The Rights of a Divorced Woman of mahr (dower) with Whom He has not Gone to Bed

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a man divorces his wife before going to bed with her, she becomes stranger to him and she can marry if she wants in the same hour after divorce. If mahr (dower) is set, she deserves one-half of it but if mahr (dower) is not set he must benefit her.’”

“The following are the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious. ‘If you divorce them before you touch them and if you have set mahr (dower) for them that must be paid them one-half of it is payable unless it is waved or one who has authority in the matter of marriage waves it.’ (2:237) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Of people with such authority is the father, or brother or the executor of the will and those whose command in the assets of the woman is effective to buy certain things and she authorizes, if such person waves, then it is permissible. 5 ”

“About the case of a man who divorces his wife before going to bed with her, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ‘He owes to her one-half of mahr (dower) if he has set something for her; but if he has not set anything for her he must benefit her like the benefits that similar women receive. 5 The words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, say, ‘. . . or it is waived by the one who has authority in the matters of marriage. . .’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Of such people is father, or a brother or the executor of the will or a man who is authorized in dealing with the assets of the woman to buy for her and he buys if he waves, it then is effective. 555

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who marries a woman and sets a mahr (dower) of one hundred sheep. He then delivers them to her, then divorces her before going to bed with her and the sheep have given birth to their young. He (the Imam) said, ‘If the sheep had become pregnant with him she must return one-half of them and one-half of the young ones; but if they did not become pregnant with him she must return one-half of the sheep but not the young ones. 555 Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurarah who has narrated the following: “He has narrated a similar Hadith from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), except that he has said, ‘He delivered sheep and slaves, then sheep and slaves gave birth. 555

“About the case of a man who marries a non-virgin woman or a virgin one and divorces her in the hour that she enters his house, abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ‘Trustworthy women must examine them and if they find such woman with the condition before she came to him then she deserves one-half of the mahr (dower) which is set for her and she does not need to count any waiting period.’”

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who marries a woman and sets a mahr (dower) of one thousand dirham and gives her a runaway slave and a gown of Hibr for the one thousand set as mahr (dower). He (the Imam) said, ’If she knows about the slave and has agreed, then it is not unlawful if she has taken delivery of the cloths and has agreed about the slave.’ I then asked, ’What happens if he divorces her before going to bed with her? He (the Imam) said, ‘She has no mahr (dower) and she must return five hundred dirham and the slave is for her.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who marries a woman and has set her father as her mahr (dower) and that she must return one thousand dirham to him. He then divorces her before going to bed with her. What must she return to him when she deserves only one- half of the mahr (dower )? Her father is an old man who is worth only five hundred dirham and he says, ’Were it not because of you I would not sell him for three thousand dirham. He (the Imam) said, ‘His words are not considered and nothing is returned to him.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who marries a woman for one thousand dirham and pays to her; but she gives it as a gift to him and says, ‘I am interested in you.’ He then divorces her before going to bed with her.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He must return to her five hundred dirham.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who marries a woman and sets a mahr (dower) of one thousand dirham and pays it to her. She then keeps five hundred and returns five hundred to him as gift. He then divorces before going to bed with her. He (the Imam) said, ‘She must return the other five hundred because five hundred belonged to her. Her giving as gift to him or others is the same.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who marries a woman and sets her (slave) father as her mahr (dower). His price is five hundred dirham; then he divorces before going to bed with her.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘She does not owe anything to him.’”

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who divorces his wife before going to bed with her. He (the Imam) said, ’He owes to her one-half of the mahr (dower) if he has set mahr (dower) for her, but if he has not set anything for her then he must benefit her in a fair manner as it is done with women similar to her.’”

“This is the case of a man who marries a woman for a slave with his wife. He delivers them to her then the wife of the slave dies in the possession of the woman; then he divorces her before going to bed with her. Abu al-Hassan, al-Awwal (a.s.), has said, ‘If he had appraised her for her on the day of marriage he then appraises the slave. He then counts the difference of the day of marriage which she must return to him, then he gives her one-half of what he has received back.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said this. ‘If a woman marries for a woman as mahr (dower) who grows with her whereby her price increases or reduces, then he divorces her before going to bed with her. She must give back half of the price of the day it was given to her regardless of any increase or decrease.’”

“About the case of a man who sets his slave-girl free then sets her freedom as her mahr (dower) then divorces before going to bed with her. He (the Imam) said, ‘She must return one-half of her price and must work to pay the rest.’”