Who Owns the Dowry and the Groom’s Jewellery

Question

(1) The jewellery that is presented from the young man’s side for the wife — whose property will it be considered in the Shari‘a? (2) The goods that are given to the girl from the father’s side at weddings — whose will they be considered? (3) For it is when separation takes place by divorce that these questions become necessary?

Answer

(1) If at the time of presenting the jewellery it was explicitly stated that it is the girl’s property, or the young man’s property, or a loan for use (‘ariyya), then that statement will be taken into account. If no explicit statement was made, then custom will be taken into account: in a family where the custom is that it is the girl’s property, it will be the girl’s…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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