What is the ruling on presenting a ring when proposing to a girl and asking for her hand; is it Sunnah or Mustahabb (recommended)? And must it be presented after her approval? And what is meant by the "ring" in the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "Seek, even if it be a ring of iron"?

This hadith (definition) does not mean that the suitor gives his fiancée a ring upon engagement, as this is a custom of non-Muslims. Rather, it means that the mahr (dowry) can be something small if the wife is content with it, "because an iron ring is at the extreme end of scarcity." This is the view of the majority of scholars. As for wearing a ring for the purpose of engagement, it is an imported tradition.