Date : 10-04-2018

Question :

Is the father obliged to cover the expenses of his child`s university education?


The Answer :

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.



Spending is one of the father`s obligations towards his children. Al-Imam An-Nawawi said, "It is not conditioned that the father should be solvent in order to spend on his little child; he may borrow money and pay it off when he can. "{Moghni Al-Mohtajj, 5/185}. Article (187) of the Jordanian Civil Status Law states, "If the child had no wealth, then the father is obliged to spend on him/her, unless he(father) is poor due to mental or physical disability."



Spending on education is amongst the obligations of the father towards his children, and this is, according to the Law, a duty that the solvent father is obliged to do. The Law has even specified that the father is obliged to cover the educational expenses of child until he/she earns university degree so long as he/she is eligible to pursue education. Article (190) stated, "A solvent father is obliged to cover the expenses of his children`s various educational stages, including pre-school, until the latter earn their university degree. This is provided that the child is eligible to pursue education." And Allah knows best.