Israaf v.Tabdhir

QUESTION:

Considering the simple lives that Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and our pious predecessors lived, to what extent is it considered Israaf if one desires a comfortable life i.e. a furnished home, a nice car, etc. Is it permissible to make Dua for Halaal wealth and a comfortable life?

ANSWER:

Allah Ta’ala says in Surah Al – Isra – Verse 27

ان المبذرين كانوا اخوان الشياطين وكان الشيطان لربه كفورا

“Surely the wasteful are like brothers to the devils. And the Devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord.”

Mufti Shafi Sahib writes under this Ayah:

The Prohibition of Spending Wastefully (Tabdhir)

The Quraan expresses the sense of spending wastefully through two words: (1) Tabdhir (تَبذیر), translated as ‘squandering recklessly.’ (2) Israaf (اِسرِاف), ‘extravagance’. The prohibition of Tabdhir is already clear in the above verse. The prohibition of Israaf has its proof in the verse of Surah al-A` raf:

وَلَا تُسْرِ‌فُوا

“And do not be extravagant” – 7:31

Some commentators refine it by saying that Tabdhir is spending on sin or on some totally unsuitable occasion or place, while Israaf is spending beyond the level of need on an occasion where it is permissible to spend. Therefore, Tabdhir is emphatically worse than Israaf. Al-Mubadhdhirin (the squanderers) were called brothers to Shaitaan and his cohorts.

Of the early Tafsir authorities, Mujahid has said: “If someone spends everything he has for the sake of what is Haqq (incumbent), it is not Tabdhir (squandering recklessly) – and should he spend even one Mudd (1/2 kilo) for what is false (non-incumbent), then it is Tabdhir.”

Sayyidna Abdullah ibn Masud ؓRadiallahu said: “Spending out of place in what one has not been obligated with is Tabdhir.” (Mazhari)

Imam Malik Rahimahullah said: “Tabdhir is that one acquires wealth and property lawfully and cleanly, as he has been obligated to do, but spends it off in ways counter to it – and this is also given the name of Israaf (extravagance), which is Haraam (unlawful).”

Imam al-Qurtubi Rahimahullah said: “As for things unlawful and impermissible, spending even one Dirham for these is Tabdhir. And spending limitlessly to fulfill permissible and allowed desires – which exposes one to the danger of becoming a needy beggar in the future – is also included under Tabdhir. Yes, if someone keeps his real capital holdings intact and spends its profit liberally to fulfill his permissible desires, that is not included under Tabdhir.” (AI-Qurtubi, v. 10, p. 248)

Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam mentioned in a Hadith: “Allah Ta’ala loves to see His servant making use of the bounties that Allah Ta’ala has bestowed upon him.”

As long as one is not spending out of pride and greed, there is no harm in spending one’s wealth on Halaal avenues or asking Allah Ta’ala for a comfortable life. Allah Ta’ala says in Surah Al-Baqarah – Verse 201:

وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةࣰ وَفِي ٱلْـاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةࣰ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
“Yet there are others who say, “Our Lord! Grant us the good of this world and the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.”

Abu Huraira Radiallahu Anhu narrates a Dua which Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam used to make, a portion of which translates to: “O Allah, set right for me the affairs of my world wherein is my living.”

ِ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْكِسْوَةَ مِنْهَا فَرْضٌ وَهُوَ مَا يَسْتُرُ الْعَوْرَةَ وَيَدْفَعُ الْحَرَّ وَالْبَرْدَ وَالْأَوْلَى كَوْنُهُ مِنْ الْقُطْنِ أَوْ الْكَتَّانِ أَوْ الصُّوفِ عَلَى وِفَاقِ السُّنَّةِ بِأَنْ يَكُونَ ذَيْلُهُ لِنِصْفِ سَاقِهِ وَكُمُّهُ لِرُءُوسِ أَصَابِعِهِ وَفَمُهُ قَدْرَ شِبْرٍ كَمَا فِي النُّتَفُ بَيْنَ النَّفِيسِ وَالْخَسِيسِ إذْ خَيْرُ الْأُمُورِ أَوْسَاطُهَا، وَلِلنَّهْيِ عَنْ الشُّهْرَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ مَا كَانَ فِي نِهَايَةِ النَّفَاسَةِ أَوْ الْخَسَاسَةِ، وَمُسْتَحَبٌّ: وَهُوَ الزَّائِدُ لِأَخْذِ الزِّينَةِ وَإِظْهَارِ نِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى قَالَ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – «إنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَرَى أَثَرَ نِعْمَتِهِ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ» وَمُبَاحٌ وَهُوَ الثَّوْبُ الْجَمِيلُ لِلتَّزَيُّنِ فِي الْأَعْيَادِ وَالْجُمَعِ وَمَجَامِعِ النَّاسِ لَا فِي جَمِيعِ الْأَوْقَاتِ لِأَنَّهُ صَلَفٌ وَخُيَلَاءُ، وَرُبَّمَا يَغِيظُ الْمُحْتَاجِينَ فَالتَّحَرُّزُ عَنْهُ أَوْلَى وَمَكْرُوهٌ وَهُوَ اللُّبْسُ لِلتَّكَبُّرِ، وَيُسْتَحَبُّ الْأَبْيَضُ وَكَذَا الْأَسْوَدُ لِأَنَّهُ شِعَارُ بَنِي الْعَبَّاسِ «وَدَخَلَ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – مَكَّةَ وَعَلَى رَأْسِهِ عِمَامَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ» وَلُبْسُ الْأَخْضَرِ سُنَّةٌ كَمَا فِي الشِّرْعَةِ اهـ مِنْ الْمُلْتَقَى وَشَرْحِهِ.
ج6 – ص351 – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي – فصل في اللبس – المكتبة الشاملة

حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو قَطَنٍ، عَمْرُو بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ الْقُطَعِيُّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ الْمَاجِشُونِ عَنْ قُدَامَةَ بْنِ مُوسَى، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ السَّمَّانِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏”‏ اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِيَ الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَاىَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Sahih Muslim 2720

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Muhammad Bhayla

Date: 20 Jumaadal-Ulaa 1448 / 29 October 2026

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb