The siblings - three sisters and a brother - got married on Saturday and their proud father Omar Sadien says it’s a day they will never forget.
It was a busy day for Rondebosch-East businessman, Omar, 56, and his wife, Ferial, 47, who attended seven wedding receptions held at six venues.
The four couples are Sheikh Abdurahmaan Sadien, 26, who is studying in Egypt, and his wife Haneefa Abrahams, 20, of Surrey Estate; Aalieyah Sadien, 21, a call centre agent, married Ibraheem Wait, 23, an engineer of Strand; Laylaa Sadien, 20, also a call centre agent, married banking clerk Mogammad Sa-eed Agherdien, 26, of Grassy Park and Fatima Sadien, 28, wed Kashief Roberts, 32, from Surrey Estate.
Fatima and Kashief are both deaf-mutes.
The marriage ceremony itself, held at Ghiedmatiel Islam mosque, in Taronga Road, Rondebosch East, was a veritable who’s who of South Africa’s Muslim clergy, with over 20 senior ulema present.
PARENTS: Omar & Ferial Sadien
Among these were Omar’s own brother Sheikh Abdurahmaan Sadien, Sheikh Sadullah Khan, the director of Islamia High School, Sheik Irfaan Abrahams, Muslim Judicial Council president, and Sheikh Ebrahim Gabriels, MJC life president and Imam at Portlands Mosque.
Omar and his wife of 15 years Ferial had a driver who zipped them to venues in Bellville, Surrey Estate, Constantia, Lansdowne, Rondebosch-East and Schaapkraal for all the receptions.
There were two morning receptions and the siblings all had one big reception at Barron’s Estate, in Schaapkraal, for supper.
The four bruidskamers were also widespread - in Surrey Estate, Grassy Park and Strand.
Omar, who has 11 children from three different marriages, says the wedding bug bit last year August when first Aalieyah and Fatima got engaged, followed by Sheigh Abdurahmaan and Laylaa in September.
BUSY DAY: All four grooms at the nikah at the Ghiedmatiel Islam mosque
The dad says his children and their fiances had no problem sharing their special day.
“We decided on a date together, we are a very spiritual family. There were seven receptions and six venues and my wife and I had to drive from one venue to the other,” says Omar.
“Then came the tradition of the Hajis wie die bruid afhaal and take them to their bruidskamers. My son is here for a month and then he goes back to Egypt with his wife.”
Omar said there were “some heart palpitations” but in the end everything went well.
“We had an events coordinator, Aslam Salie. He coordinated the scores of drivers for the four different bridal parties, there were eight photographers and MCs at all the different venues. It would have been absolute chaos without Aslam.”
“I raised them all and now there are three [children] left, the house is half empty.”