In the hadith: (even what you put in your wife's mouth) What prevents taking this at its apparent meaning, and that there is no harm in doing so during playfulness?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : May Allah reward you. Regarding interpreting Sahih al-Bukhari 56 to mean feeding her and spending on her, this shifts the wording away from its apparent meaning, O Shaykh. The apparent meaning is that a man puts a mouthful of food in his wife's mouth; that is the apparent meaning of the hadith. It is possible to restrict this to a specific situation rather than another. Al-Hafiz mentioned that al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said this occurs during playfulness.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And as for, meaning...
The Shaykh : This is not correct.
The questioner : Why, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are understood according to what is customary and well-known. It is not the general custom of all people for a man to put a mouthful of food in his wife's mouth.
The questioner : This is correct; it is not done as a general rule, but...
The Shaykh : No, nor is it done as a restricted rule. It is very rare for someone to joke with or play with his wife in this manner. Therefore, the words of the Messenger are not interpreted this way. Now, people understand "even what you put in your children's bellies" to mean "even what you put in your children's mouths." This is well-known; the meaning is: even what you spend on these people.
The questioner : Sometimes a person feeds his small child, or his older child.
The Shaykh : It is known that this is because he is unable to do so himself. Therefore, if a woman's hand were paralyzed, her wife, yes, if he hired someone to feed her, we would say to you that there is a reward. However, this reward is not in the mouthful itself, but in helping her to eat. But the general reward for the mouthful includes the one who hired someone to feed her and the one who presented the food to her so that she ate it herself.
The questioner : In the hadith ...
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ...Sahih al-Bukhari 56, the context is the context of spending, meaning... So this may shift the wording from its apparent meaning to the intended meaning.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed, there is no doubt. This is clear. It means exaggerating to the extent that you spend on your wife. Yes.
even if it were a morsel which you put in your wife's mouth
حتى ما تجعل في فم امرأتكThe Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And as for, meaning...
The Shaykh : This is not correct.
The questioner : Why, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are understood according to what is customary and well-known. It is not the general custom of all people for a man to put a mouthful of food in his wife's mouth.
The questioner : This is correct; it is not done as a general rule, but...
The Shaykh : No, nor is it done as a restricted rule. It is very rare for someone to joke with or play with his wife in this manner. Therefore, the words of the Messenger are not interpreted this way. Now, people understand "even what you put in your children's bellies" to mean "even what you put in your children's mouths." This is well-known; the meaning is: even what you spend on these people.
The questioner : Sometimes a person feeds his small child, or his older child.
The Shaykh : It is known that this is because he is unable to do so himself. Therefore, if a woman's hand were paralyzed, her wife, yes, if he hired someone to feed her, we would say to you that there is a reward. However, this reward is not in the mouthful itself, but in helping her to eat. But the general reward for the mouthful includes the one who hired someone to feed her and the one who presented the food to her so that she ate it herself.
The questioner : In the hadith ...
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ...
You will be rewarded for whatever you spend
إنك لن تنفق نفقةThe Shaykh : Yes, indeed, there is no doubt. This is clear. It means exaggerating to the extent that you spend on your wife. Yes.