Fatwa No : 89957
“Between a wife and parents, who has the greater right over a man’s earnings?

“Between a wife and parents, who has the greater right over a man’s earnings?

“Who has the greatest right over a man’s earnings—the wife or the parents? Please kindly explain with evidence.”

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

It should be made clear that the rights of those entitled to a man’s earnings differ according to the nature of those rights. Therefore, it is not correct to state absolutely that the greatest right belongs only to the wife or only to the parents. Rather, it is necessary to maintain a balance between these rights in accordance with Islamic principles.
After marriage, it is obligatory upon the husband to provide his wife with maintenance (food and expenses), accommodation, clothing, and other essential needs. Likewise, obedience to parents, serving them, and providing them with financial support at times of need are also obligatory in Islamic law—especially when the parents are needy and have no other means of livelihood—because the command to treat parents with kindness has been repeatedly emphasized in the Qur’an and Hadith.
Therefore, a man should fulfill the rights of both according to his ability. However, if financial resources are limited and there is a risk that the wife’s right will be neglected by failing to provide her obligatory maintenance, then the wife’s obligatory maintenance should be given priority, because it is a binding obligation upon the husband. Nevertheless, it is also not permissible to leave needy and dependent parents without support or to completely abandon financial assistance to them. Thus, it is obligatory upon a man to fulfill the rights of both with justice, wisdom, and in accordance with his means.”

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

ماخذ الفتوی
‌کما فی الھدایہ : وعلى ‌الرجل ‌أن ‌ينفق ‌على ‌أبويه وأجداده وجدته إذا كانوا فقراء وإن خالفوه في دينه" أما الأبوان فلقوله تعالى: {وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفاً} [لقمان: من الآية 15] ج،2، ص :293 )
و فی التبیین : قَالَ رحمه الله (تَجِبُ النَّفَقَةُ لِلزَّوْجَةِ عَلَى زَوْجِهَا، وَالْكِسْوَةُ بِقَدْرِ حَالِهِمَا) وَلَوْ مَانِعَةً نَفْسَهَا لِلْمَهْرِ ثَبَتَ ذَلِكَ بِالْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ وَالْإِجْمَاعِ وَضَرْبٍ مِنْ الْمَعْقُولِ أَمَّا الْكِتَابُ فَقَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى {لِيُنْفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِنْ سَعَتِهِ} [الطلاق: 7] وقَوْله تَعَالَى {وَعَلَى الْمَوْلُودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ} [البقرة: 233]، ج: 3،ص:50 ۔)
و فی البحر : وفي كافي الحاكم ‌ويجبر ‌الرجل ‌الموسر على نفقة أبيه وأمه إذا كانا محتاجين،ج: 4،ص: 223۔)
و فی المبسوط : قَالَ : رضي الله عنه ‌وَيُجْبَرُ ‌الرَّجُلُ ‌الْمُوسِرُ عَلَى نَفَقَةِ أَبِيهِ وَأُمِّهِ إذَا كَانَا مُحْتَاجَيْنِ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {فَلَا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ} [الإسراء: 23] نَهَى عَنْ التَّأْفِيفِ لِمَعْنَى الْأَذَى، وَمَعْنَى الْأَذَى فِي مَنْعِ النَّفَقَةِ عِنْدَ حَاجَتِهِمَا أَكْثَرُ، (ج5:ص: 222۔)