Abu Dawud

Benefits and Issues:
➊ A woman cannot contract her own marriage by herself.
Having a guardian (wali) is an essential condition for the validity of the marriage. All those verses and hadiths in which the marriage is attributed to women are, in light of these authentic hadiths, specific to the presence of a guardian (wali).
It is necessary, however, that in this important decision of life, they cannot be coerced.
Their consent, and in fact explicit consultation with a widow, is absolutely essential.

➋ The first husband of Umm Habibah radi Allahu anha (Ubaydullah bin Jahsh) had migrated to Abyssinia after accepting Islam, but there he became an apostate and turned Christian.
It is narrated regarding Umm Habibah radi Allahu anha that she saw in a dream that someone came and addressed her as "Mother of the Believers" (Umm al-Mu'minin), and she says that she became somewhat anxious and interpreted this dream to mean that, insha Allah, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would marry her.
So, when her waiting period ('iddah) ended, suddenly the messenger of Najashi appeared at the door.
When she looked, it was his maid whose name was Abraha, who used to take care of the king's clothing and perfumes.
She said that the king had said that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had written to him to marry her to the Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
I said: May Allah reward you with goodness. She said: Appoint your representative (wakeel).
So I appointed Khalid bin Sa'id bin al-As as my representative.
In Sirat Ya'muri, it is mentioned that Uthman bin Affan radi Allahu anhu was her representative.
Accordingly, Najashi rahimahullah paid the dowry (mahr), which was four hundred mithqal of gold, and afterwards also held a wedding feast (walimah).
Later, she was sent to Madinah in the company of Sharjeel bin Hasnah.
(Bazl al-Majhud) In this story, Najashi rahimahullah was the representative (wakeel) on behalf of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and Khalid bin Sa'id or Uthman radi Allahu anhu became the guardian (wali) and representative (wakeel) of Umm Habibah radi Allahu anha.
Najashi rahimahullah, who was the ruler at the time, can also be considered a guardian (wali).
The mention of Uthman does not seem correct because he was not in Abyssinia at that time; rather, after the first migration to Abyssinia, he had returned soon thereafter.

(1) The aforementioned narration has been declared weak in terms of its chain by the researcher of the book, whereas in Abu Dawud (Hadith: 2086), in the investigation of this narration, it is written that there are numerous supporting narrations for this hadith. However, he did not indicate the authenticity or weakness of these supporting narrations, from which it is understood that, according to the Shaykh rahimahullah as well, this hadith certainly has some basis. Furthermore, other researchers have declared the aforementioned narration to be authentic. Therefore, in light of the evidences, the aforementioned narration is considered authentic. And Allah knows best.

(2) "She was in Abyssinia"—in fact, she had migrated to Abyssinia with her husband, Ubaydullah bin Jahsh. After some time, for material gain, Ubaydullah bin Jahsh became a Christian and died in that state of apostasy. Hazrat Umm Habibah radi Allahu anha remained steadfast upon Islam. When she became aware of the situation, she sent Hazrat Amr bin Umayyah Damri radi Allahu anhu to the King of Abyssinia, Najashi, with a marriage proposal from her.

(3) This event took place in the 6th or 7th year of Hijrah. At that time, marrying Hazrat Umm Habibah radi Allahu anha, on one hand, was an encouragement and appreciation for a woman who was a stranger in a foreign land, who had permanently left her parents for your sake, and whose only support, her husband, had died after becoming an apostate. On the other hand, it was a very significant political decision that broke the back of the disbelievers of Quraysh, and Abu Sufyan was no longer able to fight against you.

(4) On the occasion of marriage, it is recommended (mustahabb) to give some necessary items as a gift to the daughter or sister, etc., to help establish a new home and to win her heart. Spending on the son's marriage and sending the daughter empty-handed is contrary to Islamic equality. However, being overly meticulous or extravagant in this matter is not permissible, nor is it correct to use this as evidence for the permissibility of the customary dowry (jahez). This is an un-Islamic custom that contains many evils, such as: mistreating the girl for not bringing dowry, making her life miserable with daily taunts and reproaches, demands from the boy's family for dowry and various items, and as a result, the girl's guardians being burdened under heavy debt, etc., the details of which can be seen in the benefit of Hadith: 3386.

(5) "Four hundred dirhams"—it has been mentioned earlier that this is the translation of ten uqiyyah, and there is some reduction in it; otherwise, the standard dowry (mahr) fixed by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was five hundred dirhams.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ If a wealthy and well-off person gives a higher dowry (mahr) according to his status, it is a good thing and there is nothing impermissible about it. However, to set a very high dowry merely for show and then not pay it at all is completely wrong. Similarly, despite having means, to set only a nominal dowry is also wrong. The right of dowry (mahr), whether little or much, should be according to one’s capacity, and its payment is also necessary.

➋ Furthermore, if someone else becomes a guarantor (kafeel) in this matter, it is permissible and there is no harm in it; rather, it is cooperation in goodness.