Chapter 14-Maintenance

1179 'A'ishah narrated that Hind bint 'Utbah (the wife of Abi Sufian) came to the Messenger of Allah and said, '0 Messenger of Allah! Abu Sufian is a miser and he does not give enough maintenance for me and my children except what I used to take from him without his knowledge. Am I to be blamed for that?' The Prophet said to her, "Take what is sufficient for you and your children but in moderation (take only in reasonable amounts)." Agreed upon.






I180. Tariq al-Muharibi narrated, 'We arrived in Madinah when the Messenger of Allah was on the pulpit addressing the people and saying, "The hand which gives (charity) is the upper hand. And spend first (before giving charity) on the ones who are dependent on you:- your mother and father, your sister and brother, then your closer relatives and so on." Related by An-Nasa'i, Ibn Hibban and ad-Daraqutni graded it as Sahih.







1181. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "A slave is entitled to his food and clothing (spent by his master), and he is not to be given tasks that are beyond his ability." Related by Muslim.








1182. Hakim bin Mu'awiyah Al-Qushairi narrated on the authority of his father , 'I asked: '0 Messenger of Allah! What are the rights of one's wife upon her husband?' The Prophet said, "To feed her when you eat, and clothe her when you clothe yourself," (see hadlth no. 1052-Chapter 3).






1183. Jabir bin 'Abdullah narrated, 'In the Farewell Sermon, the Messenger of Allah said regarding women, "You are responsible for their maintenance and clothing in a fair manner." Related by Muslim.







1184. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "It is a grave sin for someone to destroy those for whom he is responsible for their maintenance (leave them without paying their necessary provisions).' Related by An-Nasa'i.

In the version of Muslim, "...to withhold his provisions from those he possesses (his slaves)."







1185. Jabir narrated concerning the pregnant woman whose husband died, that the Messenger of Allah said, "She has no right to maintenance." Related by Al-Baihaqi with a reliable chain of narrators, but he regarded it as Mawquf.







1186. It was mentioned earlier that the one who was divorced thrice is not entitled to maintenance (see hadith no. 1147-Chapter 12). Related by Muslim.






1187. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said,''The upper hand is better than the lower hand (i.e. he who gives in charity is better than he who takes it). And spend first on the ones who are dependent on you. A woman would say: 'Feed me or divorce me.''' Related by Ad-Daraqutni with a good chain of narrators.








1188. Sa'id bin al-Musaiyab narrated regarding a man who finds nothing to spend on his wife, 'They should be separated.' Related by Said bin Mansur on the authority of Sufian on the authority of Abu az-Zinad who said, I asked Sa'id bin al-Musaiyab: Does this relate to the Sunnah of the Prophet He replied: "Yes it does." This Hadith is a Mursal.







1189. "Umar narrated that he wrote to the commanders of the armies regarding some men (soldiers) who had been absent from their wives for long periods of time, telling them to send maintenance or divorce them. If they divorce, they should send them maintenance for the period that they had stopped paying it. Related by ash-Shafi'i and al-Baihaqi with a good chain of narrators.







1190. Abu Hurairah narrated that a man came to the Messenger of Allah and said, 'Allah's Messenger, I have a Dinar?' He then said to him, "Spend it on yourself." The man again said, "I have another one.' The Messenger of Allah said, "Spend it on your children." He said, 'I have another one.' He said, "Spend it on your wife!' The man again said, 'I have another one.' The Messenger of Allah said, "Spend it on your servant." He said, 'I have another one.' The Messenger of Allah said, "You know better to whom you should give it." Related by Ash-Shafi'i and Abu Dawud and the wording is his. An-Nasa"i and al-Hakim also transmitted it, but mentioned the wife before the children.








1191. Bahz bin Hakim narrated on the authority of his father on the authority of his grandfather that I said: '0 Messenger of Allah! Who deserves my best treatment?' The Messenger of Allah said, 'Your mother." I said again, 'Then who?' He said, "Your mother." I said, 'Then who?' He said, "Your mother." I said, 'Then who?' He said, "Your father, and then your closer relatives and so on." Related by Abu Dawud and At-T'irmidhi who rendered it Hasan.