that, taken together, these reports establish that a father is permitted to take, own, and eat from his child’s property, provided this causes the child no harm and does not encroach upon what the child needs. Indeed, the Prophet’s ﷺ words, “You and your wealth belong to your father,” indicate that the father may avail himself of that wealth; accordingly, the child is obliged to serve his father personally and see to his needs.

The father, however, may not appropriate anything from the child’s assets that would injure him or deprive him of what he requires, for the Prophet ﷺ declared, “There is to be no harm and no reciprocating harm.”

Likewise, the child has no right to demand the repayment of a debt—or anything akin to it—from his father. A man once brought his father to the Prophet ﷺ to claim a debt; the Prophet responded, “You and your wealth belong to your father,” which shows that a child is not entitled to pursue his father for such liabilities.

Allah, Most High, has said, “and show kindness to your parents” (Quran 2:83). Part of showing kindness is to refrain from pressing them for rights they owe the child—except for maintenance that the father is legally bound to provide. The child may seek that support when he is unable to earn, for the preservation of life is imperative, and because the Prophet ﷺ said to Hind, “Take what suffices you and your child in a fair manner.”