‘A’isha said she wanted to set free two slaves of hers who were married, so she consulted the Prophet and he ordered her to begin with the man before the woman. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

She said that Barira became free when she was with Mughith and God’s Messenger gave her her choice saying,“If he has intercourse with you, you will not be allowed to exercise choice.”Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Sahl b. Sa'd told of a woman who came to God’s Messenger and offered herself to him. When she had stood for a long time (i.e. without receiving an answer) a man got up and said,“Messenger of God, marry her to me if you have no need of her.”He asked him if he had anything to give her as dower, and when he replied that he had nothing but the lower garment he was wearing, he said,“Look for something, even though it should be an iron ring.”Then when the man had sought and found nothing God’s Messenger asked whether he knew any of the Qur'an, and when he replied that he knew surah so and so and surah so and so, he said,“I have given you her in marriage for the part of the Qur’an which you know.”In a version he said,“Go away, for I have given you her in marriage; and teach her some of the Qur'an." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Salama said he asked ‘A’isha how much the Prophet had given as dower, and she replied that his dower to his wives was twelve uqiyas* and a nashsh. She asked whether he knew what a nashsh was, and when he replied that he did not, she said it was half an uqiya; so the total was five hundred dirhams. * The uqiya was 40 dirhams. Muslim transmitted it. Nashsh is in the nominative in Sharh as-sunna and all the sources.

Umar b. al-Khattab said:Do not go to extremes in giving women their dower, for if it represented honour in this world and piety in Gods sight, the one of you most entitled to do so would have been God's Prophet. I am not aware of God’s Messenger marrying any of his wives or giving any of his daughters in marriage for more than twelve uqiyas. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, "If anyone gives as a dower to his wife two handfuls of flour or dates he has made her lawful for him.”Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Amir b. Rabi'a said that a woman of the B. Fazara was married for a dower of two sandals. When God’s Messenger asked whether she was satisfied with two sandals regarding her person and her property and she replied that she was, he gave his approval. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Alqama quoted Ibn Mas'ud as saying he was asked about a man who had married a woman without fixing any settlement on her or cohabiting with her till he died. Ibn Mas'ud said she should receive the type of dower given to women of her class with so diminution or excess, observe the ‘idda period and have her share of the inheritance. Ma'qil b. Sinan al-Ashja‘i then got up and said, "God’s Messenger gave a decision regarding Birwa’ daughter of Washiq, a woman of our tribe, to the same effect as the decision you have given; and Ibn Mas'ud was pleased about the decision. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i and Darimi transmitted it.

Umm Habiba said she was married to ‘Abdallah b. Jahsh who died in Abyssinia, so the Negus married her to the Prophet, giving her on his behalf a dower of four thousand. (A version has four thousand dirhams.) He sent her to God’s Messenger with Shurahbil b. Hasana. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Anas said that Abu Talha married Umm Sulaim, the dower between them being acceptance of Islam. Umm Sulaim had become a Muslim before Abu Talha, and when he asked her in marriage she said, "I have become a Muslim, so if you become one I shall marry you.”He then accepted Islam and that was the dower arranged between them. Nasa’i transmitted it.