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  3. Law: Contract(s)

Den Mohor

English translation: dower

16:26 Apr 4, 2007
Bengali to English translations [PRO]
Law: Contract(s) / Marriage
Bengali term or phrase: Den Mohor
1. I need English translation of the term "Den Mohor" as used in muslim marriages in Bangladesh. The translation must be in a way that a non-muslim/non-bengali (european) person understands the meaning accurately and unambiguously. Dowry or Dower seems incorrect to me.
2. English translation of the terms: 'Muarzal' and 'Mu'ozzol' would be helpful too.
Moreechika
Bangladesh
English translation:dower
Explanation:
One requirement of Muslim marriage in Bangladesh (and in many other Muslim countries where laws pertaining to marriage are based on religious tradition) is that the husband must agree to provide mehr (or, colloquially, den mohor) at the time of marriage.25 Often translated as "dower," mehr is property or payment promised by the groom and his family to the bride—a practice originally intended to provide the wife with economic security and to limit the husband's arbitrary use of unilateral divorce. The amount is customarily recorded in the marriage contract and can be claimed in the event of divorce or death of the husband. (Theoretically, wives may claim this payment at any time, but in practice, they rarely do so.26) Thus, in theory, legal registration of a marriage provides the wife with a basis for filing suit to collect the dower if her husband deserts her or divorces her, or if he gives her grounds for divorce by habitually assaulting her.
http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3019004.html

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Note added at 20 mins (2007-04-04 16:46:48 GMT)
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it would be a good idea to keep the original term and add an explanatory note
Selected response from:

Luisa Moura Almeida
Local time: 00:01
Grading comment
Thanks. I found your answer most helpful. It was part of a 'Nikahnama' Form where a certain amount of Mehr was mentioned including both 'Prompt' & 'Deferred' variants of it. Yet, the answer to the question "was any part of it paid at the time of marriage ?" was "None". This is the thing that confused me. By adding "promised" before dower, I hope I solved it. My translation looks like this: "Amount of Mehr (dower promised by the groom to the bride at the time of marriage): ". I hope this is correct.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Islamic dowry system for wife
Lubain Masum
5How much of the dower is Mu'ajjal (Prompt) and how much Mu'wajjal (Deferred):
Saleh Chowdhury, Ph.D.
4Gold coin for dowry
majums2003
3dower
Luisa Moura Almeida


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
dower


Explanation:
One requirement of Muslim marriage in Bangladesh (and in many other Muslim countries where laws pertaining to marriage are based on religious tradition) is that the husband must agree to provide mehr (or, colloquially, den mohor) at the time of marriage.25 Often translated as "dower," mehr is property or payment promised by the groom and his family to the bride—a practice originally intended to provide the wife with economic security and to limit the husband's arbitrary use of unilateral divorce. The amount is customarily recorded in the marriage contract and can be claimed in the event of divorce or death of the husband. (Theoretically, wives may claim this payment at any time, but in practice, they rarely do so.26) Thus, in theory, legal registration of a marriage provides the wife with a basis for filing suit to collect the dower if her husband deserts her or divorces her, or if he gives her grounds for divorce by habitually assaulting her.
http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3019004.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 mins (2007-04-04 16:46:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

it would be a good idea to keep the original term and add an explanatory note

Luisa Moura Almeida
Local time: 00:01
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese, Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks. I found your answer most helpful. It was part of a 'Nikahnama' Form where a certain amount of Mehr was mentioned including both 'Prompt' & 'Deferred' variants of it. Yet, the answer to the question "was any part of it paid at the time of marriage ?" was "None". This is the thing that confused me. By adding "promised" before dower, I hope I solved it. My translation looks like this: "Amount of Mehr (dower promised by the groom to the bride at the time of marriage): ". I hope this is correct.
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Islamic dowry system for wife


Explanation:
Muazzal- part of mohr to be paid later.

Muazzal- part of mohr to paid immediately.

See Bangla Academy Baboharik Bangla Obhidhan for Muazzal

See Bangla Academy Arabi Bangla Obhibhan for Muazzal.


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Note added at 30 mins (2007-04-04 16:56:21 GMT)
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Please note that 'Muarzal' is wrong spelling of Mua'zzal

In fact Mu'ozzol' is also not correct to represent 'Muazzal'.

To be precise, the first one is with Arabic letter '`Ain' and the second one is with Arabic letter hamza or alif. You put it in the Arabic Kudos forum to have a better explanation.




Lubain Masum
United States
Local time: 18:01
Native speaker of: Native in BengaliBengali
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32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
How much of the dower is Mu'ajjal (Prompt) and how much Mu'wajjal (Deferred):


Explanation:
I think you are asking for this sentence!

Saleh Chowdhury, Ph.D.
Bangladesh
Local time: 04:01
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in BengaliBengali
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks. I chose your translation 'prompt'. I hope you will also comment on my final trans as given above.

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350 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Gold coin for dowry


Explanation:
Den Mohor means the commitment to provide valuables to a girl who has been given in marriage. This is a custom practised in the sub-continent even though the term 'Den Mohor' is used in Bangladesh.

Example sentence(s):
  • Sorry Sir, but you have not fulfilled your promise of Den Mohor.
majums2003
Local time: 03:31
Native speaker of: Native in BengaliBengali
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