mahr

Mahr, also transliterated mehr or mahr, is a mandatory payment or gift from the groom to the bride in an Islamic marriage contract. It is the wife’s property and is distinct from the dowry in cultures where that term refers to wealth handed to the groom’s family. The mahr serves as financial security for the wife and as a formal recognition of her rights within marriage and upon its dissolution.

The mahr can take the form of money, property, jewelry, or any agreed value. It is usually specified in the nikah contract and may be paid immediately (mu'ajjal) or deferred (mu'akhkhar), or paid as a combination of both. If no specific amount is stated, terms are often guided by customary practice and the bride’s means.

In Islamic law, the mahr is a binding obligation on the husband and the wife is entitled to it in events such as divorce or the husband’s death. The immediate portion, if any, is paid at or soon after marriage; the deferred portion becomes due according to the contract or applicable conventions. Terminology and practice can vary somewhat across the major jurisprudential schools, but the mahr is generally treated as the wife’s sole property and a personal right.

Contemporary practice varies by culture and legal system. Mahr amounts can range from symbolic sums to substantial assets and are often recorded in marriage contracts for clarity and potential enforcement under civil or religious law.