Islam on Marital Rights — Page 33
ISLAM ON MARITAL RIGHTS. EVILS TO BE SHUNNED 33. It would be well if we here touched upon some other evils which are creeping into our society. There is a tendency of fixing large dowries which in many cases leads to misunderstandings and friction between the two families and ultimately to the dissolution of the marriage. Islam looks with disfavor upon fixing of large dowries except in exceptional circumstances where it cannot be helped, e. g. the necessity to safeguard the bride's right of inheritance. There are certain families which have a tradition of denying women their right of inheritance. A larger dowry in such a case may counteract that un-Islamic tradition. But apart from such exceptions, unduly large dowries are not to be fixed. . The Holy Prophet (s. a. w. ) has said, "Blessed is the marriage which comes about with ease and entails no hardship, it must not entail too heavy a burden of expenses nor should the dowry be too big for the bridegroom to pay. ". In our society nowadays, there is the evil of the bride's family spending too much on this occasion. There are instances in which the family has to sell some property or to incur heavy debts. This they do to observe certain old stupid customs and rites with the result that they are crushed under that financial burden and land themselves in a veritable hell thereby. . It is, therefore, our duty to make our marriages simple and keep them within the bounds of our means. The amount fixed for dowry should be commensurate with the financial position of the bridegroom. This will ensure future happiness and peace of mind for both the partners. . AMOUNT OF DOWRY. Hazrat Omar, the Second Caliph said, "If dowries were an indication of worldly glory or of piety in the sight of Allah, then the Holy Prophet (s. a. w. ) was the most deserving of that distinction. But as far as the record shows the dowries of his daughters and his wives did not exceed 12 ‘auquiyas', which would be equal to about three pounds sterling of today. . The amount for dowry should be fixed according to the