What is the rule regarding the bridal gift? And is zakah obligatory on it if its payment to the wife is delayed?
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The questioner : Our esteemed Shaykh, in some of our villages, when a man wants to get married, the groom is given a paper listing the bride's needs, such as gold and other items. And when the marriage contract is concluded, the father says, for example, "The daughter's right is ten thousand riyals..."
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : He says "the daughter's right" in colloquial terms, so I do not know whether this right is considered the bridal gift, or whether the gold suffices as the bridal gift?
The Shaykh : The bridal gift is everything given to the woman for the purpose of marrying her. This is the rule. So whatever was gifted to her beforehand is part of the bridal gift.
The questioner : Well, what if the man does not pay it?
The Shaykh : If?
The questioner : If the man does not pay it in advance, but it is written that it will be paid later, for example, and he pays it later, say in installments, what is the ruling regarding the wife's zakah on it, and what is the issue?
The Shaykh : Its ruling is the same as the ruling for debts owed to anyone other than the husband.
The questioner : Well, the husband is not able to pay...
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : The husband is not able to pay.
The Shaykh : If he becomes unable to pay, then if she receives it, even after years, she pays zakah on it only once.
The questioner : Only once.
The Shaykh : Yes, unless she receives it before the completion of the year, in which case she waits until the year ends. For example, if a husband gives his wife a bridal gift of ten thousand riyals, and after six months he gives her the ten thousand, zakah is not obligatory on her until the year is completed from the date of the contract.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you with good, and may He gather us and you with the righteous servants of Allah.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : He says "the daughter's right" in colloquial terms, so I do not know whether this right is considered the bridal gift, or whether the gold suffices as the bridal gift?
The Shaykh : The bridal gift is everything given to the woman for the purpose of marrying her. This is the rule. So whatever was gifted to her beforehand is part of the bridal gift.
The questioner : Well, what if the man does not pay it?
The Shaykh : If?
The questioner : If the man does not pay it in advance, but it is written that it will be paid later, for example, and he pays it later, say in installments, what is the ruling regarding the wife's zakah on it, and what is the issue?
The Shaykh : Its ruling is the same as the ruling for debts owed to anyone other than the husband.
The questioner : Well, the husband is not able to pay...
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : The husband is not able to pay.
The Shaykh : If he becomes unable to pay, then if she receives it, even after years, she pays zakah on it only once.
The questioner : Only once.
The Shaykh : Yes, unless she receives it before the completion of the year, in which case she waits until the year ends. For example, if a husband gives his wife a bridal gift of ten thousand riyals, and after six months he gives her the ten thousand, zakah is not obligatory on her until the year is completed from the date of the contract.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you with good, and may He gather us and you with the righteous servants of Allah.