Is the husband entitled to hold on to his wife and refuse to divorce her, knowing that he has informed her of his intention to marry another, and that her family insists on divorce? What is her legitimate right to the dowry in this case, especially since there is a legal contract specifying one Egyptian pound as an advance payment and 5,0 Egyptian pounds as deferred payment, and a list of movables amounting to 204,0 Egyptian pounds? Are gifts and money given after the contract considered part of the dowry, and is the husband entitled to reclaim them in case of divorce?

The wife is not obliged to answer a request for divorce, and there is no harm in retaining her honorably.

It is recommended to grant her a divorce if the reason is marital discord, and it is permissible due to discord between the spouses, and it is recommended to grant it.

If she requests a divorce without a valid reason, it is permissible to refuse until she forfeits her dower or part of it. If she is divorced without any condition, she is entitled to the rights of a divorced woman.

Half of the dower refers to half of the entire agreed-upon amount, including the deferred dower, gold, and movables. It does not include movables brought by the wife or her family. Gifts given after the marriage contract are divided in half if they are customarily or by agreement part of the dower; otherwise, they are a gift that cannot be reclaimed.