Fairness In Giving Dowries

'Urwah bin Az-Zubair narrated that he asked 'Aishah about the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime:

"And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls then marry (other) women of your choice." She said: "O son of my sister, this refers to a female orphan who is in the care of her guardian, and her wealth is joined to his, and he is attracted to her wealth and her beauty. So her guardian wants to marry her without being fair with regard to her dowry, and without giving her what someone else would give her. So they were forbidden to marry them unless they were fair to them and gave them the highest possible dowry that is customarily given, and they were commanded to marry other women of their choice."
'Urwah said: "'Aishah said: 'Then later on, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed concerning them: 'They ask your legal instruction concerning women, say: Allah instructs you about them, and about what is recited unto you in the Book concerning the orphan girls whom you give not the prescribed portions and yet whom you desire to marry.' 'Aishah said: 'What Allah, Most High, mentioned here that is recited in the Book is the first Verse in which it says: And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with orphan girls then marry (other) women of your choice.' 'Aishah said: 'What is referred to in the other Verse -and yet whom you desire to marry- is the desire of one of you not to marry orphan girl who is under his care if she is lacking in wealth and beauty. So they were forbidden to marry those orphan women to whose wealth they were attracted unless they were fair, because of their desire not to marry (those who were lacking in wealth and beauty.)'"

أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، عَنِ ابْنِ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ عَائِشَةَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَنْ لاَ تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ } قَالَتْ يَا ابْنَ أُخْتِي هِيَ الْيَتِيمَةُ تَكُونُ فِي حِجْرِ وَلِيِّهَا فَتُشَارِكُهُ فِي مَالِهِ فَيُعْجِبُهُ مَالُهَا وَجَمَالُهَا فَيُرِيدُ وَلِيُّهَا أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَهَا بِغَيْرِ أَنْ يُقْسِطَ فِي صَدَاقِهَا فَيُعْطِيَهَا مِثْلَ مَا يُعْطِيهَا غَيْرُهُ فَنُهُوا أَنْ يَنْكِحُوهُنَّ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُقْسِطُوا لَهُنَّ وَيَبْلُغُوا بِهِنَّ أَعْلَى سُنَّتِهِنَّ مِنَ الصَّدَاقِ فَأُمِرُوا أَنْ يَنْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَهُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ سِوَاهُنَّ قَالَ عُرْوَةُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ثُمَّ إِنَّ النَّاسَ اسْتَفْتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعْدُ فِيهِنَّ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ فِي النِّسَاءِ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ } إِلَى قَوْلِهِ { وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَنْ تَنْكِحُوهُنَّ } قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَالَّذِي ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَنَّهُ يُتْلَى فِي الْكِتَابِ الآيَةُ الأُولَى الَّتِي فِيهَا { وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَنْ لاَ تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ } قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَقَوْلُ اللَّهِ فِي الآيَةِ الأُخْرَى { وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَنْ تَنْكِحُوهُنَّ } رَغْبَةَ أَحَدِكُمْ عَنْ يَتِيمَتِهِ الَّتِي تَكُونُ فِي حَجْرِهِ حِينَ تَكُونُ قَلِيلَةَ الْمَالِ وَالْجَمَالِ فَنُهُوا أَنْ يَنْكِحُوا مَا رَغِبُوا فى مَالِهَا مِنْ يَتَامَى النِّسَاءِ إِلاَّ بِالْقِسْطِ مِنْ أَجْلِ رَغْبَتِهِمْ عَنْهُنَّ .

It was narrated that Abu Salamah said:

"I asked 'Aishah about that and she said: 'The Messenger of Allah got married (and married his daughters) for twelve Uqiyah and a Nashsh'" which is five hundred Dirhams.

أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْهَادِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَتْ فَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى اثْنَتَىْ عَشْرَةَ أُوقِيَّةً وَنَشٍّ وَذَلِكَ خَمْسُمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ .

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:

"The dowry, when the Messenger of Allah was among us, was ten Awaq."

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ الصَّدَاقُ إِذْ كَانَ فِينَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَشْرَةَ أَوَاقٍ .

It was narrated that Abu Al-'Ajfa' said:

"Umar bin Al-Khattab said: 'Do not go to extremes with regard to the dowries of women, for if that were a sign of honor and dignity in this world, or a sign of piety before Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, then Muhammad would have done that before you. But he did not give any of his wives, and none of his daughters were given, more than twelve Uqiyyah. A man may increase the dowry until he feels resentment against her and says: You cost me everything I own ('Alaqul-Qirbah)'" "And I was a man born among the 'Arabs, but I did not know the meaning of 'Alaqul-Qirbah' and others of you are saying -about those killed in this or that battle of yours, or who died: 'So-and-so was martyred' or 'so and so died as a martyr.' While perhaps he merely overloaded the backside of his beast, or lined his saddle with gold or silver seeking trade. So do not say that, rather say as the Prophet ﷺ said: 'Whoever is killed in the cause of Allah, or dies, then he is in Paradise.'"

أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرِ بْنِ إِيَاسِ بْنِ مُقَاتِلِ بْنِ مُشَمْرِخِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، وَابْنِ، عَوْنٍ وَسَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَلْقَمَةَ وَهِشَامِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ - دَخَلَ حَدِيثُ بَعْضِهِمْ فِي بَعْضٍ - عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، قَالَ سَلَمَةُ عَنِ ابْنِ سِيرِينَ، نُبِّئْتُ عَنْ أَبِي الْعَجْفَاءِ، - وَقَالَ الآخَرُونَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَجْفَاءِ، - قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ أَلاَ لاَ تَغْلُوا صُدُقَ النِّسَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ مَكْرُمَةً فِي الدُّنْيَا أَوْ تَقْوَى عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَانَ أَوْلاَكُمْ بِهِ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَا أَصْدَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ امْرَأَةً مِنْ نِسَائِهِ وَلاَ أُصْدِقَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ بَنَاتِهِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ أُوقِيَّةً وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيُغْلِي بِصَدُقَةِ امْرَأَتِهِ حَتَّى يَكُونَ لَهَا عَدَاوَةٌ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَحَتَّى يَقُولَ كُلِّفْتُ لَكُمْ عَلَقَ الْقِرْبَةِ وَكُنْتُ غُلاَمًا عَرَبِيًّا مُوَلَّدًا فَلَمْ أَدْرِ مَا عَلَقُ الْقِرْبَةِ قَالَ وَأُخْرَى يَقُولُونَهَا لِمَنْ قُتِلَ فِي مَغَازِيكُمْ أَوْ مَاتَ قُتِلَ فُلاَنٌ شَهِيدًا أَوْ مَاتَ فُلاَنٌ شَهِيدًا وَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ أَوْقَرَ عَجُزَ دَابَّتِهِ أَوْ دَفَّ رَاحِلَتِهِ ذَهَبًا أَوْ وَرِقًا يَطْلُبُ التِّجَارَةَ فَلاَ تَقُولُوا ذَاكُمْ وَلَكِنْ قُولُوا كَمَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ " مَنْ قُتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوْ مَاتَ فَهُوَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ " .