{"id":30762,"date":"2026-09-12T08:06:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T08:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/?p=30762"},"modified":"2026-09-12T08:18:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T08:18:14","slug":"toyana-a-custom-that-puts-financial-pressure-on-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/2026\/09\/toyana-a-custom-that-puts-financial-pressure-on-families\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00abToyana\u00bb; a custom that puts financial pressure on families"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cToyana\u201d is a longstanding custom practiced in some parts of Afghanistan. It is a payment separate from the dower (mahr<\/em>), in which an amount of money is determined or paid by the groom\u2019s family to the bride\u2019s family. Depending on customs and the circumstances of the families, this tradition can place a significant financial burden on the groom\u2019s family and make the beginning of married life more difficult for young couples.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Islamic Emirate, in Decree No. 17 issued in the 1404 solar year, called for preventing undesirable customs and excessive spending at ceremonies including weddings, engagements, calamities, and ceremonies related to returning from Hajj.<\/p>\n

In another decree, it is also stated that, in addition to mahr<\/em>, receiving money as walwar<\/em>, food and other items that the groom takes to the bride\u2019s family one or two days before the wedding, as well as Toyana or any other similar practices in the name of custom, are not permitted for the bride\u2019s family.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, spokesperson for the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice of the Islamic Emirate, says the ministry is responsible for preventing excessive spending at wedding ceremonies in accordance with the decree issued by the leader of the Islamic Emirate. He says the ministry also addresses complaints related to heavy financial pressure on families.<\/p>\n

\u201cDecree No. 17 of the leader of the Islamic Emirate assigns this ministry the responsibility of preventing excessive spending at celebrations, mourning ceremonies, and ceremonies related to returning from Hajj. In particular, excessive spending at weddings or the imposition of a heavy financial burden by families is inappropriate under Sharia. The social and economic situation does not justify placing such a burden on families. This can delay marriages and may expose youth to Fitna (temptation). All the complaints we have received have been addressed on time,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

Legal experts and religious scholars say that Toyana is not a religious right but an undesirable custom that is commonly practiced in Afghan society. They say it is a concerning practice that places a heavy financial burden on many youth and can prevent couples from beginning their married lives with joy and happiness.<\/p>\n

Parwiz Khalili, a legal expert, says the custom can cause family problems and separation. He also says that, from a legal perspective, if the bride\u2019s family demands the money without her consent, she has the right to oppose it. He explains,<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch a right is not recognized, but unfortunately, it has become deeply rooted in Afghanistan\u2019s social and cultural traditions. When a boy and girl are preparing to marry, their families, friends, and relatives should help them build a new life. Unfortunately, expensive engagement and wedding ceremonies, along with costly customs such as Toyana, can become a heavy burden on the groom. This can later lead to serious family disputes, Tafriq (separation), and divorce, and can prevent youth from achieving their educational, family, and social dreams. Such a right is not recognized in Islam.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similarly, Ziba Zuhal, a legal expert, says, \u201cIn short, mahr<\/em> is the woman\u2019s right, while Toyana is not the right of the girl\u2019s family. Calling it a custom does not give the girl\u2019s father, mother, or brother the right to take or take away the woman\u2019s property or rights without her consent.\u201d<\/p>\n

A number of women interviewed for this report say they did not have a direct role in decisions about some marriage-related customs and expenses, and that these decisions were mainly made by their families. They add that if they had been more involved in these decisions, they might have chosen different options regarding the amount of these expenses, which could have reduced financial pressure and potential problems in their married lives.<\/p>\n

One of the women interviewed, who has been married for two years, says, \u201cWhen I got married, my family received 300,000 Afghanis from my husband\u2019s family as part of the marriage customs, but they did not provide me with enough household items and other necessities that I needed. I knew about the money before the wedding, but I did not ask why it was not used to buy household items for me because my family considered the money to belong to the family. If I had been allowed to make the decision myself, I might have preferred that this money not be taken from the groom\u2019s family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another woman interviewed, who has been married for several years, says her family received 400,000 Afghanis from her husband\u2019s family as part of the marriage customs.<\/p>\n

The amount and the way the payment is determined and received also vary according to family and regional customs. In some families, part of the money may be used to buy household items and other necessities for the young couple.<\/p>\n

Another woman shares her experience, saying that her family received 300,000 Afghanis as part of the marriage customs.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I knew what part of the marriage customs the money was related to. My family spent the money they had received from the groom\u2019s family for me. They bought the items I needed, including household items and some gold. In the end, they spent the money to help me prepare for my own life,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Ahmad, a 35-year-old resident of Kabul who has a bachelor\u2019s degree, says he paid 400,000 Afghanis as Toyana, which was a condition of his marriage. However, he says this made him worried about repaying the debt from the very beginning of his married life.<\/p>\n

\u201cSetting Toyana at 400,000 Afghanis put a great financial pressure on me. I had to borrow money to pay the Toyana. Repaying the loans caused us to face economic and financial difficulties during the first years of our married life, and for some time, I had to use my income to repay the debt,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Abdul Ghaffar Ghaffarzada, a religious scholar, shares his views on some financial customs related to marriage. He says that receiving such money, when it is set as a mandatory condition outside the framework of Sharia, does not have a specific position in Sharia.<\/p>\n

\u201cToyana is mainly a social custom practiced in some parts of the country, and in Islamic Sharia, there is no specific position for taking such a payment as a mandatory condition for marriage. Hanafi jurisprudence also has clear views regarding the improper taking of someone\u2019s property without their consent. It is better for families to avoid putting pressure on the other party or setting heavy conditions,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

However, Toyana remains a custom in some parts of Afghanistan, which for some families may place financial pressure on young couples and contribute to family disputes in the future.<\/p>\n

Reporter: Atefa Malekzada<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cToyana\u201d is a longstanding custom practiced in some parts of Afghanistan. It is a payment separate from the dower (mahr), in which an amount of money is determined or paid by the groom\u2019s family to the bride\u2019s family. Depending on customs and the circumstances of the families, this tradition can place a significant financial burden on the groom\u2019s family and make the beginning of married life more difficult for young couples.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":30763,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[990,9,16,980],"tags":[1517,1648,2191,2192,2193,2194],"class_list":["post-30762","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest","category-soceity","category-report","category-society-culture","tag-families","tag-custom","tag-toyana","tag-financial-pressure","tag-groom","tag-bride"],"views":8,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30762","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30762"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30762\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30767,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30762\/revisions\/30767"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30763"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30762"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30762"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}