Re: Haq Mehar in the US
Except I think there is a misconception with desis that they think the nikkahnama will be upheld as its a written contract, but they don’t realize that judges will not accept it. If they do it sets up a precedence for sharia law as a parallel legal system in the states and now this is the second couple I’ve seen having issues because they try to exert religious rights in an American court room and find it does not work for them. So the girl would not get her Haq mehr if the guy held it - American courts won’t penalize him. And he can ask for jewelry back too depending on the state laws. In which case bride doesn’t get to keep valuable gifts.
I’ve now seen a couple of desi guys annoyed with the concept of the wife leaving with jewelry too. Islam aside, they try to contest the return of jewelry in the courts. Not surprisingly if you invested thousands and thousands of dollars on gold to show off your wife at the wedding.
Like Paheli said, American divorce courts probably give women more than what’s stipulated in the Haq Mehar, so in reality, the fact that judges don’t uphold it is a moot point.