Treating one's children equally
Question
A person has one daughter and two sons. Throughout his lifetime he gave and did more financially for one of his sons and daughter (best of education, flat, car, medical bills etc) whilst doing very little for his other son. Although yes he has given it to them as gifts but from my point of view it does not seem fair to the child left out especially when you consider the child left out is very sickly (ps his medication is free) and how huge the financial difference is. No fund has been set up for the child left out. Could you please comment on this situation so as to ease my mind?
Answer
Parents should treat their children equally. It is reprehensible for parents to favour some children over the others without a valid reason.
And Allah Ta'ala knows best.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
عن النعمان بن بشير أن أباه نحل إبنا له غلاما فأتى النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم يشده فقال أكل ولدك نحلته مثل ما نحلت هذا ؟ قال لا قال فاردده
قال أبو عيسى هذا حديث حسن صحيح وقد روي من غير وجه عن النعمان بن بشير والعمل على هذا عند بعض أهل العلم يستحبون التسوية بين الولد حتى قال بعضهم يسوي بين ولده حتى في القبلة وقال بعضهم يسوي بين ولده في النحل والعطية ( يعني الذكر والأنثى سواء ) وهو قول سفيان الثوري وقال بعضهم التسوية بين الولد أن يعطي للذكر مثل حظ الأنثيين مثل قسمة الميراث وهو قول أحمد و إسحق (جامع الترمذي رقم 1367)
- Answered by
- Mufti Zakaria Makada
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, ask the issuing Darul Ifta directly.