440. The Mahr And Its Importance In the Sharee’ah

By Asma bint Shameem 

The Mahr (dowry) is one of the rights of the wife that she deserves from her husband. 

It is actually a DEBT that her husband owes her. 

It is also an expression of the man’s desire to marry her.

And it’s an Order from Allaah to men. 

Allaah says: 

“And give to the women (whom you marry) their Mahr (obligatory bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) with a good heart”

[al-Nisa’ 4:4] 

The mahr should be decided between the husband and the bride and her father or Wali (guardian).

The Mahr is *separate* from the house, furniture, jewelry, etc that the husband will bring as a gift for his bride. 

There’s no minimum or maximum when deciding the amount of Mahr. 

Rather, the amount of mahr to be decided depends on 

- the financial status of the groom 

- the customs of the time and place they live in. 

But it’s better not to elevate the Mahr too much. 

It is preferable that the Mahr to be given soon all at once. 

The Sahaabah would pay the Mahr in full as soon as they got married. 

But it may be deferred, depending on the financial situation of the groom and the agreement between the groom and his wife and her wali. 

The scholars of the Standing Committee said:

“It is permissible for the entire dowry to be paid in advance or to be deferred, or part of it may be paid in advance and part of it deferred. 

Whatever was deferred must be paid when the time stipulated comes. If no specific time was stipulated, then the husband must pay it if he divorces his wife, and it must be paid from his estate if he dies.”

(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 19/54)

And Allaah knows best