The Groom’s Demands at Marriage and Their Evils

Question

(1) Respectfully submitted: among us Muslims, on the occasion of marriage, the question of “giving and taking” has arisen in the manner of the customs of the Hindus. A young man with only a little education makes demands of the girl’s side out of greed. Seeing this, even young men with religious education have fallen into this evil out of greed for money and riches, and the wealthy, for the sake of fame and show, have fulfilled their demands and made it a custom, so that now it is talked about in every house.

Answer

(1) Nikah is an act of worship (‘ibada). Just as other acts of worship are performed while regarding them as the command of the Almighty and a means of nearness to Allah, and care is taken that every act of worship be performed according to the way of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so too nikah should be performed, regarding it as worship, according to the way of the Messenger ﷺ;…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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