void'." According to Islamic teachings in the hadith (sayings of Muhammad), mahr is the amount to be paid by the groom to the bride at the time of marriage, some of which may be delayed according to what is agreed upon by the spouses. The mahr is for her to spend as she wishes. It can be cash, jewellery or any other valuable gift. In some cases, per Sahih al-Bukhari (Volume 7, Book 62, Number 72), even an iron ring can be mahr. Sura 4.4, 4.19, 4.20, 4.24, 60.10 and 60.11 of Qur'an require a groom to give a dower to a bride. Modern purposes In 2003, Rubya Mehdi published an article in which the culture of mahr among Muslims was thoroughly reviewed. Mahr is a means of sustenance in case of a sudden death, divorce or other emergency. See also Dower Dowry (an overlapping concept) Islamic marital jurisprudence Women and Islam References External links Arabic words and phrases Islamic jurisprudence Marriage in Islam Islamic terminology