حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ، وَلِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا، أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ ‏"‏‏.‏
Translation
Narrated Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "You will be rewarded for whatever you spend for Allah's sake even if it were a morsel which you put in your wife's mouth."

Comment

Hadith Text

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "You will be rewarded for whatever you spend for Allah's sake even if it were a morsel which you put in your wife's mouth."

Source Reference

Book: Belief

Author: Sahih al-Bukhari

Hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 56

Scholarly Commentary

This noble hadith demonstrates the comprehensive nature of Islamic reward system, where even the smallest acts of kindness become acts of worship when performed with sincere intention for Allah's pleasure.

The Prophet (ﷺ) specifically mentions feeding one's wife to emphasize that domestic responsibilities and marital duties are not mundane matters but rather opportunities for spiritual reward when performed with the right intention (niyyah).

Scholars explain that "for Allah's sake" means performing actions seeking Allah's pleasure and in accordance with His commandments. This transforms ordinary household activities into acts of worship worthy of divine reward.

The mention of "a morsel" highlights that no act is too small to be rewarded, encouraging Muslims to maintain consciousness of Allah in all aspects of life, including the most basic family interactions.

Legal and Spiritual Implications

This hadith establishes that intention transforms worldly actions into acts of worship, expanding the scope of rewarded deeds beyond formal rituals.

It emphasizes the importance of fulfilling family obligations and treating one's spouse with kindness and generosity.

The teaching encourages consistency in good deeds, as small but regular acts of kindness accumulate significant reward in the sight of Allah.