Fatwa ID: 06996

 

Answered by: Muftiyah Habiba Akhtar

 

Question:

 

Is the following agreement valid:

 

If the husband divorces the wife at any time, he has to pay her $100,000

 

Note:- this is not mahr, a mahr of $20,000 was already separately agreed upon at the time of Nikah.

 

The father of the bride wanted the agreement, since the daughter got married to someone from another ethnic background, and he’s afraid it might not work out

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

Nafaqat is provided after the divorce and this is given by the husband to the wife during the iddat period. (1)

 

The condition mentioned is the stipulation of a certain amount for nafaqat. As nafaqat is obliged upon a husband upon his divorced wife, the nafaqat itself will not be invalid.

 

However, Allah SWT has instructed that during the time of divorce, the maintenance shall be according to the financial means and ability of the husband.

 

“The divorced women deserve a benefit according to the fair practice, being an obligation on the God-fearing.” (2)

 

Hence, the condition placed will be valid if the husband agrees to the condition and it is within his means and financial ability.

 

If it is not within his abilities or he is forced to provide such then that is a practice not found in the shariah and such a condition will be invalid.

 

Consider the following hadith:

 

Narrated `Aisha:

 

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits.” In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, “Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in Allah’s Book (Laws)? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in Allah’s Laws, then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah’s conditions are more binding and reliable.” (3)

 

Thus, in response to your query, the condition will be valid if the husband agrees to the condition and it is within his financial range.

 

 

Only Allah knows best

Written by Muftiyah Habiba Akhtar

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

 

 

(1)

وإذا طلق الرجل امرأته فلها النفقة والسكنى في عدتها رجعيا كان أو بائنا

(Hidayah, Vol 3, Page 392, Idarathul Qur’an)

 

(2)

{ وَلِلۡمُطَلَّقَـٰتِ مَتَـٰعُۢ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِۖ حَقًّا عَلَى ٱلۡمُتَّقِینَ }

[Surah Al-Baqarah: 241]

 

(3)

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ـ رضى الله عنها دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ اشْتَرِي وَأَعْتِقِي، فَإِنَّ الْوَلاَءَ لِمَنْ أَعْتَقَ ‏”‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ الْعَشِيِّ، فَأَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏”‏ مَا بَالُ أُنَاسٍ يَشْتَرِطُونَ شُرُوطًا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ، مَنِ اشْتَرَطَ شَرْطًا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَهْوَ بَاطِلٌ، وَإِنِ اشْتَرَطَ مِائَةَ شَرْطٍ، شَرْطُ اللَّهِ أَحَقُّ وَأَوْثَقُ ‏”‏‏.‏

Sahih al-Bukhari 2155