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Lesson: 54 Extravagance and Squandering
Islam has strongly
censured extravagance and squandering. Here are some verses from the Holy Quran:
And He it is Who produces gardens of vine, trellised and untrellised, and
palms and seed-produce of which the fruits are of various sorts, and olives
and pomegranates, like and unlike; eat of its fruit when it bears fruit, and
pay the due of it on the day of its reaping, and do not act extravagantly; surely
He does not love the extravagant.
And give
to the near of kin his due and to the needy and the wayfarer, and do not squander
wastefully. Surely the squanderers are the fellows of the Shaitans and the Shaitan
is ever ungrateful to his Lord.
Difference
between extravagance (Israaf) and squandering (Tabzeer):
Tabzeer means
spending something aimlessly or wrong fully, that is senselessly. For example,
burning wood unnecessarily. In other words, Tabzeer is to spend money in a wrong
way even if it is less. But if money is spent aimfully it is not tabzeer even
if it is more.
Explaining
the above verse Imam Sadiq (a.s.) says: one who spends money in a way which
is not is obedience to God has committed Tabzeer. One who spends in the Path
of Allah is a moderate man.
But Israaf
is to spend extremely.Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) said: Give up Israaf for the sake of economy and moderation.
So also Ali
(a.s.) said: One who is moderate in his spending does not face a hard life and
he will not become poor.
When Allah
desires good for a family He makes them moderate in their expenses.
When someone
asked Imam Sadiq (a.s.) about the verse he closed his fist and said: It should
not be such that you never open it. Then, as for the latter part of the verse,
he opened his hand??wife and said: Also do not open it totally so as to spend
in any manner.
Imam Sadiq
(a.s.) is recorded to have said: O Ubaid! Israaf brings in poverty and moderation
causes richness and needlessness
It is written
that one day Imam Sadiq (a.s.) called for Ratb (fresh dates) for eating. It
was brought. Then some of his companions ate the dates and threw the seeds away.
The Imam (a.s.) said: Do not do like this as it is Tabzeer and Allah does not
like Fasaad (decay).
The Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.), while passing by a road, saw one of his companions, Saad, performing
wuzu. He was waiting more water. So the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: Why are
you wasting water, O Saad Saad asked: Is there any Israaf in utilising water
also? The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied: Yes, even if it is at the bank of
a river.
Qinaat (Contentment)
Islam has praised
and valued continence and reasonable spending. Obviously a contented man never
becomes poor so as to extend a hand for seeking help from others thereby degrading
his position.
The verses
of the Holy Quran and traditions of the Holy progeny of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
have ordered us not to pay attention to the rich and powerful people as doing
so pushes man down from his spiritual status.
Verses Do not strain your eyes after what We have given certain classes of them to
enjoy, and do not grieve for them, and make yourself gentle to the believers.
Let not
then their property and their children excite your admiration; Allah only wishes
to chastise them with these in this worlds life and that their souls may depart
while they are unbelievers.
Traditions
Imam Baqir
(a.s.) said: Refrain from looking at the one whose life from material viewpoint
is richer than yours because, God Almighty has repeatedly said numerousness
of their wealth and children must not make your admire them and has again said:
do not look to the bounties we have given to a group of them. If their lives
detract your attention, then look at the life of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
because the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) bread was of barley and his food of dates
and
