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Fatwa CenterAre the bride's clothes and other needs included in the dowry?
Question
My marital contract was concluded to a novice, young man and he paid me neither the advanced nor the deferred portion of the dowry. Nevertheless, it was stated in the marital contract that he paid me a golden lira as an advanced and deferred portion of the dowry. When my father asked him to provide me with some clothes as well as some of the bride's other needs, he denied my father's demand. Noting that we met in private and consummated the marriage before the wedding. What should I do?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
If you consummated the marriage after concluding the marital contract with all the pillars and conditions fulfilled and before the wedding, that would be permissible for he is your husband. It was better, however, for you to consummate the marriage after the wedding to avoid the problems that could afflict the spouses as well as their families. We advise you to facilitate the matter and be tolerant with regard to clothing and similar matters. All these things are simple and unimportant if we view the marital life on the basis that it should be built on mercy, affability and compassion. As for the point whether the husband is liable to pay for the bride's clothes and other needs, this is determined by the agreement. If you agreed with him that he should pay only the dowry estimated at one golden lira and that he would not be asked to pay anything else, he would not be required to buy clothing or anything else except for the clothing and expenditure due to the wife after allowing him to have intercourse with her. However, if the custom decrees that clothing and other expenses of the wedding are the husband's responsibility in addition to the dowry, then he will have to pay them. On the other hand, we advise the husband – if we assumed that he is not asked to pay these expenses – to pay them if he is wealthy. May Allaah Guide you to be obedient to Him.
Allaah Knows best.
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