Sunan Ibn Majah
Sunan Ibn Majah 2295
حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، حَدَّثَنِي شُرَحْبِيلُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ الْخَوْلاَنِيُّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا أُمَامَةَ الْبَاهِلِيَّ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ " لاَ تُنْفِقُ الْمَرْأَةُ مِنْ بَيْتِهَا شَيْئًا إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ زَوْجِهَا " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلاَ الطَّعَامَ قَالَ " ذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ أَمْوَالِنَا " .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Umamah al-Bahili reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘A woman must not spend anything from her household without her husband’s permission.’ They asked, ‘Not even food, Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘That is our most valuable property.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report states the permission condition and explicitly includes food in the question. ‘Most valuable property’ translates afḍal amwālina literally as the best or finest of our possessions.
قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلاَ الطَّعَامَ قَالَ " ذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ أَمْوَالِنَا " .
The phrase ‘that is the best of our property’ refers to food, but the reason it is described this way is not explained.
Does the final phrase simply emphasize the value of food as household property?