Giving children unequal amounts in a gift

Question

Question: This humble one has ten children in all — seven sons and three daughters — of whom two sons are still minors and are receiving an education. My wife is also alive. Four of my sons have cut off relations with me and run their own separate business. When these sons separated from me, I also gave them a reasonable sum for their living and for business, but some of them, owing to their misconduct and waywardness, squandered that entire sum on amusement and frivolity.

Answer

The Prophet ﷺ, in a noble hadith, encouraged equality among one’s children and forbade giving one less and another more. Nevertheless, this ruling is not obligatory (wajib): if someone is given more on account of his needs and want, or his religious occupation, or other merits, and the aim is not to harm another, then even so it is not forbidden but permissible.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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