Judge rules Muslim dowries unenforceable by Ohio law

COLUMBUS (AP) — A man does not have to pay his former wife $25,000, promised as part of a dowry before their traditional Muslim marriage because a judge ruled the payment is part of a religious agreement, not a legal contract.

The decision by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Dana Priesse on Oct. 10 is the first of its kind in Ohio, and a departure from rulings in other states, which have enforced dowries as part of Islamic marriage contracts.

The ruling said that because the “obligation to pay $25,000 is rooted in a religious practice, the dowry is considered a religious act,” not a legal contract.

The dowry, called a mahr by Muslims, is part of the marriage contract signed by both the bride and groom before a wedding, said Columbus imam Mouhamed Tarazi. The amount promised to the bride depends on both the woman’s status and the man’s financial assets, and is often paid out over time, he said. Of the 300 Muslim couples he has married in central Ohio, all had dowries ranging from $100 to $50,000.

In the case, the bride, Raghad Alwattar, 21, was promised $25,000 and some gold jewelry by the groom, Mohammed Zawahiri, 29. Their marriage lasted two years before the couple divorced in 2007.

Tarazi called the dowry a security for the brides, who often do not work outside the home.