Short answer
From her own money, yes, freely. From her husband's money, only with his permission, which can be spoken or understood from custom, such as giving a little food to someone at the door. Then both are rewarded. Giving more than he would accept, without asking, is not allowed.
A woman owns her own wealth and may give charity from it without her husband's permission. From his wealth she may give only what he allows, expressly or by custom (urf), such as small amounts of food; beyond that it is not permitted.
Other madhhabs
- Maliki
- A married woman may not give away more than a third of her own wealth without her husband's consent.
Explanation
A wife's own money is hers: her mahr, her earnings, gifts and inheritance. She may give charity from it as she likes, and her husband's permission is not needed in the Hanafi school. The wife of Abdullah ibn Masud gave charity from her own wealth, and the Prophet ﷺ told her she had two rewards when she gave it to her husband and the orphans in her care.
Her husband's money is his. Two hadiths together set the rule. One says that when a woman gives food from her house without wasting it, she is rewarded, her husband is rewarded for earning it, and the one who keeps it is rewarded too. The other, from the Farewell Pilgrimage, says a woman should not spend anything from her husband's house without his permission. Scholars reconcile them: small things that husbands normally allow, like food for a neighbour or a beggar, are covered by custom; anything beyond that needs his clear permission.
- Housekeeping money given to her to run the home: small customary charity is fine; ask before larger amounts.
- An allowance he has given her to keep as her own: it is hers to give.
- If he has told her not to give from his money, she must respect that.
A husband should not be stingy, and the best homes make giving a shared habit. Zakat on her own wealth is paid from her money, or by him for her with her permission; see do husband and wife pay zakat together.
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.
A woman's earnings are her own.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1425
Sahih... إذا أنفقت المرأة من طعام بيتها غير مفسدة كان لها أجرها بما أنفقت ...
"When a woman gives from the food of her house without wasting it, she has the reward of what she gave."
Customary giving from the household is rewarded for both spouses.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 670
Grading to be checked... لا تنفق امرأة شيئا من بيت زوجها إلا بإذن زوجها ...
"A woman should not spend anything from her husband's house without her husband's permission."
Giving from his wealth beyond custom needs his permission.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar, Kitab al-Hiba. A sane adult woman may give from her own property without her husband's permission.
- Mukhtasar Khalil with al-Sharh al-Kabir, Chapter on legal restriction (hajr). The Maliki limit of a third on a wife's gifts without her husband's consent.
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.