[RobertLS]

I can never find proofs for this, if I have been blessed with wealth and i pay zakah and fulfil my fard. But i want to spend my money on buying designer handbags lavish holidays spednign thousands etc..

i wonder is there any such ruling on how you define what is lavish or extraveagent.. i know we will be asked how we spent our wealth on the Day or judgement.

I like to go to dubai with the family however its costs £5,000 for 1 week break I can afford it but is it haram?

Tafsir Qurtubi Surah 2, v 176 and It states regarding those with true
goodness... '... And who despite their love for it, give away their
wealth.'.

It states that this verse is used as evidence by those who say that
their are legal rights on wealth beyond zakat. Also quotes the hadith
of the Prophet S in Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah stating 'There is a right
on wealth over and above zakat'

Scholars agree that, when an urgent need for the Muslims exists after
payment of zakat, there is a communal obligation to spend money on it.
Imam Malik R obliged people to ransom captives, even if it used up all
their wealth. There is also consenus on this.

Source: Tafsir Qurtubi


Sufyan al-Thawri R said, “Live moderately (average) Beware of imitating (following) arrogant (people with pride) people. And in your food, drink, clothing, and means of conveyance (ride), seek (find) out that which is not specifically purchased by profligate (rich) and extravagant (israaf)u spenders. And when you seek out advice, let the people you go for advice be the people of piety (taqwa)– people who fear Allah (the Possessor of might and majesty) and who are trustworthy.”

Also, please read up on the issues of Extravagance (Israaf) and Spending on What is not a necessity (Ibzaar), both of them are sins.

Israaf' and 'Tabzeer' - Regarding Wasting




Israaf (spending excessively, beyond needs) aur Tabzeer (spending on
something outside of needs)

AsSalaamu Alaikum,
A
question was posed to Shaykh Bilal Ali Ansari (DB) by one of his
students regarding the issue of wasting, specifically in regards to
water. Although the topic and question may seem simplistic, it seems so
because many Muslims in the west due to abundance of resources
(alHamdulillah) do not even realize how much wasting occurs of various
resources Allah (SWT) has blessed us with. Through this Q & A, we
hope that Allah (SWT) grants us the ability to take heed of this matter
and act accordingly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: "...i had a question, and if you're not too busy, i would really
appreciate an answer.


It concerns water and what we were going over in class about wasting
it. when you decide to take a shower for comfort, not necessarily to
wash off any impurities, is it really considered wasting
it? i mean, when you are doing wudhu, and you let the water run and you
step out of the bathroom and let the water flow from the tap, that is a
waste of water because you are not using it and it is just draining
through without coming into contact with you. You are not deriving any
benefit from having the water flow, so thus, the water is being wasted. But
in the case of the shower...you are using the water. you are deriving
comfort from the warm or cold water coming onto your body...it may not
be the best use for the water, but you are still using it in a way
that is beneficial for you, so it can't be considered wasting,
can it? i mean, after all, why else have we been given these gifts of
life? to use it in for our good and to refrain from using in
negatively, it's all a test. And by using it negatively, we would be
wasting the water. but as i explained my position, or rather, my
doubts on what constitutes wasting, i see the flowing of shower water
onto you (when you are in active use of the water) as utilizing, not
wasting."


A: Another student was interested in knowing what other things, aside
from excessive use of water, is considered wasting in the shariah and
requested a list of things that one can do to avoid such wasting.

I
highly appreciate all of your questions, as they clearly indicate that
you are taking interest in the issues discussed in class. I would like
to make this answer as brief and as succinct as possible, so excuse me
for my brevity.

First of all, please understand that everything
that exists in this world is a gift from Allah. Allah ta'ala gives to
whomever He wills, but gives even more to those who are thankful for
what they are given.

Water, electricity, and even air are all
blessings from Allah. The companions, understanding this, would always
moisten their tongues with the zikr of Allah in thanks to Him for what
He has given all of us.

At the same time, understand that this
world is a testing ground and that true rewards will only be
distributed and handed out in the Akhirah. Therefore, everything that
is given to us in this world has a purpose and a place. And everything
also has its limits.

Allah does not want us necessarily to
suffer, especially when he has facilitated for us resources to avoid
discomfort. However, Allah has also commanded us not to waste, and says
in the Qur'an: "Indeed the wasteful are the brothers of the Shayateen".

The
companions, even when comforts and luxuries presented themselves to
them, avoided using more that what was needed. It is for this reason
that they prohibited washing each limb more than three times when not
necessary in wudu, even though water may be available. The same
principle applied to using water from a stream or river. They only used
what they needed and then moved on. Not because they couldn't, but
because that was all that they needed. Using more than that was
considered wasteful.

Now to the student's question. He asked, when one takes a shower for comfort...

First of all, the purpose of taking a shower is NOT comfort. It can be
for one of two reasons:

1. Purification
2. Cooling oneself off from excessive heat.

Both
of these reasons are necessities, though one is more important than the
other. The jurists state that once these purposes are accomplished,
whatever excess is used is considered wasteful.

Now look at the
Prophet's ghusl and then look at ours. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe
wa sallam) never used more than a bucket full of water even for the
fardh bath. We use more than twenty to thirty times as much. In all
honesty, our requirements for cleaning, cooling, and even deriving
comfort from the bath can all be accomplished in less than five minutes
under the shower. Twenty-five to thirty minutes under the water is
ridiculously long.

So, the purpose of taking a shower is not to
derive comfort from it, but to clean oneself. The comfort factor is
solely a bonus.

Regardless, wasting in what is necessary and wasting
by spending on what is not necessary are different and the punishments
for both differ. Buying firecrackers for example, is called tabzeer
and is worse because there is absolutely no need to buy or use them.
Extravagant spending on a necessity, a wedding for example, however, is
also wasting, but is called israaf.
Marriage is necessary, but spending more than what is necessary on it
by renting out very expensive halls and ordering food for twice the
amoun of guests, is considered israaf.

Now, israaf is not as bad as tabzeer in relation to punishment, so wasting
water in the shower is not a major sin, but it does deprive one of
barakat and blessings in his life. And trust me, you definitely want to
have barakah in your spending. Here in the U.S., no matter how wealthy
you are, if you do not have barakah in your wealth, you may have a
million dollars but you will feel like a pauper. You will be paying off
your mortgage until you are fifty!

This email is getting long,
so I will continue this topic insha Allah at some later time. I didn't
organize my thougts as much as I would have liked, but I hope you get
the point.

Sincerely,
Bilal Ali Ansari