Is the mother's maintenance obligatory only for the male children, or does it include the daughters as well, or do the daughters have the right to choose whether to spend on her?

If a mother is in need, her maintenance is obligatory upon her affluent children by consensus. Scholars differed on how to distribute this maintenance among male and female children. Some said it should be distributed in thirds, like inheritance; some said equally; and some said it is only incumbent upon the son. The preponderant opinion is that maintenance should be distributed among male and female children according to their financial capacity. Spending on one's mother is among the best acts of drawing closer to Allah.