Dowry
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A dowry is an amount of money or property which is given by a family to ensure that a newly-wedded couple have some sort of financial security. This custom exists over a large part of the world, and has not necessarily been dented by the increased possibilities of employment opening up to women. At worst, it has degenerated in some countries into a bride price, agreed by the couple's families beforehand, and can be seen as payment by the family of the bride to get her off their hands. It could be argued that this custom has become a cause for the deliberate termination of pregnancies where a baby girl is expected, as happens in certain countries.
As with so many things, Bahá’u’lláh has taken this custom and so radically altered it that it should once again be seen as a source of good. Rather than the bride's family having to provide this money, it is the groom who bestows money or property upon his wife. Thereafter, this remains her property and her right, so if there should be some unfortunate outcome, such as a divorce, the bride is not left penniless.
Bahá'u'lláh fixes the amount as the equivalent of 19 mithqáls of silver for village people, or 19 mithqáls of gold for town-dwellers. This could be inflated, should the groom wish it, up to a maximum of five times that amount.
