Source Attribution
This excerpt is taken from the book Aḥkām wa Masā’il in the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah by Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani.
Allah the Exalted says:
﴿الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ﴾
[An-Nisā’: 34]
Translation:
“Men are caretakers over women, because Allah has given one more strength than the other, and because they spend out of their wealth.”
In this noble verse, men have been declared caretakers over women for two reasons:
① The first reason is the inherent excellence that Allah has granted men, by which they have been created with a degree of authority and responsibility over women.
② The second reason is that men spend their wealth; due to this financial responsibility, men have been given superiority over women.
Allah the Exalted also says:
﴿وَعَلَى الْمَوْلُودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ﴾
[Al-Baqarah: 233]
Translation:
“And upon the father of the child is the mothers’ provision and clothing according to what is customary.”
From these two noble verses, it becomes clear that spending wealth, providing food, and providing clothing are the responsibility of the man. It is the right and obligation of the children’s father that he provides food and clothing for the children’s mother.
The level of expenditure will be determined according to the man’s income. If a man possesses abundant means and resources, it is his duty to provide comfort to his wife according to his wealth, and to give her food, drink, and clothing similar to what he uses himself. If a man is poor, then he will spend according to his limited means.
In all circumstances, Allah has placed the responsibility of maintenance upon the shoulders of the man. A woman is not obligated to seek employment to bear household expenses. Rather, it is her right to remain within the boundaries of the home, serving her husband, safeguarding the household, and caring for the children, and not to become an adornment of offices, markets, workshops, factories, hotels, and restaurants.
This excerpt is taken from the book Aḥkām wa Masā’il in the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah by Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani.
❖ Question:
Is the responsibility of household expenses and the maintenance of children upon the woman or upon the man?✿ Answer:
Allah has placed the responsibility of a woman’s maintenance (nafaqah) upon the man. Even if the woman is wealthy, she is not responsible for household expenses.Allah the Exalted says:
﴿الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ﴾
[An-Nisā’: 34]Translation:
“Men are caretakers over women, because Allah has given one more strength than the other, and because they spend out of their wealth.”
In this noble verse, men have been declared caretakers over women for two reasons:
① The first reason is the inherent excellence that Allah has granted men, by which they have been created with a degree of authority and responsibility over women.
② The second reason is that men spend their wealth; due to this financial responsibility, men have been given superiority over women.
Allah the Exalted also says:
﴿وَعَلَى الْمَوْلُودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ﴾
[Al-Baqarah: 233]Translation:
“And upon the father of the child is the mothers’ provision and clothing according to what is customary.”
From these two noble verses, it becomes clear that spending wealth, providing food, and providing clothing are the responsibility of the man. It is the right and obligation of the children’s father that he provides food and clothing for the children’s mother.
The level of expenditure will be determined according to the man’s income. If a man possesses abundant means and resources, it is his duty to provide comfort to his wife according to his wealth, and to give her food, drink, and clothing similar to what he uses himself. If a man is poor, then he will spend according to his limited means.
In all circumstances, Allah has placed the responsibility of maintenance upon the shoulders of the man. A woman is not obligated to seek employment to bear household expenses. Rather, it is her right to remain within the boundaries of the home, serving her husband, safeguarding the household, and caring for the children, and not to become an adornment of offices, markets, workshops, factories, hotels, and restaurants.
