Relatives have more rights in the Decree of Allaah over others!

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Blood relations have more rights that good should be done to them over others!

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿وَأُوْلُو الاٌّرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَى بِبَعْضٍ فِى كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُهَـجِرِينَ﴾

{And blood relations among each other have closer personal ties in the decree of Allaah than the Believers and the Muhaajiroon} [Surah al-Ahzaab (33): 6]

Allaah تعالى also said:

﴿يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ ۖ قُلْ مَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ﴾

{They ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) what they should spend. Say: Whatever you spend of good must be for parents and kindred (relatives) and orphans and Al-Masaakeen (the poor) and the wayfarers, and whatever you do of good deeds, truly, Allaah knows it well. } [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 215]

In this verse, the poor relatives have been given precedence even over the orphans, poor and others. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم not only allowed charity to be given to family members, but said that double reward will be recorded for the one who does that: one for helping a family member and another for Zakaah (obligatory charity) or Sadaqah (voluntary charity):

The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Charity for the poor is rewarded as one good deed; but in the case of a relative it is considered as two: (one reward for helping) blood ties, and (the other reward for) the charity (itself).” [Sunan al-Nasaa’ee (2582), al-Tirmidhee (658), and Ibn Maajah (1844) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee].

Narrated by `Amr bin Al-Haarith: Zainab رضي الله عنها, the wife of `Abdullaah (ibn Mas`ood) رضي الله عنه said: I was in the Masjid and saw the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying: “O women ! Give alms even from your ornaments.”  Zainab used to provide for `Abdullaah and those orphans who were under her protection. So she said to `Abdullaah: Will you ask Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم whether it will be sufficient for me to spend part of the Zakaah on you and the orphans who are under my protection? He replied: Will you yourself ask Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم? (Zainab added): So I went to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and I saw there an Ansaari woman who was standing at the door (of the Prophet) with a similar problem as mine. Bilaal passed by us and we asked him: Ask the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم whether it is permissible for me to spend (the Zakaah) on my husband and the orphans under my protection. And we requested Bilaal not to inform the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about us. So Bilaal went inside and asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم regarding our problem. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked: “Who are those two?” Bilaal replied that she was Zainab. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Which Zainab?” Bilaal said: The wife of `Abdullaah (bin Mas`ood). The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Yes, (it is sufficient for her) and she will receive a double rewards (for that): One for helping relatives, and the other for giving Zakaat.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1466) and Saheeh Muslim (2188)]

Narrated by Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The best charity is that which is practiced by a wealthy person. And start giving first to your dependents.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1426, 1428, 5356) and Saheeh Muslim (2267)]

Narrated by Hakeem bin Hizaam رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The upper hand is better than the lower hand (i.e. he who gives in charity is better than him who takes it). One should start giving first to his dependents. And the best object of charity is that which is given by a wealthy person (from the money which is left after his expenses). And whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allaah will give him and save him from asking others, Allaah will make him self-sufficient.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1427, 5355) and Saheeh Muslim (2254, 2256)]

Narrated by Ishaaq bin `Abdullaah bin Al Talhah: I heard Anas bin Maalik رضي الله عنه saying: Abu Talhah رضي الله عنه had more property of date-palm trees gardens than any other amongst the Ansaar in Madeenah and the most beloved of them to him was Bairuhaa’ garden, and it was in front of the Masjid of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Allaah’s Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم used to go there and used to drink its nice water. Anas added: When these verses were revealed: {By no means shall you attain righteousness unless You spend (in charity) of that Which you love.} [Surah aal-`Imraan (3): 92] Abu Talhah said to Allaah’s Apostle: O Allaah's Apostle! Allaah تبارك وتعالى said: {By no means shall you attain righteousness, unless you spend (in charity) of that which you love.} And no doubt, Bairuhaa' garden is the most beloved of all my property to me. So I want to give it in charity in Allaah’s cause. I expect its reward from Allaah. O Allaah's Apostle! Spend it where Allaah orders you to use it. On that Allaah’s Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Bravo! It is useful property. I have heard what you have said (O Abu Talhah), and I think it would be proper if you gave it to your Kith and kin.” Abu Talhah said: I will do so, O Allaah's Apostle. Then Abu Talhah distributed that garden amongst his relatives and his cousins. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1461, 2318, 2758, 2769, 4554, 5611) and Saheeh Muslim (2185, 2186)]