Question Summary:
Please can you give detail Reasoning of Mahr (Bridal Money) ? Why it is given- the purpose and ways ? What is the Best Mahr and best time of payment.

Question Detail:

Please can you give detail Reasoning of Mahr (Bridal Money) ? Why it is given- the purpose and ways ? What is the Best Mahr and best time of payment.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
As Muslims, we are required to express submission to Allah Ta’ala and His commands, for this is true Abdiyyat (servitude).   We submit to all the orders of Allah Ta’ala whether we understand them or not.  This is in all issues of Shariah, Salah,Nikah, Zakat, Etc. We do not question why Salah is five times a day or why should we pay two and a half percent of our wealth in Zakat.  We simply submit.
حدثنا أبو سعيد مولى بني هاشم عن أبي خلدة عن ميمون الكردي عن أبيه قال : سمعت النبي لا مرة ولا مرتين ولا ثلاثة حتى بلغ عشر مرار أيما رجل تزوج امرأة بما قل من المهر أو كثر ليس في نفسه أن يؤدي إليها حقها خدعها فمات ولم يؤد إليها حقها لقي الله يوم القيامة وهو زان.
) لمعجم الأوسط – رواه الطبراني, ج2, ص237 ,دار الحرمين – القاهرة(
(مجمع الزوائد ورجاله ثقات ,ج4, ص132,مكتبه القدسى (
Maimoon al Kurdi  رضى الله تعالى عنه narrates from his father that on numerous occasions he heard Nabi صلي الله عليه وسلم  mentioning that who ever marry’s a woman with the intention of not paying her mahr whether it be a minimal amount or a huge amount, and he passes away in that state he will meet Allah تعالى as a fornicator. (Majmau Zawaaid Vol 4, Pg237)
According to Sharia Mahr is wajib, Even if the husband does not mention the mahr then to it would become binding upon the husband.
المهر واجب شرعا إبانة لشرف المحل فلا يحتاج إلى ذكره لصحة النكاح وكذا إذا تزوجها بشرط أن لا مهر لها.  (هداية ج1,ص323)
وإن تزوجها ولم يسم لها مهرا أو تزوجها على أن لا مهر لها فلها مهر مثلها (هداية ج1,ص324)
The minimum mahr is 10 dirhams and there is no limit to the maximum amount of mahr. The woman can stipulate as much as she wishes. However, it is not good to stipulate a very high amount. If a person gives an amount lesser than 10 dirhams or its equivalent, he will have to give the balance as well because mahr cannot be an amount less than the minimum amount due. If the husband divorces his wife (in this case) even before she can come and live with him, he will have to give half of the minimum.
(One Dirham equals 3.06 grams of silver which equals 0.1 troy ounce of silver. Thus, 10 dirhams equals 1 troy ounce of silver.)
(Behisti Zewar. Pg 378, Vol 1)
ولنا قوله عليه الصلاة والسلام ولا مهر أقل من عشرة ولأنه حق الشرع وجوبا إظهارا لشرف المحل (هداية ج1,ص324)
It is mentioned in a Hadîth that the best wife is one whose mahr is very simple. That is, it is very easy for the man to fulfil her mahr. These days, there is the habit of specifying a very high mahr. People should abstain from this. (Atabraani, Behisti Zewar. Pg 452, Vol 1) 
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Luqman Hansrot,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah