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Mahr (Marital Price): Difference between revisions
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The [[Mahr]] (مهر, "dowry") is a contract fee paid for by the groom to | The [[Mahr]] (مهر, "dowry") is a contract fee paid for by the groom to the bride in an Islamic marriage (see [[The Meaning of Nikah]]). Its purpose within [[Islam]], as shown through the [[Islam and Scripture|Islamic texts]] themselves, is to compensate the woman for the privilege of consummating the marriage through sexual intercourse with her. | ||
==Modern Understanding of the Mahr== | ==Modern Understanding of the Mahr== | ||
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AbuDawud said: This tradition has been narrated by AbdurRahman ibn Mahdi, from Salih ibn Ruman, from AbuzZubayr on the authority of Jabir as his own statement (not going back to the Prophet). It has also been transmitted by AbuAsim from Salih ibn Ruman , from AbuzZubayr on the authority of Jabir who said: During the lifetime of the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) we used to contract temporary marriage for a handful of grain. }} | AbuDawud said: This tradition has been narrated by AbdurRahman ibn Mahdi, from Salih ibn Ruman, from AbuzZubayr on the authority of Jabir as his own statement (not going back to the Prophet). It has also been transmitted by AbuAsim from Salih ibn Ruman , from AbuzZubayr on the authority of Jabir who said: During the lifetime of the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) we used to contract temporary marriage for a handful of grain. }} | ||
The ahadith above | The ahadith above as in those dealing with the Qur'an recitations, we see both Muhammad and the man in question above knew that he had nothing material to give as a mahr. This indicates that in both cases the man was not financially stable and that the mahr in this case could not possibly have been a token of financial stability. These narrations are a recount of a conversation Muhammad himself allegedly had. These seem to indicate that Muhammad himself very clearly viewed the mahr as a token of value given in exchange for sexual intercourse. | ||
==Prohibitions regarding the mahr== | ==Prohibitions regarding the mahr== | ||
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Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saying to the invokers of curse: Your account is with Allah. One of you must be a liar. You have now no right over this woman. He said: Messenger of Allah, what about my wealth (dower that I paid her at the time of marriage)? He said: You have no claim to wealth. If you tell the truth, it (dower) is the recompense for your having had the right to intercourse with her, and if you tell a lie against her, it is still more remote from you than she is. Zuhair said in his narration: Sufyan reported to us on the authority of 'Amr that he had heard Sa'id b Jubair saying: I heard Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) saying that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) had said it. }} | Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saying to the invokers of curse: Your account is with Allah. One of you must be a liar. You have now no right over this woman. He said: Messenger of Allah, what about my wealth (dower that I paid her at the time of marriage)? He said: You have no claim to wealth. If you tell the truth, it (dower) is the recompense for your having had the right to intercourse with her, and if you tell a lie against her, it is still more remote from you than she is. Zuhair said in his narration: Sufyan reported to us on the authority of 'Amr that he had heard Sa'id b Jubair saying: I heard Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) saying that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) had said it. }} | ||
The above hadith seems to very clearly indicate that the prophet explicitly viewed the mahr as the price of sexual relations, the relations having been had, the value of the mahr being repaid in the transaction. | |||
===Daughter trading in lieu of a mahr is not permissible=== | ===Daughter trading in lieu of a mahr is not permissible=== | ||
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==Conclusion== | ==Conclusion== | ||
The purpose of the mahr as explained by the Islamic texts is clear; it is a payment from a man to a | The purpose of the mahr as explained by the Islamic texts is clear; it is a payment from a man to a woman; payment in full for the future sexual relations (nikah) he will have with her. This is illustrated by the requirement for a mahr in temporary "marriages", the statements of Prophet Muhammad, and the fact that a mahr cannot be taken back (except under extenuating circumstances) because the man has availed himself of the service for which it was payment. | ||
{{Core Women}} | {{Core Women}} | ||