It is obligatory on the believers to adopt the religious course of morals Allah and beware of what Allah prohibits. So there should be no extravagance or wastefulness in food, drink, clothes, or others; not in public or private banquets but with the suitable quantity. If a person makes food for a group of people and they were late or some of them did not attend the banquet, the extra food will not be part of extravagance but a person must exert his effort to give food to the needy and deliver it to those who need it or he may preserve it in order to be eaten afterwards and it should not be thrown in the garbage or in filthy places.
If it is necessary, food may be carried to a remote place in order for animals to eat it. If it is easy to transfer food to those who may benefit from it such as workers and the poor, it is obligatory to do so in order not to waste this money and to avoid extravagance and wastefulness.
Allah (Glorified be He) praised His moderate servants, who are the servants of the Most Gracious, by saying: And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a medium (way) between those (extremes).
This is the separator; moderation between extravagance and miserliness. Allah (Glorified be He) praises them by saying: And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly i.e. extravagance means increase and niggardliness means miserliness. Misers and miserliness are dispraised as well as extravagance and wastefulness. Therefore, Allah praised the servants of the Most Gracious by saying: And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a medium (way) between those (extremes). So what they spend is just and moderate.
My advice to you, Muslim sisters and for every Muslim, is to adopt this good manner, beware of extravagance, wastefulness of money without right, and abundance of food without need. Money will be useful when it is kept for the needy who are many in this country and in other countries. We know many people in this country and others who are in dire need of money, food and clothes.
Praise be to Allah, our country is one of the best countries; Allah blessed it with many graces in religion and in worldly matters; however, there are a lot of people who are in need. In case a person seeks a needy person, he will find a lot of needy people in the cities, villages, and everywhere. Those are in need of aids such as Zakah and other charities which are left to the courts and the notables who are known with trust and integrity to distribute them among the needy. Many poor people are in many countries in Africa and in Asia who are in need of money.
There are the Afghani Mujahideen (those who strive for the sake of Allah) and the refugees in Pakistan who are in need of money, so how could we waste it? How could we be extravagant? How could we waste it while we have many needy and poor people in our country and in other countries. It is not permissible but we have to beware of extravagance. We should be moderate in all our affairs such as food, drink, clothes, banquets, and others.
Marriage banquets contain great danger because many people boast and spend tremendous expenses to the extent that they may be indebted to set up a banquet. So a believer must beware; a woman must observe her husband, father, brother and not burden her husband with matters beyond his capability. She must help him in good and be economical. A woman must help her son, brother, and father to be economical. She must advise her father, brother, husband and son when she sees any extravagance or wastefulness from their side. She must advise saying: fear Allah, there is no need for this and there is no necessity to do this. If we are rich, we must give the poor and if we are not, we must begin with our selves and fulfill our needs.
It is reported from `Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al`As (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Eat, drink, get dressed and offer charity without wastefulness or arrogance (Related by Abu Dawud and Ahmad from the Hadith of `Amr ibn Shu`ayb from his father from his grandfather) i.e. without extravagance or pride. Some people wear or make banquets excessively out of pride, boasting, arrogance, and haughtiness; which is not permissible but it is obligatory on them to make food as much as the need requires. A person wears what is suitable for them not for pride or arrogance but for beauty, surely Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty He says: Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying [and going round (the Tawâf of) the Ka' bah,] There is no harm in wearing regular adornments and suitable enough food and there is no harm in eating lawful food because Allah made good things lawful but according to the need. Food should not be thrown in markets or garbage and not to be wasted without right. Persons should not wear what may harm them or wear what they do not need. It is not permissible for them to drag their clothes in the dirt and impurities,
but it is permissible for women to drag their clothes in order to cover their feet. A man should raise his garment over his ankle and he should not lower it but women must lower their garments because their
entire bodies are `Awrah (private parts of the body that must be covered in public).
Therefore, they must cover their feet by lowering their garments. The Messenger (peace be upon him) says:
The part of an Izar which hangs below the ankles is in the Fire
Three persons whom Allah shall neither speak to on the Day of Resurrection, nor look at, nor purify, and they shall have a painful torment: he who reminds (the people) of what he gives, he who lets his izar (lower garment) hang below his heels (out of pride) and he who sells his merchandise by false swearing.
Allah will not look, on the Day of Resurrection, at the person who drags his garment (behind him) out of conceit.
wear socks to cover them.
To sum up, we have to be moderate in all our affairs; in expenditure, clothes, banquets, and everything. There is no extravagance in the acts of worship, there is no waste in food, drink, banquets and others. We have to be moderate in all our affairs.
all to that which pleases Him;
nation in this world and the afterworld.
May Allah amend the affairs of the nation, designate their righteous people, guide their leaders, and grant us useful knowledge and pious work! May He guide their rulers to abide by Shari`ah and its application! He is the Supreme Master and the All-Able. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, companions and their followers until the Day of Recompense!