Can I ask for the services of a maid as my Mahr?

Question:

Principally who has the right to decide mahr-the bride herself or the father? From sources I have learned that it is the explicit right of daughter and need to be decided among the intended couple so guardian /parents should not involve themselves to put pressure. Also ,what can a lady demand in mahr apart from money and gold? Some say that you may ask for furniture/utensils/home/or simply a dinner too but as per my position Im interested to ask for a fulltime helping hand/maid, will it be valid?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The dowry (mahr) is the exclusive right of the wife. She has the right to stipulate the mahr amount.¹

In doing so, she must also consider the standard mahr given to the womenfolk of her family. This standard family mahr is known as Mahr Mithl.²

A woman may request mahr in cash like gold, silver or money or in furniture etc. ³

She may also request the mahr be given in the form of some benefit, for example, the service of a maid for a specific period of time. However, if the husband is wealthy, he has to provide a maid to fulfil the household chores in any way. This will be his responsibility apart from the mahr.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

________

{وَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ} [النساء: 25]¹

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (3/ 137)²

 (مهر مثلها) الشرعي (مهر مثلها) اللغوي: أي مهر امرأة تماثلها (من قوم أبيها) لا أمها إن لم تكن من قومه كبنت عمه. وفي الخلاصة: يعتبر بأخواتها وعماتها، فإن لم يكن فبنت الشقيقة وبنت العم انتهى ومفاده اعتبار الترتيب فليحفظ.

رد المحتار (9/ 498)³

( قَوْلُهُ أَوْ عَرْضًا ) وَكَذَا لَوْ مَنْفَعَةً كَسُكْنَى دَارِهِ ، وَرُكُوبِ دَابَّتِهِ وَزِرَاعَةِ أَرْضِهِ حَيْثُ عُلِمَتْ الْمُدَّةُ كَمَا فِي الْهِنْدِيَّةِ

إلى االبحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (4/ 199)

وَفِي التَّجْنِيسِ امْرَأَةٌ لَهَا مَمَالِيكُ قَالَتْ لِزَوْجِهَا أَنْفِقْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ مَهْرِي فَأَنْفَقَ فَقَالَتْ لَا أَجْعَلُهَا مِنْ الْمَهْرِ؛ لِأَنَّك اسْتَخْدَمْتَهُمْ فَمَا أَنْفَقَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ فَهُوَ مَحْسُوبٌ عَلَيْهَا؛ لِأَنَّهُ بِأَمْرِهَالزوج فيكون ذلك على الزوج

رد المحتار (9/ 499)

 وَلَا فَرْقَ فِي ذَلِكَ بَيْنَ الثَّوْبِ وَالْمَكِيلِ وَالْمَوْزُونِ لِأَنَّ مَا جُعِلَ مَهْرًا لَمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَإِنَّمَا التَّغَيُّرُ فِي رَغَبَاتِ النَّاسِ بَحْرٌ عَنْ الْبَدَائِعِ

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