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Fatwa CenterDoes a Mother Have the Right to Take Her Son's Money?
Question
My mother asked me to give her my savings for safe keeping. It was close to £12000 and I had accumulated it over the years. When I needed it to buy myself a car as it had died, it turned out she had spent it all. She gave half to my brother so they could both go on holiday.
Now she is telling me that as she is my mother, she can take whatever she wants from me. This has put me in hardship as I cannot afford the bus as I am still paying her rent and gifts as well.
Is she answerable to Allah?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
A mother does not have the right to take her son's money however she wishes without any restriction. Whatever the son needs for his own necessities is not for the mother to take.
The scholars differed regarding money that the son does not need and is not harmed by its being taken: the majority of scholars held that it is not permissible for the parents to take it except in a case of their own need. This is the preponderant view.
Whereas the Ḥanbalīs held that the father may take it even without need, on condition that he does not then give it to another child, and they had two views as to whether the mother is joined with the father in this ruling or not.
Ibn Qudāmah 
said: "The father may take from his child's wealth whatever he wishes and take possession of it, whether the father is in need of what he takes or not, whether the child is young or grown. [The aforementioned is based upon] two conditions: first, that he does not wrong the son or harm him, nor take anything that the son needs. Second, that he does not take from his child's wealth and give it to another [child]...Abu Ḥanīfah, Mālik, and al-Shāfiʿī 
said: 'He may not take from his child's wealth except to the extent of his need.'" (End of quote)
Having said that, we advise you to forgive your mother and pardon her for what she took that was not permissible for her to take, for you are not unaware of the immense right owed to a mother. Allah the Exalted, Says (what means): {But if they strive to make you associate with Me (i.e., commit shirk) that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them, but accompany them in this world with appropriate kindness} [Quran 31: 15]
Al-Bukhārī in his book Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, included a chapter titled "The Chapter on Dutifulness to One's Parents Even if They Wrong [Their Child]," under which he related a report from Ibn 'Abbas 
both, who said: "There is no Muslim who has two Muslim parents and greets them each morning seeking reward from Allah except that Allah opens for him two gates - meaning, of Paradise - and if only one parent, then one gate; and if he angers one of them, Allah will not be pleased with him until that parent is pleased with him. It was said: 'Even if they wrong him?' He said: "Even if they wrong him.'" (End of quote)
And in Al-Ṣaḥīḥayn [Bukhārī and Muslim], on the authority of Abu Hurayrah 
he said: "A man came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, who among people is most deserving of my good companionship?' He said: 'Your mother.' He said: 'Then who?' He said: 'Then your mother.' He said: 'Then who?' He said: 'Then your mother.' He said: 'Then who?' He said: 'Then your father.'" (End of quote)
Furthermore, regarding the virtue of pardoning, Allah, the Exalted, Says (what means): {And to pardon, is nearer to righteousness,} [Quran 2:237] and He the Almighty Says (what means): {And whoever is patient and forgives - indeed, that is of the matters [requiring] determination} [Quran 26:43]
However, if you insist on nothing but demanding from your mother what she took that was not permissible for her, then let that be done with gentleness and softness, humbling yourself before her, not with reproach or rebuke. Allah the Exalted, Says (what means): {...So do not say to them [so much as], 'uff,' and do not scold them, but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, 'My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small'} [Quran 26: 23-24]
Allah Knows best
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