Mahr
The gift that a Muslim groom gives the bride under the marriage contract, which is hers alone.
Also: mehr, mehar, dower, mahar, sadaq
Mahr, also written mehr, mehar or mahar, is a sum of money or property that the husband owes the wife by the contract of a Muslim marriage. It belongs to her and not to her family, and may be paid at once, deferred, or both. The amount is agreed between the two sides and varies from a token to large sums, and in South Asia a small sum is often written in the nikah nama while a larger one is promised. In Iran it is called mehrieh, in Turkey mehir, and in Arabic the words mahr and sadaq are used. The Quran names it as the wife's due. Mahr is separate from dowry, which is a different custom.
Region: Middle East