Al-Mas fī al-Qurān wa Ātharuhu 'Alā Ṣidāq al-Zawjah fī al-Fiqh al-Islāmī

Abstract

Women’s dowry is a subject that has been addressed in the Noble Quran and Islamic jurisprudence from different perspectives. In the Noble Quran, the deciding factor of complete dowry versus half dowry in case of divorce and claiming dowry, has been identified as “mas”, literally meaning “to touch”. Scholars unanimously agree that consummation is an example of “mas”; however, they differ in opinion as to whether other forms such as righteous seclusion and touching shall also result in complete dowry. One of the reasons for this difference is the various meanings there is for the word “mas” in the Arabic language. Touching, mingling, and intercourse are of the meanings mentioned for “mas” in Arabic literature. In addition to referring to the meaning of the word “mas”, scholars have also cited other reasons such as narrative texts and logical reasoning. In a descriptive and analytical approach, this research studies the concept of “mas” in literature and in the Quran, and its effect on the dowry of women.