His statement, “If it is stipulated for someone other than the father, then the entire stipulated amount belongs to her,” may be illustrated as follows: her brother marries her off and stipulates one thousand for her and one thousand for her sister. This stipulation is invalid, meaning that no one other than the father is entitled to anything; rather, the full two thousand belongs to the wife. If he divorces her before consummation, he recovers half of the bridal gift—that is, one thousand—and the wife suffers no loss, because she has received two thousand.
His statement, “Whoever marries off his daughter—even if she has previously been married—for less than her customary bridal gift, the marriage is valid,” means that when a man marries off his daughter, if she is a virgin, it has previously been stated that, according to the established position in the school, her consent is not a condition, neither regarding the husband nor the amount. Thus, he may marry her to a husband she does not accept, for an amount she does not accept. If her father marries her to a blind, deaf, mute, chronically disabled, poor, ignorant, or sick man for a bridal gift of ten riyals, this is permissible. This is because the father may take whatever he wishes from his daughter’s wealth. Just as, if she were to receive the bridal gift, he could take half of it without concern, likewise, if he marries her off for less than the customary bridal gift, it is valid. Moreover, the father is more knowledgeable of his daughter’s best interests: he may perhaps accept less than the customary bridal gift from a particular man because of his religious commitment, chivalrous character, kinship, and the like. This differs from other guardians, who may not take the same care for her as her father does.
His statement, “even if she has previously been married,” indicates a point of disagreement, for some scholars say that if he marries off his previously married daughter for less than the customary bridal gift, it is invalid, because a previously married woman has authority over herself and her father cannot compel her. Since he cannot compel her to marry, he likewise cannot compel her to accept a bridal gift below that of her peers. But the sound view is that there is no difference: if he marries off his daughter for less than the customary bridal gift, there is no harm in it, and the stipulation is valid.