[queenofsheba]

you shouldnt be asking these questions on here. if ur getting married, it's worth ur while to go and get a book that explains the entire fiqh of marriage and divorce before* u tie the knot. it will help you make the best decision.

to give u a basic answer- the mahr is decided by the bride. You can decide how much you want upfront, and how much is payable throughout the span of the marriage (muakher). Keep in mind, in the event of divorce, you cannot demand both your muakher and your western legal right- you have to pick which one you'd like.

the amount is usually determined by what other girls in your position in your locale are getting, but ur allowed to set it at whatever u like. Make sure u get ur contract written down on paper and signed by atleast 2 or more witnesses.

and yes, go ask a sheikh and get a book- there's alot of things that you probably wont think of. Reliance of the traveller has some decent explanations, but its not that clear.