fidelity. She is pictured to him as the paragon of beauty and
excellence, but he is never allowed to see her, speak to her, or write
to her, should she know how to write. His mother or aunt may see her or
bring reports, but he does not see her until the wedding contract is
signed and the bride is brought to his house.

The following is the marriage ceremony of the Druzes. It is read by the
Kadi or Sheikh, and in accordance to the Druze doctrine that they must
outwardly conform to the religion of the governing power, it is a purely
Mohammedan ordinance.

"Praise to God, the original Creator of all things; the Gracious in all
His gifts and prohibitions; who has decreed and fixed the ordinance of
marriage; may Allah pray for (bless) our Prophet Mohammed, and his four
successors! Now after this, we say that marriage is one of the laws
given by the prophets, and one of the statutes of the pious to guard
against vice; a gift from the Lord of the earth and the heaven. Praise
to Him who by it has brought the far ones near, and made the foreigner a
relative and friend! We are assembled here to attend to a matter
decreed and fated of Allah, and whose beginning, middle and end he has
connected with the most happy and auspicious circumstances. This matter
is the blessed covenant of marriage. Inshullah, may it be completed and
perfected, and praise to Allah, the Great Completer! Amen!

"In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. He is my portion
and sufficiency. May Allah pray for his pure prophet!"

This is the marriage contract between the person named A. son of ---- of
the village of ---- in the district of ---- in Lebanon, and his
betrothed named B. the daughter of ---- of the village of ---- she being