Who is eligible for the Sadaqah that is discharged when a child is born

Question:-

The Sadaqah which we are required to discharge when a child is born is Mustahab. Can it be given to the wealthy or must it be given to the poor?

Answer:-

When Hadrat Fatima Radiallahu Anha gave birth to Hadrat Hasan Radiallahu Anhu, Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam instructed her to shave his head and discharge Sadaqah to the Ashaab-e-Suffah. The Sadaqah was to be discharged in silver, equivalent to the weight of the child’s hair. The Ashaab-e-Suffah were those Sahaabah that dedicated their lives to acquiring the knowledge of Deen and would remain in the Masjid. They did not have time to earn their livelihood, hence, they would consume whatever food or dates were made available to them by the inhabitants of Madinah Munawwarah. From this narration it is deduced that the Sadaqah should be given to the poor. The narration recorded in Sharhus Sunnah states that the Sadaqah should be discharged to the Ashaab-e-Suffah or the Masaakeen (poor). The Masaakeen (poor) are explicitly mentioned in this narration. In conclusion, the poor people are the correct recipients of the Sadaqah that is discharged at the time of childbirth.

وروى البيهقي من حديث عبد الله بن محمد بن عقيل عن علي بن الحسين عن أبي رافع قال لما ولدت فاطمة حسنا قالت يا رسول الله ألا أعق عن ابني بدم قال لا ولكن احلقي شعره وتصدقي بوزنه من الورق على الأوفاض يعني أهل الصفة)  تحفة الاحوزي ص93 ج5)

رُوِي عنْ علِي بْن الْحُسيْن، عنْ أبِي رَافع، قَالَ: لما ولدت فَاطِمَة حسنا، قالتْ: يَا رسُول اللهِ، أَلا أعقُّ عنِ ابْني بدمٍ؟ قَالَ: «لَا، ولكِن احْلِقِي شعْرهُ، فتصدّقِي بِوزْنِهِ مِن الورقِ على الأوْفاضِ، أوْ على المساكِينِ»، فَفعلت ذلِك، فلمّا ولدت حُسَيْنًا، فعلت مثل ذلِك. (شرح السنة للبغوي ص270 ج11)

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 03 Shabaan 1443 / 06 March 2022