Excerpted from: Aḥkām wa Masā’il – In the Light of Qur’an and Sunnah
Author: Shaykh Mubashar Ahmad Rabbani
❖ Question:
Can a man marry off his daughter or sister on the condition that the dowry (mahr) is kept by him?
❖ Answer:
The dowry (mahr) of a woman — whether she is a daughter or a sister — is exclusively her right and her property. The father or brother has no authority over it and cannot dispose of it on her behalf.
- If the woman, out of her own free will, gives her mahr — or part of it — to her father or brother, she has the complete right to do so.
- This act will be regarded as a gift (hiba) from the woman to her father or brother, provided there is no coercion or pressure involved.
However:
- If the woman is not pleased or does not agree, it is completely impermissible for the father or brother to:
✖ Keep the mahr,
✖ Take a portion of it, or
✖ Impose any condition related to it.
The mahr belongs solely to the woman, and no one may interfere with her ownership of it.
