(Excerpt taken from Shaykh Javed Iqbal Sialkoti’s book: “Parents and the Rights of Children”)
❀ Qur’anic Evidence
﴿وَعَلَى الْمَوْلُودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ﴾
“And upon the father of the child is [the mothers’] provision and clothing according to what is reasonable.”
📚 (Al-Baqarah: 233)
Benefit:
If the father is responsible for the expenses of a divorced woman due to her nursing the child, then surely, he is even more responsible for the general expenses of his children.
◈ Hadith 1
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ بِالصَّدَقَةِ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، عِنْدِي دِينَارٌ. فَقَالَ: تَصَدَّقْ بِهِ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ. قَالَ: عِنْدِي آخَرُ. قَالَ: تَصَدَّقْ بِهِ عَلَى وَلَدِكَ. قَالَ: عِنْدِي آخَرُ. قَالَ: تَصَدَّقْ بِهِ عَلَى زَوْجَتِكَ – أَوْ قَالَ: زَوْجِكَ – قَالَ: عِنْدِي آخَرُ. قَالَ: تَصَدَّقْ بِهِ عَلَى خَادِمِكَ. قَالَ: عِنْدِي آخَرُ. قَالَ: أَنْتَ أَبْصَرُ.
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ commanded giving charity. A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have one dinar.” He ﷺ said, “Spend it on yourself.”
He said, “I have another.” He ﷺ said, “Spend it on your child.”
He said, “I have another.” He ﷺ said, “Spend it on your wife.”
He said, “I have another.” He ﷺ said, “Spend it on your servant.”
He said, “I have more.” He ﷺ said, “You know best (where it is most needed).”
📚 [Hasan] Sunan Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Zakah, Chapter on Maintaining Ties of Kinship: 1691
◈ Hadith 2
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ.
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The best charity is that which is given when one is self-sufficient, and begin [spending] with those you support.”
📚 Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Zakah, Chapter: There is No Charity Except from Surplus Wealth – Hadith: 1426
Benefit:
Charity given after fulfilling the rights of one’s family is the best form of charity. (Mir‘at al-Mafatih)
◈ Hadith 3
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: دِينَارٌ أَنْفَقْتَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، وَدِينَارٌ أَنْفَقْتَهُ فِي رَقَبَةٍ، وَدِينَارٌ تَصَدَّقْتَ بِهِ عَلَى مِسْكِينٍ، وَدِينَارٌ أَنْفَقْتَهُ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ، أَعْظَمُهَا أَجْرًا الَّذِي أَنْفَقْتَهُ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ.
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“A dinar that you spend in the path of Allah, a dinar that you spend in freeing a slave, a dinar that you give in charity to a poor person, and a dinar that you spend on your family — the greatest reward is for the dinar that you spend on your family.”
📚 Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Zakah, Chapter: The Virtue of Spending on the Family – Hadith: 2311
Summary of Benefits
① The financial responsibility of the children lies upon the father.
② Charity and expenses begin with one’s dependents — wife, children, and servants.
③ Fulfilling the family’s financial rights is not only obligatory but also the most rewarded act of charity.
