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Q29. (a) Can a rich Muslim wife give portion of her Zakat to
her poor husband?
(b) Can a Muslim husband compel his wife (working in a public
sector undertaking) to spend all her earnings on family needs
and invest his earnings and his wife’s savings on assets solely
in his name and not even in her name?
(c) What portion, if at all, of a Muslim wife’s salary a Muslim
husband can claim for needs of the family although it is the
onus on him to provide for the family?
Ans.
(a) Yes, a Muslim woman is allowed to give
portion of her Zakat to her poor husband if she is capable of
doing so and if the poor husband is poor enough to be entitled
for Zakat. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is reported to have granted
the permission to a Muslim lady who wished to spend part of the
Zakat on her husband.
Zainab, the wife of Abdullah (ra) had asked Bilal (ra) to seek
for the prophet’s permission for spending part of her Zakat on
her husband and the orphans under her protection, thus said the
Prophet (pbuh): "Yes, and she will receive a double rewards (for
that): One for helping relatives, and the other for giving Zakat."
(Sahih Bukhari, vol. 2, hadith no. 545)
(b) Whatever amount is spent by the wife, will
be voluntarily, out of her own free will. The husband has no
authority whatsoever to compel his wife to spend on him from her
earnings/savings nor is he authorized to invest her
earnings/savings on assets solely in his name, unless the wife
permits, nor can he compel her to do so. As stated in the
earlier answer, in Islam a woman has no financial obligation and
the economical responsibility lies on the shoulders of the man.
Thus it is the responsibly of the husband to provide for the
family. Nonetheless if he wants his wife to spend on him or his
family, he can request her and she may spend if she wishes.
(c) With regards to what portion of a women’s
salary her husband can claim, the question of portion or
percentage does not arise since the husband has no right to
claim for his wife’s salary, regardless of the portion. Thus it
will depend on the wife’s pleasure and wish whether she spends
part of the salary, complete salary or nothing at all. And Allah
knows the best.
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