mahr

Mahr (dower) is a sum of money or other property that the wife becomes entitled to receive from the husband in consideration of the marriage. It is not a price paid for the bride; it is an obligation imposed by law on the husband as a mark of respect for the wife, and it belongs to her absolutely.

Mahr may be fixed in the contract (specified dower) or, if not fixed, the wife gets proper dower. It may be prompt (payable on demand) or deferred (payable on death or divorce). Unpaid mahr is a debt; a widow in lawful possession of her husband's property may retain it until the dower is paid.

Example

On talaq the wife may sue for the unpaid deferred mahr, which ranks as an unsecured debt against the husband.

In Indian law

• Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, s.2 (dower governed by Muslim personal law)
• Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum, 1985 INSC 97: mahr is not an amount payable on divorce that excuses maintenance

See also

prompt dower · deferred dower · mahr-ul-misl · mahr-ul-musamma

Read more in the study notes

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• Stages and procedure of conciliation under Part III (Alternative Dispute Resolution Systems)
• Penal provisions for dishonour of cheques (ss.138-148) and the Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 1891 (Banking Law)
• Concurrent and consecutive sentences; appeals, revision and reference (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita)
• Transfer of criminal cases (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita)
• Execution, suspension, remission and commutation of sentences; mercy petitions (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita)