Re: Significance of Haq Mehr in a non-islamic country.
The right way is to pay all the haq mehr to the wife right after the nikah. It is an important religious obligation that has to be fulfilled. Haq mehr is the right of one's wife and must be paid immediately and she can do whatever she likes with that money, and the husband does not even have the right to ask any questions. In my understanding, the way we (from sub-continent) do it is not right.