Mahr

Continuing a marriage if the mahr (dowry) has not been paid

Q: Is it permissible to continue a marriage if the mahr (dowry) has not been paid? 

I am currently married, but my husband has not yet paid the agreed-upon mahr (dowry). I would like to know if my marriage is still valid in Islam without the payment of mahr. What steps should be taken in such a situation? Is the marriage still considered valid, and what are the Islamic guidelines regarding mahr payments? Should I take any specific actions to address this issue?

Giving the value of mahr faatimi when paying the mahr

Q: I got married approximately 9 years ago. At the time my wife and her father wanted Mehr e faatimi as mehr. However I could not afford the mehr e faatimi at that time. They then agreed to a lesser amount but I told them that insha allah one day when I am able to then I will give her the full mehr e faatimi amount. This was just verbally said and was not written down. 

Alhamdullilah I am now in a position where I can give her the full mehr e faatimi amount. I would like to know if I should give her the mehr e faatimi amount at that time (9 years ago) which was approximately R 12 500.00 or should I give her the mehr e faatimi amount of current value which is approximately R28 000.00?

Giving more mahr to the second wife

Q: In Islam, a man is allowed to get married to 4 women. If he wants to marry a girl when he already has his first wife, does he have to mention the same amount of mehar that he had given to his first wife or can he give his second wife more than what he gave the first wife as mehar.

If he wants to give his second wife more mehar than the first wife's mehar, is there any problem in that or should he maintain an equal amount of money for both?

Asking for one's mahr after giving it to one's husband

Q: 12 years ago I got married. My haq mehr was decided to be paid later. There is a fight between me and my husband related to the amount he spent on our honeymoon. To make the things simpler, I said that you can keep my mehr amount to compensate your expenses. Later on, I spent 12 years of my life in an abusive marriage. I never demanded this amount again. We have 3 children.

Now, he divorced me and married another women. Can I demand my haq mehr amount now as I have once forgiven it or given it to him? I also need it for my children. He has also not returned my jewellery that was given to me at the time of our wedding as a gift. Can I demand my haq mehr now, as I have once forgiven it or given it to him?