Islamic Fiqh > Marriage and family > Children's rights and upbringing
What parents owe their children: nafqa, progressive prayer education, fairness among them and prophetic gentleness.
Contents
Updated on 31 August 2026 at 3:55 AM
No disagreement exists among the jurists of the Ummah: the father must feed, clothe and house his minor children without wealth. The Quran sets the rule: "mothers nurse their children two complete years... and the father must bear the maintenance and clothing of the mothers in kindness" (al-Baqara 233), "if they nurse for you, give them their wage" (at-Talaq 6), and "do not kill your children for fear of poverty: We provide for them, and for you" (al-Isra 31). Hind complained of Abu Sufyan's stinginess; the Prophet answered: "Take what suffices you and your child, in kindness" (al-Bukhari 5049 ; Muslim 1714). The wealthy father who refuses is compelled by the judge, who may seize his assets; if cash is lacking, his property is sold according to the majority of scholars.
The Prophet set the order of priorities the day he said: "Give charity"; the man asked for whom: "for yourself", then: "for your wife", then: "for your child", then: "for your servant", then: "you know better" (Ibn Hibban).
During the first two years, the mother nurses the child and receives her wage from the father, whether still married or divorced; if the infant cannot live on other milk, nursing becomes obligatory. After separation, custody follows the order fixed by the schools, first with the mother so long as she does not remarry outside the known conditions; the father funds the housing and maintenance of the child held in custody. The pages on rada' and hadana give the schools' details.
The same logic extends to aged parents and needy relatives: a wealthy child owes maintenance to father and mother; with limited means, the order goes to oneself, then the wife, then the children; between heirs and non-heirs, ascendants take precedence for the Hanafis, with nuances among the schools.
The child's rights in the Law come down to three words: fed, nursed, protected. The rest, upbringing and instruction, belongs to family customs and the scholars' counsel; for a maintenance claim or a custody dispute, turn to the competent authority with a scholar's support.