The Husband is Obligated to Provide for His Wife
Author: Imran Ayyub Lahori
It is obligatory for the husband to provide maintenance for his wife, as proven by the following evidences:
❶ Allah Almighty says:
لِيُنفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِّن سَعَتِهِ ۖ وَمَن قُدِرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقُهُ فَلْيُنفِقْ مِمَّا آتَاهُ اللَّهُ ۚ لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا مَا آتَاهَا [At-Talaq: 7]
"Let the man of wealth spend according to his means; and the man whose provision is restricted should spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not burden any soul beyond what He has given it."
❷ وَارْزُقُوهُمْ فِيهَا وَاكْسُوهُمْ [An-Nisa: 5]
"Provide for them from it and clothe them."
❸ Narrated by Jabir (RA): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
ولهن عليكم رزقهن وكسوتهن بالمعروف
"It is upon you to provide them food and clothing in a reasonable manner."
[Muslim: 1218, Book of Hajj: Chapter – The Hajj of the Prophet ﷺ]
❹ Narrated by ‘Amr ibn al-Ahwas (RA): The Prophet ﷺ said:
ألا وحقهن عليكم أن تحسنوا إليهن فى كسوتهن وطعامهن
"Indeed, their right upon you is that you treat them well in providing clothing and food."
[Hasan: Sahih Ibn Majah: 1501; Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 1997; al-Tirmidhi: 1163; Ahmad: 3/426; Abu Dawud: 3334; Ibn Majah: 1851]
❺ Narrated by Hind bint ‘Utbah (RA): She came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "Abu Sufyan is a miserly man. He does not give me enough for myself and my children except what I take without his knowledge. Will I be sinful for that?" The Prophet ﷺ replied:
خذى ما يكفيك وولدك بالمعروف
"Take what is sufficient for you and your children in a reasonable manner."
[Bukhari: 2211; Muslim: 1714; Abu Dawud: 2532; al-Nasa’i: 8/246; Ibn Majah: 2293; al-Darimi: 2/159]
❻ The scholars have agreed that a wife's maintenance is obligatory upon her husband.
[Al-Mawsu‘ah al-Ijma‘iyyah fi al-Fiqh al-Islami: 2/1059; al-Mughni: 11/348; Nayl al-Awṭār: 4/425]
Points derived from Hind’s Hadith (Ibn al-Qayyim):
① The amount of the wife’s maintenance is not fixed — it should be what suffices her.
② Maintenance for the wife is of the same nature as that for the children — both are to be provided reasonably.
③ The father alone is responsible for the children’s expenses.
④ If the husband/father does not fulfill his obligation, the wife and children may take from his wealth the amount sufficient for them without his consent.
⑤ If a wife can take her due maintenance from her husband’s wealth, she has no valid reason to seek annulment of the marriage.
⑥ Obligatory rights without a fixed amount by Allah or His Messenger ﷺ are determined according to custom (‘urf).
⑦ If someone withholds an obligatory right and its entitlement is proven, the rightful person may take it directly if able — as the Prophet ﷺ instructed Hind (RA).
[A‘lam al-Muwaqqi‘in: 4/358–359]
How much is obligatory?
Imam Ibn Qudamah: Maintenance is according to sufficiency.
The majority (Jumhūr): Agree with this.
[Al-Mughni: 11/349; Nayl al-Awṭār: 4/477]
Imam al-Shafi‘i: Obligates fixed amounts depending on the husband’s financial status.
Al-Shawkani: Hind’s Hadith is proof against this fixed measure view.
Al-Nawawi: Acknowledged this.
The husband’s financial status is considered:
Maintenance should be in proportion to the husband’s means, as in the verse:
لِيُنفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِّن سَعَتِهِ… [At-Talaq: 7]
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
تطعمها إذا طعمت وتكسوها إذا اكتسيت
"Feed her when you eat, and clothe her when you clothe yourself."
[Hasan Sahih: Sahih Abu Dawud: 1875; Abu Dawud: 2142; Ibn Majah: 1850; Ibn Hibban: 4175]
Ibn Qudamah: Holds the same view.
[Al-Mughni: 11/352]
Author: Imran Ayyub Lahori
It is obligatory for the husband to provide maintenance for his wife, as proven by the following evidences:
❶ Allah Almighty says:
لِيُنفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِّن سَعَتِهِ ۖ وَمَن قُدِرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقُهُ فَلْيُنفِقْ مِمَّا آتَاهُ اللَّهُ ۚ لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا مَا آتَاهَا [At-Talaq: 7]
"Let the man of wealth spend according to his means; and the man whose provision is restricted should spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not burden any soul beyond what He has given it."
❷ وَارْزُقُوهُمْ فِيهَا وَاكْسُوهُمْ [An-Nisa: 5]
"Provide for them from it and clothe them."
❸ Narrated by Jabir (RA): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
ولهن عليكم رزقهن وكسوتهن بالمعروف
"It is upon you to provide them food and clothing in a reasonable manner."
[Muslim: 1218, Book of Hajj: Chapter – The Hajj of the Prophet ﷺ]
❹ Narrated by ‘Amr ibn al-Ahwas (RA): The Prophet ﷺ said:
ألا وحقهن عليكم أن تحسنوا إليهن فى كسوتهن وطعامهن
"Indeed, their right upon you is that you treat them well in providing clothing and food."
[Hasan: Sahih Ibn Majah: 1501; Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 1997; al-Tirmidhi: 1163; Ahmad: 3/426; Abu Dawud: 3334; Ibn Majah: 1851]
❺ Narrated by Hind bint ‘Utbah (RA): She came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "Abu Sufyan is a miserly man. He does not give me enough for myself and my children except what I take without his knowledge. Will I be sinful for that?" The Prophet ﷺ replied:
خذى ما يكفيك وولدك بالمعروف
"Take what is sufficient for you and your children in a reasonable manner."
[Bukhari: 2211; Muslim: 1714; Abu Dawud: 2532; al-Nasa’i: 8/246; Ibn Majah: 2293; al-Darimi: 2/159]
❻ The scholars have agreed that a wife's maintenance is obligatory upon her husband.
[Al-Mawsu‘ah al-Ijma‘iyyah fi al-Fiqh al-Islami: 2/1059; al-Mughni: 11/348; Nayl al-Awṭār: 4/425]
Points derived from Hind’s Hadith (Ibn al-Qayyim):
① The amount of the wife’s maintenance is not fixed — it should be what suffices her.
② Maintenance for the wife is of the same nature as that for the children — both are to be provided reasonably.
③ The father alone is responsible for the children’s expenses.
④ If the husband/father does not fulfill his obligation, the wife and children may take from his wealth the amount sufficient for them without his consent.
⑤ If a wife can take her due maintenance from her husband’s wealth, she has no valid reason to seek annulment of the marriage.
⑥ Obligatory rights without a fixed amount by Allah or His Messenger ﷺ are determined according to custom (‘urf).
⑦ If someone withholds an obligatory right and its entitlement is proven, the rightful person may take it directly if able — as the Prophet ﷺ instructed Hind (RA).
[A‘lam al-Muwaqqi‘in: 4/358–359]
How much is obligatory?
- The correct view is that it is not a fixed measure; rather, the husband must provide enough to suffice the wife and children in a reasonable manner — as in the Hadith of Hind (RA).
- Fixing a specific measure would be unjust because needs vary by person, time, and situation.
Imam Ibn Qudamah: Maintenance is according to sufficiency.
The majority (Jumhūr): Agree with this.
[Al-Mughni: 11/349; Nayl al-Awṭār: 4/477]
Imam al-Shafi‘i: Obligates fixed amounts depending on the husband’s financial status.
Al-Shawkani: Hind’s Hadith is proof against this fixed measure view.
Al-Nawawi: Acknowledged this.
The husband’s financial status is considered:
Maintenance should be in proportion to the husband’s means, as in the verse:
لِيُنفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِّن سَعَتِهِ… [At-Talaq: 7]
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
تطعمها إذا طعمت وتكسوها إذا اكتسيت
"Feed her when you eat, and clothe her when you clothe yourself."
[Hasan Sahih: Sahih Abu Dawud: 1875; Abu Dawud: 2142; Ibn Majah: 1850; Ibn Hibban: 4175]
Ibn Qudamah: Holds the same view.
[Al-Mughni: 11/352]
