Providing for the Family to Improve the Quality of Their Lives

أَرْضَاكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَسْبَغُكُمْ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ.

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), has said, ’Of the people among you with whom Allah is most happy, is the one who improves the quality of life of his family the most.”

قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع إِنَّ لِي ضَيْعَةً بِالْجَبَلِ أَسْتَغِلُّهَا فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ ثَلَاثَ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ فَأُنْفِقُ عَلَى عِيَالِي مِنْهَا أَلْفَيْ دِرْهَمٍ وَ أَتَصَدَّقُ مِنْهَا بِأَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع إِنْ كَانَتِ الْأَلْفَانِ تَكْفِيهِمْ فِي جَمِيعِ مَا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِ لِسَنَتِهِمْ فَقَدْ نَظَرْتَ لِنَفْسِكَ وَ وُفِّقْتَ لِرُشْدِكَ وَ أَجْرَيْتَ نَفْسَكَ فِي

“Once a man said to abu Ja’far (a.s.), ‘I have a certain amount of property in the mountains from which I receive three thousand dirham profit every year. I spend two thousand dirham for my family and one thousand dirham for charity every year.’ Abu Ja’far (a.s.), then said, ‘If the two thousand is enough for all of th

يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يُوَسِّعَ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ كَيْلَا يَتَمَنَّوْا مَوْتَهُ وَ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ- وَ يُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعامَ عَلى‌ حُبِّهِ مِسْكِيناً وَ يَتِيماً وَ أَسِيراً[2] قَالَ الْأَسِيرُ عِيَالُ الرَّجُلِ يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّجُلِ إِذَا زِيدَ فِي النِّعْمَةِ أَنْ يَزِيدَ أُسَرَاءَهُ فِي السَّعَةِ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ فُلَاناً أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بِنِعْمَةٍ فَمَنَعَهَا أُسَرَاءَهُ وَ جَعَلَهَا

‘A man should better the quality of life of his family so that they may not wish for his death.’ He then recited this from the Holy Quran, “They give food, because of their love for Him, to a destitute, orphan and captive.” (76:8) Captive (in this verse) is a reference to one’s family; thus, he should improve the quali

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَ ابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ‌[3].

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘A providing hand is better than an asking hand, and you should begin providing for your family.’”

قَالَ: صَاحِبُ النِّعْمَةِ يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ التَّوْسِعَةُ عَنْ عِيَالِهِ.

“Al-Rida (a.s.), has said, ‘A wealthy person should improve the quality of life of his family.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ الْمُؤْمِنُ يَأْكُلُ بِشَهْوَةِ أَهْلِهِ وَ الْمُنَافِقُ يَأْكُلُ أَهْلُهُ بِشَهْوَتِهِ.

The Messenger of Allah (sw) said, "The believer eats according to the desires of his family, while the hypocrite eats according to his own desires."

نَعَمْ إِنَّ النَّفْسَ إِذَا عَرَفَتْ قُوتَهَا قَنِعَتْ بِهِ وَ نَبَتَ عَلَيْهِ اللَّحْمُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked, ‘Did the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, provide proper sustenance for his family?’ The Imam replied, ‘Yes, when a soul knows how much it needs, it then becomes satisfied with that much and flesh grows

كَفَى بِالْمَرْءِ إِثْماً أَنْ يُضَيِّعَ مَنْ يَعُولُهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is enough sin for one not to provide for his family and lose them.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَلْعُونٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ أَلْقَى كَلَّهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ مَلْعُونٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ ضَيَّعَ مَنْ يَعُولُ.

‘Condemned is one, indeed condemned is one who shifts his burden upon the people, and so also is one who loses his family and does not provide sustenance for them.’”

قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع‌ لَأَنْ أَدْخُلَ السُّوقَ وَ مَعِي دَرَاهِمُ أَبْتَاعُ بِهِ لِعِيَالِي لَحْماً وَ قَدْ قَرِمُوا[2] أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ نَسَمَةً.

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), has said, ‘I love going to the market to buy meat for my family who strongly desire it, more than setting free an enslaved soul.’”

كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع إِذَا أَصْبَحَ خَرَجَ غَادِياً فِي طَلَبِ الرِّزْقِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ فَقَالَ أَتَصَدَّقُ لِعِيَالِي قِيلَ لَهُ أَ تَتَصَدَّقُ قَالَ مَنْ طَلَبَ الْحَلَالَ فَهُوَ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ صَدَقَةٌ عَلَيْهِ.

‘I want to give charity to my family.’ People then asked, ‘Is it charity?’ He then replied, ‘One who earns in lawful way; his earnings are Allah’s charity for him.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ يَأْخُذُ بِأَدَبِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِذَا وَسَّعَ عَلَيْهِ اتَّسَعَ وَ إِذَا أَمْسَكَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْسَكَ.[3]

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘The believing person follows the discipline of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious. When Allah grants him extended favors, he becomes generous;

مِنْ سَعَادَةِ الرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَكُونَ الْقَيِّمَ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that it is of the prosperity of man to support and provide for his family.”

سَمِعْتُ الرِّضَا ع يَقُولُ‌ يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُؤْمِنِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ قُوتِ عِيَالِهِ فِي الشِّتَاءِ وَ يَزِيدَ فِي وَقُودِهِمْ.

‘A man should spare from the means of his sustenance to provide fuel for his family during winter.’”

قُلْتُ لَهُ مَنِ الَّذِي أَحْتَنُّ عَلَيْهِ‌[1] وَ تَلْزَمُنِي نَفَقَتُهُ قَالَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَ الْوَلَدُ وَ الزَّوْجَةُ.

“Once I asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Who should I sympathize with and who are my dependents?’ He replied, ‘Such people are your parents, your children, and your wife.’”