Title: Divorce before Copulation - Iddah and Payment of Meh'r Question: What are the recommendations for annulment of an unconsummated marriage in reference to mehr payment and iddat ? regards, Tamseela Hussain United States of America Answer: In case divorce is affected before the consummation of marriage, no waiting period is prescribed for the divorced woman. As for Mehr , if it were settled in the marriage contract, then according to Al-Baqarah 2: 237: it is binding upon the man to pay half the amount that was settled in the marriage contract; except if the woman decides of her own free will, she may forgo even half of the amount mutually decided; and, in that case, the man will not be bound to pay any amount. However if the man decides, of his own free will, to not to benefit from the woman's generosity or the provision of this law, he may give the whole of the amount that was mutually decided in the marriage contract to the woman. The Qur'an has encouraged the man to take to option c. If, however, the amount of Mehr has not been mutually agreed upon and the divorce takes place before consummation of marriage, then the payment of Mehr is not binding upon the man ( Al-Baqarah 2: 236). Nevertheless, the Qur'an has made it binding upon the man to grant generous gifts to the woman. The value of these gifts may vary according to the man's as well as the woman's financial and social status. I hope this helps. Fond regards, Moiz Amjad November 7, 2003