A large family formed an association to help those in need among them and set a limit on the bridal gift; what is your guidance?
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Question:
We are a large family consisting of many brothers and cousins, comprising about three hundred members, young and old, male and female, all descended from one grandfather. A discussion took place among them, and they agreed on the following. First, to allocate a monthly amount from each member, which is collected to help any subscriber who falls ill, suffers an accident, God forbid, or faces any other circumstances requiring assistance. Second, to set a maximum limit on the bridal gift for the women of the family, meaning that if any man from the family marries one of his cousins, the gift shall not exceed the maximum limit of sixty thousand dirhams. I ask you to guide us: is what we have done correct? Please note that some individuals in this association do not pray. Please guide us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
First, the one who does not pray is not permitted to join your association, because he is not on your religion, for prayer is the pillar of Islam. You must boycott this person until he establishes the prayer. He should not join you in an association, an agreement, a marriage, or anything else until he establishes the prayer.
As for the matter of the association you mentioned, where each person pays a sum of money and if any subscriber needs it, he is given from this money, there is nothing wrong with this, provided that this matter is voluntary and no one is compelled to participate. There is no harm in that, because this is cooperation in righteousness and piety, as long as the need for which it is called is not forbidden, meaning it is from permissible needs. There is no harm in that, because this is cooperation, and also there is no compulsion involved.
As for setting limits on bridal gifts, if there is no injustice to the women, and if this amount is moderate, containing no unfairness to the man, and no injustice to the woman by reducing it below the gift of her like, and you have agreed upon it, then there is nothing wrong with it, because this is cooperation in righteousness and piety. Yes. May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
We are a large family consisting of many brothers and cousins, comprising about three hundred members, young and old, male and female, all descended from one grandfather. A discussion took place among them, and they agreed on the following. First, to allocate a monthly amount from each member, which is collected to help any subscriber who falls ill, suffers an accident, God forbid, or faces any other circumstances requiring assistance. Second, to set a maximum limit on the bridal gift for the women of the family, meaning that if any man from the family marries one of his cousins, the gift shall not exceed the maximum limit of sixty thousand dirhams. I ask you to guide us: is what we have done correct? Please note that some individuals in this association do not pray. Please guide us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
First, the one who does not pray is not permitted to join your association, because he is not on your religion, for prayer is the pillar of Islam. You must boycott this person until he establishes the prayer. He should not join you in an association, an agreement, a marriage, or anything else until he establishes the prayer.
As for the matter of the association you mentioned, where each person pays a sum of money and if any subscriber needs it, he is given from this money, there is nothing wrong with this, provided that this matter is voluntary and no one is compelled to participate. There is no harm in that, because this is cooperation in righteousness and piety, as long as the need for which it is called is not forbidden, meaning it is from permissible needs. There is no harm in that, because this is cooperation, and also there is no compulsion involved.
As for setting limits on bridal gifts, if there is no injustice to the women, and if this amount is moderate, containing no unfairness to the man, and no injustice to the woman by reducing it below the gift of her like, and you have agreed upon it, then there is nothing wrong with it, because this is cooperation in righteousness and piety. Yes. May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، أسرة كبيرة قاموا بعمل جميعة لمساعدة من يحتاج فيما بينهم وتحديد مهر الزواج فما توجيهكم؟ الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.