Spending on Family
Total Hadiths 10
Authentic Hadiths on Spending on Family and Dependants
Providing for your household is a highly rewarded act of charity in Islam. According to these authentic prophetic traditions, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) emphasized that supporting your dependants must be given priority. He highlighted that even a simple mouthful of food offered to your wife is recorded as an act of reward (Sadaqa). Furthermore, these teachings guide believers to ensure their families are left financially secure rather than in poverty or relying on others. The Prophet (ﷺ) practically demonstrated this responsibility by ensuring his family's annual food requirements were securely stored. Taking care of your family's needs is a fundamental duty that brings profound spiritual blessings.
حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو صَالِحٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا تَرَكَ غِنًى، وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ ". تَقُولُ الْمَرْأَةُ إِمَّا أَنْ تُطْعِمَنِي وَإِمَّا أَنْ تُطَلِّقَنِي. وَيَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ أَطْعِمْنِي وَاسْتَعْمِلْنِي. وَيَقُولُ الاِبْنُ أَطْعِمْنِي، إِلَى مَنْ تَدَعُنِي فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ سَمِعْتَ هَذَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. قَالَ لاَ هَذَا مِنْ كِيسِ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ.
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The best alms is that which is given when one is rich, and a giving hand is better than a taking one, and you should start first to support your dependents.' A wife says, 'You should either provide me with food or divorce me.' A slave says, 'Give me food and enjoy my service. A son says, "Give me food; to whom do you leave me?" The people said, "O Abu Huraira! Did you hear that from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ?" He said, "No, it is from my own self."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5355In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 5USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 268
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ خَالِدِ بْنِ مُسَافِرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا كَانَ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ ".
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The best alms is that which you give when you are rich, and you should start first to support your dependants."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5356In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 6USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 269
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مُقَاتِلٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ جَاءَتْ هِنْدُ بِنْتُ عُتْبَةَ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ رَجُلٌ مِسِّيكٌ، فَهَلْ عَلَىَّ حَرَجٌ أَنْ أُطْعِمَ مِنَ الَّذِي لَهُ عِيَالَنَا قَالَ " لاَ إِلاَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ".
A'isha Narrated from:
Hind bint `Utba came and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Abu Sufyan is a miser so is it sinful of me to feed our children from his property?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "No except if you take for your needs what is just and reasonable. "
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5359In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 9USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 272
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ هِنْدَ بِنْتَ عُتْبَةَ، قَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ رَجُلٌ شَحِيحٌ، وَلَيْسَ يُعْطِينِي مَا يَكْفِينِي وَوَلَدِي، إِلاَّ مَا أَخَذْتُ مِنْهُ وَهْوَ لاَ يَعْلَمُ فَقَالَ " خُذِي مَا يَكْفِيكِ وَوَلَدَكِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ".
A'isha Narrated from:
Hind bint `Utba said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Abu Sufyan is a miser and he does not give me what is sufficient for me and my children. Can I take of his property without his knowledge?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Take what is sufficient for you and your children, and the amount should be just and reasonable.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5364In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 14USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 277
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ هِنْدُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ رَجُلٌ شَحِيحٌ فَهَلْ عَلَىَّ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ آخُذَ مِنْ مَالِهِ مَا يَكْفِينِي وَبَنِيَّ قَالَ " خُذِي بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ".
A'isha Narrated from:
Hind (bint `Utba) said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Abu Sufyan is a miser. Is there any harm if I take of his property what will cover me and my children's needs?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Take (according to your needs) in a reasonable manner."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5370In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 20USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 283
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ هَلَكَ أَبِي وَتَرَكَ سَبْعَ بَنَاتٍ أَوْ تِسْعَ بَنَاتٍ فَتَزَوَّجْتُ امْرَأَةً ثَيِّبًا فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " تَزَوَّجْتَ يَا جَابِرُ ". فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ. فَقَالَ " بِكْرًا أَمْ ثَيِّبًا ". قُلْتُ بَلْ ثَيِّبًا. قَالَ " فَهَلاَّ جَارِيَةً تُلاَعِبُهَا وَتُلاَعِبُكَ، وَتُضَاحِكُهَا وَتُضَاحِكُكَ ". قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ هَلَكَ وَتَرَكَ بَنَاتٍ، وَإِنِّي كَرِهْتُ أَنْ أَجِيئَهُنَّ بِمِثْلِهِنَّ، فَتَزَوَّجْتُ امْرَأَةً تَقُومُ عَلَيْهِنَّ وَتُصْلِحُهُنَّ. فَقَالَ " بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ ". أَوْ قَالَ خَيْرًا.
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
My father died and left seven or nine girls and I married a matron. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "O Jabir! Have you married?" I said, "Yes." He said, "A virgin or a matron?" I replied, "A matron." he said, "Why not a virgin, so that you might play with her and she with you, and you might amuse her and she amuse you." I said, " `Abdullah (my father) died and left girls, and I dislike to marry a girl like them, so I married a lady (matron) so that she may look after them." On that he said, "May Allah bless you," or "That is good."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5367In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 17USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 280
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ زَيْنَبَ ابْنَةِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَلْ لِي مِنْ أَجْرٍ فِي بَنِي أَبِي سَلَمَةَ أَنْ أُنْفِقَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَلَسْتُ بِتَارِكَتِهِمْ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا، إِنَّمَا هُمْ بَنِيَّ. قَالَ " نَعَمْ لَكِ أَجْرُ مَا أَنْفَقْتِ عَلَيْهِمْ ".
Umm Salamah Narrated from:
I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Shall I get a reward (in the Hereafter) if I spend on the children of Abu Salama and do not leave them like this and like this (i.e., poor) but treat them like my children?" The Prophet said, "Yes, you will be rewarded for that which you will spend on them."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5369In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 19USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 282
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ لِي مَعْمَرٌ قَالَ لِي الثَّوْرِيُّ هَلْ سَمِعْتَ فِي الرَّجُلِ يَجْمَعُ لأَهْلِهِ قُوتَ سَنَتِهِمْ أَوْ بَعْضِ السَّنَةِ قَالَ مَعْمَرٌ فَلَمْ يَحْضُرْنِي، ثُمَّ ذَكَرْتُ حَدِيثًا حَدَّثَنَاهُ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ الزُّهْرِيُّ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَبِيعُ نَخْلَ بَنِي النَّضِيرِ، وَيَحْبِسُ لأَهْلِهِ قُوتَ سَنَتِهِمْ.
'Umar Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to sell the dates of the garden of Bani An-Nadir and store for his family so much food as would cover their needs for a whole year.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5357In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 7USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 270
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ سَعْد ٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعُودُنِي وَأَنَا مَرِيضٌ بِمَكَّةَ، فَقُلْتُ لِي مَالٌ أُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ قَالَ " لاَ ". قُلْتُ فَالشَّطْرُ قَالَ " لاَ ". قُلْتُ فَالثُّلُثُ قَالَ " الثُّلُثُ، وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ، أَنْ تَدَعَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً، يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ، وَمَهْمَا أَنْفَقْتَ فَهُوَ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَرْفَعُهَا فِي فِي امْرَأَتِكَ، وَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يَرْفَعُكَ، يَنْتَفِعُ بِكَ نَاسٌ وَيُضَرُّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ ".
Sa'd Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) visited me at Mecca while I was ill. I said (to him), "I have property; May I bequeath all my property in Allah's Cause?" He said, "No." I said, "Half of it?" He said, "No." I said, "One third of it?" He said, "One-third (is alright), yet it is still too much, for you'd better leave your inheritors wealthy than leave them poor, begging of others. Whatever you spend will be considered a Sadaqa for you, even the mouthful of food you put in the mouth of your wife. Anyhow Allah may let you recover, so that some people may benefit by you and others be harmed by you."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5354In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 4USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 266
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ يَزِيدَ الأَنْصَارِيَّ، عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، فَقُلْتُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ فَقَالَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا أَنْفَقَ الْمُسْلِمُ نَفَقَةً عَلَى أَهْلِهِ وَهْوَ يَحْتَسِبُهَا، كَانَتْ لَهُ صَدَقَةً ".
Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When a Muslim spends something on his family intending to receive Allah's reward it is regarded as Sadaqa for him."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5351In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 1USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 263
