- Mahr
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Part of a series on Islamic
jurisprudence
(Fiqh)PoliticalEtiquetteIslamic studies In Islam, mahr (Arabic: مهر; also transliterated mehr, meher, or mahrieh) is an amount of money paid by the groom to the bride at the time of marriage (nikah) which she can spend as she wishes.
Contents
References in Islamic texts
The Encyclopaedia of Islam's entry on mahr states: "According to a tradition in Bukhari, the mahr is an essential condition for the legality of the marriage: 'Every marriage without mahr is null and void'."[1]
According to Islamic teachings in the hadith (sayings of prophet Muhammad), mahr is the amount to be paid by the groom to the bride at the time of marriage (nikah). It is a gift for her to spend as she wishes. It should be given according to the social status of the bride.[2] It can be cash, jewellery or any other valuable gift. Some interpretations regard mahr as wajib (obligatory) while others regard it as sunnah or favourable.[3]
Purpose
In 2003, Rubya Mehdi published an article in which the culture of mahr among Muslims was thoroughly reviewed.[4] There is no concept of dowry in Islam, though the English term "dowry" is sometimes used to translate mahr, which can be misleading, and "bride gift" is more accurate (see also "dower" and bride price").[5]
Mahr is a means of sustenance in case of a sudden death, divorce or other emergency.[6]
See also
- Women and Islam
- Islamic marital jurisprudence
References
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=iJQ3AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA137&lpg=PA137&dq=%22%27Every+marriage+without+mahr+is+null+and+void%27.%22%22&source=bl&ots=B4uSlO9Rdm&sig=cGglQImVFs8XU3Qsik9lWx3A_Ds&hl=en&ei=alPSS-PqBJHM9gTd3-CuDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22%27Every%20marriage%20without%20mahr%20is%20null%20and%20void%27.%22%22&f=false
- ^ Joseph Schacht, An Introduction to Islamic Law, 2nd impression, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1982), p. 167
- ^ The Islamic institution of mahr: a study of its philosophy, Mohammad Afzal Wani - 1996
- ^ "Danish law and the practice of mahr among Muslim Pakistanis in Denmark". International Journal of the Sociology of Law (Elsevier) 31 (2): 115–129. 2003. doi:10.1016/j.ijsl.2003.02.002.
- ^ "Mahr" in Oxford Islamic Studies Online
- ^ L-Moriscos - Page 137, M. Th. Houtsma
External links
Categories:- Arabic words and phrases
- Fiqh
- Marriage in Islam
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