سنن نسائي
Nasai
كتاب النكاحThe Book of Marriage
بَابُ : جَهَازِ الرَّجُلِ ابْنَتَهُChapter: A Man Fitting Out His Daughter (For Marriage)
Hadith 3386
اُردوEn
أَخْبَرَنَا نَصِيرُ بْنُ الْفَرَجِ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ ، عَنْ زَائِدَةَ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا عَطَاءُ بْنُ السَّائِبِ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، قَالَ : " جَهَّزَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاطِمَةَ فِي خَمِيلٍ ، وَقِرْبَةٍ ، وَوِسَادَةٍ حَشْوُهَا إِذْخِرٌ " .
´It was narrated that 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said:` "The Messenger of Allah fitted out Fatimah with a velvet dress, a water-skin and a pillow stuffed with Idhkhar."
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
English Translation:
The meaning of جَهَّزَ يُجَهِّزُ تَجْهِيزًا is: (according to the occasion) to prepare provisions or necessary items. In place of تجھیز (tajhiz), the word جَهَازَ (jahaz) is also used. Both are verbal nouns (masdar) from the form II (bab taf‘il). Imam al-Nasa’i rahimahullah has used the word جَهَازَ here. In the Noble Qur’an, the word جَهَازَ also appears in the same meaning. {فَلَمَّا جَھَّزَھُمْ بِجَھَازِھِمْ} (Yusuf: 12:70): “(When the attendants of Yusuf alayhis salam) prepared the travel provisions for the brothers of Yusuf.” Similarly, there are expressions like جَهَازُ الْعُرُوس (preparing the bride), جَهَازُ السَّفَر (preparing for travel), جَهَازُ الغَازِي (preparing the warrior), etc.—preparing the bride, preparing the funeral provisions, preparing travel supplies, and preparing the warrior’s equipment (such as weapons) and taking them to the battlefield, etc.
In the hadiths, this word is generally used in two senses. First, at the time of departure (rukhsati), when a father gives his daughter some necessary items to help her establish her new home. Second, preparing the bride for the wedding night, or adorning her with fine clothes and such to make her a bride. Apart from the hadith in Sunan al-Nasa’i, this word is used in two other places in the hadiths. One is the hadith in which it is mentioned that the Negus (Najashi, the king of Abyssinia) sent Umm Habibah radi Allahu anha, after marrying her to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam by proxy, along with the Companion Sharjeel ibn Hasnah radi Allahu anhu to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. In that hadith, it is stated: [ثُمَّ جَھَّزَھَا مِنْ عِنْدِہٖ وبعَثَ بها إلى رسولِ اللهِ ﷺ........وجَهازُها كلُّه مِن عندِ النَّجاشيِّ ] “Then Najashi prepared Umm Habibah from his own side and sent her to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam… and all her preparation (or all her provisions) were from Najashi.” (Sunan al-Nasa’i, Kitab al-Nikah, Hadith: 3352; Musnad Ahmad: 6/427, and this is his wording.) Here, “tajhiz” and “jahaz” are in the sense of preparing the bride or providing other necessary items including the dowry (mahr), because in the same hadith it is explicitly mentioned that Najashi gave four thousand dirhams as mahr to Umm Habibah. Therefore, here it is possible that the word encompasses both meanings. The wording of the hadith supports both interpretations.
The second place this word is used is in the hadith regarding the return from the Battle of Khaybar, when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam freed Safiyyah radi Allahu anha and married her. It is mentioned: [جَهَّزَتها لَهُ أمُّ سُلَيْمٍ فأَهْدَتها لَهُ منَ اللَّيلِ ] “Umm Sulaym radi Allahu anha prepared Safiyyah and presented her at night to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam for the wedding night.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Salat, Bab Ma Yudhkar fi al-Fakhidh, Hadith: 371) Here, the word is used for preparing the bride.
In the hadith under discussion from Sunan al-Nasa’i, the word is used in the first sense, i.e., giving some necessary items at the time of marriage to send the bride off. In light of this brief explanation, the main point is that the common custom of dowry (jahiz) in our society is justified by citing the incident of Fatimah radi Allahu anha, whereas the reality of that incident is only that Ali radi Allahu anhu was under the care of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he had neither a house nor any means of income. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, considering his situation, gave his daughter Fatimah radi Allahu anha a few items, as mentioned in the hadith. This has no connection with the current practice of dowry.
The current form of dowry is such that, at the time of a girl’s marriage, dowry has been made an obligatory thing, regardless of whether someone can afford it or not. Then, it has been expanded beyond necessities to include all sorts of social conveniences and luxuries. Thirdly, it has been made a substitute for inheritance, as in Hindu custom, and on this basis, many people do not give women their share of inheritance. Fourthly, if a girl goes to her in-laws without dowry, her in-laws make her life miserable.
Whereas, from the incident of Fatimah radi Allahu anha, it is only understood that if the family the girl is marrying into is so poor and destitute that even the necessities of life are lacking, then giving the girl those items which will fulfill the needs of the new home is not only permissible but commendable and an act of cooperation in righteousness and piety (ta‘awun ‘ala al-birr wa al-taqwa). The current custom of dowry does not contain this spirit of cooperation and sympathy at all. If this spirit were present, then at the time of marriage, the son-in-law would be given those things which he truly needs. For example, if his business is not satisfactory, he should be given financial assistance so that his business can be stabilized; if he does not have accommodation or it is insufficient, he should be given a house or at least a plot according to one’s means, or some similar assistance should be provided to help him improve his future. But no one does this; instead, hundreds of thousands of rupees are spent on dowry, for which sometimes there is not even enough space to keep or manage it.
In this respect, the current custom of dowry has no justification, nor does it have any connection with the incident of Fatimah radi Allahu anha. In its present form, this custom is entirely un-Islamic and an imitation of Hindus, which should be avoided as much as possible. And Allah is the bestower of success and aid.
And it is the height of injustice that demands for dowry are made from the girl’s family according to one’s own preferences and desires, whereas is it not enough of a favor that the girl’s parents raise her with love and care, adorn her with education and upbringing, and, for the sake of Allah’s command, entrust a piece of their heart to others? Instead of appreciating this favor, demands are made from them, which is an expression of ingratitude, whereas Allah’s command is to return favor with favor, not to make life difficult for the benefactor.
Furthermore, Allah Ta‘ala has made the man the protector, guardian, and maintainer (qawwam) of the woman, and one reason given for this is that he fulfills the woman’s financial needs. When a man forgets his status and demands from the woman, it is obvious that this is contrary to the reason for superiority given by Allah Ta‘ala—﴿وَبِمَا أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ﴾—and is also against the way of manliness. In any case, from whatever angle this custom is viewed, its reprehensibility and ugliness become clear.
The meaning of جَهَّزَ يُجَهِّزُ تَجْهِيزًا is: (according to the occasion) to prepare provisions or necessary items. In place of تجھیز (tajhiz), the word جَهَازَ (jahaz) is also used. Both are verbal nouns (masdar) from the form II (bab taf‘il). Imam al-Nasa’i rahimahullah has used the word جَهَازَ here. In the Noble Qur’an, the word جَهَازَ also appears in the same meaning. {فَلَمَّا جَھَّزَھُمْ بِجَھَازِھِمْ} (Yusuf: 12:70): “(When the attendants of Yusuf alayhis salam) prepared the travel provisions for the brothers of Yusuf.” Similarly, there are expressions like جَهَازُ الْعُرُوس (preparing the bride), جَهَازُ السَّفَر (preparing for travel), جَهَازُ الغَازِي (preparing the warrior), etc.—preparing the bride, preparing the funeral provisions, preparing travel supplies, and preparing the warrior’s equipment (such as weapons) and taking them to the battlefield, etc.
In the hadiths, this word is generally used in two senses. First, at the time of departure (rukhsati), when a father gives his daughter some necessary items to help her establish her new home. Second, preparing the bride for the wedding night, or adorning her with fine clothes and such to make her a bride. Apart from the hadith in Sunan al-Nasa’i, this word is used in two other places in the hadiths. One is the hadith in which it is mentioned that the Negus (Najashi, the king of Abyssinia) sent Umm Habibah radi Allahu anha, after marrying her to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam by proxy, along with the Companion Sharjeel ibn Hasnah radi Allahu anhu to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. In that hadith, it is stated: [ثُمَّ جَھَّزَھَا مِنْ عِنْدِہٖ وبعَثَ بها إلى رسولِ اللهِ ﷺ........وجَهازُها كلُّه مِن عندِ النَّجاشيِّ ] “Then Najashi prepared Umm Habibah from his own side and sent her to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam… and all her preparation (or all her provisions) were from Najashi.” (Sunan al-Nasa’i, Kitab al-Nikah, Hadith: 3352; Musnad Ahmad: 6/427, and this is his wording.) Here, “tajhiz” and “jahaz” are in the sense of preparing the bride or providing other necessary items including the dowry (mahr), because in the same hadith it is explicitly mentioned that Najashi gave four thousand dirhams as mahr to Umm Habibah. Therefore, here it is possible that the word encompasses both meanings. The wording of the hadith supports both interpretations.
The second place this word is used is in the hadith regarding the return from the Battle of Khaybar, when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam freed Safiyyah radi Allahu anha and married her. It is mentioned: [جَهَّزَتها لَهُ أمُّ سُلَيْمٍ فأَهْدَتها لَهُ منَ اللَّيلِ ] “Umm Sulaym radi Allahu anha prepared Safiyyah and presented her at night to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam for the wedding night.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Salat, Bab Ma Yudhkar fi al-Fakhidh, Hadith: 371) Here, the word is used for preparing the bride.
In the hadith under discussion from Sunan al-Nasa’i, the word is used in the first sense, i.e., giving some necessary items at the time of marriage to send the bride off. In light of this brief explanation, the main point is that the common custom of dowry (jahiz) in our society is justified by citing the incident of Fatimah radi Allahu anha, whereas the reality of that incident is only that Ali radi Allahu anhu was under the care of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he had neither a house nor any means of income. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, considering his situation, gave his daughter Fatimah radi Allahu anha a few items, as mentioned in the hadith. This has no connection with the current practice of dowry.
The current form of dowry is such that, at the time of a girl’s marriage, dowry has been made an obligatory thing, regardless of whether someone can afford it or not. Then, it has been expanded beyond necessities to include all sorts of social conveniences and luxuries. Thirdly, it has been made a substitute for inheritance, as in Hindu custom, and on this basis, many people do not give women their share of inheritance. Fourthly, if a girl goes to her in-laws without dowry, her in-laws make her life miserable.
Whereas, from the incident of Fatimah radi Allahu anha, it is only understood that if the family the girl is marrying into is so poor and destitute that even the necessities of life are lacking, then giving the girl those items which will fulfill the needs of the new home is not only permissible but commendable and an act of cooperation in righteousness and piety (ta‘awun ‘ala al-birr wa al-taqwa). The current custom of dowry does not contain this spirit of cooperation and sympathy at all. If this spirit were present, then at the time of marriage, the son-in-law would be given those things which he truly needs. For example, if his business is not satisfactory, he should be given financial assistance so that his business can be stabilized; if he does not have accommodation or it is insufficient, he should be given a house or at least a plot according to one’s means, or some similar assistance should be provided to help him improve his future. But no one does this; instead, hundreds of thousands of rupees are spent on dowry, for which sometimes there is not even enough space to keep or manage it.
In this respect, the current custom of dowry has no justification, nor does it have any connection with the incident of Fatimah radi Allahu anha. In its present form, this custom is entirely un-Islamic and an imitation of Hindus, which should be avoided as much as possible. And Allah is the bestower of success and aid.
And it is the height of injustice that demands for dowry are made from the girl’s family according to one’s own preferences and desires, whereas is it not enough of a favor that the girl’s parents raise her with love and care, adorn her with education and upbringing, and, for the sake of Allah’s command, entrust a piece of their heart to others? Instead of appreciating this favor, demands are made from them, which is an expression of ingratitude, whereas Allah’s command is to return favor with favor, not to make life difficult for the benefactor.
Furthermore, Allah Ta‘ala has made the man the protector, guardian, and maintainer (qawwam) of the woman, and one reason given for this is that he fulfills the woman’s financial needs. When a man forgets his status and demands from the woman, it is obvious that this is contrary to the reason for superiority given by Allah Ta‘ala—﴿وَبِمَا أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ﴾—and is also against the way of manliness. In any case, from whatever angle this custom is viewed, its reprehensibility and ugliness become clear.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 3386
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Benefits and Issues:
➊ The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave some household items to Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) on the occasion of her marriage. Some people have taken this as evidence for the current custom of dowry, which is incorrect. In reality, Ali’s (radi Allahu anhu) father, Abu Talib, was a poor man. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) took Ali (radi Allahu anhu) into his care to help him. When he grew up, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) married his daughter Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) to him. On this occasion, the necessary items for establishing a separate household were provided. At that time, Ali’s (radi Allahu anhu) financial situation was so strained that when he was told to give Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) a gift on the wedding night, he said: “I have nothing.” The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Then give her your cloak that you have.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Book of Marriage, Chapter: Regarding a man entering upon his wife before giving her anything, Hadith: 2125) The wording of the hadith (jahhazahuma biha) is also noteworthy. Translating it as “giving dowry” is incorrect; rather, its meaning is either providing items for establishing a home or preparing for cohabitation. And the latter meaning is more correct. The dual pronoun supports this meaning. If what was meant was the customary dowry, then the pronoun would have been only feminine (jahhazaha), not (jahhazahuma).
➋ (wisadah) refers to the pillow on which one places the head while sleeping. It also refers to the cushion used for support while sitting. The pillow given to Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) could have been of the first type or the second. And Allah knows best.
➊ The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave some household items to Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) on the occasion of her marriage. Some people have taken this as evidence for the current custom of dowry, which is incorrect. In reality, Ali’s (radi Allahu anhu) father, Abu Talib, was a poor man. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) took Ali (radi Allahu anhu) into his care to help him. When he grew up, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) married his daughter Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) to him. On this occasion, the necessary items for establishing a separate household were provided. At that time, Ali’s (radi Allahu anhu) financial situation was so strained that when he was told to give Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) a gift on the wedding night, he said: “I have nothing.” The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Then give her your cloak that you have.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Book of Marriage, Chapter: Regarding a man entering upon his wife before giving her anything, Hadith: 2125) The wording of the hadith (jahhazahuma biha) is also noteworthy. Translating it as “giving dowry” is incorrect; rather, its meaning is either providing items for establishing a home or preparing for cohabitation. And the latter meaning is more correct. The dual pronoun supports this meaning. If what was meant was the customary dowry, then the pronoun would have been only feminine (jahhazaha), not (jahhazahuma).
➋ (wisadah) refers to the pillow on which one places the head while sleeping. It also refers to the cushion used for support while sitting. The pillow given to Fatimah (radi Allahu anha) could have been of the first type or the second. And Allah knows best.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 4152
