Dowry is an un-Islamic practice that originated in Hindu communities as a wedding gift from the bride's family to the groom's. In Pakistan, it is called jahez and involves excessive demands for cash and goods from the bride's family by the groom and his family. This practice leads to torture and even death of women if the demands are not met, as seen in the examples of Sakina and Khalida. Pakistan has high reported rates of dowry-related deaths but existing laws have not been effectively enforced to eliminate this harmful tradition. While most people agree that dowry should end, there are mixed views on legally banning it and on its role in female infanticide.

1. Presented to :
ma’am Atia
PRESENTED BY
TAQDEES
IFTIKHAR
NIMRA TAHIR

3. Dowry originated in the upper caste
Hindu communities as a wedding
gift (cash or valuables) from the
bride's family to the grooms

11. DOWRY
• This is a totally un-Islamic practice. In Islam,
women are not the properties of their families
or a material good. This is an insulting practice
that we see being committed daily in our
society.
• The bridegroom to demand a certain amount
of money (or other items of value) from the
bride or her family, usually the bride's father,
without which the marriage cannot take place.
• The curse of this deplorable practice is such
that many women don’t get married because
their families cannot meet the long list of
demands by the bridegroom!

12. Demands
• Cultures that demand dowry from
the bride's family are actually
practicing the opposite of what
Allah has commanded.
• They have reversed Allah's words
in their practice. The bride is
forced to pay a negotiated amount
to the groom unless the man
chooses not to take it.
Demands from brides family
Demands from groom family

15. Effects

16. It is a sad irony that
women (mostly mothers-
in-law) are oppressive
towards other women
(daughters-in-law). Mostly,
mothers-in-law-to-be are
the ones who demand
dowry from the bride's
family and who end up
torturing the daughter-in-
law after marriage if she
brings less than the
negotiated amount.

17. Excessive money
demands by grooms
family after marriage.

18. Bride burning
When the woman brings less than the
negotiated amount, she has to endure
constant torture from her in-laws after
marriage.
When the husband or in-laws are not
satisfied with the dowry brought by the
bride, they even go to the extent of killing
the woman after marriage.
The most severe among all the dowry
abuse is "bride burning". The parties
engaged in the murder usually report the
case as an accident or suicide.

20. Example1.
• A family, where the combined income of father and son was Rs60,000
spent more than Rs800,000 on dowry, clothes, give-aways and
various functions related to their daughter’s wedding.

21. Example 2.
• In another instance, a poor farmer in the village married his daughter
to another farmer’s son and bore wedding expenses of Rs150,000 –
most of which was borrowed from relatives or contributed by
someone well-off.

22. Example 3
• Another old man married his son who was a taxi-driver to another
man’s daughter – of similar financial stature – and bought gold worth
Rs150,000 for the bride. He incurred additional expenses on
arranging the ‘customary’ functions. The money was again borrowed
from relatives and friends.

23. Victims of dowry
Sakina
While talking to
THE DAILY News
correspondent she told that she was
victimized by her husband, mother in law
and one sisters in law who burnt
her because of lack of dowry.

24. Khalida
While taking to daily jung
news
correspondent the
psychiatrist told that khalida
is in miserable condition after
dowry torture both physically
and mentally.
She is all alone and even does
not have a home to live in.

26. Pakistan.
• In Pakistan, dowry is called Jahez
in Arabic (derived from Islamic
jahez-e-fatimi).
• At over 2000 dowry-related
deaths per year, and annual rates
exceeding 2.45 deaths per
100,000 women from dowry-
related violence, Pakistan has the
highest reported number of
dowry death rates per 100,000
women in the world.

27. Laws
• Pakistan has passed several laws to address the problem of excessive
dowry demands: West Pakistan Dowry (Prohibition of Display) Act,
1967; Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restriction) Act, 1976.
• Constitution of Pakistan, Art. 185(3)—Recovery of dowry articles.
• These laws were introduced to take measures to regulate, restrict and
ultimately eliminate the practice of dowry, but till today this
legislation has not been enforce

32. • Are you in favor of ending dowry system ?
70 % yes
20% No
10 % Neutral

33. • do you think govt. should legally ban dowry?
• 45% no
• 37% yes
• 18% don’t know

34. • Do you think dowry is main cause for female infanticide ?
40 % yes
35% may be one reason
10% no
15% neutral