Definition: Nafaqah (Arabic: ΩΩΩΩΩΩΨ©) constitutes the financial obligation of a husband towards his wife during marriage and for a period after divorce. Nafaqah also encompasses financial support for immediate family members who cannot support themselves.
Etymology: The term ‘Nafaqah’ derives from the Arabic root ’n-f-q’ (Ω-Ω-Ω), which connotes the act of spending or outlaying resources. The related etymology signifies the physical and emotional responsibility to support dependent individuals.
Background & Cultural Context: In Islamic marital ethics and jurisprudence, maintaining members of one’s household, particularly wives and minor children, is prioritized. This doctrine mandates a husband to ensure all essential needs of his wife are met per her social standing or their contractual agreement during marriage.
Historical Facts & Dates: Historically, the institutionalization of Nafaqah can be seen at the founding of Islamic jurisprudence in the 7th century during the era of Prophet Muhammad. As per QurΚΌΔn and Sunnah, detailed stipulations concerning marital financial support emerged, incorporated in classical Islamic law schools such as Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali schools of thought.
Cultural Differences & Similarities:
- Cultural Similarities: The concept of financial support in marriage and post-divorce is parallel within many cultures but particularly firm in Islamic practices resembling societal norms seen in other religious doctrines.
- Cultural Differences: Scope and scale of Nafaqah can differ among various Muslim-majority regions drawing distinct interpretations from traditional and contemporary understanding of family law.
Synonyms:
- Financial maintenance
- Marital support
- Legal obligation
Antonyms:
- Neglect
- Abandonment
Related Terms with Definitions:
- Iddah (ΨΉΩΨ―ΩΩΨ©): The waiting period after divorce or death of a husband during which a woman cannot remarry.
- Mehr (Ω ΩΨ±): The mandatory payment from the groom to the bride at marriage.
- Wali (ΩΩΩ): A guardian, traditionally a male figure, who might support his dependents.
Exciting Facts:
- The principle of Nafaqah is universally adaptable within Islamic jurisprudence, ensuring that women retain financial dignity post-separation.
- It underscores communal welfare extending beyond mere marital relations to familial bonds prevailing till death.
Quotations:
“Take care of women, for women were created from a rib… the better one treats them, the better they repay the favor.” β Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), highlighting financial and moral obligations in marriage.
References & Suggested Literature for Further Study:
- “Fiqh al-Sunnah” by Sayyid Sabiq
- “The Revival of the Religious Sciences” by Imam Al-Ghazali
- “Al-Mughni”, a classical Hanbali text by Ibn Qudamah
Fictional Author Name & Inspirational Farewell: β€ Ibrahim Al-Saleh, Published on 03 October 2023
Providing for one’s kin embeds the essence of unity and empathy in trails of human life. Let knowledge be your guiding lamp in nurturing familial relations and sustaining God’s decree of compassion. Farewell in continuing to cherish bonds and hold stretches of humanity soaring high.
