Are Parents Islamically Obligated to Provide a Spacious Living Environment for Their Children?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

Are parents Islamically obligated to provide a spacious and suitable living environment for their children?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

The father is obligated to provide a safe and reasonably comfortable living environment for his children, who are not yet of legal adulthood (baligh), according to their means and ability. Ideally, to the level that the children do not face any undue hardship in their living arrangements.

Allah Most High says, “Let the man of wealth provide according to his means. As for the one with limited resources, let him provide according to whatever Allah has given him. Allah does not require of any soul beyond what He has given it. After hardship, Allah will bring about ease.” [Quran; 65:7]

If someone is wealthy, he must provide for all the needs of his dependents more expansively than one who is poor. If one is poor, they must do their best to provide for their family as much as possible to cover their needs. [Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Qurtubi]

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.