to you for a dower of one riyal,” when in fact the dower is one hundred thousand riyals. This is not correct; it is a lie. But if we are in a land where people are not accustomed to specifying it, and they regard such specification as demeaning—thinking that if the dower is specified, it is as though she were a slave woman being sold—should we specify it? The answer is: No, we should not specify it, because Allah Most High says, “Live with them in kindness.” [al-Nisa’ 4:19]

The apparent meaning of the author’s words, “stipulating it in the marriage contract,” is that this applies whether it consists of silver coins or of particular items other than coins. Thus, one may say: “I marry her to you for the dower consisting of a bed, bracelets, and a bedroom set,” mentioning the entire dower. This is the sunnah. Yet people in our time and place have become accustomed not to mention these items, out of shyness at referring to them. So, if the guardian says, “I marry her to you for the dower that you paid me,” has it then been specified? No—unless the two witnesses know what it is, in which case it is considered specified.

His words, “from four hundred dirhams to five hundred”: four hundred dirhams was the dower of the Prophet’s daughters, peace and blessings be upon him, (1) while five hundred dirhams was the dower of his wives, peace and blessings be upon him. (2) But this was generally the case; at times, he gave a dower less than that.

His use of the words, “it is recommended,” indicates that this is not obligatory and that increasing it beyond this amount is permissible. Evidence for this is the saying of Allah Most High: “That you seek them in marriage with your wealth.” [al-Nisa’ 4:24] He did not set a limit. Another proof is the case of Thabit ibn Qays, may Allah be pleased with him: when his wife came to dislike him, and he had given her a garden as her dower,