Adab al-Mufrad

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Sadaqah is also used in the sense of zakat, but that meaning is not intended here because the individuals mentioned in the hadith cannot be given zakat. According to some scholars, if children are adults, married, living separately, have their own business, and fall under the category of the poor and needy, then they can be given zakat. This is because, in such a situation, the responsibility of maintenance by the father ends. Here, the intended meaning is that when a person spends on himself, if his intention is that by eating he will gain strength and power to worship Allah, and by wearing clothes he intends to cover his private parts according to the Shari’ah, then this too is written as sadaqah in his record of deeds. Similarly, if he spends on his wife and children with the intention that Allah Ta’ala has made their upbringing his responsibility, then this too will be counted as sadaqah for him.

➋ From this hadith, we learn the order of spending wealth: a person should first spend on himself, then take care of the needs of his wife, children, and employees. If anything remains, he should spend on other relatives and those in need. By spending in these avenues, one fulfills an obligation and also receives the reward for spending. Remember, if the parents are in need, they are the most deserving. Zakat money cannot be spent on parents, because if they become financially weak, it is the duty of the children to show kindness to them and provide for them. In a hadith: “You and your wealth belong to your father” (Abu Dawud: 3530). Therefore, parents have the right to take wealth, etc., from their children for their worldly needs. The person who spends zakat on his parents is, in effect, spending zakat for his own personal needs, which is not correct.

➌ Eating oneself is a basic human need. Without it, human life is not possible. Similarly, feeding one’s wife and children is of utmost importance for the survival of humanity. Allah Ta’ala has created the system of the universe in such a way that no person can live here alone. Some are weak, some are strong, some are wealthy, and some are poor. All these are manifestations of Allah’s power. Every person works hard and fulfills the needs of his dependents. Both disbelievers and Muslims are equal in this matter. The difference is that if a Muslim, while spending on these basic needs, intends to attain closeness to Allah Ta’ala, then his need will be fulfilled and reward will also be written in his record of deeds. In other words, reward for spending is given when the intention is to seek nearness to Allah. If the intention is not to attain Allah’s closeness, then the obligation is fulfilled, but the person is deprived of reward. Therefore, even when fulfilling the obligation of zakat, one should keep the attainment of reward in mind.

➍ In this, there is also encouragement to strive and work hard to earn wealth so that a person can fulfill his responsibilities. Sitting idle and not working is by no means reliance (tawakkul) on Allah; rather, Allah Ta’ala dislikes it. A person should work hard, eat himself, and fulfill the needs of his family and dependents—this is not a trivial act, provided the intention is to seek nearness to Allah.