Excessive Dowry Payments

Question :

Some people - may Allah guide them are excessive in their demands for the dowry and seek large sums of money when they give their daughters in marriage, in addition to some other conditions; are these sums of money which are taken permissible or forbidden?

Answer:

A legislated that one should lighten and reduce the It is dowry, and not compete therein, in accordance with the many Hadiths which have been related in this regard, and in order to facilitate marriage, and to guard the chastity of the young men and women.

It is not permissible for the (women's) guardians to stipulate payment of a sum of money for themselves, because they have no right to this. Rather the right belongs to the woman alone, except for the father, it is permissible for him to impose conditions which do not harm the girl and do not hinder her marriage. If he leaves that, it is better and preferred for him, for Allah, Most Glorified, Most High has said:
"And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Salihun (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His bounty, "
and the Prophet said, in the Hadith of 'Uqbah bin 'Amir, may Allah be pleased with him:
"The best dowry is the simplest one."

and the Prophet said, when he wished to marry one of his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to a woman who had offered herself in marriage to him:
"Search for something, even if it is only an iron ring."

When he did not find anything, he married him to her on condition that he teaches her the Surahs from the Qur'an which he enumerated for the suitor. The dowry of his wives was five hundred Dirhams (which is equivalent to approximately one hundred and thirty Riyals today), and the dowry of his daughters was four hundred Dirhams, (which is equivalent to approximately one hundred Riyals today). And Allah, Most High has said:
"Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example."

The more the expenses are decreased and made simpler, the easier it becomes for men and women to be chaste, sins of evil deeds become less, and the Muslim community increases in numbers.

The more expenses are increased, and the rivalry of the people increases regarding dowries, the more marriage will decrease and the more illegal sexual intercourse will increase, and the more young men and women will be unable to marry- except those whom Allah wills. Therefore, my advice to all of the Muslims in every place is to facilitate marriage and to make it easy and to cooperate therein, and to avoid seeking large dowries, and also to avoid lavish expenditure on the marriage celebrations and to be content with the lawful Islamic celebration, which does not cost the husband and wife much.

May Allah improve the situation of all the Muslims and grant them success in holding fast to the Sunnah in all matters.