What is the ruling in the Shari'ah, O honorable Shaykh, in your view, regarding what some women do today, where if one of their wives is blessed with a child, she gives her what is called al-Hafalah, which is
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The questioner : What is the ruling in the Shari'ah, O honorable Shaykh, in your view, regarding what some women do today, where if one of their wives is blessed with a child, she gives her what is called al-Hafalah, which is a large sum of money that may burden the husband and cause some problems. Does it have a basis in the Shari'ah?
The Shaykh : Giving a gift to a newborn at birth is permissible in principle, because the default ruling for gifts, and indeed for all transactions, is permissibility and validity, except for what evidence has proven to be forbidden. So, if it becomes customary for people to give their relatives some money when a child is born, there is nothing wrong with a person doing that in accordance with custom and practice, not as an act of worship to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because I do not know of anything in the Sunnah that recommends it. However, it is a known and familiar custom among people today.
However, if this custom entails harm to someone, then harm is prohibited. So, if this custom burdens the husband to the extent that the wife insists on him giving her this money that burdens him, to be given as a gift to the person who gave birth to her child, then that is forbidden because of the harm and embarrassment it causes the husband. As for the customary exchange of small gifts that fosters affection and love, there is nothing wrong with it.
The Shaykh : Giving a gift to a newborn at birth is permissible in principle, because the default ruling for gifts, and indeed for all transactions, is permissibility and validity, except for what evidence has proven to be forbidden. So, if it becomes customary for people to give their relatives some money when a child is born, there is nothing wrong with a person doing that in accordance with custom and practice, not as an act of worship to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because I do not know of anything in the Sunnah that recommends it. However, it is a known and familiar custom among people today.
However, if this custom entails harm to someone, then harm is prohibited. So, if this custom burdens the husband to the extent that the wife insists on him giving her this money that burdens him, to be given as a gift to the person who gave birth to her child, then that is forbidden because of the harm and embarrassment it causes the husband. As for the customary exchange of small gifts that fosters affection and love, there is nothing wrong with it.