It is sufficient sin for a person to forsake whom he supports

Abdullah ibn `Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: «It is sufficient sin for a person to forsake whom he supports» (Reported by Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud) (1).

The Hadith is reported in Sahih Muslim with these wordings: «It is sufficient sin for a man to withhold (spending) from whom he supports»  (2).

Explanation of vocabularies (3):

«whom he supports» i.e., those under his custody, and the provision is for the things that strengthen the body and meet the needs.



Lessons gained from the Hadith (4):

1- The obligation of spending on the family, children, and servants because the Lawgiver entailed sins for wasting their expenditure.

2- Spending on those kinds of people is better than all channels of spending because spending on those people is an individual duty, whereas spending on others is a collective duty or supererogatory; and it is known that individual duty is better and more obligatory than the collective duty and the supererogatory.

3- A Muslim has to start by obligatory spending due on him such as spending on the wife, the children, and servants then he may spend thereafter on whatever he wants.

4- The permissibility of work and earning so that a person can spend on himself and those whom he supports.


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(1) Reported by Ahmad (14/180) and Abu Dawud No. (1694).

(2) Reported by Muslim No. (2359).

(3) Fathul-Bary of Ibn Hajar (9/31).

(4) The commentary of An-Nawawy on Muslim (3/435) and `Awn Al Ma`bud (4/101).