How many types of dower are available?

Many of the Muslim jurists has divided dower into two on the basis of fixation or specification of dower at the time of marriage or after the marriage. So, under Muslim law there are two types of Dower. Those are described as follows;

1. Specified dower; &

2. Unspecified dower;

Specified dower :

Specified dower is one that’s amount of money or property is fixed by parties, by their own wills, at the time of marriage or afterwards, is called the specified dower. This dower creates an obligation on the husband to give that amount of money or property to the wife.

Many of the Muslim jurists has divided specified dower into two on the basis of capacity demand by the wife. The specified dower has been also sub-divided into two categories are:

1. Prompt dower; &

2. Deferred dower;

1. Prompt dower :

Prompt dower is payable on demand which means prompt dower is payable during the time of marriage not after. Prompt dower is payable immediately by the husband on wife’s hand when it is demanded. The wife can demand the sum of money before the consummation or afterward.

2. Deferred dower :

Deferred dower is payable on the dissolution of marriage. The deferred dower cannot be so demanded. Deferred do not create any obligation on the husband before the dissolution of marriage either by death or divorce. The wife is not entitled to demand deferred dower before the dissolution of marriage.

Unspecified dower :

If the sum of dower has not fixed or settled by the parties at the time of marriage or after the marriage, it is called unspecified dower. This is not specified by the parties at the time of marriage but such dower is fixed by the social positions and personal status of the wife. Unspecified dower is fixes during the time of dissolution of marriage and basically settled by the court of law.

Written With The Help Of Refference Book:

Mulla’s Principles Of MAHOMEDAN LAW (19^th Edition)

Written By: M. Hidayatullah & Arshad Hidayatullah (India).

Text Book Of MOHAMMEDAN LAW (23^rd Edition)

Written By: Aqil Ahamad (India).

MUSLIM LAW (17^th Edition-2014)

Written By: Syed Khalid Rashid.

Revised By: Prof. V. P. Bharatiya (India).

Text Book On ISLAMIC LAW

[Including Statutory Family Laws]

Reprint: May 2009(1^st Edition)

Written By: Dr. Muhammad Faiz-Ud-Din (Bangladesh).