A lady along with her two daughters came to me asking (for some alms), but she found nothing with me except one date which I gave to her and she divided it between her two daughters, and did not eat anything herself, and then she got up and went away. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) came in and I informed him about this story. He said, "Whoever is put to trial by these daughters and he treats them generously (with benevolence) then these daughters will act as a shield for him from Hell-Fire." (See Hadith No. 24, Vol. 8).
Hadith Text & Context
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari 1418 recounts a profound incident where a destitute woman with two daughters receives a single date from the narrator, which she selflessly gives entirely to her children.
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), upon hearing this account, delivered a momentous teaching about the spiritual merit of caring for daughters.
Scholarly Commentary
Classical scholars emphasize the mother's exemplary character: her extreme poverty, maternal sacrifice, and perfect trust in Allah's provision. Her action embodies the Quranic principle of "preferring others over themselves, even though poverty was their portion" (59:9).
The single date symbolizes how even the smallest sincere charity, given from genuine need, carries immense spiritual weight in Divine estimation.
Theological Significance
The Prophet's declaration transforms cultural perceptions of daughters, who were often viewed as burdens in pre-Islamic society. They become means of divine protection and spiritual elevation.
"Trial by these daughters" refers to the tests of provision, protection, and upbringing. "Treating them generously" encompasses material support, emotional care, and proper Islamic education.
The "shield from Hell-Fire" indicates that righteous care for daughters can serve as expiation for sins and protection from divine punishment, highlighting the immense reward for fulfilling this trust.
Practical Application
This hadith establishes that caring for female dependents—whether daughters, sisters, or orphans—is both a religious obligation and a means of spiritual salvation.
Muslim parents should see daughters as divine blessings and opportunities for eternal reward rather than burdens, investing in their wellbeing with the consciousness that this act serves as protection in the Hereafter.