Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume I — Page 175
! ! 175 roof for his friend or loved one or burn in a fire ; but to die by having needles jabbed into one’s skin may be beyond his tolerance. He could never prepare himself for this because sacrifice can only be born e for short periods of time. To live a life of endless angu i sh w ould be extremely difficult , and in some situations downright impossible. ! What i s M e hr? Now let us examine what m e hr actually is. It is a provision for a woman’s future e xpenses s ome of which she may refrain from disclosing to her husband and others. Or it can be used for needs which may arise in future which at the time of marriage, may be unknown to her. Then , there are some needs, which women will disclose to their husbands, but due to certain circumstances, t he husbands cannot fulfill them, therefore the women should have some money of their own. For example, if a woman has her own money , she can help her relatives, parents, or dear ones in need, b ut it is against her dignity to ask her hu sband to help her needy parents or give something to her relatives. For her, it is a matter of pride, and she is naturally disinclined to decla re her parents needy before her husband. Therefore, there are many circumstances when a woman requires money of her own. It was f or this reason that Shariah established the concept of mehr. I f necessary, a woman can spend it upon those thi ngs which cannot be expressed to her husband, or to help her relatives in need, concerning who m she may not wish to mention to her husband. Thus , meh r is the wealth which is meant to assist a woman for the rest of her life. Influencing Intentions The second aspect which should be considered is intentions. If it becomes common for p arents to take their daughter’s mehr , there is a great danger that the parent’s intentions regarding marriage may no longer remain so pure and selfless. Parents are a woman’s last resort.