Supporting the Family

Adam ibn Abi Iyas narrated to us: Shuʿbah narrated to us, from ʿAdi ibn Thabit, who said: I heard ʿAbdullah ibn Yazid al-Ansari relate from Abu Masʿud al-Ansari. I asked, “From the Prophet?” He replied, “From the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,” who said: “When a Muslim spends on his family while seeking its reward from God, that spending is counted as charity for him.”

Ismaʿil narrated to us: He said: Malik narrated to me, from Abu al-Zinad, from al-Aʿraj, from Abu Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “God says: Spend, O son of Adam, and I will spend on you.”

Yahya ibn Qazaʿah narrated to us: Malik narrated to us, from Thawr ibn Zayd, from Abu al-Ghayth, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “One who strives to provide for a widow and a poor person is like a fighter in the path of God, or like one who stands in prayer at night and fasts during the day.”

Muhammad ibn Kathir narrated to us: Sufyan informed us, from Saʿd ibn Ibrahim, from ʿAmir ibn Saʿd, from Saʿd, may God be pleased with him, who said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to visit me when I was ill in Mecca. I said, “I have wealth. May I bequeath all of it?” He said, “No.” I asked, “Half?” He said, “No.” I asked, “A third?” He said, “A third, and a third is much. It is better for you to leave your heirs wealthy than to leave them dependent, holding out their hands and begging from people. Whatever you spend is charity for you, even the morsel you place in your wife mouth. Perhaps God will raise you up, and some people will benefit through you while others will be harmed through you.”

ʿUmar ibn Hafs narrated to us: My father narrated to us: al-Aʿmash narrated to us: Abu Salih narrated to us, who said: Abu Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, told me that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The best charity is that which leaves one self-sufficient. The upper hand is better than the lower hand. Begin with those for whom you are responsible.”

A woman says, “Either feed me or divorce me.” A slave says, “Feed me and put me to work.” A son says, “Feed me; to whom will you leave me?” They said, “Abu Hurayrah, did you hear this from the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him?” He said, “No; this comes from Abu Hurayrah own store.”

Saʿid ibn ʿUfair narrated to us: He said: al-Layth told me: ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Khalid ibn Musafir told me, from Ibn Shihab, from Ibn al-Musayyab, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The best charity is that given from surplus means. Begin with those for whom you are responsible.”

Muhammad ibn Salam narrated to me: Wakiʿ informed us, from Ibn ʿUyaynah, who said: Maʿmar told me that al-Thawri had asked whether he had heard anything about a man storing provisions for his family for a year or part of a year. Maʿmar said, “I could not recall anything at the time.” Then he remembered a report narrated to them by Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri, from Malik ibn Aws, from ʿUmar, may God be pleased with him: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to sell the date palms of Banu al-Nadir and set aside provisions for his family for a year.

Saʿid ibn ʿUfair narrated to us. He said: al-Layth told me. He said: ʿUqayl told me, from Ibn Shihab, who said: Malik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadathan told me—and Muhammad ibn Jubayr ibn Mutʿim had mentioned to me something from his account—so I went and entered upon Malik ibn Aws and asked him. Malik said: I went to see ʿUmar, when his chamberlain Yarfaʾ came to him and said, “Will you receive ʿUthman, ʿAbd al-Rahman, al-Zubayr, and Saʿd? They are asking permission to enter.” He said, “Yes.” So he admitted them. They entered, greeted him, and sat down. Yarfaʾ stayed away for a little while, then said to ʿUmar, “Will you receive ʿAli and al-ʿAbbas?” He said, “Yes.” So he admitted them. When they entered, they greeted him and sat down. Al-ʿAbbas said, “Commander of the Faithful, decide between me and this man.” The group—ʿUthman and his companions—said, “Commander of the Faithful, decide between them and relieve one of them of the other.” ʿUmar said, “Wait. I adjure you by God, by whom the heavens and earth stand: do you know that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘We are not inherited from; what we leave is charity’?” The Messenger of God meant himself. The group said, “He did say that.” ʿUmar turned to ʿAli and al-ʿAbbas and said, “I adjure you by God: do you know that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said that?” They said, “He did say that.” ʿUmar said, “I will tell you about this matter. God had reserved for His Messenger a share of this property that He gave to no one else.” He recited the verse, “What God restored to His Messenger from them—you did not spur horses or camels for it,” through to the words “over all things capable.” This was exclusively for the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him. By God, he did not keep it for himself apart from you, nor take it for himself to your exclusion. He gave it to you and distributed it among you, until only this property remained. The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, used to provide his family with a year of provisions from this property, then take what remained and place it in the public treasury of God. The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, did this throughout his life. I adjure you by God: do you know this?” They said, “Yes.” He said to ʿAli and al-ʿAbbas, “I adjure you by God: do you know this?” They said, “Yes.” Then God took His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to Himself, and Abu Bakr said, “I am the guardian of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him.” Abu Bakr took charge of it and administered it as the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, had administered it. At that time, you two—he turned to ʿAli and al-ʿAbbas—claimed this and that about Abu Bakr. God knows that he was truthful, dutiful, rightly guided, and following the truth in this matter. Then God took Abu Bakr to Himself, and I said, “I am the guardian of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, and of Abu Bakr.” I took charge of it for two years and administered it as the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, and Abu Bakr had administered it. Then the two of you came to me, united in your words and your affair: you came asking me for your share from your nephew, and this one came asking me for his wife share from her father. I said, “If you wish, I will hand it over to you on the condition that you pledge before God and give Him your covenant that you will administer it as the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, administered it, as Abu Bakr administered it, and as I have administered it since I took charge of it. Otherwise, do not speak to me about it.” You said, “Hand it over to us on those terms.” So I handed it over to you on those terms. I adjure you by God: did I hand it over to them on those terms?” The group said, “Yes.” He turned to ʿAli and al-ʿAbbas and said, “I adjure you by God: did I hand it over to you on those terms?” They said, “Yes.” He said, “Are you now seeking from me a ruling other than that? By the One by whose command the heavens and earth stand, I will never rule concerning it by anything other than that until the Hour is established. If you are unable to manage it, then return it to me, and I will take care of it for you.”

Ibn Muqatil narrated to us: ʿAbdullah informed us: Yunus informed us, from Ibn Shihab, who said: ʿUrwah told me that ʿAʾishah, may God be pleased with her, said: Hind bint ʿUtbah came and said, “Messenger of God, Abu Sufyan is a miser. Would I be at fault if I fed our dependents from what belongs to him?” He said, “No, except in a reasonable manner.”

Yahya narrated to us: ʿAbd al-Razzaq narrated to us, from Maʿmar, from Hammam, who said: I heard Abu Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, relate from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: “If a woman spends from her husband earnings without his instruction, he receives half of its reward.”

Yahya narrated to us: ʿAbd al-Razzaq narrated to us, from Maʿmar, from Hammam, who said: I heard Abu Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, relate from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: “If a woman spends from her husband earnings without his instruction, he receives half of its reward.”

Musaddad narrated to us: Yahya narrated to us, from Shuʿbah, who said: al-Hakam told me, from Ibn Abi Layla, who said: ʿAli narrated to us that Fatimah, peace be upon them both, came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, complaining of the soreness in her hand from using the hand mill. She had heard that a group of captives had come to him, but she did not find him, so she mentioned this to ʿAʾishah. When he came, ʿAʾishah told him. ʿAli said: He came to us while we had gone to bed. We started to get up, but he said, “Stay where you are.” He came and sat between us until I felt the coolness of his feet against my stomach. He said, “Shall I direct you both to something better than what you asked for? When you go to bed—or retire to your beds—glorify God thirty-three times, praise God thirty-three times, and proclaim God’s greatness thirty-four times. That is better for you than a servant.”

Al-Humaydi narrated to us: Sufyan narrated to us: ʿUbaydullah ibn Abi Yazid heard Mujahid say: I heard ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla relate from ʿAli ibn Abi Talib that Fatimah, peace be upon her, came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, asking him for a servant. He said, “Shall I tell you what is better for you than one? Glorify God thirty-three times when you go to bed, praise God thirty-three times, and proclaim God’s greatness thirty-four times.” Then Sufyan said, “One of them is thirty-four.” ʿAli said, “I have never stopped doing that since.” He was asked, “Not even on the night of Siffin?” He replied, “Not even on the night of Siffin.”

Muhammad ibn ʿArʿarah narrated to us: Shuʿbah narrated to us, from al-Hakam ibn ʿUtaybah, from Ibrahim, from al-Aswad ibn Yazid, who said: I asked ʿAʾishah, may God be pleased with her, “What would the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, do at home?” She said, “He would serve his family, and when he heard the call to prayer, he would go out.”

Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated to us: Yahya narrated to us, from Hisham, who said: My father informed me, from ʿAʾishah, that Hind bint ʿUtbah said, “Messenger of God, Abu Sufyan is a miserly man, and he does not give me enough for myself and my child, except for what I take from him without his knowledge.” He said, “Take what is sufficient for you and your child in a reasonable manner.”

ʿAli ibn ʿAbdullah narrated to us: Sufyan narrated to us: Ibn Tawus narrated to us, from his father; and Abu al-Zinad narrated to us, from al-Aʿraj, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The best women who have ridden camels are the women of Quraysh”—the other narrator said, “the righteous women of Quraysh”—“the most tender toward a child in its early years and the most careful with the property of a husband.”

It is also related from Muʿawiyah and Ibn ʿAbbas, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Hajjaj ibn Minhal narrated to us: Shuʿbah narrated to us, who said: ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Maysarah informed me: I heard Zayd ibn Wahb relate from ʿAli, may God be pleased with him, who said: “The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, brought me a striped silk garment. I wore it, then saw anger on his face, so I tore it up and distributed it among my women.”

Musaddad narrated to us: Hammad ibn Zayd narrated to us, from ʿAmr, from Jabir ibn ʿAbdullah, may God be pleased with them both, who said: My father died, leaving seven—or nine—daughters, so I married a previously married woman. The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me, “Have you married, Jabir?” I said, “Yes.” He asked, “A virgin or a previously married woman?” I said, “A previously married woman.” He said, “Why not a young woman, so that you could play with one another and make one another laugh?” I said to him, “ʿAbdullah died and left daughters. I disliked bringing them someone of their own age, so I married a woman who could look after them and care for them.” He said, “May God bless you,” or he said something good.

Ahmad ibn Yunus narrated to us: Ibrahim ibn Saʿd narrated to us: Ibn Shihab narrated to us, from Humayd ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman, from Abu Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, who said: A man came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “I am ruined.” He asked, “Why?” The man said, “I had intercourse with my wife during Ramadan.” He said, “Free a slave.” The man said, “I do not have one.” He said, “Then fast for two consecutive months.” The man said, “I cannot.” He said, “Then feed sixty poor people.” The man said, “I cannot find the means.” A basket containing dates was brought to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He said, “Where is the questioner?” The man said, “Here I am.” He said, “Give this in charity.” The man said, “To someone poorer than us, Messenger of God? By the One who sent you with the truth, there is no household between its two lava fields poorer than ours.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, laughed until his molars showed, then said, “Then it is for you.”