Toggle above to switch between keyword search and direct hadith lookup
الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتاب
Book of Personally Serving Guests
بَابُ نَفَقَةِ الرَّجُلِ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ
Chapter: Spending on One's Family
Al-Adab al-Mufrad 751 — Spending on One's Family
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مُزَاحِمِ بْنِ زُفَرَ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: ”أَرْبَعَةُ دَنَانِيرَ: دِينَارًا أَعْطَيْتَهُ مِسْكِينًا، وَدِينَارًا أَعْطَيْتَهُ فِي رَقَبَةٍ، وَدِينَارًا أَنْفَقْتَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، وَدِينَارًا أَنْفَقْتَهُ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ، أَفْضَلُهَا الَّذِي أَنْفَقْتَهُ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ.“
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "There are four dinars: one dinar is that which you give to a poor person, the second is that which you spend to free a slave, the third is the dinar which you spend in the way of Allah, and the fourth is that which you spend on your family. The best among them is the one which you spend on your family."
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
➊ From this, it is understood that deeds also have ranks, and reward is given accordingly. In spending wealth, a person's wife and children take precedence over all others. If anything remains after fulfilling their needs, then it should be spent on the other mentioned causes.
➋ It should be noted that what is meant here are basic necessities, not luxuries—that is, a person should not spend hundreds of thousands on extravagances and then, when it comes to spending in the way of Allah, claim that the children's expenses are not being met.
➌ With the change of circumstances and conditions, the order of what is superior and what is lesser can also change.
➊ From this, it is understood that deeds also have ranks, and reward is given accordingly. In spending wealth, a person's wife and children take precedence over all others. If anything remains after fulfilling their needs, then it should be spent on the other mentioned causes.
➋ It should be noted that what is meant here are basic necessities, not luxuries—that is, a person should not spend hundreds of thousands on extravagances and then, when it comes to spending in the way of Allah, claim that the children's expenses are not being met.
➌ With the change of circumstances and conditions, the order of what is superior and what is lesser can also change.
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 751
