provide her with the use of it for one or two years. Likewise, he may give her the service of his slave for one year as her dower.

It is understood from his statement, “Everything that is valid as a price or payment for hire is valid as a dower,” that whatever is not valid as a price or payment for hire is not valid as a dower. Thus, if he gives her a pig, wine, or the like of prohibited things as her dower, it is invalid. Likewise, if he gives her listening to songs as her dower—for example, if he says to her, “I will bring you a singer to sing for you”—this is a benefit, but it is not valid as a dower, because it is not permissible to contract for it in a lease.

Thus, we have a direct rule and its converse: the direct rule is that everything valid as a price or payment for hire is valid as a dower; and the converse is that whatever is not valid as a price or payment for hire is not valid as a dower.

His words, “even if it is small,” allude to a difference of opinion. Some scholars say that it cannot be less than ten dirhams. The correct view, however, is that there is no minimum limit: it may be as little as one dirham—that is, seven-tenths of a mithqāl. The evidence for this is that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to the man, “Seek even an iron ring.” (1) An iron ring is worth virtually nothing.

If he gives her his own service as her dower, saying, for example, “My dower to you is that I will tend your camels for one or two years,” this is permissible, because this benefit is separate from her making use of him.

But if he says, “I give you my service to you for one year as your dower,” meaning that he washes