Many of us consider spending of Sadaqah on relatives as wrong and believe that such an act is disgraceful. Contrary to our belief and thinking, Islam encourages us to do the same.
It is reported from Imam ‘Ali bin al-Hussein (A.S) that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) has said, “Begin your charity at home. By this I mean that you spend on your father, on your mother, on your sister and on your brother. Thereafter, follow the sequence of those who are nearer, and then nearer.” (Bihar al-Anwar)
He (P.B.U.H&H.P) has also said, “If the near ones are needy then the Sadaqah cannot be given to anyone else.” (Bihar al-Anwar)
He (P.B.U.H&H.P) has also said, “The best Sadaqah is the one which you spend on your sister, or on your daughter who has been returned to you (divorced), and she has no one save you who can support her.” (Bihar al-Anwar)
There are two advantages of giving Sadaqah to one’s poor relatives:
Firstly, it will increase in the weight of good deeds when the deeds shall be put on the weighing scale in the Hereafter. Imam ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S) has said, “The first thing that shall be put in the weighing scale of a servant (on the Day of Judgment) will be his charity on his relatives.” (Bihar al-Anwar)
And secondly, the rewards of whatever one spends on his poor relatives shall be doubled. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) has said, “Verily the reward of every Sadaqah that is spent on poor relatives shall be doubled.” (Kanzul-Ummaal)
