Saduquat Or Dower

The saduquat (sadaki) or dower represents the marriage payment or bride price received by the parents of the bride-to-be from the suitor in respect of an islamic law marriage. It is infact the entitlement of a woman and not of her parents though paid through the latter. The parents may utilise it for the preparation of their daughter's marriage.

Sharia prescribe only the minimum dower but not the maximum. Its minimum is one quarter of a Dinar. The 1971 Borno Declaration of Customary Law of Marriage put this sum at not less than two Naira nor more than twenty Naira. On the other hand, the Sokoto State Marriage Expenses (Regulation) Law, 1981 stated the value of 'rubun'n dinarin' as determined for the year 1981 as six Naira. In Borno, the dowry (or bride price) consists of cash not exceeding twenty Naira, clothing not exceeding forty Naira in value (which is for the bride's personal use) one hundred kolanuts, two bottles of perfume, one handful of sandal wood, one cigarette tin-full of 'grumbal', one cigaratte tin-full of algama', two pieces of soap and two bonks of vaseline.

The Sokoto State Marriage Expenses (Regulation) Law, 1981 provides for the payment of money gift to the parents of a girl indicating an intention to marry her (kudin binder aure) of twenty Naira. It is an offence punishable with three months imprisonment or N100.00 fine or both to exceed the prescribed limit.