What is the extent of the mother's financial obligation for maintenance when the father is indigent and other relatives (like a grandfather or siblings) are present?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Maintenance (Nafaqāt)
Primary text
When the father is indigent, if the excluded relative bears no maintenance obligation (the stricter view), the mother is only responsible for one-sixth of the maintenance, and no one else is liable. If the father is absent and there is no grandfather, the entire maintenance falls upon the mother, according to the first opinion. If we adopt the second opinion (that the excluded relative bears no maintenance), she owes only one-sixth.
Supporting text
If it is held that maintenance is due even from a relative excluded by an indigent person, even if they are not from the primary lineage pillars, the mother pays one-sixth, and the remainder is divided proportionally among the grandfather and brothers, as if the father were completely absent in terms of inheritance rights.