Taking a Sum of Money at the Engagement

Question

Here in the village there is a custom that when talks take place about a girl’s marriage, the boy’s side comes and the people of the village biradari (kinship community) are called. When all have gathered, five or ten rupees are taken from the boy’s side for expenses. They take it because a barber goes to call the biradari, and some money from it is given to him, and those who come are entertained with tea, betel and the like. Is it permissible for the biradari people to take this money or not?

Answer

Taking some sum from the boy’s side on the occasion of finalizing the talks about the girl, which will be given to the barber and spent on tea and betel by gathering the biradari — this is a wrong custom; it should be ended.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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