6. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Khalid from ‘Abd al-‘Azim ibn ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “I heard abu al-Hassan , give the following as Khutbah (sermon) when solemnizing a marriage:

‘All praise belongs to Allah who knows what is to come into being before anyone of His creatures with the ability to recognize (and know) can recognize it (the being that is to come into being). He is the Inventor of the skies and earth, harmonizer of the means about which the Pen has moved and the determination has been made in His knowledge of the past and measures of His wisdom. I praise Him for His bounties, and seek protection with Him against His dislikes, appeal before Allah for guidance, seek His protection against straying and destruction. Whomever Allah guides has found guidance, has walked on the right path and has earned the great benefit. Whomever Allah causes to go astray, misses guidance and is headed to destruction. I testify that no one other than Allah alone, who has no partners, deserves worship and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His chosen messenger and His friend with whom He is pleased, His Messenger with guidance whom He sent at a time of lapse of the existence of His Messengers, when differences among nations were a great deal, cutting off of the roads, decadence of wisdom, wiped out landmarks of guidance and clear signs, were all everywhere. He preached and delivered the message of his Lord, executed His commands, fulfilled the right he owed and left this world and he is very much missed. O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. ‘All issues are in the hands of Allah. He allows them to run by their means and measures. The command of Allah applies to His measures and His measures work to the appointed time and His appointed time works to His record; for every appointed time there is a record. Allah deletes whatever He wants and establishes whatever He wants; He has the original record and ‘Umm al-Kitab (mother book). Thereafter, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has made marriage to bring the hearts close together and a relation for the relationship, to interlace a relationship among relatives. He has made it for compassion and kindness and in this there are signs (of existence of Allah) for the worlds. He in His firmly established book has said, “It is He who has created man from water and has designed them for marriage and offspring.” (25:56) He has also said, “Arrange marriage for your unmarried ones and the virtuous ones of your servants and slave-girls.” (24:32) So and so is of those whom you know for his status, position, religion and discipline and he is interested in your participation and likes to establish marital relationship with you and has come with marriage proposal to the young lady from you so and so daughter of so and so and has offered a mahr (dower) of such and such amount for immediate payment and such and such amount payable on credit. Accept our mediation and give in marriage to our proposing gentleman who has arrived at a beautiful arriving place, and say to him good words and I ask Allah to grant forgiveness to me and you and all Muslims.’”