Financial Resources for Women in Islam (2)

الموارد المالية للمرأة في الإسلام

Financial Resources for Women in Islam (Part Two)

Translated by: Reza Ervani bin Asmanu

This article on Financial Resources for Women in Islam is part of the Family Education category

3. Dowry (Mahr)

“المهر ” وهو حق مالي ثابت لها قلَّ أو كثُر ، ليس لوليها أن يغفله أو يتنازل عنه ، وليس له نهاية مالية محددة ، قال تعالى :

Mahr (dowry) is a fixed financial right for the woman, whether it is small or large. Her guardian is not allowed to neglect or waive it, and there is no maximum financial limit set for it. Allah the Exalted says:

(وَآتُوا النِّسَاءَ صَدُقَاتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً) (سورة النساء: الآية ٤)،

“And give the women [upon marriage] their dowries graciously.” (Surah An-Nisa, verse 4)

أي : آتوا النساء مهورهن وجوبًا ، فالمهر ملك خالص لها ، مال تقدم منه وما تأخر . قال تعالى : 

Meaning: give the women their dowries as an obligation. The dowry is the wife’s exclusive property, whether it is paid immediately or deferred. Allah also says:

(وَآتَيْتُمْ إِحْدَاهُنَّ قِنطَارًا فَلَا تَأْخُذُوا مِنْهُ شَيْئًا ۚ أَتَأْخُذُونَهُ بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا) (سورة النساء: آية ٢٠).

“But if you have given one of them a great amount [as dowry], do not take [back] from it anything. Would you take it in injustice and manifest sin?” (Surah An-Nisa, verse 20)

وكان عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قد نهى عن كثرة الإصداق ثم رجع عن ذلك .. قال الحافظ أبو يعلى عن الشعبي عن مسروق قال : ركب عمر بن الخطاب منبر رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم . ثم قال : ما إكثاركم في صداق النساء !! وقد كان رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – وأصحابه والصدقات فيما بينهم أربعمائة درهم ، فما دون ذلك . ولو كان الإكثار في ذلك تقوى عند الله أو كرامة لم تسبقوهم إليها . فلأعرفن ما زاد رجل في صداق امرأة على أربعمائة درهم .

Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) once forbade excessive dowries, but later he retracted that stance. Al-Hafiz Abu Ya‘la narrated from al-Sha‘bi, from Masruq, who said: Umar ibn al-Khattab ascended the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: “What is this exaggeration in dowries?! The dowries during the time of the Messenger of Allah and his companions were no more than four hundred dirhams or less. If excess in dowry were a matter of piety before Allah or honor, they would have beaten you to it. So I will certainly come to know of any man who gives a woman a dowry exceeding four hundred dirhams.”

قال : ثم نزل فاعترضته امرأة من قريش فقالت : يا أمير المؤمنين نهيت الناس أن يزيدوا في مهر النساء على أربعمائة درهم ؟ قال : نعم . فقالت : أما سمعت ما أنزل الله في القرآن ؟ قال : وأي ذلك ؟ فقالت : أما سمعت الله يقول :

Then he descended from the pulpit and was approached by a woman from Quraysh who said: “O Commander of the Faithful, did you prohibit the people from giving women more than four hundred dirhams as dowry?” He replied: “Yes.” She said: “Have you not heard what Allah revealed in the Qur’an?” He asked: “Which verse?” She replied: “Have you not heard the verse where Allah says:”

(وءاتيتم إحداهن قنطارًا) الآية

“And if you have given one of them a qintar [a large amount]…”

قال : اللهم غفرًا كل الناس أفقه من عمر . ثم رجع فركب المنبر فقال : أيها الناس إني كنت نهيتكم أن تزيدوا النساء في صدقاتهن على أربعمائة درهم ، فمن شاء أن يعطى من ماله ما أحب . قال أبو يعلى : وأظنه قال : فمن طابت نفسه فليفعل. إسناده جيد قوي.

He then said: “O Allah, forgive me. Everyone is more knowledgeable than Umar.” Then he returned to the pulpit and said: “O people, I had prohibited you from giving women dowries exceeding four hundred dirhams. Whoever wants to give from his wealth as he wishes, may do so.” Abu Ya‘la said: “And I think he added: Whoever gives willingly from his heart, let him do so.” The chain of narration is sound and strong.

وينبغي ألا يفوتنا في هذا المقام أن هذا الحق المالي في المهر ليس خاصًا بالزوجة إذا كانت مسلمة فقط ، فهو حقها مسلمةً كانت أو كتابيةً .

It should not escape us in this context that this financial right (mahr) is not limited to Muslim wives only. It is the right of a woman whether she is Muslim or from the People of the Book (i.e., Jewish or Christian).

والمهر واجب – أيضًا – للإماء المؤمنات قال تعالى :

Dowry is also obligatory for believing female slaves. Allah the Exalted says:

(وَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنكُمْ طَوْلًا أَن يَنكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ فَمِن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُم مِّن فَتَيَاتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِكُم ۚ بَعْضُكُم مِّن بَعْضٍ ۚ فَانكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ وَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ) (سورة النساء: آية ٢٥) . (أُجورهن: مهورهن) .

And whoever among you cannot afford to marry free, believing women, then [he may marry] from those whom your right hands possess — believing slave women. And Allah is most knowing about your faith. You are of one another. So marry them with the permission of their families, and give them their due compensation (i.e., their mahr) in an acceptable manner.

To be continued in the next part, in shaa Allah

Source: IslamWeb