All praise is due only to Allaah. We laud Him and beseech His

Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) 
never stipulated the 
mehr
for any of his noble wives or 
beloved daughters to be more than 500 dirhams. Five 
hundred dirhams is about 131 and a quarter tolas of silver 
(1.75kg).
The equivalent amount in currency (rands) varies and 
fluctuates. The average amount in present times would be in the 
region of R4800 (if we consider silver to cost R2725/kilo). 
Mehr
should be stipulated at this amount, i.e. 1.75kgs of silver. 
This is also called ‘
Mehr-e-Faatimi’
. (Call it Mehr-e-Azwajun 
Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) it is better – Mufti Elias) 
It was the noble habit of many of our seniors that if they were 
requested to perform a Nikah, they would only do so on the 
condition that the 
mehr
be set at the value of 
Mehr-e-Faatimi
, 
otherwise they would refuse to perform the Nikah.
In essence, the Sunnat of our beloved Nabi (sallallahu alayhi 
wasallam) should be something to advertise and be proud 
about. We should endeavour to stipulate our dowries in 
accordance to what Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had 
stipulated for his wives and daughters. Is there anyone more 
honourable and respectable than Nabi (sallallahu alayhi 
wasallam)? Although there is no real sin in stipulating a higher 

---

33
amount for 
mehr
, but to regard this as being a token of one’s 
dignity and honour is crass ignorance. 
Another moot point 
regarding this excessive stipulation is that it leads to 
arguments and break-ups.
2). 
Another shortcoming which we see in many villages 
nowadays is their stipulation of an excessively paltry