The obligation of maintenance for the wife

Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says: "Then marry those of the women who please you, two, three or four; but if you fear that you will not be just, then (marry only) one, or those your right hands possess. That is more likely to keep you from (being burdened with a large household)." [Surah al-Nisa': 3]
Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "(That is,) when a man restricts himself to one wife, the number of those whom you support will not become large, even though Allah Almighty has permitted him more than that."

Tha'lab, concerning the statement of Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) about the words of Allah Almighty, "That is more likely that you will not ta'ulu" [Surah al-Nisa': 3], namely, "that your children or dependants will not become many," said: "Linguistically, this is the better (interpretation)."

Zayd bin Aslam (may Allah have mercy on him) said about the words of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, "That is more likely that you will not ta'ulu" [Surah al-Nisa': 3]: That is more likely that those in your care will not become many. And the hadith about the occasion of revelation of this verse has already passed in the Book of Marriage.

It is narrated from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that Hind said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Abu Sufyan is a miserly man; is there any sin on me if I take something from his wealth? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Take what is sufficient for you and your children, according to what is customary."
Imam Bukhari recorded it in his Sahih from Muhammad bin Kathir.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged giving charity. A man came and said: I have a dinar. (Change of chain:) Abu Bakr Ahmad bin al-Hasan al-Qadi narrated to us: Abu al-Abbas al-Asamm narrated to us: al-Rabi' bin Sulayman informed him: al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) informed him: Sufyan informed him from Muhammad bin Ajlan, who narrates from Sa'id bin Abi Sa'id, who narrates from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I have a dinar." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Spend it on yourself." He said: I have another. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Spend it on your child." He said: I have another. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Spend it on your family." In the hadith of Abu Asim: "Spend it on your wife." He said: I have another. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Spend it on your servant." He said: I have another. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You know best (where to spend it)." And in the hadith of Abu Asim: "You see best." Sufyan added this in his narration from Ibn Ajlan: Sa'id said: Then Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), when he narrated this, would say: Your child says: Spend on me; to whom will you leave me? Your wife says: Spend on me or divorce me. Your servant says: To whom will you leave me? Spend on me or sell me.

It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best charity is that which is given out of surplus wealth; the upper hand is better than the lower hand; and begin with those in your care." Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) recorded it in the Sahih from the hadith of al-A'mash.

Bahz bin Hakim bin Mu'awiyah al-Qushayri said: My father narrated to me from his father (Mu'awiyah bin Haydah (may Allah be pleased with him)) that he said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), (concerning) our wives, how should we approach them and how should we leave them?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Approach your tilth however you wish; do not strike her face, do not insult her, and do not leave her except within the house. Feed her as you feed yourself, and clothe her when you clothe yourself. And how (could it be otherwise), when you have gone in unto one another?"

It is narrated from Abu Ishaq: I heard Wahb bin Jabir say: I was present with Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with them both) in Bayt al-Maqdis, and a freed slave of his came to him and said: I intend to stay here for the month of Ramadan. Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) said to him: Have you left provisions for your family? He said: No. He (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Then do not stay here; go back and arrange provisions for them, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "It is sin enough for a man that he neglects those whom he is responsible for feeding."