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God Loveth not the Wasters
Author : Mufti Dr. Radwan Al-Sraira
Date Added : 05-11-2024

God Loveth not the Wasters

 

Praise be to Allah, Who has legislated for us a religion that ensures the well-being of both this life and the Hereafter. "He is the One Who Does, He who created not know, while He is the Subtle, the Acquainted?" [Al-Mulk/14]. He sent His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as a mercy to the worlds.

Since Allah The Almighty wanted us to enjoy a balanced system of life, He didn`t approve for us to indulge in acts of extravagance nor to be extravagant ourselves. Rather, He Praised His believing servants in His words (What means): "And those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate." [Al-Furqan/67]. Extravagance means to exceed the permissible limit. According to the Quran, among those who are not engaged in sin, the extravagant are of two types 

First Type: The Extravagant in Worship

Allah The Almighty forbids excessiveness in acts of worship and burdening oneself beyond its capacity, so that one does not become like the "Munbat" or exhausted traveler who is cut off and unable to reach his destination, as described by the Prophet (PBUH): "This religion is solid, so apply it gently, and do not make Allah's worship loathsome to yourself, for the exhausted traveler neither reaches his destination nor spares his mount." [Al-Bayhaqi].

Allah The Almighty Says (What means): "And He it is who produces gardens trellised and untrellised, and dates and crops of different kinds of food and olives and pomegranates, similar yet different. Eat of their fruit when they bear fruit and give [Allah’s] due on the day of harvest. And do not be extravagant; indeed, He does not love the extravagant." [Al-An'am/141]. Ibn Kathir explains this as meaning: "And do not be extravagant in giving (in charity/Zakah) – to give beyond what is prescribed."

It is reported that this verse was revealed regarding Thabit Ibn Qais Ibn Shammas (may Allah be pleased with him), who harvested dates and said: "No one shall come to me today but I will feed them." So, he fed until evening without leaving any fruit for himself. Then Allah revealed (What means): "And do not be extravagant; indeed, He does not love the extravagant." The wisdom behind this is that a person does not deprive those under his care, as they are his responsibility for provision.

When Sa’d Ibn ‘Ubada (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to give away all his wealth in charity, the Prophet (PBUH) forbade him, permitting him to give only a third, saying: "A third, and a third is much. It is better for you to leave your heirs wealthy than to leave them dependent, begging from people." [Al-Bukhari].

Moreover, here is the Mother of the Believers, Zaynab Bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her), who tied a rope in the mosque between two columns to support herself during night prayers. When the Prophet (PBUH) saw it, he ordered it to be removed, saying: "Untie it; let one of you pray as long as he feels energetic, and when he tires, let him sit down." [Ibn Majah].

Second Type: The Extravagant in Clothing, Food, and Drink

Likewise, Allah The Almighty forbids extravagance in clothing, food, and drink, so that a person does not become a slave to his desires, indulging every wish, which may lead him to fall into prohibited actions if he is unable to satisfy these desires. Allah Says (What means): "Indeed, the soul is ever inclined to evil." [Yusuf/53].

By curbing his desires, a person develops a sense of responsibility toward those in need, in devotion to Allah. It has been said: "Whoever eats everything he desires is extravagant.” Allah Says (What means): "O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not extravagant. Indeed, He does not like the extravagant." [Al-A’raf/31].

Adornment refers to clothing without extravagance or arrogance, and to eating and drinking what is lawful, as the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Eat, drink, wear clothing, and give in charity, without arrogance or extravagance, for Allah loves to see His blessings on His servant." [Ahmad].

Ibn Abbas (May Allah Be Pleased with him) said: "Eat what you like, and wear what you like, as long as you avoid two qualities: extravagance and arrogance." This, while remembering that Allah loves to see the effect of His blessing on His servant.

Extravagance in these matters can lead to arrogance, which Allah detests, and to the depletion of resources without any benefit to all people. A prime example of this is what happens at banquets, where much more food is discarded than is consumed. One is accountable before Allah for this, as He, The Most Exalted Says (What means): "Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure." [At-Takathur/8].

Praise be to Allah, who made us a balanced nation, with no extravagance nor miserliness. We ask Him to continue His blessings upon us, to preserve our security and well-being, and to grant us righteous endings. May Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.

 

 

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law regarding one who purchases a sacrificial animal (uḍḥiyah) and it then develops a defect before slaughter?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
If a defect that invalidates the sacrifice (uḍḥiyah) arises after its purchase — for example, if one purchased a sound, defect-free animal, and it then developed a limp, blindness in one eye, or a similar defect before slaughter — it does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah, according to the Shāfi'ī school.
It is stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib (Vol.1/P.535): "Even if the limp develops [in the animal] while the knife is upon it, it still does not fulfill the requirement, because it is lame at the moment of slaughter — this is analogous to a case where a sheep's leg breaks and one hastens to slaughter it [in that condition]."
The Ḥanbalī school, however, held that if the one offering the sacrifice purchased the animal while it was sound and defect-free, and a defect then befell it afterward, the sacrifice remains valid and there is no obligation to replace it.
It is stated in Masā'il al-Imām Aḥmad, one of the Ḥanbalī reference works (Vol.8/P.4021): "I said: If a person purchases the sacrificial animal while it is sound, and it is then afflicted with illness, blindness in one eye, or a broken limb [before slaughter]? He [Imam Aḥmad] said: It is said that it still fulfills the requirement. Isḥāq said likewise, because he purchased it while sound, and the defect befell it only afterward, so it remains sufficient on his behalf." [End of quote]
Accordingly, a sheep afflicted with a defect that invalidates the sacrifice does not fulfill the requirement of a valid uḍḥiyah — whether the defect arose after purchase or during the slaughter itself — according to the Shāfi'ī school. However, there is no objection to following the Ḥanbalī position on this matter [as a valid alternative]. And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

Is it incumbent on a father to cover the marriage costs of his son if the latter couldn`t afford them?

The son should seek the help of his relatives in order to convince his father to do the aforesaid, and the father should make sure that his son doesn`t commit fornication through helping him to get married, and Allah will reward him for doing so.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on following the actions of the imam in prayer and how this following is achieved?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The follower (ma'mum) is required to follow his imam in the actions of the prayer. This "following" (mutaba'ah) means that the follower performs each action of the prayer after the imam has begun it but before he has finished it. For example, the follower bows (in ruku') after the imam has reached the position of bowing, then rises after the imam has risen. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The imam is only appointed to be followed, so when he says the takbir, say the takbir; and when he bows, then bow; and when he prostrates, then prostrate" (agreed upon, i.e., reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim).
It is stated in Mughni al-Muhtaj (1/505): "Among the conditions of valid congregational prayer (iqtida') is following the imam in the actions of the prayer... meaning that following the imam is obligatory in the physical actions of the prayer, not in its verbal utterances... Complete following (kamal al-mutaba'ah) is achieved when the follower's beginning of an action comes after the imam's beginning of that same action, while the follower's beginning of the action precedes the imam's completion of it" — end of quote, with slight paraphrasing.
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on discharges two or three days before the expected period of menstruation and the light-colored blood accompanying it? Must the woman abstain from prayer during this period?

If the total duration of these blood-tinged discharges reaches a day and a night (24 hours) or more, it is considered menstruation. If their total does not exceed 24 hours, it is not considered menstruation but is irregular bleeding (dam al-fasad). Each woman has specific cases for which she should ask the scholars. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

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