108. In these verses (2:236, 2:237, 4:4, 4:24,25, 4:127, 5:5, 33:50, 60:10) of the Quran we find it requiring the groom to pay the dower to the bride on marriage.
The bride has all the right to demand a sizable amount as she deems fit, taking into consideration the future hardships she might face later, and she has all the right to treat the dower as exclusively belonging to her.
Women face more hardships in married life than men. There are chances of them being divorced after losing their youth and beauty. Taking into consideration all these aspects Islam gives them the right to decide on the dower money at their marriage.
Amount of Mahar demanded by women can be as per their wishes, and no one has the right to fix the amount.
Since women fail to take cognizance of this right they end up as victims and have come to such a situation resulting in men demanding dowry from women in marriage.
Men have become shameless enough to demand dowry, rather they are duty bound to pay it. The commandment to give dower money to women is seen as more serious than demanding dowry from them, and any Muslim who sincerely understands this would dare not demand dowry.
Payment of dower money to women on marriage is more sensible and righteous, because women sacrifice more in married life, and suffer more. Hence payment of dower money to women renders justice.
After marriage the man lives along with his parents, but the woman younger in age leaves behind her parents to live in an entirely new environment. At least for this sacrifice men should pay them the dower money.
After marriage, the man does not make any sacrifices other than the family expenses, whereas the woman takes care of cooking, washing, maintenance, and in addition serving his relatives. Also, there are instances where she must bear the insults and torments of the husband’s mother. The men should pay them their dower money at least for such reasons.
As a result of family life when a woman is on the family way the man stands to lose nothing, neither does he face any difficulty, nor does he carry any burden with him. It is the women who suffer more due to morning sickness and nausea, and neither can she eat, nor lead a normal life, facing difficulty in normal walking and sleeping etc. She reaches the threshold of death and comes back after delivering the baby. For this reason alone, paying her in millions will not suffice.
After the delivery of the baby the father does nothing for it, breastfeeding and fostering, taking care of the baby by foregoing sleep and various other sacrifices are a burden on the mother. For these reasons also payment of dower money by men is the righteous deed that can be done.
Successive births leave the mother devoid of all her life’s pleasantness.
Hence anyone with humanity in them will never deny payment of dower money to women.
There are numerous evil effects in the society because of men demanding dowry from girls, and people who support and encourage demanding of dowry from girls become active partners in perpetrating its evil consequences.
Because of the practice of demanding dowry from girls, those yearning for a married life at the age of 15 years do not get it even at the age of thirty.
For this reason, many girls elope and ultimately get cheated, and some find their place in brothels. And in such cases, those who demand dowry find a share in the sins committed and the consequent punishment there on.
And because of this there are instances where girls elope with men of other faiths.
And there are instances of girls committing suicide after coming to a decision they would never get married; the parents of the girls also kill themselves. Those who demand dowry are a part of all these sins.
When a girl elopes from a family due to paucity of dowry the rest of the girls in the family are denied a married future. Even in such situations, the people who demand dowry find a definite position in the sins and the consequent punishment as a result.
People who know about the practice of demands for dowry and the resultant consequences kill their girl child on its birth, and some others do it after scanning in the initial stages. And even in these kinds of heinous sins those who demand dowry play a great role in being punished in the hereafter.
People who demand dowry make a person go all round begging to make up the dowry money who otherwise lived a life with dignity. Almighty Allah would not leave unpunished the dowry mongers, responsible for such sins.
Since there is no outlet for feelings due to adolescence in some girls, they become mentally disturbed. Even in such cases the dowry mongers are jointly held responsible for the happenings.
The dowry mongers by their act reserve their places for punishments of various acts committed unknowingly or knowingly by them. If they had ever had the thought/fear in their mind that one day, they are answerable to Al-Mighty they would never venture to do such acts.
Please refer to explanation point No;309 to know more on this topic.
