An "expensive" bridal gift ( Mahr) and Prophet Musa AS
Many Muslims view the Mahr (the bridal gift) as an unnecessary obstacle for men seeking marriage. Numerous scholars rightly criticize parents who demand exorbitant sums for their daughters' Mahr, placing undue financial strain on prospective grooms. Allah SWT called the bridal gift Saduqah (صَدُقَة ) which is a bridal gift denoting صِدق - sincere intentions of a man to marry a woman. We always hear from sheikhs that the best mahr is minimal and as little as possible because this is "Sunna", while citing the hadith "the best Mahr is the simplest." HOWEVER, this was in the context of the Sahabah who knew one another and who had a Prophet SAW who was guided by Allah SWT in their affairs. Therefore it overlooks an important context: the practice of the Sahaba (RA) occurred within a close-knit community where mutual trust and piety prevailed, and where the Prophet (SAW)—guided by divine wisdom—oversaw their affairs. Reducing the Mahr to a symbolic amount without con...