What is Haq Mehr in Islam?
Haq Mehr is the obligation in Islam in the form of money or possessions paid by the groom to the bride at the time of marriage.
The Sharia, or Islamic law, has not fixed or even recommended any amount, which could be called the sharai Haq mahr.
Property of the Wife (Haq Mahr)
“Haq mahr (Dower) is a wife’s right, which gets tied up on the husband once the marriage is contracted. It is entirely payable after the culmination of marriage. But if divorce happens before the fulfillment of marriage, then a large portion of the Haq mahr is obliged to pay unless the wife or her guardians waive it. Allah said:
وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ صَدُقَٰتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً ۚ فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَىْءٍ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيٓـًٔا مَّرِيٓـًٔا
And give the women [upon marriage] their [bridal] gifts graciously. But if they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease.
(an-Nisa: 4)
Allah Almighty also says:
وَٱلْمُحْصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ۖ كِتَٰبَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَأُحِلَّ لَكُم مَّا وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَن تَبْتَغُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُم مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَٰفِحِينَ ۚ فَمَا ٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِۦ مِنْهُنَّ فَـَٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَٰضَيْتُم بِهِۦ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلْفَرِيضَةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
And [also prohibited to you are all] married women except those your right hands possess. [This is] the decree of Allāh upon you. And lawful to you are [all others] beyond these, [provided] that you seek them [in marriage] with [gifts from] your property, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse.
So for whatever you enjoy [of marriage] from them, give them their due compensation as an obligation. And there is no blame for what you mutually agree to beyond the obligation. Indeed, Allāh is ever Knowing and Wise.
(an-Nisa: 24)
The Haq mahr (Dower) is the sole property of the wife, and neither parents nor other relatives have any direct over it. Now and again, male relatives unlawfully take away the Haq mahr without the lady setting eyes on it, making it resemble a deal. According to the Shari’ah, the Haq mahr should also be reasonable. There is no fixed amount of Haq mahr in the Shari’ah. So, according to the husband’s financial status and the time and place, it is according to the husband’s financial status.
Types of Haq mahr:
Depending on the mode of payment, there are two kinds of Mehr:
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The mu’ajjal or prompt
The amount of mahr given to the bride at the signing of the marriage contract is called Muajjul, and the portion that is promised but deferred is called ghaire muajjal, which is paid after the completion of the marriage.
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The muwajjal or deferred
The deferred payment is allowed for those who might be expecting remittances later. But unnecessarily delaying the payment is not true to the contract. No one is exempt from paying the Haq mahr.
Even the Prophet (PBUH) has been told,
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِنَّآ أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَٰجَكَ ٱلَّٰتِىٓ ءَاتَيْتَ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِمَّآ أَفَآءَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمِّكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمَّٰتِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَٰلَٰتِكَ ٱلَّٰتِى هَاجَرْنَ مَعَكَ وَٱمْرَأَةً مُّؤْمِنَةً إِن وَهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِىِّ إِنْ أَرَادَ ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَن يَسْتَنكِحَهَا خَالِصَةً لَّكَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۗ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا فَرَضْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ لِكَيْلَا يَكُونَ عَلَيْكَ حَرَجٌ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
O Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you your wives to whom you have given their due compensation and those your right hand possesses from what Allāh has returned to you [of captives] and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you and a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet [and] if the Prophet wishes to marry her, [this is] only for you, excluding the [other] Believers.
We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives, and those their right hands possess, [but this is for you] so that there will be upon you no discomfort [i.e., difficulty]. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.
(33:50).
When Hazrat Ali came to the Prophet to ask for the hand of Bibi Fatima, the first thing the Prophet asked him was,
“Do you have anything to give as mahr?”
He said he had a horse and a saddle. He sold his saddle for 480 dirhams and brought it to the Prophet. The immediate needs of the bride and the new household were met with this amount. The concept of dowery, or giving endless amounts of household goods and gifts by the bride’s family, does not exist in Islam.
In Surah al-Nisa, Allah says
وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ صَدُقَٰتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً ۚ فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَىْءٍ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيٓـًٔا مَّرِيٓـًٔا
“And give the women [upon marriage] their [bridal] gifts graciously. But if they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease..”
(AlQuran 4:4)
Nowadays, marriages are being led with extraordinary ceremonies and shows in which much wealth is misused, on the off chance that, as opposed to spending such a significant amount on extra things. The top need is given to the installment of Haq mahr; it would mean satisfying a religious commitment. It would likewise be all the more following the Quranic directives. And the example of the Prophet could give some security to the bride, particularly if she can contribute the amount beneficially.
