Mahr (Marital Price): Difference between revisions
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==Mahr's given by Muhammad and his contemporaries== | ==Mahr's given by Muhammad and his contemporaries== | ||
The prophet in the [[sunnah]] provides examples, both of how he conducted his own marriages and how he instructed his [[sahabah|companions]] to act in their marriages vis-a-vis the mahr. The prophetic example shows that the mahr is not limited to being simply money or even physical possessions, but may take a number of different forms; these stories also demonstrate the idea that there is no one fixed price which is an "acceptable" mahr, and that it can be variable depending on the social status and economic conditions of both parties. These ahadith also show than in cases where Muhammad sees that the man in question has nothing of true material worth to give as a mahr, he finds an ersatz mahr. This indicates that 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 purportedly had, indicating that Muhammad himself very clearly viewed the mahr as a token of value given in exchange for sexual intercourse. | |||
===Marry a slave and give her freedom=== | ===Marry a slave and give her freedom=== | ||
Bukhari relates that after conquering the Jews at the battle of Khaybar, the prophet took the most beautiful woman of the Banu Nadir, Saafiya, as his war booty. She eventually converted to Islam from Judaism and married the prophet formally. Her manumission was her mahr: | |||
{{quote |{{Bukhari|1|8|367}} | Narrated 'Abdul 'Aziz: | {{quote |{{Bukhari|1|8|367}} | Narrated 'Abdul 'Aziz: | ||
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Thabit asked Anas, ''''"O Abu Hamza! What did the Prophet pay her (as Mahr)?" He said, "Her self was her Mahr for he manumitted her and then married her."'''' Anas added, "While on the way, Um Sulaim dressed her for marriage (ceremony) and at night she sent her as a bride to the Prophet . So the Prophet was a bridegroom and he said, 'Whoever has anything (food) should bring it.' He spread out a leather sheet (for the food) and some brought dates and others cooking butter. (I think he (Anas) mentioned As-SawTq). So they prepared a dish of Hais (a kind of meal). And that was Walrma (the marriage banquet) of Allah's Apostle ." }} | Thabit asked Anas, ''''"O Abu Hamza! What did the Prophet pay her (as Mahr)?" He said, "Her self was her Mahr for he manumitted her and then married her."'''' Anas added, "While on the way, Um Sulaim dressed her for marriage (ceremony) and at night she sent her as a bride to the Prophet . So the Prophet was a bridegroom and he said, 'Whoever has anything (food) should bring it.' He spread out a leather sheet (for the food) and some brought dates and others cooking butter. (I think he (Anas) mentioned As-SawTq). So they prepared a dish of Hais (a kind of meal). And that was Walrma (the marriage banquet) of Allah's Apostle ." }} | ||
{{quote |{{Bukhari|7|62|23}} | Narrated Anas bin Malik: | {{quote |{{Bukhari|7|62|23}} | Narrated Anas bin Malik: | ||
Allah's Apostle manumitted Safiyya and regarded her manumission as her Mahr. }} | Allah's Apostle manumitted Safiyya and regarded her manumission as her Mahr. }} | ||
===A piece of gold equal to the weight of a date stone=== | ===A piece of gold equal to the weight of a date stone=== | ||
Bukhari and Muslim both report that the prophet saw a piece of gold equal in weight to a date stone as being a sufficient mahr: | |||
{{quote |{{Bukhari|8|75|395}} | Narrated Anas: | {{quote |{{Bukhari|8|75|395}} | Narrated Anas: | ||
The Prophet seeing a yellow mark (of perfume) on the clothes of 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf, said, "What about you?" 'Abdur-Rahman replied, "I have married a woman with a Mahr of gold equal to a date-stone." The Prophet said, "May Allah bestow His Blessing on you (in your marriage). Give a wedding banquet, (Walima) even with one sheep." }} | The Prophet seeing a yellow mark (of perfume) on the clothes of 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf, said, "What about you?" 'Abdur-Rahman replied, "I have married a woman with a Mahr of gold equal to a date-stone." The Prophet said, "May Allah bestow His Blessing on you (in your marriage). Give a wedding banquet, (Walima) even with one sheep." }} | ||
{{quote |{{Muslim|8|3323}} | | {{quote |{{Muslim|8|3323}} | | ||
Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw the signs of the happiness of wedding in me, and I said: I have married a woman of the Ansar. He said: How much Mahr have you paid? I said: For a date-stone weight of gold. And in the hadith transmitted by Ishaq (it is): (nawat weight) of gold. }} | Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw the signs of the happiness of wedding in me, and I said: I have married a woman of the Ansar. He said: How much Mahr have you paid? I said: For a date-stone weight of gold. And in the hadith transmitted by Ishaq (it is): (nawat weight) of gold. }} | ||
===A portion of memorized Qur'an=== | ===A portion of memorized Qur'an=== | ||
Bukhari and Muslim both share a story of the prophet approving the mahr of a man who had no physically possessions, but could offer her several [[suwar]] of the [[Qur'an]] which he had memorized (at a time when the Qur'an was only known through memorization and scattered pieces of writing) as a mahr: | |||
{{quote |{{Bukhari|7|62|24}} | Narrated Sahl bin Sad As-Sa'idi: | {{quote |{{Bukhari|7|62|24}} | Narrated Sahl bin Sad As-Sa'idi: | ||
A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have come to give you myself in marriage (without Mahr)." Allah's Apostle looked at her. He looked at her carefully and fixed his glance on her and then lowered his head. When the lady saw that he did not say anything, she sat down. A man from his companions got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! If you are not in need of her, then marry her to me." ''''The Prophet said, "Have you got anything to offer?"'''' The man said, "No, by Allah, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said (to him), "Go to your family and see if you have something." The man went and returned, saying, "No, by Allah, I have not found anything." Allah's Apostle said, "(Go again) and look for something, even if it is an iron ring." He went again and returned, saying, "No, by Allah, O Allah's Apostle! I could not find even an iron ring, but this is my Izar (waist sheet)." He had no rida. He added, "I give half of it to her." Allah's Apostle said, "What will she do with your Izar? If you wear it, she will be naked, and if she wears it, you will be naked." So that man sat down for a long while and then got up (to depart). When Allah's Apostle saw him going, he ordered that he be called back. When he came, ''''the Prophet said, "How much of the Quran do you know?"'''' He said, "I know such Sura and such Sura," counting them. The Prophet said, "Do you know them by heart?" He replied, "Yes." The Prophet said, ''''"Go, I marry her to you for that much of the Quran which you have."'''' }} | A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have come to give you myself in marriage (without Mahr)." Allah's Apostle looked at her. He looked at her carefully and fixed his glance on her and then lowered his head. When the lady saw that he did not say anything, she sat down. A man from his companions got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! If you are not in need of her, then marry her to me." ''''The Prophet said, "Have you got anything to offer?"'''' The man said, "No, by Allah, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said (to him), "Go to your family and see if you have something." The man went and returned, saying, "No, by Allah, I have not found anything." Allah's Apostle said, "(Go again) and look for something, even if it is an iron ring." He went again and returned, saying, "No, by Allah, O Allah's Apostle! I could not find even an iron ring, but this is my Izar (waist sheet)." He had no rida. He added, "I give half of it to her." Allah's Apostle said, "What will she do with your Izar? If you wear it, she will be naked, and if she wears it, you will be naked." So that man sat down for a long while and then got up (to depart). When Allah's Apostle saw him going, he ordered that he be called back. When he came, ''''the Prophet said, "How much of the Quran do you know?"'''' He said, "I know such Sura and such Sura," counting them. The Prophet said, "Do you know them by heart?" He replied, "Yes." The Prophet said, ''''"Go, I marry her to you for that much of the Quran which you have."'''' }} | ||
{{quote | {{Muslim|8|3316}} | | {{quote | {{Muslim|8|3316}} | | ||
Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi (Allah be pleased with him) reported: A woman came to Allah's Messenger. (may peace be upon him) and said: Messenger of Allah, I have come to you to entrust myself to you (you may contract my marriage with anyone at your discretion). Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw her and cast a glance at her from head to foot. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) then lowered his head. When the woman saw that he had made no decision in regard to her, she sat down. There stood up a person from amongst his companions and said: Messenger of Allah, marry her to me if you have no need of her. ''''He (the Holy Prophet) said: is there anything with you (which you can give as a dower)? He said: No, Messenger of Allah'''', by Allah I have nothing. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Go to your people (family) and see if you can find something. He returned and said: I have found nothing. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: See even if it is an Iron ring. He went and returned and said: No, by God, not even an iron ring, but only this lower garment of mine (Sahl said that he had no upper garment), half of which (I am prepared to part with) for her. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: How can your lower garment serve your purpose, for it you wear it, she would not be able to make any use of it and if she wears it there would not be anything on you? The man sat down and as the sitting prolonged he stood up (in disappointment) and as he was going back Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded (him) to be called back, and as he came, ''''he said to him: Do you know any part of the Qur'an?'''' He said: I know such and such surahs (and he counted them). whereupon he said: Can you recite them from heart (from your memory)? He said: Yes, whereupon ''''he (Allah's Messenger) said: Go, I have given her to you in marriage for the part of the Qur'an which you know.'''' }} | Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi (Allah be pleased with him) reported: A woman came to Allah's Messenger. (may peace be upon him) and said: Messenger of Allah, I have come to you to entrust myself to you (you may contract my marriage with anyone at your discretion). Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw her and cast a glance at her from head to foot. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) then lowered his head. When the woman saw that he had made no decision in regard to her, she sat down. There stood up a person from amongst his companions and said: Messenger of Allah, marry her to me if you have no need of her. ''''He (the Holy Prophet) said: is there anything with you (which you can give as a dower)? He said: No, Messenger of Allah'''', by Allah I have nothing. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Go to your people (family) and see if you can find something. He returned and said: I have found nothing. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: See even if it is an Iron ring. He went and returned and said: No, by God, not even an iron ring, but only this lower garment of mine (Sahl said that he had no upper garment), half of which (I am prepared to part with) for her. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: How can your lower garment serve your purpose, for it you wear it, she would not be able to make any use of it and if she wears it there would not be anything on you? The man sat down and as the sitting prolonged he stood up (in disappointment) and as he was going back Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded (him) to be called back, and as he came, ''''he said to him: Do you know any part of the Qur'an?'''' He said: I know such and such surahs (and he counted them). whereupon he said: Can you recite them from heart (from your memory)? He said: Yes, whereupon ''''he (Allah's Messenger) said: Go, I have given her to you in marriage for the part of the Qur'an which you know.'''' }} | ||
=== | ===Two handfuls of flour or dates=== | ||
A tradition of Abu Dawud relates that two handfuls of dates can be used as a mahr: | |||
{{quote | {{Abudawud|11|2105}} | Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: | {{quote | {{Abudawud|11|2105}} | Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: | ||
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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. }} | ||
==Prohibitions regarding the mahr== | ==Prohibitions regarding the mahr== |