Articles

Islamic View on the Custom of Extravagance during Ramadan
Author : The General Iftaa` Department
Date Added : 15-02-2023

 

Ramadan is the month of goodness and blessings in which Allah opens the gates of His mercy to His worshippers and bestows His grace upon them so that they thank Him and ask for more.

Allah The Almighty Says {What means}: "Then do ye remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and reject not Faith." {Al-Baqarah/152}. 

 

It doesn`t befit a believing slave who is in need for Allah to be ungrateful to His Blessings during Ramadan by wasting food and drink and spending money lavishly to the extent of corrupting homes and harming society. In fact, behaving in this manner defies the real objective behind legislating fasting, which is disciplining self and freeing it from its covetousness. Almighty Allah Says in this regard {What means}: "And those saved from the covetousness of their own souls, - they are the ones that achieve prosperity." {Al-Hashir/9}.

 

In addition to Sharia, both logic and custom condemn extravagance because an extravagant person takes Allah`s Blessings lightly, behaves arrogantly, shows misconduct and poor management skills. This is why Allah Describes such person with the most awful of descriptions. He, The Almighty Says (What means): "And render to the kindred their due rights, as (also) to those in want, and to the wayfarer: But squander not (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the Evil Ones; and the Evil One is to his Lord (himself) ungrateful." {Al-Isra`/26-27}. He also Warns against the repercussion, for squandering wealth, in this life and the next where He said: "Make not thy hand tied (like a niggard’s) to thy neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that thou become blameworthy and destitute." {Al-Isra`/29}.

 

Along with approving what is mentioned earlier, we remind of the afflictions that many Muslims are experiencing. They can hardly find food and are suffering from diseases due to malnutrition while spendthrifts brag about different types of food and drink that they waste. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: "If a person living in a neighborhood sleeps while hungry, Allah's responsibility towards the people of that neighborhood no longer applies." {Related by Ahmad}.

 

A true Muslim is one who cares for others and helps them overcome afflictions, as was our role model Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). He (PBUH) would spend several nights in a row with an empty stomach, and his family would not find anything for dinner. 

 

Having said that, how could those who spend their money lavishly on different types of food and drink, which will end in the garbage can, comprehend the objectives for which fasting was legislated while others can`t find pieces of bread to feed themselves and their children?!

 

We ask Allah to teach us how to achieve kindness in Ramadan and eschew squandering wealth in the manner of a spendthrift.  And Allah The Most Exalted Knows Best.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on a person in a state of major impurity (junub) walking or eating before performing the ritual bath?

It is from the Sunnah for a Muslim to hasten to perform the ritual bath for major impurity. However, if he delays it, he does not sin provided he does not miss the prayer. It is permissible for the junub to walk, eat, drink, and sleep. It is recommended for him to perform ablution before these actions to reduce the state of impurity, although the best is for him to perform the ritual bath. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on fasting for those with diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, or ulcers?

● A sick person who is completely unable to fast is exempted from fasting and must offer fidyah (feeding a needy person), as Allah Almighty says {what means}: "and [in such cases] it is incumbent upon those who can afford it to make sacrifice by feeding a needy person." [Al-Baqarah/184]. They are not required to make up for the missed fasts.
● A sick person who can fast on some days but not others should fast when able and make up the missed days after Ramadan when possible. No fidyah is required in this case.
● If fasting during the long, hot summer days is too difficult for a sick person, but they can make up the fasts during the shorter, cooler winter days, they should break their fast and make up for it when they are able, without fidyah.

Is it permissible to delay the ritual purification (ghusl) from major impurity (janabah) until after dawn?

Yes, it is permissible to delay ghusl from janabah until after dawn, as purity from janabah is not a condition for the validity of fasting. However, one must perform ghusl in time to pray Fajr within its designated time.

Is it permissible for a pious Muslim woman to stay with her husband who had quit praying out of laziness?

Quitting prayer is one of the major grave sins that come after disbelieving in Allah, but the wife of such a person isn`t considered divorced, rather, she should exert all her efforts in order to bring him back to the way of Islam. However, if his sin is likely to lure her from the way of Islam, then she had better separate from him by lawful means such as Mokhal`aa (When a wife pays a compensation for her husband in return for divorcing her). Moreover, if she exercises patience, and remains steadfast on her faith, then there is no harm in doing that.