In the Koran, marriage is described as a legal, social, and religious contract between two individuals as well as their families. It is a comprehensive contract includes rights, duties  and privileges. The Koran also mentions special forms of marriage (such as temporary marriage), in which rights and duties are different from standard marriage but are still binding.The Korean describes marriage as the ultimate union between two people, and it holds marriage in essentially a positively light.

The tale of One Thousand and One Nights presents marriage in a different light. In the story, the King of Persia is betrayed by his first wife. He then vows to marry and a new bride each day and to kill her before she has the chance to betray him. The marriage presented in One Thousand and One Nights is dark, uncertain, and lonely. It is a manipulation of power and is closely tied to death. The story presents marriage in a negative light and emphasizes the possibility for hurt and betrayal within it.