Demystifying the Mahr found in Muslim marriages

Abstract

One of the most common characteristics of an Islamic marriage is that it commences with a proposal referred to as ijba or rishta. Although the observance of a formal proposal is not strictly a requirement found in traditional Islamic jurisprudence, it is commonly observed globally. An essential characteristic of a Muslim marriage is the Mahr-ul-Mithl, commonly referred to as the mahr or mehr. The English equivalent of the word mahr would be dowry. The word mahr is akin to the Hebrew word "mohar" and the Syriac word "mahr", signifying "bridal gift", which was historically referred to as "purchase money". According to the Chambers Concise Dictionary, dowry is defined as "an amount of wealth handed over by a woman's family to her husband on marriage".