Recently a heart breaking Video clip of a Girl named Ayesha from Ahmedabad is Constantly surfacing on social media after recording a brief video clip of 5-6 minutes, Ayesha jumped into the Sabarmati river & ended her life. The reason she pointed was the constant harassment on the name of dowry. Earlier during their marriage in 2018, her Husband named Aarif Khan was provided a dowry of Rupess 1.5 lakh & then onwards he continued to demand more and more and more. She faced such harassment at the hands of her husband on a daily basis just because he could do anything if the same was not provided..A yesha couldn't tolerate the emotional torture and mental imbalance beyond 25th of Feb 2021 & she finally ended her life.

Jahez is an un Islamic culture of the whole Indian subcontinent including Pakistan and UT of Kashmir given by the bride or her family to the bridegroom. It has been routine In every section of society And is now more prevalent among the Muslim societies particularly Kashmir.Kashmiri Muslims use the term 'Dhaj' for the institution of Dowry.
Dhaj aka Jahez is classified under two main categories as for as Kashmir is concerned first and foremost element includes that parents of the Bride need to arrange special and facilities and meals for the groom and the 'Baratis' accompanying him. This is one of the most common form of Dhaj that's directly related to "Yezzat (Reputation) of Kashmiris. If they are not served well, The 'Korre Moul' Is Shikasladh.. There is not yet a single damn evidence of practicing dowry system during the time of our Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as from Knowledge Of Seerah You can clearly understand that it is a bid'dah(An innovation) in Islam... When her Princess daughter Fatima was married to Hazrat Ali, Not a single penny was demanded and instead some money was taken from Hazrat Ali As the Mahr through which the Fatima was Dressed and ornamented. Not even a single paisa was taken from the prophet Muhammad saw. .
Second Form of dowry Is something that is not far related to Islam & it's teachings but most Kashmiris follow this as a norm & part of their culture transmitted efficiently via the Hindu community. It’s the actual dowry that the family of groom demands in the form of golden ornaments, electrical appliances and cars. This form of dowry institution is alarming in the valley of Kashmir evidenced by plentiful of unmarried women that have crossed 40 of their age.. It's not just limited to the Srinagar city only but equal cases exist in villages & other towns of the Valley.
The institution of dowry has spread like a forest fire in the valley and it's now difficult to curb it besides being highlighted by highly educated Islamic scholars of the valley on a day to day basis. It not only affects the families which are its victims but it has a drastic effect on the mentality of other people. I remember some months ago ,I was talking to a girl (anonymous) on whatsApp related to dowry.Suddenly in between the conversation, she forwarded me an image of a bride that had recently got married in her area who was fully occupied by golden ornaments. I could hardly see her neck & hands. What hit me badly was the caption of the image which read 'Agar Iske Paas Itna Sona Hai, Toh Mere Papa ko bhi toh atleast iska half hona chahiye kal ko jab mere shaadi hogi '.. This is how the mentality of young girls gets molded when they see the storm of dowry slowly shadowing over their families.
When as a Muslim community we violate the supreme laws of Quran and Shariah, There is nothing that the human made laws can do about it. People need to be morally strong & truly knowledgeable To understand the root cause & Ill effects of Dhaj. Same way the Indian Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, has undergone several revisions but its interpretation and implementation has a lot of grey areas and It cannot be implemented & enacted in a society which is morally degraded. I remember a Quote Of Mahatma Gandhi which Says "Who makes dowry a pre-condition for his marriage, not only shows disrespect to women but also humiliates his own education and womanhood and such young person's should be socially boycotted". Please say no to dowry by neither being among Givers nor among takers. Majority of the people in the valley need to understand that Dhaj is neither a form of love and respect Nor does it represent any form of blessing. It's the worst form of manhood and highest form of humiliation.

Email:----zubairchemku@gmail.com