Short answer
Deferred mahr (muwajjal or mu'akhkhar) is the part of the mahr the husband agrees to pay later instead of at the nikah. It is a real debt he owes. In the Hanafi school, if no date is set, it falls due at divorce or at death, and it is paid from his estate before inheritance is shared.
It is permissible to split mahr into prompt (mu'ajjal or muqaddam, paid on demand) and deferred (muwajjal or mu'akhkhar, paid later). The deferred part stays a debt on the husband. If no date is fixed, it becomes due when the marriage ends by divorce or death. Before consummation the wife may refuse to move in until the prompt part is paid.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Deferral must be to a known date. If the date is unknown, the named mahr is set aside and she is owed mahr al-mithl.
- Maliki
- Deferral to an unknown date, such as "at death or divorce", is not accepted; the deferral should have a known term.
Explanation
Many families write two figures on the nikah certificate: a prompt mahr paid at or soon after the wedding, and a deferred mahr. In South Asia these are often called mahr mu'ajjal and mahr ghair mu'ajjal; in the Arab world, muqaddam and mu'akhkhar.
How the Hanafi school treats it:
- It is a debt. The husband owes it from the moment of the nikah, even if he has not been asked for it. Delaying it does not cancel it.
- Its due date. If the couple named a date, it is due then. If they did not, it becomes due at divorce, or at the death of either spouse. A widow claims it from her husband's estate before the heirs take their shares, like any other debt.
- She may forgive it. The wife can give up some or all of it, but only freely. Pressure, threats or a forced "forgiveness" on a deathbed carry no weight.
- Full mahr is confirmed by consummation, by valid privacy (khalwah sahihah) or by death. Divorce before these halves it.
The deferred mahr is a protection for the wife. It is not a fine, and setting it so high that the husband can never pay is against the spirit of the sunnah. Agree on a figure he can honestly pay. To work out amounts in silver or gold, use the mahr calculator. For inheritance after paying debts, see the inheritance calculator.
The evidence
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:4
وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ صَدُقَٰتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةًۭ ۚ فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَىْءٍۢ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًۭا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيٓـًۭٔا مَّرِيٓـًۭٔا ﴿٤﴾
And give the women [upon marriage] their [bridal] gifts graciously. But if they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease.
Mahr is owed to the wife and must reach her.
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:20
وَإِنْ أَرَدتُّمُ ٱسْتِبْدَالَ زَوْجٍۢ مَّكَانَ زَوْجٍۢ وَءَاتَيْتُمْ إِحْدَىٰهُنَّ قِنطَارًۭا فَلَا تَأْخُذُوا۟ مِنْهُ شَيْـًٔا ۚ أَتَأْخُذُونَهُۥ بُهْتَٰنًۭا وَإِثْمًۭا مُّبِينًۭا ﴿٢٠﴾
But if you want to replace one wife with another and you have given one of them a great amount [in gifts], do not take [back] from it anything. Would you take it in injustice and manifest sin?
What has been given or promised as mahr cannot be taken back by the husband.
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:24
۞ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ۖ كِتَٰبَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَأُحِلَّ لَكُم مَّا وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَن تَبْتَغُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُم مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَٰفِحِينَ ۚ فَمَا ٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِۦ مِنْهُنَّ فَـَٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةًۭ ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَٰضَيْتُم بِهِۦ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلْفَرِيضَةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا ﴿٢٤﴾
And [also prohibited to you are all] married women except those your right hands possess. [This is] the decree of Allah upon you. And lawful to you are [all others] beyond these, [provided] that you seek them [in marriage] with [gifts from] your property, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse. So for whatever you enjoy [of marriage] from them, give them their due compensation as an obligation. And there is no blame upon you for what you mutually agree to beyond the obligation. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
Mahr is an obligation, not a favour.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2721
Sahih... أحق الشروط أن توفوا به ما استحللتم به الفروج ...
"The conditions most deserving to be fulfilled are those by which marriage was made lawful for you."
Terms agreed in the nikah, including deferred mahr, must be honoured.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Nikah, Bab al-Mahr. The wife may refuse herself until the prompt mahr is paid.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Nikah, Bab al-Mahr. Deferred mahr with no date falls due at divorce or death, following custom.
- Minhaj al-Talibin (Nawawi), Kitab al-Sadaq. The Shafi'i rule on an unknown deferral.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.