Interdisciplinary Studies in Ethics

Interdisciplinary Studies in Ethics

An Ethics-Based Study of the Quranic Verses Concerning Mahr: A Critical Review of “Quranic Ethics of Marriage”

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Marzieh Mohases
Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
10.48308/jiethics.2026.243261.1052
Abstract
Introduction: In recent decades, alongside the expansion of gender studies and the emergence of new approaches to Quranic interpretation, the relationship between ethics and Islamic jurisprudence has become one of the most significant areas of inquiry within Islamic studies. One of the major works published in this field is Justice and Beauty in Muslim Marriage, whose chapter entitled “Quranic Ethics of Marriage” seeks to develop an ethics-based framework for understanding familial relations in the Quran.
Findings: The findings of this study indicate that the authors of “Quranic Ethics of Marriage” propose three principal foundations for their ethical reading of Mahr. The first is the ontological equality of women and men; the second is the conception of marriage as a solemn covenant (mīthāqan ghalīẓan); and the third is an emphasis on such concepts as affection (mawadda), mercy (raḥma), and tranquillity (sakīna), which, in the authors’ view, constitute the ethical foundations of the family in the Quran. On the basis of these three principles, they interpret the Quranic verses concerning Mahr as establishing a financial entitlement intended to protect women and as representing respect and responsibility within marital life.
Discussion: An examination of the arguments presented in “Quranic Ethics of Marriage” demonstrates that this reading possesses considerable potential to foreground the ethical dimensions of the institution of the family and to draw attention to the overarching objectives of the Quran. The principal challenge facing this approach, however, concerns the manner in which the relationship between ethics and jurisprudence is defined. In certain instances, the authors move beyond treating ethics as a guiding principle in textual interpretation and employ it as a criterion by which jurisprudential interpretations are evaluated.
Such an approach raises the question of the proper scope and limits of ethical values within the interpretive process, as well as the means by which fidelity to the text may be balanced against contemporary ethical concerns. Within the Islamic tradition, however, jurisprudence and ethics have generally been regarded as distinct yet complementary domains, both of which serve the realisation of the objectives of the Sharia.

From this perspective, Mahr may be understood as a legal–ethical institution that fulfils juridical and economic functions while simultaneously conveying ethical meanings associated with the dignity and honour of women, men’s assumption of responsibility, and the consolidation of the family. A comprehensive understanding of the Quranic verses on Mahr therefore requires simultaneous attention to both their normative and legal structures and their underlying ethical objectives.
Keywords
Mahr, Family Jurisprudence, Qur&rsquo
anic Ethics, Islamic Feminism, Maqasid al-Shariah (Objectives of Islamic Law), Dynamic Ijtihad
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Interdisciplinary Studies in Ethics
Volume 2, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
September 2026
Pages 191-214

  • Receive Date 20 January 2026
  • Revise Date 16 June 2026
  • Accept Date 23 June 2026
  • First Publish Date 23 June 2026
  • Publish Date 21 March 2026