Woman Between Islam and Western Society
5. Position of Woman in the Islamic Shari‘ah
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pulpit, saying that he did not know who had
increased the amount of dower to more than 400
dirhams.
‘The Prophet and his Companions handed
over 400
dirhams
or even less. Nobody should fix a
dower of more than 400
dirhams.
If it comes to my
knowledge that anyone has exceeded this amount, I
will confiscate the excess amount for the State
Treasury.”
When he had had his say, a woman got up from one
corner of the gathering and said, “O Chief of the
Faithful, is the Book of God (Qur’an) to be followed
or what you have to say?” ‘Umar replied that it was
certainly the Book of God that was to be followed.
The woman then retorted, “You have just forbidden
people to increase the amount of dower, whereas
God says in His book: ‘O believers, it is unlawful for
you ... to force them to give up a part of what you
have given them.’”
49
The woman had actually misquoted the text, but
‘Umar did not choose to assert himself and simply
said, “Everyone knows more than ‘Umar.”
50
With
these words he relented on the question of the
dower.
