Supporting the Family - Sahih al-Bukhari 5368

A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "I am ruined!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Why?" He said, "I had sexual intercourse with my wife while fasting (in the month of Ramadan)." The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Manumit a slave (as expiation)." He replied, "I cannot afford that." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Then fast for two successive months." He said, "I cannot." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Then feed sixty poor persons." He said, "I have nothing to do that." In the meantime a basket full of dates was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) . He said, "Where is the questioner." The man said, "I am here." The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), "Give this (basket of dates) in charity (as expiation)." He said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Shall I give it to poorer people than us? By Him Who sent you with the Truth, there is no family between Medina's two mountains poorer than us." The Prophet (ﷺ) smiled till his pre-molar teeth became visible. He then said, "Then take it."

Scholarly Commentary

This hadith demonstrates the mercy and wisdom of Islamic law regarding expiation for breaking the Ramadan fast through sexual intercourse. The Prophet (ﷺ) presented three options in descending order of difficulty: freeing a slave, fasting two consecutive months, or feeding sixty poor people.

The man's inability to perform any expiation shows the importance of considering individual circumstances in applying religious rulings. When the dates were provided, the Prophet allowed the man to keep them, recognizing his extreme poverty. This illustrates the principle that one cannot be required to give charity when they are themselves eligible recipients.

The Prophet's smile reflects divine mercy and understanding of human circumstances. This incident establishes that if someone cannot afford any form of expiation, they may be excused until capable, reflecting Islam's balance between spiritual requirements and practical realities.