A marriage occurred without an agreed amount of dower, and the husband died before consummation. Ibn Masʿud was asked for a ruling and used the standard of comparable dower while addressing the related legal entitlements.
لها مهر مثل نسائها لا وكس فيها ولا شطط
She is due a dower comparable to that of similar women, neither diminished nor inflated.
Mahr al-mithl considers legally relevant characteristics of comparable marriages. The absence of a specified amount does not necessarily erase the institution of dower; an established comparative standard can provide its assessment.
The case illustrates how legally relevant precedents inform reasoned judgment.