ʿaqd al-qirān) is the formal signing of an Islamic marriage contract, the legal step that makes a couple religiously and legally married. It usually happens in front of an imam, the bride’s wali (guardian), and a small set of witnesses. The big wedding party, العرس (al-ʿurs) or الزفاف (al-zafāf), is a separate event, sometimes months later, with the dancing, music, and elaborate dresses. Between the two, the couple is married on paper but often still living separately, getting to know each other under family supervision.

In this clip, a Yemeni woman recounts how her husband called his friends after the ʿaqd: “يتصل يبشر اصحابه انه تم عقد قراني.”