Mukhtasar Bukhari

Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a woman presented herself to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (for marriage), but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not respond. Then a man said to him, “O Messenger of Allah! Marry her to me.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked, “What do you have (to give as a dowry)?” He replied, “I have nothing.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Go and look, even if it is an iron ring.” He went and then returned and said, “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah! I found nothing, not even an iron ring, but I have this lower garment, give her half of it.” Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he did not have another sheet. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, “What will she do with your garment? If you wear it, she will get nothing from it, and if she wears it, you will get nothing from it.” The poor man sat down (disappointed), and after sitting for a long time, he stood up (to leave). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw him (leaving) and called him back himself or had someone call him, and said, “Which surahs of the Qur’an do you know by heart?” He counted several surahs and said, “I know such and such surahs.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “We have given her to you in marriage in exchange for the Qur’an (that you know by heart),” (meaning you will teach her those surahs and that will be your dowry).