Making the remission of mahr conditional on death

Question

Zayd’s wife, while in good health, said to her husband repeatedly, again and again, in a cheerful mood: “If I die first, then my mahr, which is a debt owed by you, is remitted; but if you pass away first, then I shall claim the mahr.” Zayd’s wife passed away before her husband. In this case, does the mahr lapse from Zayd or not?

Answer

In this case the mahr has not lapsed from Zayd. [ar]امْرَأَةٌ قَالَتْ لِزَوْجِهَا الْمَرِيضِ: إِنْ مُتَّ مِنْ مَرَضِكَ هَذَا فَأَنْتَ فِي حِلٍّ مِنْ مَهْرِي، أَوْ قَالَتْ: فَمَهْرِي عَلَيْكَ صَدَقَةٌ، فَهُوَ بَاطِلٌ؛ لِأَنَّهَا مُخَاطَرَةٌ وَتَعْلِيقٌ، كَذَا فِي الظَّهِيرِيَّةِ.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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