Dowry is the practice of
transferring parental property to the bride's husband on their wedding. The
practice of dowry got favorable climate from Hindu culture in which girls do not
get share from the property of their Parents. While among Muslims the girls do
have definite share from the property of their Parents.
Since newly married couple has to run an establishment so they require some help
and assistance. But such a help should not be a source of trouble, financial
crisis and worries for girl’sparents. There should be some limit to the extent
of dowry.
It is alright to give dowry where the parents can easily afford but it should
not be compulsion. Also the people who can easily afford giving dowry to their
daughters should not go out of their limit to compete with others and meet the
standards. Compulsory and rigid dowry system has created numerous socio-economic
and socio-psychological problems for the poor parents in our society.
It is generally seen that beautiful, physically and morally sound girls of
marriageable age who belong to lower middle or middle classes do not find
suitable and proper partners. If the parents of the girls don’t offer rich dowry
at the time of marriage she has to face criticism from the in-laws. And the girl
does not command much respect in the eyes of husband’s relations. Very often
poor dowry becomes the source of married maladjustment, separation and divorce.
It is a common observation that our rural population run into indebtedness in
order to meet the false requirements of dowry. Such indebtedness leads to low
agricultural interests, indebtedness, lack of capital formation affect of
socio-economic conditions of ruralities. It is interesting to note that it is
not only the girls parents who have to bear out the expenses of dowry but also
the maternal uncles of the girl share this headache as well. And overwhelming
majority of our ruraland urban population is facing this problem that is either
in the preparation of dowry or facing its after effects.
The girl’s parents should not stick to the custom of dowry as a fashion to show
off their richness. Therestriction on exhibition of dowry is the right step in
discouraging this custom. There should be further check on the extent of dowry
which should be fixed keeping in view the financial position of the girl’s
parents and their responsibilities.
A collective and organized effort should be made throughlocal religious leaders,
local councilors, local leaders, baradari heads to createatmosphere in which
themarriages are encouraged where there is either very little dowry or no dowry
at all. At the time of engagement another pre-marriage and post- marriage
ceremonies their should be no high expectations of dowry either in cash or in
kind from the parents of the boy and vice versa.
The Muslim population of our country should follow the footprints of the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h)who gave very little dowry at the time of the marriage
of his daughter. The parents should invest as much as they can afford to educate
the girl and to inculcate a high ethical and moral tradition along with
comprehensive training to realizeanticipated, roles insteadof spending much on
dowry. On the other hand, the in-law must appreciate attractive personality
traits of the girls as compared to monetary and financial gains.
The political “will” of the government as shown by putting a strict ban on
lunches/dinners for marriage receptions and “walima” parties is the best
example. The same spirit is supposed to be maintained in the case of dowry as
well.