Jeddah, Jul 28(Arab News): Scholars belonging to various Islamic schools of thought declared unanimously that the system of dowry prevailing in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is not Islamic.

“It is corrupt and therefore illegitimate,” was the general consensus of the people who spoke against this social scourge.

Ahmeduddin Owaisi presided over the seminar organized by Socioreforms Society of Jeddah at Asian Delight Restaurant.

The scholars passed a resolution that “Wedding parties will be boycotted where dowry is accepted or if the wedding dinner is given wholly by the bride’s guardians.”

Aleem Khan Falaki said dowry and a wedding dinner are allowed in Islam if expenses are borne by the bridegroom. The system has been reversed, and now the bride’s parents are compelled to spend money on the nuptials, which is not legitimate.

Highlighting the consequences, he said people are crushed financially due to this extravagance. As a result, there is an alarming increase in divorces and immoral activities among youths.

The inheritance rules in Islam are impacted. The dowry system compels parents to spend on their girls, thus depriving both boys and girls of their legitimate inheritance. He said the dowry and wedding dinner is a bribe, israaf (extravagance, a need that is not genuine but created for the sake of pomp), reversal of the roles defined by Qur’anic verses (the Qur’an defines the “man” as the one who spends on women but due to the dowry system the women have become “men” as they are the ones spending to buy a “man”), social blackmail and male prostitution (the price of the groom is fixed on the basis of qualifications, earning, family status etc., and vice versa if the woman is less beautiful, less educated, widow or divorcee), therefore dowry is haram.

The scholars overwhelmingly supported the resolution. Jameeatul Ulema-e-Hind’s Maulana Mohammed Banayeem said the dowry system has become a cancer. Mere admonitions or advice will not be enough, it needs continuous operation and the boycott is a must. He quoted the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who said “Make Nikah (marriage act) so easy that adultery becomes difficult.” But today those who are spending on dowry are helping adultery to become easy.

Maulana Fazlurrahman, from Pakistan’s Jamaat Ahl-e-Hadees, said the Prophet had instructed us to make the criteria of piety instead of money, beauty and family status in the selection of a boy or girl to marry. Otherwise fitna will spread.

Sheikh Hidayat Sheikh Hamed, a Shiite scholar, said: “People make excuses by pointing out the gifts given to the Prophet’s daughter Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her).” He said this is the biggest lie. All scholars agree that the gifts were purchased from the money given by Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) as mehr.

Jama Nizamia’s Maulana Abdul Qadeer Tahir Qadri said the practice of dowry or eating at the expense of bride’s parents is an act of begging. Begging is illegitimate in Islam.

Arshad Basheer Madani, an ETV Urdu scholar, strongly supported the resolution and said the damage to society due to the dowry system is huge. He said the Indian government too has introduced strict laws to curb dowry but, since people do not hesitate to violate even the Prophet’s instructions, how do they abide by the government's laws? He presented the statistics of feticide, infanticide, dowry deaths, harassments and court cases that have led to imbalances in society.

Haroon Sayeed conducted the event and Saleem Farooqi gave the vote of thanks.