Do the wife and children have a greater share in the husband's wealth than his mother, and is it permissible for a man with a limited income to prioritize the needs of his family over the needs of his wife and children?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
It is obligatory for a husband to spend on his wife, his children, and his parents if they are poor. If he is unable to spend on all of them, he must prioritize the maintenance of his wife and children over that of his parents, based on the Prophetic which ordered priorities in spending. Spending begins with oneself, then the wife, then the children, then the relatives. Scholars have unanimously agreed on the obligation of the wife's maintenance, and that it takes precedence over the maintenance of relatives.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/8566
Where this answer came from
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 8566
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy