What is the ruling if the wife is given standard currency (dinar or dirham) or jewelry as dower, she breaks it down, and remolds it into a different form?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Dowry (Mahr)

Book 36 · Issue 3 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If the wife was given dinars, dirhams, or jewelry, and she broke them down and recast them into a form different from the original, the husband is not obliged to accept half of it. This is because the change represents a deficiency caused by her action, and she is not obligated to offer half its value due to the new craftsmanship she introduced.

Supporting text

If the dinars and dirhams revert to their original form, the husband has the right to reclaim half of them. He cannot demand their monetary value because they have returned to their original state without deficiency or surplus, similar to the case where a slave given as dower becomes ill and then recovers.