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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

Is it permissible for an elderly person, a pregnant woman, or someone with a chronic illness to pay fidyah before Ramadan begins?

It is not permissible for an elderly person, a pregnant woman, or someone with a chronic illness to pay fidyah before Ramadan begins.
Additionally, it is not allowed to pay fidyah for more than one day in advance, because fidyah is a substitute for fasting, and fasting is not yet obligatory at that time.
However, it is permissible to pay fidyah for a single day in advance, by analogy with paying zakat up to one year in advance.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on a fictitious marriage for the purpose of obtaining citizenship?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
There is no such thing in our noble sharīʿah as a "nominal" or "fictitious" marriage or divorce. Marriage and divorce are among the sacred ordinances of Allah, and it is not permissible to manipulate them or use them as a stratagem to obtain worldly gains.
The foundational purpose of a marriage contract is the permanence and continuity of the relationship between the spouses — to establish a family, and to bring forth righteous offspring. So sacred is this bond that Allah the Almighty Himself described it as a solemn covenant (mīthāq ghalīẓ), saying {what means}: "And if you wish to replace one wife with another and you have given one of them a great amount of wealth, do not take any of it back. Would you take it in injustice and manifest sin? And how could you take it while you have gone in unto each other and they have taken from you a solemn covenant?" [Al-Nisāʾ/ 20–21]
Accordingly, it is not permissible to resort to manipulation and deception in contracts that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has described as a "solemn covenant" — all for the sake of material and worldly benefit. Marriage is built upon permanence and does not admit of a fixed time limit. If a time limit is stipulated in the contract, the contract is rendered invalid by the consensus of the jurists. Similarly, marriage is impermissible when there exists a mutual, concealed intention to limit its duration — even if no time limit is explicitly mentioned in the contract — for this constitutes a form of unlawful circumvention of the sharīʿah. This is to say nothing of the lying and deception that such conduct involves, the prohibition of which needs no elaboration. Lying, deception, and fraud for the purpose of obtaining worldly gains are among the gravest of sins.
If, however, the marriage contract is first concluded in a valid sharʿī manner and then registered civilly, it is sound and fully valid. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on selling gold or silver in installments or for a differed price?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is prohibited (haram) to sell gold or silver in installments or for a deferred price; rather, immediate hand-to-hand exchange (Taqabud) is mandatory, otherwise, it is considered usury (Riba). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Gold for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dates for dates, and salt for salt—like for like, hand to hand. Whoever increases or asks for an increase has engaged in Riba; the receiver and the giver are the same in this regard.' (Narrated by Muslim). Furthermore, when exchanging new gold for used gold, they must be of equal weight, or it falls into Riba.
 
The permissible solution (al-makhraj) is for the merchant to purchase the used gold for cash first, and then sell the new gold for cash in a separate transaction. However, the price must be paid during the sitting of the contract (Majlis al-Aqd) for both deals. Alternatively, the jeweler may take the used gold with the intent of remodeling or repairing it, and then charge a fee for the craftsmanship or repair work. And Allah the Exalted knows best."

Can a person required to give kaffarah feed it to their own family members?

The kaffarah must be given to the poor and needy who are not financially dependent on the one giving the kaffarah.
If a person feeds it to their own family members, it does not count as kaffarah, and their obligation remains unfulfilled.

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