A woman can demand any amount as her Mahar and keep it under her custody. Islam guides woman to keep her Mahar for her future protection. As they get a huge sum, there is neither possibility to be cheated by the husband, nor the women to go astray when she is allowed to remarry as she likes.
Either a Muslim woman remains alone or remarry she need not get anything as alimony as she gets Mahar in advance. So, she prefers remarriage. Then she will again get Mahar for her futurity. For her current expenses, her new husband will take the responsibility.
The current practice of Indian Muslim is contrary to their religious norm.do not pay Mahar to the bride and they dowry from bride’s family for that we can’t blame Islam. The wise people won’t do so.
The Second Protection
Either Islamic Government or Islamic Jamaath should collect the huge amount form the husband who divorces his wife. In this case, he can’t cheat the Islamic set ups as he can cheat our court of law. This is the second security arranged by Islam to the divorced women.
Maintenance expenses should be provided on a reasonable scale for divorced women. This is a duty of those who fears Allah.
(Al-Quran 2:241)
Some people misconstrue that this verse refers alimony to be given for 3 months. If it is so, Allah would have declared to pay for Iddah period only, He will have ordered so. He need say to bestow them in a justifiable good way. After enjoying a woman, in her youth and compensate her by payment of 3 months’ expenses to divorce her, will not be a justifiable good way.
If it happened to one’s own daughter, what kind of judgment he will expect that should be the right judgment.
There is no blame on you if you divorce women before consummation or the fixation of their Mahar. But bestow on them a suitable gift, the wealthy according to their means, and the poor according to their means. A gift of a reasonable amount is due from those who wish to do the right thing.
(Al-Quran 2:236)
This verse orders to bestow on a gift to the divorced, even if it is before consummation. We have to take it as a measure of scale to the divorced women after consummation also. This is the duty of the Jamaath, who fears God to collect the amount from the husbands who divorced their wives to pay it off to the divorcees.
Some Jamaath collect only the dowry, which the bridegroom received from his bride. This is her due from the bridegroom. But they did not collect any compensation for the divorce from him.
As Muslims do not follow the orders of Allah, they are criticized. It paves way for others to push alimony on Muslims. So, Muslim Jamaath should understand the implication of Allah’s verse and accordingly to maintain justice to the women. Since Muslim Jamaath do not practice the order of Allah, Islam faces the criticism and Non-Muslim try to impose false alimony on Muslim women also.
In Al Quran verse 65:6, it is mentioned that if the divorced woman is pregnant, she should be paid till her period of delivery. So, some people argue that the divorced women should be paid till her Iddah.
In Al Quran verse 65:6 declares the excess expenses to be spent on divorced women when she is pregnant. Considering this verse, none can ignore the order of Al Quran verse 2:241
If the woman had child though her divorced husband, as the child is living with the husband should bear all the expenses include suckling expenses of the baby. She has to suckle the baby for two years. The husband should bear all the expenses of food and clothing. But it will be within their means. If the of the child died, his heir will bear the burden. Nobody is burdened beyond their limit. If they decided to stop the suckling or arranged to suckle through other women there is no harm in it. But fear Allah who is watching your actions.
(Al-Quran 2:233)