Is it permissible for a husband to demand that his wife waive her deferred dower and gifts in exchange for a divorce, after he has consummated the marriage and the marriage has continued for more than seven months without a pregnancy?

It is permissible for the husband to request khul' (divorce initiated by the wife in exchange for compensation) from his wife in return for the deferred dower or any other rights. This is valid if the wife agrees and is legally competent to act, or if her guardian agrees if she is not competent. This initiates the divorce, and the khul' is valid even if the compensation is more than what the husband gave her. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars.

However, it is not permissible for the husband to harm his wife in order to force her to request khul' and pay money. If he does so, the khul' is void, and the money must be returned to her. This is the madhhab (school of thought) of most scholars, and they based their reasoning on the Almighty's saying: "And it is not lawful for you to take anything of what you have given them, unless both fear that they will not be able to keep [within] the limits of Allah" and His saying: "O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take [back] part of what you had given them".