❀ The Sharʿi Evidence and Practice of Baraat and Dowry in Islam ❀
Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Nikah ke Masail, Vol. 1, Page 320
❖ Question
In contemporary Muslim society, weddings are commonly marked by baraat (the groom’s procession to the bride’s house). These gatherings often include all sorts of people, mostly irreligious and negligent of prayer, while pious attendees are few.
The situation becomes worse due to:
◈ Women without proper hijab, uncovered heads, and heavy makeup.
◈ Mixed gatherings where men and women line up together for greetings.
◈ Scenes of shamelessness and immodesty that cannot even be described in writing.
Other un-Islamic aspects of baraat include:
✿ People eating while standing.
✿ Obstruction of roads and blocking of public pathways.
✿ Extravagant lighting arrangements, turning night into day.
✿ Enormous food wastage.
✿ Video recordings and photographs of the bride and groom in public.
This phenomenon is not limited to the wealthy but has also spread to lower classes, thereby increasing indecency and immorality in society.
It is also heard that during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, there was no tradition of baraat or dowry. Only walīmah (marriage feast) was Sunnah. Today, countless girls remain unmarried and even grow old in their homes merely because they cannot arrange a dowry, resulting in ruined lives. It is said that in the Prophet’s ﷺ time, no burden was placed upon the bride’s family, neither of baraat nor of dowry.
Hence, kindly provide a fatwa on whether baraat and dowry have any evidence from the time of the Prophet ﷺ or not.
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu waṣ-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
Your question is: “Was there any evidence of baraat and dowry in the time of the Prophet ﷺ?”
The answer is: In my study of the Qur’an and Sunnah, I have not come across any evidence for either of these practices (baraat and dowry).
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
