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11 J. Islamic St. Prac. Int'l L. 75 (2015)
Embedding Mahr in the European Legal System

handle is hein.journals/jispil11 and id is 190 raw text is: Book Review Embedding Mahr in the European Legal System. Rubya Mehdi and Jorgen S. Neilson (DJOF Publishing, 2011) By Ayesha Shahid* This edited collection compiled by Prof Jorgen Neilson and Dr Rubya Mehdi provides a refreshing approach to analyse the Islamic concept of Mahr(Dower). Written through the lens of multiculturalism, globalisation and migration, the chapters in this edited collection discuss how the concept of Mahr(Dower)has brought multicultural life in the court rooms and administrative institutions of the host countries. The illuminating case studies reflect the lived experiences of Muslim women regarding payment or non-payment of Mahr in both Muslim and Non Muslim jurisdictions. The different chapters cover a range of European countries where Muslim immigrant population is settled and have chosen to adopt these countries as their countries of residence. Along with the case studies from Europe the first two chapters on Yemen and Palestine provide the readers with a comparative perspective of the institution of Mahr in two Muslim jurisdictions. A number of cross cutting themes have also emerged despite the diversity of locations. The chapters critically analyse the courts' approach in various European countries to deal with the issue of Mahr with reference to different aspects of the law; maintenance after divorce, matrimonial property, prenuptial agreements etc. The chapters also show that the courts have attempted to fit this multi-functional concept of Mahr into the Western/European legal system as a rule of contract law, Private international law, and as an aspect of pre or post- nuptial agreement. Two other interesting and significant themes that have emerged in these chapters are gender equality and legal pluralism. Moors in her field research in Jabal Nablus, the northern region of the Palestinian West Bank discusses the registration process and codification of Mahr and its impact on the lives of Muslim women. Her study shows that there has been an increase in the registration of deferred dowers at the time of Nikah but despite the registration of both prompt and deferred dowers in practice women are still not paid any dower at the time of divorce. This is due to the fact that most divorces take place with the mutual consent of both the husband and wife * Dr Ayesha Shahid, Brunel Law School, Brunel University 75

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