`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). 

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