'Robbed' Saudi man asked to pay just one riyal in dowry by bride's father

Saudi social media is abuzz with congratulatory message to a father, who asked a young man asking for his daughter's hand in marriage to give just one Saudi riyal (Dh0.98) as dowry.

The decision is quiet unusual as dowries in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East is among the highest in the world and are often an obstacle to marriages.

The father was moved after hearing that the groom, who withdrew the money he planned to give as dowry, was involved in an accident on his way to his future father-in-law's house, 100km north of the capital Riyadh, Gulf News reported.

According to the local news site Sabq, the money was stolen by someone at the scene of the accident while rescue efforts were going on for the young man.

Shocked by the loss of the money, the man asked his fiancee's family to postpone the wedding for one year so that he could raise the necessary funds for the dowry.

But the woman's father said that there is going to be no postponement, and asked the man to pay only one riyal.