There is no fixed gram amount of gold that applies to everyone when it comes to mehir (also known as mahr). Couples can agree on the amount of gold by considering their financial situation, the timing of payment, the woman's preference, and whether the chosen amount is realistically payable.
The schools of Islamic law take different approaches to the minimum amount of mehir. The Hanafis historically accepted the value of 10 dirhams of silver as the minimum and the Malikis 3 dirhams, while the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools set no minimum at all. No general upper limit has been prescribed for mehir either, though amounts high enough to make marriage difficult are not recommended. For this reason, there is no binding rule for everyone such as “mehir must be at least 50 grams” or “it must be 100 grams.”
When setting a gold mehir, writing only the gram amount may not be enough. The type and purity of the gold should also be clearly specified. For example, the following expressions can represent very different values:
- 50 grams of 24-karat gram gold
- 50 grams of 22-karat bracelets
- 10 quarter gold coins
- 5 Republic gold coins
For this reason, instead of writing “50 grams of gold” in the agreement, it is better to use a clear and measurable definition such as “50 grams of 24-karat gram gold.”
The entire mehir can be paid up front, or part of it can be paid promptly with the remainder deferred or paid in installments. For example, 10 grams of a 60-gram gold mehir can be paid at the nikah (Islamic marriage ceremony), with the remaining 50 grams paid on agreed dates. The mehir amount and payment method can be determined by mutual agreement between the parties.
When determining the amount of gold, couples should assess their own income, savings, and payment capacity rather than directly applying examples from those around them. The goal is not to set a high number, but to create a fulfillable plan that protects the woman's financial rights.
MehirApp helps couples set their gold mehir amount in grams or number of pieces, separate the prompt and deferred portions, record payments made, and track the remaining amount.
Define your gold mehir clearly with its amount, karat, and payment date, and track the process with MehirApp.