Bismillah.
Narrated 'Amr bin Al-Harith (radiallaahu `anhu):
Zainab (radiallaahu `anhaa), the wife of 'Abdullah (radiallaahu `anhu) said, "I was in the Mosque and saw the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam) saying, 'O women! Give alms even from your ornaments.' " Zainab (radiallaahu `anhaa) used to provide for 'Abdullah (radiallaahu `anhu) and those orphans who were under her protection. So she said to 'Abdullah (radiallaahu `anhu), "Will you ask Allah's Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam) whether it will be sufficient for me to spend part of the Zakat on you and the orphans who are under my protection?" He replied "Will you yourself ask Allah's Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam)?" (Zainab (radiallaahu `anhaa) added): So I went to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam) and I saw there an Ansari woman who was standing at the door (of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam)) with a similar problem as mine. Bilal (radiallaahu `anhu) passed by us and we asked him, 'Ask the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam) whether it is permissible for me to spend (the Zakat) on my husband and the orphans under my protection.' And we requested Bilal (radiallaahu `anhu) not to inform the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam) about us. So Bilal (radiallaahu `anhu) went inside and asked the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam) regarding our problem. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam) asked, "Who are those two?" Bilal (radiallaahu `anhu) replied that she was Zainab (radiallaahu `anhaa). The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam) said, "Which Zainab (radiallaahu `anhaa)?" Bilal (radiallaahu `anhu) said, "The wife of 'Adullah (bin Masud) (radiallaahu `anhu)." The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam) said, "Yes, (it is sufficient for her) and she will receive a double rewards (for that): One for helping relatives, and the other for giving Zakat."
Similar Hadith covered here.
Narrated Zainab (radiallaahu `anhaa):
(the daughter of Um Salama (radiallaahu `anhaa)) My mother said, "O Allah's Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam)! Shall I receive a reward if I spend for the sustenance of Abu Salama (radiallaahu `anhu)'s offspring, and in fact they are also my sons?" The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhu wasallam) replied, "Spend on them and you will get a reward for what you spend on them."
There are different opinions among the scholars regarding a woman spending of her wealth. The soundest of these opinions, the one held by majority is that a woman has the right to spend her own money in all circumstances, whether in a transaction or otherwise, whether this involves all of her wealth or part of it.
This is the soundest opinion, and is most in accordance with the Qur’aan, the Sunnah and common sense.
In the Qur’aan, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And give to the women (whom you marry) their Mahr (obligatory bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) with a good heart, but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it, and enjoy it without fear of any harm (as Allaah has made it lawful).”[al-Nisa’ 4:4]
Allaah allows the husband to take what his wife gives him willingly.
Allaah also says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if you divorce them before you have touched (had a sexual relation with) them, and you have appointed unto them the mahr (bridal money given by the husband to the wife at the time of marriage), then pay half of that (mahr), unless the women agree to forego it…”[al-Baqarah 2:237]
Here Allaah allows women to give up as much of the mahr as they wish if their husbands divorce them, without them having to ask permission from anybody. This indicates that women have the right to decide what to do with their own money, and that a woman has rights to her wealth just as a man has rights to his wealth. (Sharh al-Ma’aani al-Athaar, 4/352).
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And try orphans (as regards their intelligence) until they reach the age of marriage; if then you find sound judgement in them, release their property to them…” [al-Nisa’ 4:6]
This clearly means that when the female orphan becomes wise and discerning, she is allowed to handle her own wealth.
Similarly, when the women gave their jewellery in charity after the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had addressed them during his Eid sermon, this was an indication that they are allowed to dispose of their wealth without asking permission from anybody.
(See Ittihaaf al-Khilaan bi Huqooq al-Zawjayn fi’l-Islam by Dr. Fayhaan ibn ‘Ateeq al-Mutayri, pp. 92-96).
It says in Nayl al-Awtaar: “the majority of scholars agreed that women are allowed [to handle their own wealth] with no restrictions and without having to ask their husbands’ permission, so long as they are not foolish, but if they are foolish, it is not permitted.” It says in al-Fath: “The majority have a lot of evidence in the Qur’aan and Sunnah.”
And since women have no obligation to spend on their families, whatever they do spend out of their own accord, they get rewarded for it.
No financial responsibilities on women. Yay!
Taken from: http://ilookilisten.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/woman-spending-on-her-family-ahadith-1204-1205/
