A woman says that she has three children, each of whom lives in a separate house, and she lives with the eldest, who is dutiful to her and provides for her means of living.

The questioner : She says she has three children, each of whom lives in a separate house, and she lives with the eldest, who is dutiful to her and provides for her means of living, taking charge of her food and medical treatment. As for the second and third, they only spend on her and greet her. She says: "And I give the eldest, with whom I live, more than them, because he takes care of me, looks after me, and takes me for Hajj and 'Umrah. Is there anything wrong with that?"

The Shaykh : What is the matter... She says, "I favor him, or what?"

The questioner : Yes, she favors the eldest and gives him some money more than the other two.

The Shaykh : Yes, as for her favoring the eldest because he treats her well, that is natural, for souls are inclined toward those who treat them well. But as for preferring him with money, that is not permissible, because the reward for his dutifulness is the reward from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So it is not permissible for her to give him any money specifically because of his dutifulness to her; rather, she should pray for him for goodness, success, and achievement in this world and the Hereafter, and that is sufficient. Yes.

The questioner : May Allah reward you. The questioner, M.A. from al-Qassim, says: "Your Eminence, the Shaykh."