Question:
AslamuAlaikum Mufti sb
Does a wife need to let her husband know if she spend a money either on sadqah or send money to her parents. This money she earned from her daycare job or husband has given pocket money.
Answer:
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-raḥmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Lack of financial transparency is a major cause of marital strain and divorce.[1] The Sharī’ah has provided an approach to this issue in which both the individual and collective financial rights of spouses are balanced.
From a strictly Sharī’ perspective, the wealth of any person, male or female, single or married is their own, and they have the complete right to use it however they will. Therefore, according to the letter of the law, if a wife chooses to use her own money in a certain way that is within the bounds of the Sharī’ah, she does not technically require the consent of her husband or anyone else.[2]
At the same time, spouses must realize that the spirit of the Sharī’ah is to have a loving relationship filled with open communication, respect, mutual understanding, consideration for one another’s wants, desires, and interests. The Qurʾān and Sunnah emphasize this repeatedly.[3] A husband is tasked with maintaining the spiritual, financial, and physical well-being of his family[4], so his advice on financial (and other) matters should be given due consideration. At the same time, he should strive to be understanding and supportive his wife’s financial (and other) decisions.
In conclusion, our general advice is that while a woman is allowed to spend her money without informing her husband, it is advisable that she consult with him. If there is a specific circumstance, a separate query can be submitted.
And Allāh Taʿālā Knows Best
Muftī Mohammed Wahaajuddin غفر له ولوالديه
Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA
Checked and Approved:
Muftī Faisal bin Abdul Hamīd al-Mahmūdī
Darul Iftaa Canada (www.fatwa.ca)
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[1] https://www.nefe.org/news/2021/11/2-in-5-americans-admit-to-financial-infidelity-against-their-partner.aspx#:~:text=More%20than%20eight%20in%2010,divorce%20(16%20percent%20each).
[2] https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/12325
https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/19832
سورة النساء، آية ١٩قال الله ﷻ: {وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ فَإِن كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَيَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا.}
صحيح البخاري، كتاب النكاح، باب حسن المعاشرة مع الأهل
عن عائشة، قالت:كان الحبش يلعبون بحرابهم، فسترني رسول الله ﷺ وأنا أنظر، فما زلت أنظر حتى كنت أنا أنصرف»، فاقدروا قدر الجارية الحديثة السن، تسمع اللهو.
[4] https://fatwa.ca/responsibility-of-a-husband-over-wifes-religious-duties/