Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother

In the name of Allah , the most merciful and kind , i would like to ask you few questions regarding marital issues .

Q1.what are wife's rights towards husband regarding nana and nafqa?

Q2. Is the wife not suppose to know that how much her husband is earning ?

Q3 If they get seperated who get's the custody of the kids?

There are quite a lot of other questions as well but if u could please provide me information on these issues i will be very very thankful to you

 Wassalam

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Can a wife know husband’s earnings?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: what are wife's rights towards husband regarding nana and nafqa?

‘Nana’ and ‘Nafqa’ are urdu terms and they basically mean ‘nana’ as bread or food, and ‘nafqa’ as expenses.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 34: Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other and because they support them from their means.

Islam has laid the absolute full financial responsibility in a marriage on the shoulders of the man. After marriage, the man is absolutely responsible for the wife’s food, clothing, shelter, etc. according to his means. Even if the wife is a millionaire, she is not obliged to spend even one cent on the expenses of the family, if she wishes not to do so. It is the responsibility of the man to provide for his family according to his means.

Q-2: Is the wife not suppose to know that how much her husband is earning ?

The husband is not required to give a full financial account to his wife regarding his earnings. But if the man, of his own free will, wishes to declare his earnings to his wife, there is no harm; but it is not a right of the woman to know how much her husband is earning.

Q-3: If they get seperated who get's the custody of the kids?

If the children are small and below the age of understanding or puberty, the primary custody will go to the mother. When the children reach the age of understanding or puberty, the Judge will ask the children whom they prefer to stay with, the mother or the father. Depending on their choice, the Judge will give the custody of the children to whomever they wish to live with. Once the children reach the age of understanding and puberty, neither the mother, nor the father, nor the Judge will have a right to decide who gets the custody of the children. This right and choice has been given to the children in Islam, and whoever they wish to stay with, the Judge will enforce their decision.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan