The Wisdom of Mahr

Question

(1) What is the original status of mahr? Why was it made fard? What is the wisdom in its being fard? (2) What harm can arise in society from an excessive increase or an excessive decrease of mahr? (3) Will it be mustahabb to change the fixing of mahr according to circumstances and conditions, or will only the limit set by the sunna be considered mustahabb? (4) In the time of the Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ﵃, what was the value of a dirham in terms of goods rather than silver?

Answer

(1) The respected Hazrat Shah Wali Allah Muhaddith Dehlawi ﵀ has discussed this in “Hujjat Allah al-Baligha” (vol. 2, p. 118): [ar]وكان فيه مصالح، منها: أن النكاح لا تتم فائدته إلا بأن يوطّن كل واحد نفسه على المعاونة الدائمة، ويتحقق ذلك من جانب اللقبزوال أمرها من يدها، ولا جائز أن يشرع زوال أمره أيضًا من يده، وإلا انسدّ باب الطلاق، وكان أسيرًا في يدها كما أنها عانية بيده، وكان…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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