A man’s giving gifts to his wife

We have not come across many examples of a man giving a gift to his wife at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Perhaps the reason for that is that gifts would be mixed with maintenance [as it is the man’s responsibility to spend on his wife], or because of the situation of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them), because they lived an austere life and did not accumulate a great deal of worldly wealth as the people who came after them, and as is the case nowadays.

But establishing the virtue of a man giving a gift to his wife does not depend on there being examples of that in the life of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Rather in that regard it is sufficient to note the command to treat one’s wife kindly.

Islam encourages the giving of gifts, as in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Exchange gifts; you will love one another.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad (594); classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Irwaa’ al-Ghaleel (6/44).

And the wife is one of the people who are most deserving of gifts from her husband.

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The best of you are the best of you to his wife, and I am the best of you to my wives.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (3895); he said: This is a hasan saheeh hadith.

It was narrated from Hakeem ibn Mu‘aawiyah al-Qushayri that his father said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, what are the rights of the wife of one of us over him? He said: “That you should feed her when you eat, clothe her when you clothe yourself…” Narrated by Abu Dawood (2142); classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Irwaa’ al-Ghaleel (7/98).

Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them – perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good”

[an-Nisa’ 4:19].

Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “And live with them in kindness” means: speak kindly to them, and act kindly towards them, and make your appearance good as much as you can. Just as you would like that from her, do that for her too, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable” [al-Baqarah 2:228]. And the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The best of you are the best of you to his wife, and I am the best of you to my wives.” It was the Prophet’s character to always treat his wives kindly, with a cheerful, gentle and playful attitude; he would spend generously on them and joke with his wives.

End quote from Tafseer Ibn Katheer (2/242).

And Allah knows best.