An authentic Hadith regarding the wealth of the son and father

أَنتَ ومالُكَ لِأَبِيكَ

 

Verily, you and your wealth are for your father

Narrator(s): Jābir Ibn ‘Abdullah.

Reference: Sunnan Ibn Mājah & Musnad Imām Ahmad.

Commentary:

• A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘O Messenger of Allāh ﷺ , my father wants to take my wealth.’ The Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘you and your wealth are for your father’.
• There are 5 conditions which permits a father utilising some of the wealth of his son:
  • He has a need to utilise some of the wealth, and only takes according to his need.
  • There should be no harm upon the son.
  • The wealth should be surplus to the needs of the son. For example, if the son requires his car to to earn a living and going to work, it is not permitted for the father to take it.
  • The father taking the wealth does not prevent the son fulfilling rights of others, such as spending upon his mother, or maintaining his wife and children.
  • The father is not being wasteful with the money, or comitting Ḥarām such as gambling.
  • The father cannot take welath off one son, in order to give it to another son/child, as this is favouritism between children and oppression.
• This Ḥadīth also shows the immense right of the parents over their children, and that these rights do not cease as soon as a child leaves their parental home or becomes independant.
• The meaning of this Ḥadīth is that ‘…your wealth [can be utilised] by your father’ and not ‘…[belong] to your father’. [Refer to Nayl al-Awtār by ash-Shawkāni Vol. 6 P. 17]
• This Ḥadīth does not give the father complete ownership of the son’s wealth, rather it permits his to take some of it for a need. The son must still give its Zakāh, as well as it being his inheritance for others.

Related Āyāt:

• {Worship Allāh, associate nothing with Him, and be good to your parents} [04:36]
• {Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and be good to your parents} [17:23]
• {And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.”} [17:24]

Related narrations:

• The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘The father is the middle of the gates of Paradise, so keep to this gate or lose it.’ [At-Tirmidhī]
• A man came to the Prophet ﷺ asking permission to wage jihad. The Prophet said, ‘are your parents alive?’ The man replied, ‘yes’. The Prophet said, ‘Then strive in the service of them both.’ [Al-Bukhārī & Muslim]