Musnad Ishaq

Benefits:
From the aforementioned hadith, it is understood that a wife can give charity (sadaqah) to her husband. However, whatever the husband spends on his wife and children, he will receive reward for it, but it will not be counted as charity (sadaqah), because spending on the wife and children is their right and an obligation upon the husband. But for a wife to spend on her husband is not her obligation. It is thus clear that a woman, like a man, can have independent ownership rights; she can acquire wealth through trade, as was the case with Sayyidah Khadijah al-Kubra radi Allahu anha, or through any other legitimate means, as Sayyidah Zaynab radi Allahu anha was a skilled woman. Similarly, she is also entitled to inheritance. The wife of Maulana Nawab Siddiq al-Hasan Khan rahimahullah was a queen and a wealthy woman. The majority of scholars—Imam Shafi’i, Imam Abu Yusuf, and Imam Muhammad rahimahumullah—hold the view that a wife can give zakat to her husband. However, according to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, this is not permissible. (Nayl al-Awtar: 3/140; Kitab al-Umm: 2/69; al-Mughni: 4/100)

Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah holds the view that the aforementioned hadith refers to voluntary charity (nafl sadaqah). The majority say that if the charity referred to was not obligatory zakat, then what need was there for Sayyidah Zaynab radi Allahu anha to ask the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about it? Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established a chapter on this with the following words: “Chapter: Zakat upon the husband and the orphans under one’s care…” “A woman giving zakat herself to her husband or to the orphan children under her guardianship.” But remember, this is only when the husband or the children under his care fall under the categories of zakat recipients mentioned in the Qur’an. It is also understood that spending on deserving relatives carries greater reward. It is stated in Sahih al-Bukhari: ((The reward of kinship and the reward of charity.)) (Bukhari, no. 1466) “One is the reward for maintaining kinship, and the other is the reward for giving charity.” (See also hadiths: 721, 722, 723, 724.)