Dowry is primarily given in the form of cash, goods, or belongings by the bride’s family to the bride to catch the attention of her in-laws and her husband, and after marring would become the property of him or his family, which is not practiced in Islam and is against the principals of Islam. In Islam, it is not allowed for a woman to be owed by a family or be traded in such a way. It is offensive to demand money from the bridegroom or his family from the bride or his relatives.
Before Islam, this concept was considered the property of a girl’s custodian. The concept of presenting the bride gifts of cash or property or spending a lot on a grand wedding feast, presenting a house, or giving furniture for their house and household possessions are absent to the discretion of the people involved in Islam.
Concept Of Dowry In Islam:
The practice of giving dowry is not a part of Islam. However, it is widespread in Asian countries. It is a practice that Islam does not authorize. Dowry is a simulation of early Hindu culture to not give daughters any share in the family property; But were given payments, part of which might be in the form of goods. Islam granted daughters a rightful share in their family property and inheritance.
Islam does not restrict a father from giving his daughter gifts, money, or property or arranging a wedding feast. But to make anything a demand and a way of exploitation of the bride’s father is, in my view, nothing short of an immoral and corrupt act that is wrong.
Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) About Dowry:
Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) gave his daughter Hazrat Fatimah (RA) various gifts when she married Hazrat Ali (a). Still, there is no record of giving anything to his other daughters on the occasion of their marriages. Moreover, the gifts given to Hazrat Fatimah (RA) were extremely modest household articles.
Haq Mehar to Wife:
Islam directs the groom to give a bridal gift or dower as a token of love and assurance to his wife at the time of marriage. Without payment of this sum, the marriage cannot get solemnized. The Holy Quran instructs the believers:
وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ صَدُقَٰتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً ۚ فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَىْءٍ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيٓـًٔا مَّرِيٓـًٔا
“And give the women (whom you marry) their dower (obligatory bridal gift) happily.”
(4:4).
Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.W) said:
“The best of the marriages is one which is least burdensome in the financial sense to the families of the bride and the groom.”
Thus he paved the way for people of all times to come to live without stress and strain about daughters’ marriages.
“If I don’t kill her today, she will kill me financially tomorrow, or someone else will burn her for dowry.”
Young adults must take this issue seriously and discuss with their parents what’s Islamic and merely a cultural practice based on exploitation. Dowry is just one of many misconceptions about Islam. Let’s be clear and make it clear to others that there is nothing Islamic about it.
