717. Does A Wife Need To Ask Her Husband’s Permission To Spend Her Money Or Give In Charity?

By Asma bint Shameem 

There’s a difference of opinion among the scholars about the woman spending her wealth with or without her husband’s permission. 

The *stronger* and *correct opinion* is that the wife does NOT have to ask her husband’s permission to spend her money or give it in charity etc. 

And the husband does NOT have the right to tell his wife where and how to spend her money. 

Proof #1:

Our Mother Maymoonah bint al-Haarith radhi Allaahu anhaa freed a slave woman and she did not ask the permission of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam.

When it was her day for the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam to stay with her, she said: “Did you notice, O Messenger of Allaah, that I freed my slave woman?” 

He said: 

“Did you?” 

She said: 

“Yes.” 

He said: 

“If you had given her to your maternal uncles you would have earned a greater reward.” (al-Bukhaari 2592, Muslim 999)

 Imaam Al-Nawawi said commenting on this hadeeth:

“This shows that it is permissible for a woman to dispose of her wealth voluntarily without her husband’s permission.”

Proof #2:

Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah radhi Allaahu anhu said: 

“The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam stood up on the day of al-Fitr and led the people in prayer. He started with the prayer then he delivered the khutbah. 

When he had finished he came down and came to the woman and exhorted them, leaning on Bilaal’s arm, and Bilaal was spreading out his cloak for the woman to throw their sadaqah (charity) into it.” (al-Bukhaari 978, Muslim 885) 

According to another report: “they started to give their jewellery in charity.”

Al-Haafiz said: 

“This hadeeth shows that a woman may give her wealth in charity without her husband’s permission.”

And Imaam Al-Nawawi said: 

“This hadeeth shows that it is permissible for a woman to give some of her wealth in charity without her husband’s permission and that this is not limited to one-third of her wealth. This is our view and the view of the majority. Maalik said: It is not permissible for her to give more than one-third of her wealth except with her husband’s permission. Our evidence for that from the hadeeth is the fact that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam did not ask them whether they had their husbands for permission, or whether they were giving more than one-third. If the ruling had differed he would have asked them.”

Having said that, it would definitely be *good* and *desirable* that the wife should consult her husband in her financial matters so as to keep harmony and avoid any misunderstandings or tensions. 

So although it’s not “required” for the wife to ask her husband if she can give charity from her own money, it’s still advisable and from wisdom and prudence that she should consult her husband about where she’s spending her money. 

Everything should be worked out between a husband and wife, amicably and lovingly, without creating tension or resentment. 

Abu Hurayrah radhi Allaahu anhu  said: 

The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam was asked, 

Which woman is the best? 

He said, 

The one who makes [her husband] happy when he looks at her, who obeys him when he tells her to do something, and who does not oppose him in a manner he dislikes with regard to herself and her wealth.”

(Reported by al-Nisaai, 3179; Saheeh al-Jaami, 3292)”

And Allaah knows best