Is it permissible for a man to marry a woman who lives in her own home, with the child being attributed to the mother, and with the permissibility of the woman paying the dowry to the man, especially in families with few children or those that are poor?

There is no impediment to a man marrying a woman who lives with him or with her family. This does not affect the validity of the marriage contract (nikah), the lineage of the children, or the obligation of the mahr (dower). The children are attributed to their father, and it is not permissible to attribute them to anyone else.

The mahr is a right of the wife upon the husband. Obligating it upon her is contrary to Islamic law, based on the Almighty's saying: (وَآتُوا النِّسَاءَ صَدُقَاتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً) "And give women their dowries as a free gift," and what has been narrated in the Sunnah from the Prophet, peace be upon him, regarding his sayings, actions, and approvals.

The Fiqh Council affirms that the custom of obligating the mahr upon the wife is a bad and objectionable practice, and that the husband must pay a dower to his wife. It recommends reducing the dower and facilitating marriage, and warns against extravagance and wastefulness. It also calls upon scholars to combat this custom.