Mahr is the bridal gift owed by husband to wife.
The Canadian position
Canadian courts have enforced mahr agreements as contracts, with outcomes turning on the drafting.
Canadian law gives effect to whatever a valid will says, so an Islamic concept takes effect here through the drafting rather than automatically.
The Islamic position
Any unpaid or deferred portion is a debt of the estate, payable before bequests and shares.
Confirm the position for your own family and school with a qualified scholar rather than relying on a general summary.
The four Sunni schools are not recorded as differing materially on this point in the sources reviewed. Where your own case turns on it, put it to a scholar of your school.
General information, not legal or religious advice. Inheritance depends entirely on the exact family circumstances. Confirm the Canadian position with a lawyer in your province and any religious ruling with a qualified scholar.
Citations & sources
Every factual claim on this page traces to one of the references below. Legislation and dollar thresholds change — verify against the primary source before relying on any figure.
- Surah an-Nisa 4:11 — shares of children and parents — Quran.com
- Surah an-Nisa 4:12 — shares of spouses and uterine siblings — Quran.com
- Surah an-Nisa 4:176 — the kalalah verse — Quran.com
- Research Papers — Cambridge Muslim College
- Research — Cambridge Muslim College
- Academics — Islamic law and theology curriculum — Zaytuna College
- Encyclopaedia of Islam — Brill
- Canadian Legal Information Institute — CanLII
- Contesting a will ontario — Treadstone Law
- Ocl involvement will challenge minors ontario — Treadstone Law
- Costs against non party who funded litigation ontario — Treadstone Law
- Loss of housekeeping capacity ontario — Treadstone Law
- Contestant dies during will challenge ontario — Treadstone Law
- Trial record ontario civil litigation — Treadstone Law
- Wills & estates practice — Treadstone Law