▁and ▁then ▁the ▁reading ▁of ▁the ▁v ows . ▁ ▁La ws ▁▁ ▁There ▁are ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁laws ▁that ▁concern ▁Bah á ʼ í ▁marriage ▁ ▁Mar riage ▁is ▁not ▁oblig atory , ▁but ▁is ▁highly ▁recommended . ▁ ▁Only ▁married ▁cou ples ▁may ▁eng age ▁in ▁sexual ▁activity . ▁Both ▁partners ▁must ▁be ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 5 ▁years ▁of ▁age ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁eng agement . ▁( The ▁civil ▁laws ▁of ▁their ▁country ▁must ▁be ▁obey ed ) ▁Mar riage ▁is ▁conditional ▁on ▁the ▁consent ▁of ▁both ▁parties ▁and ▁their ▁parents . ▁ ▁Mar riage ▁with ▁non - B ah á ʼ ís ▁is ▁permitted ▁( see ▁Inter rel ig ious ▁marriage ). ▁The ▁period ▁of ▁eng agement ▁must ▁not ▁exceed ▁nin ety - five ▁days ▁( not ▁currently ▁univers ally ▁applicable ). ▁A ▁marriage ▁is ▁conditional ▁on ▁the ▁payment ▁of ▁a ▁dow ry . ▁The ▁payment , ▁if ▁the ▁husband ▁lives ▁in ▁a ▁city , ▁is ▁nin ete en ▁m ith q ál s ▁( approx . ▁ 2 . 2 2 ▁tro y ▁ oun ces ) ▁of ▁pure ▁gold , ▁and ▁if ▁the ▁husband ▁lives ▁in ▁a ▁village ▁the ▁same ▁amount ▁in ▁silver . ▁However , ▁it ▁is ▁prefer able ▁to ▁content ▁ones elf ▁with ▁the ▁lowest ▁level ▁that ▁is ▁nin ete en ▁m ith q ál s ▁of ▁silver ▁for ▁both ▁city ▁and ▁village ▁dwell ers . ▁ ▁Bah á ʼ u ' ll á h ▁also ▁set ▁a ▁maximum ▁permitted ▁dow ry ▁amount ▁of