Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen

Unpaid mahr after divorce

· 29 Rabiʻ II 1435 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

I divorced my wife two years a go. I still have not paid her dowry. I can not afford it. Is it possible if I pay her whatever I can?

Answer

The full amount is a debt upon you. Hence you should pay her the full amount unless she is prepared to forgive you and wave off the debt.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

وَإِن طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ وَقَدْ فَرَضْتُمْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً فَنِصْفُ مَا فَرَضْتُمْ إِلَّا أَن يَعْفُونَ أَوْ يَعْفُوَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ عُقْدَةُ النِّكَاحِ وَأَن تَعْفُوا أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَنسَوُا الْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ﴿البقرة: ٢٣٧﴾

Answered by
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
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Questions about this ruling, answered only from the archive with sources.

Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.

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Source: Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen — https://muftionline.co.za/node/5892
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/muftionline-5892

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