Marriage in Islam is based on a contract between a man and woman intending to be unified in marriage. Thus, as in any contract in Islam, there are elements which are considered essential to its existence, called 'pillars', as well as the possibility of stipulations of different kinds, legal effects of the contract, etc. Each of these must be understood correctly in order to ensure that the marriage has been performed according to the legal conditions and that the rightful effects of the marriage are guaranteed to each of the contracting parties.

　　The Pillars of a Marriage Contract According to the Majority of Scholars

　　1. Offer and acceptance are among the pillars. For most scholars, the offer must be from the woman's side and the acceptance from the man.

　　2. The two parties to the contract: the prospective husband and the guardian of the woman.

　　Some also count the following among the pillars, although the majority of these scholars count them among the prerequisites: