Woman in Islamic Shariah

9. Dowry ~ 198 ~ borne all ‘Ali’s expenses right from the time he came to him, it was but natural that on the occasion of his marriage, the Prophet, as his guardian, should give him some necessary items with which to set up his home. 161. An-Nasa’i, Sunan, Kitab an-Nikah, 5/135. 162. Al-Haythami, Majma’ az-Zawa’id wa Manba’ alFawa’id, Kitab al-Manaqib, 9/210. 163. Ibid., 9/209. DOMESTIC NECESSITIES It is clear that the verb jahhaza, as used in the traditions, never had the meaning which it has acquired in Modern times. In Arabic, it simply meant the “furnishing of provisions.”164 Nowadays, it is commonly held that at the time of her marriage, a girl should be given an ample dowry to enable her to set up her new home with ease. But this is a wholly non-Islamic concept and has no bearing whatsoever on the ideal of marriage in Islam. Had it been a traditional Islamic practice, we should certainly have seen the precedents set for