Does the husband have the right to hold his wife accountable for how she spends her mahr, which he divided into a portion for her and a portion for preparing for marriage and buying clothes?
It is not permissible for a husband to hold his wife accountable for her mahr (dowry), because it is her right and a debt upon him. In exchange for this mahr and maintenance, Allah granted the husband qawamah (guardianship/authority) over his wife, as stated in His verse: ﴿Men are guardians over women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property…﴾. Al-Tabari interpreted this to mean that men are in charge of their women due to Allah's preference for them by their spending. The mahr is a right for the woman just as qawamah is a right for the man. Men must fear Allah regarding their wives' mahr and pay it in full, in accordance with His saying: ﴿O you who believe! Fulfill your obligations…﴾. The husband has no right to compel his wife to spend the mahr in a specific way unless it involves something forbidden. It is advised to resolve disputes gently and kindly to prevent Satan from interfering between the spouses.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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