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The dowry, the bridal gift, and the formalities of a wedding ceremony are three big problems that have always stood in the way of families when it has come to the issue of a wedding. In some cases, the problems caused by these issues have tinted the entire lives of some couples and affected them for a very long period of time. Sometimes verbal and physical fights have come about over these very same issues and unfortunately, these issues (which hearken from a type of pre Islamic mentality) still exist up until today. Yet the dowry and the bridal gift of the Lady Fāṭimah (‘a) remains a shining example for us.
When the time of the wedding was approaching, the Prophet (ṣ) ordered Imam ‘Alī (‘a) to sell his armor, which was worth some five hundred dirhams, and bring this money to him. The Prophet (ṣ) then divided this sum into three portions; one portion was given to Bilāl in order that he could buy some sweet smelling perfume, and the other two portions were set aside for buying the necessities of married life as well as clothing. It is clear that this small amount of money could only buy extremely simple and basic necessities for a wedding.
The history texts have mentioned that 18 items were bought as a bridal gift and the most important of these items include the following:
1- One large scarf which cost 4 dirhams
2- One shirt which cost 7 dirhams
3- One bed, which was made of wood and palm leaves
4- Four pillows made of sheepskin, which were filled with the sweet smelling plant ‘Adhkhar’
5- One curtain made of wool
6- One straw mat
7- One small grinding stone
8- One leather water skin
9- One tub made of copper
10- One large pot made for milking a cow
11- One earthen ware jar which was green in color…
Such was the bridal dowry of Fāṭimah, the daughter of the Prophet of Islam (ṣ), and leader of the women of this world.[1]
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