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

The current concerns 
are:
 How much of wealth and trousseau did the bride bring in 
with her?
 
Even worse than this is that the groom’s family actually ask 
and bargain for the bride’s gifts.
It is as though marriage has 
now become nothing more than a trade – a business transaction.
In this ‘market’ every prospective groom becomes the 
auctioneer who auctions himself off to the highest bidder.
Whoever has the need may enter the bargaining and partake of 
this ‘market’. The whole issue has become a distasteful and 
rotten affair. It has become a heartless and censurable 
‘transaction.’ Such people cannot be called the ‘Servants of 
Rahmaan’ rather they are the ‘servants of shaitaan’. In essence, 
that person who cannot appreciate and value a good and chaste 
woman, cannot be regarded as a ‘Servant of Rahmaan’. In a 

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51
society where because of such practices, good and chaste girls 
remain forever in the homes of their parents, therein lies 
nothing other than final destruction and annihilation.
The destructive nature of ‘trousseau’ 
The asking for and expecting of a trousseau from the bride’s 
family has led society to this low ebb of morality. This practice 
has heaped nothing but disgrace upon the communities. And 
now to add ‘fuel to the fire’ the requests have stepped beyond 
just asking before and during the Nikah. This shaitaani greed of 
asking from the bride and her family has transgressed to after 
the Nikah as well! 
This extremity never existed in the bygone times and is some 
new-fangled accretion, which is liable for great censure. Such 
greedy individuals are the enemies of mankind. Such 
insatiability for wealth has caused much untold grief to many 
and has been the cause of many women remaining single. 
If one considers for a bit, then it will be obvious what the 
effects of such customs cause to women and families that are 
poor. 
A point to ponder
Suicide is Haraam in Islaam. The instigator and cause for this 
Haraam action is nothing other than the evil and insatiable 
greed prevalent in men. In whichever way one views it, 
logically, intellectually or according to Shariah, this custom of 
‘trousseau’ is reprehensible and evil. Abstention therefrom is 
essential, especially for Muslims. Such customs bring about the 
52
downfall of man and society as a whole. This is a point to 
ponder for those who still have some conscience. 
Those whose conscience is still alive should reflect well and 
note in which direction their conscience leads them. The path is 
crystal clear and obvious for those in whose hearts Imaan and 
Islaamic character still abounds.
Usurpation of the rights of women 
This accursed custom has become the norm of our societies 
nowadays that husbands don’t fulfil the rights of their wives 
insofar as the 
mehr
is concerned. This is the right of the wife 
(that she receive her 
mehr
. They would rather run after and 
demand their unjustified claims for the trousseau. They have 
given this un-Islaamic greed of theirs even greater priority than 
Shar`i rights. This has been the cause for much strife and 
family break-downs. The demand for the trousseau has become 
a ‘noose around the neck’ and the sooner society rids itself of 
this evil, then better. Together with this, all wasteful expenses 
incurred in the arrangements of Nikah should also be 
abandoned, and Muslims should adopt the simple and Sunnat 
way of performing Nikah. Wastefulness is a trait of shaitaan 
[see Aayat 27 in Surah Bani Israeel]. Wealth is a bounty and 
favour from Allaah Ta`ala, which will have to be accounted for 
in the hereafter.
Social reformation and the responsibility of the 
youth 
In this field our youth must take the brave step forward and 
resolve not to ever ask trousseau of anyone or take it from 
anyone. If anyone requests for it, then they should be explained 

---

51
society where because of such practices, good and chaste girls 
remain forever in the homes of their parents, therein lies 
nothing other than final destruction and annihilation.
The destructive nature of ‘trousseau’ 
The asking for and expecting of a trousseau from the bride’s 
family has led society to this low ebb of morality. This practice 
has heaped nothing but disgrace upon the communities. And 
now to add ‘fuel to the fire’ the requests have stepped beyond 
just asking before and during the Nikah. This shaitaani greed of 
asking from the bride and her family has transgressed to after 
the Nikah as well! 
This extremity never existed in the bygone times and is some 
new-fangled accretion, which is liable for great censure. Such 
greedy individuals are the enemies of mankind. Such 
insatiability for wealth has caused much untold grief to many 
and has been the cause of many women remaining single. 
If one considers for a bit, then it will be obvious what the 
effects of such customs cause to women and families that are 
poor. 
A point to ponder
Suicide is Haraam in Islaam. The instigator and cause for this 
Haraam action is nothing other than the evil and insatiable 
greed prevalent in men. In whichever way one views it, 
logically, intellectually or according to Shariah, this custom of 
‘trousseau’ is reprehensible and evil. Abstention therefrom is 
essential, especially for Muslims. Such customs bring about the 
52
downfall of man and society as a whole. This is a point to 
ponder for those who still have some conscience. 
Those whose conscience is still alive should reflect well and 
note in which direction their conscience leads them. The path is 
crystal clear and obvious for those in whose hearts Imaan and 
Islaamic character still abounds.
Usurpation of the rights of women 
This accursed custom has become the norm of our societies 
nowadays that husbands don’t fulfil the rights of their wives 
insofar as the 
mehr
is concerned. This is the right of the wife 
(that she receive her 
mehr
. They would rather run after and 
demand their unjustified claims for the trousseau. They have 
given this un-Islaamic greed of theirs even greater priority than 
Shar`i rights. This has been the cause for much strife and 
family break-downs. The demand for the trousseau has become 
a ‘noose around the neck’ and the sooner society rids itself of 
this evil, then better. Together with this, all wasteful expenses 
incurred in the arrangements of Nikah should also be 
abandoned, and Muslims should adopt the simple and Sunnat 
way of performing Nikah. Wastefulness is a trait of shaitaan 
[see Aayat 27 in Surah Bani Israeel]. Wealth is a bounty and 
favour from Allaah Ta`ala, which will have to be accounted for 
in the hereafter.
Social reformation and the responsibility of the 
youth 
In this field our youth must take the brave step forward and 
resolve not to ever ask trousseau of anyone or take it from 
anyone. If anyone requests for it, then they should be explained 

---

53
to make such demands are contrary to the Shariah and 
impermissible. If the people refuse to heed the advice and 
persist in continuing in this practice, then such people should 
be ostracised and shunned, so that they may acquire some 
sense. If in every village and town, the youth band together and 
form an ‘anti-trousseau committee’, then this will have a great 
effect on the entire society and be a boon to all prospective 
brides. This will, Insha-Allaah Ta`ala bode well for the entire 
community. 
Not only with such an effort gain the pleasure of Allaah Ta`ala 
and His Rasool (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), it will also benefit 
entire societies as a whole and be a blessing for the Muslim 
community. May Allaah Ta`ala make these few lines a blessing 
for all and bring the desired intention to fruition. 
Nuptials 
We deem it imperative to mention an important factor at this 
juncture, that the prospective groom not get confuse himself 
prior to his Nikah by seeking and or taking the advice of a 
novice Aalim or inexperienced friends on this subject. He 
should carry out only the following: 
1.