Derived from: Fatāwā Amnapūrī by Shaykh Ghulām Mustafa Ẓahīr Amnapūrī
Is Mahr (bridal due) obligatory in marriage according to Islamic law?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾAmma baʿd!
◈ Mahr is obligatory (wājib) in Nikah, and a marriage contract is not complete without it.
◈ Allah ﷻ explicitly commands in the Qur’an:
﴿وَآتُوا النِّسَاءَ صَدُقَاتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً﴾
(Surah al-Nisāʾ: 4)
“And give the women their dowries graciously.”
❀ ʿAllāmah al-Qurṭubī (رحمه الله) (d. 671 AH) comments:
“This verse clearly proves that giving Mahr to a woman is obligatory. There is consensus (ijmāʿ) on this matter and no difference of opinion among scholars.”
(Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī, 5/24)
◈ Mahr is a necessary and binding part of the Islamic marriage contract.
◈ Denial or omission of Mahr contradicts both the Qur’an and scholarly consensus.
هٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
❖ Question:
Is Mahr (bridal due) obligatory in marriage according to Islamic law?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾAmma baʿd!
✿ Ruling of Mahr in Nikah:
◈ Mahr is obligatory (wājib) in Nikah, and a marriage contract is not complete without it.
◈ Allah ﷻ explicitly commands in the Qur’an:
﴿وَآتُوا النِّسَاءَ صَدُقَاتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً﴾
(Surah al-Nisāʾ: 4)
“And give the women their dowries graciously.”
✿ Scholarly Consensus:
❀ ʿAllāmah al-Qurṭubī (رحمه الله) (d. 671 AH) comments:
“This verse clearly proves that giving Mahr to a woman is obligatory. There is consensus (ijmāʿ) on this matter and no difference of opinion among scholars.”
(Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī, 5/24)
Conclusion:
◈ Mahr is a necessary and binding part of the Islamic marriage contract.
◈ Denial or omission of Mahr contradicts both the Qur’an and scholarly consensus.
هٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
