It has been narrated that Maimuna bint Al-Harith (May Allah be pleased with her) had set free a slave-girl without the Prophets permission. When her turn came (the Prophet (PBUH) used to visit his wives in turns), she made mention of that to him saying, "Did you know I have set slave-girl free?" He said, "Have you, indeed?" She replied, "Yes". He (PBUH) then remarked, "Had you given her to your maternal uncles, you would have your reward increased".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:
This Hadith brings out the following two points: 1- A woman is free to spend anything of her own property without the permission of her husband, but not of things owned by her husband. 2- To spend on the needy relatives is more meritorious than to set a slave free because to set a slave free is a Sadaqah (charity) only, while paying Sadaqah to a kinsman has a double merit as it carries the reward of Sadaqah as well as "maintaining the ties of kinship."
|
