Wedding traditions across the Middle East and North Africa differ from country to country, but one custom is shared almost everywhere: the gift is usually cash, and gold for the people closest to the couple. There is no registry tradition in most families, which is exactly what makes the question of how much feel so unspoken.
Here's what to know as a guest, and how much to give without guessing.
Cash is the norm, gold is the honour
The standard gift is money, given at the reception or the women's celebration. Close family, parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, traditionally give gold: jewellery, coins or a small ingot, often presented to the bride at the henna night or the reception.
Gold is not a value-for-value transaction, it's a gesture of family honour and a form of security the bride carries forward. If you're not immediate family, cash in a card is perfectly appropriate.
How much to give
There's no fixed amount, and it genuinely varies by country, community and family. As a rough guide: a colleague or distant friend might give the equivalent of $50 to $100, a good friend or cousin $100 to $200, and close family give substantially more, often in gold rather than cash.
The more useful rule is the same one that applies everywhere: give what suits your relationship and your own means, and let the closeness of the relationship set the number rather than any published rate.
The mahr is not a guest gift
At a Muslim wedding you may hear about the mahr, a sum or gift the groom gives the bride as part of the marriage contract. It is an obligation between the couple, not something guests contribute to, and it's entirely separate from what you give as a wedding gift. Don't feel it changes your own gift one way or the other.
When and how to give
Cash is usually handed over at the event itself, in an envelope or a card, often at a gift table or to the family. If you can't attend, send it with a family member rather than posting cash. And if the couple has set up a digital registry or cash fund, which is becoming more common, use it, it's the method they've chosen and it removes any awkwardness about carrying envelopes.
What to wear and expect
Dress modestly and a little more formally than you might for a Western wedding, and follow any guidance the couple give about separate seating or dress. Many celebrations are gender-separated for part of the evening, and alcohol is not served at most. None of this affects the gift, but knowing it beforehand makes the day easier.