Woman in Islamic Shariah

9. Dowry ~ 196 ~ There is a body of opinion among certain Muslims which has it that jahaz is the sunnah (way) of the Prophet, because he himself gave his daughter, Fatimah, a “dowry” on the occasion of her marriage to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. FATIMAH’S DOWRY As a justification for giving dowry, in the Modern sense of the word, this proposition is clearly unacceptable, for, according to early records, the “dowry” which the Prophet gave to Fatimah consisted of only the barest of household necessities. According to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet Muhammad prepared for Fatimah a sheet, a leather bag for carrying water, and a pillow filled by idkhar (grass).161 ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, enumerates them as a khamil (a single sheet of cloth), a leather bag for carrying water and an idkhar filled pillow made of leather.162 Asma, the daughter of ‘Umyas, relates that when Fatimah left for ‘Ali’ s house, it was quite