Short answer
Yes. A Muslim woman fully owns her earnings, her mahr, gifts and inheritance, and may buy, sell, invest and give charity without needing her husband's or father's permission. Her husband has no right to her money, and she does not have to spend it on the household. The schools agree on ownership; the Maliki school limits large gifts by a wife.
A woman's ownership is complete. Her mahr, earnings, inheritance and gifts are hers alone. The husband must provide for her from his own wealth, even if she is rich. She may spend, give or invest her property as she wishes.
Other madhhabs
- Maliki
- A married woman may not give away more than a third of her wealth as a gift without her husband's consent.
Explanation
The Quran gives women their own share of what they earn and of what their parents and relatives leave. It tells husbands to give women their mahr as a gift, and takes back only what she gives willingly. At a time when women were themselves inherited in some societies, this was a complete change.
The Prophet ﷺ spoke to the women on Eid and told them to give charity, even from their jewellery, and they took off their earrings and rings and gave them on the spot, without asking their husbands. Zaynab, the wife of Ibn Masud, had her own wealth and asked whether she could spend it on her husband and orphans in her care. He told her she would have two rewards: for kinship and for charity.
What this means today:
- Your salary is yours. Contributing to the household is a kindness, not a duty. See does the husband have to provide.
- Your mahr is yours, not your father's or your husband's. See the mahr.
- Inheritance: daughters, wives and mothers have fixed shares. See the inheritance calculator.
- Business and property: you can own a house, a company or shares in your own name.
- Zakat: you pay zakat on your own wealth. In the Hanafi school you may not give your zakat to your husband, but you may spend on him from your wealth as voluntary charity, as Zaynab did. See zakat to a husband.
The evidence
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:32
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا۟ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ ۚ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌۭ مِّمَّا ٱكْتَسَبُوا۟ ۖ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٌۭ مِّمَّا ٱكْتَسَبْنَ ۚ وَسْـَٔلُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مِن فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًۭا ﴿٣٢﴾
And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allah of his bounty. Indeed Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing.
Women own what they earn.
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:4
وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ صَدُقَٰتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةًۭ ۚ فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَىْءٍۢ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًۭا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيٓـًۭٔا مَّرِيٓـًۭٔا ﴿٤﴾
And give the women [upon marriage] their [bridal] gifts graciously. But if they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease.
The mahr belongs to the wife.
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:7
لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌۭ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلْوَٰلِدَانِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٌۭ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ٱلْوَٰلِدَانِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنْهُ أَوْ كَثُرَ ۚ نَصِيبًۭا مَّفْرُوضًۭا ﴿٧﴾
For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much - an obligatory share.
Women inherit in their own right.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1466
Sahih... تصدقن ولو من حليكن ...
"Give charity, even from your jewellery."
Women gave from their own property without seeking permission.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Nikah, chapter on the mahr. The mahr is the wife's property.
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Talaq, chapter on maintenance (Bab al-Nafaqah). Maintenance is due on the husband whether the wife is rich or poor.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.