Nafkah Zahir: the basic needs a husband must provide

Nafkah zahir refers to the material needs a husband must provide his wife and children, such as food, clothing, housing, and daily expenses. It differs from nafkah batin, which covers affection and treatment within the relationship.

Failing to provide nafkah zahir without reasonable cause can become the basis for a wife’s nafkah iddah claim after divorce, or a ground for a fasakh application while the marriage is still ongoing. For children, this failure can lead to a separate child maintenance claim.

A reasonable nafkah zahir amount is assessed based on the husband’s income and the actual needs of his wife and children, not a fixed rate.

To understand the separate child maintenance claim, read nafkah anak, or see nafkah iddah for the post-divorce claim.