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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 someone who possesses gold with the intention of saving/hoarding it, and owns nothing else — is he obligated to sell a portion of it in order to pay the zakāh due on it?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Zakāh becomes immediately obligatory on cash, and likewise on gold — that which is not designated for a woman's personal adornment— once both reach the niṣāb (minimum threshold liable for zakah) and a full ḥawl (lunar year) has passed over them. It is not permissible to delay payment when it is genuinely possible to pay — meaning, when the wealth and the eligible recipients are both available. It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.2/p.129): "Zakāh is obligatory immediately once it becomes feasible to pay it, meaning when the wealth and the eligible recipients are both present."
The one paying zakāh must discharge the obligatory zakāh due on saved (hoarded) gold either from the gold itself, or from its equivalent monetary value, in the event that no other funds are available — since paying from the gold itself is the original default (al-aṣl). It becomes permissible to pay from other funds instead only because zakāh is built upon the principle of ease and leniency, as stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib (Vol.1/p.366): "When a full ḥawl has elapsed on wealth other than trade goods... zakāh attaches to the actual asset itself (al-‘ayn), and the poor effectively become partners in it — even, for example, [becoming partners] in camels through the value of a sheep [owed as zakāh on them]... Paying from other wealth is permitted only because zakāh is built upon the principle of ease and leniency."
Accordingly: the one paying zakāh must discharge it either from the actual saved gold itself, or by selling a portion of the gold equal to the amount of zakāh owed. He may also borrow money to pay the zakāh, or pay the zakāh in installments before the ḥawl is complete [as an advance payment]. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

How does one with a continuous condition (like urinary incontinence or non-menstrual vaginal bleeding - mustahada) perform ablution?

A person with a continuous condition must do three things:
1. Not perform ablution except after the prayer time has entered.
2. Change the bag or diaper placed to reduce the flow of urine or blood after the prayer time enters, wash the private part from blood or urine, and perform ablution immediately.
3. Perform the actions of ablution in immediate succession, then pray immediately without delay, unless he intends to pray with the congregation.
It is not permissible for a person with a continuous condition to combine two obligatory prayers with one ablution, as he must perform ablution for each obligatory prayer, even if making it up (qada'). And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is Zakah (obligatory charity) due on articles of merchandise even if they were stacked in the merchant`s stores for years?

Yes, Zakah is due on goods even if they were stacked in merchant`s stores for years, in this manner Islam struggle against monopoly.

What is the ruling on offering the sacrifice (uḍḥiyah) using the wealth of a minor or a legally incompetent person (safīh)?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is not permissible for the guardian (walī) of an orphan or a legally incompetent person (safīh) to offer the sacrifice (uḍḥiyah) on behalf of the minor or the safīh using their wealth, because the guardian is charged with exercising caution over their wealth and is prohibited from giving any of it away voluntarily, and the udḥiyah is a voluntary act of charity (tabarru'). The guardian may, however, offer the sacrifice using his own personal wealth. And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

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