Bhat at Weddings

Question

In India the niece (sister’s daughter) is given bhat — that is, on the occasion of the wedding the maternal uncle gives goods to his niece according to his means. Is this permissible? If it is not permissible, then what is the way of giving things to the niece?

Answer

Maintaining the ties of kinship (silat al-rahim) with a niece and others is a permissible (mubah), indeed commendable (mustahsan), matter. But the way bhat is customarily given in India is purely a Hindu custom and a display, in which the real purpose — namely maintaining the ties of kinship — does not even occur to the mind; rather, it is given in the hope of name and fame…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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