Islam places special emphasis on balance and moderation in every area of human life. Whether in strength, money, time or opportunity, practicing thrift and avoiding extravagance is essential not only for this world but also for peace and salvation in the hereafter. For this reason, Islam has established thrift and moderation as ideals in the service of humanity.
The significance of moderation and thrift
Islam places great emphasis on moderation and thrift in every aspect of daily life. God has commanded the faithful to use their wealth, time and energy properly and to avoid excess and waste in everything.
Moderation is a basic teaching of Islam through which a person can follow God’s guidance and contribute to society rather than harm others. It is essential for spiritual peace, social balance and success in this world and the hereafter.
Thrift is not only about saving money. It is also a mark of personal conduct and spiritual character. Islamic teaching warns against extravagance, miserliness and excessive spending. A thrifty life brings blessings and is considered an important virtue. God has repeatedly urged the faithful to be thrifty, saying:
وَ لَا تَجۡعَلۡ یَدَكَ مَغۡلُوۡلَۃً اِلٰی عُنُقِكَ وَ لَا تَبۡسُطۡهَا كُلَّ الۡبَسۡطِ فَتَقۡعُدَ مَلُوۡمًا مَّحۡسُوۡرًا
“And do not keep your hand chained to your neck, nor stretch it out fully, lest you sit down rebuked and bereft.” (Surah Bani Isra’il: Verse 29)
The verse means that if God’s blessings are not used in the way he has prescribed, people face hardship and the blessings in their sustenance are lost. Those who follow moderation not only build a good life for themselves but also bring peace and prosperity to their surroundings. People should therefore exercise moderation when using God’s blessings, avoiding both extravagance and miserliness, so that peace and blessings come to their lives.
According to the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad and to Islamic teaching, a thrifty life protects people from poverty and is an important means of receiving God’s blessings. He said:
“Whoever spends moderately will not become destitute.” (Musnad Ahmad: 7/303)
By practicing moderation and thrift, people can stay free of excessive expense, financial crisis, poverty and social unrest. Furthermore, it paves the way to God’s pleasure and reward in the hereafter.
The harmful effects of extravagance
Extravagance damages not only finances but also drains the blessings of one’s sustenance. God said:
یٰبَنِیۡۤ اٰدَمَ خُذُوۡا زِیۡنَتَكُمۡ عِنۡدَ كُلِّ مَسۡجِدٍ وَّ كُلُوۡا وَ اشۡرَبُوۡا وَ لَا تُسۡرِفُوۡا ۚ اِنَّهٗ لَا یُحِبُّ الۡمُسۡرِفِیۡنَ
“O children of Adam! Wear your fine clothing at every place of worship, and eat and drink, but do not be wasteful. Surely he does not love the wasteful.” (Surah al-A’raf: Verse 31)
The Prophet Muhammad was strict against extravagance in his own life. Once he saw Sa’d using too much water for ablution and asked:
مَا هَذَا السَّرَفُ ” فَقَالَ أَفِي الْوُضُوءِ إِسْرَافٌ قَالَ ” نَعَمْ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ عَلَى نَهَرٍ جَارٍ”
“O Sa’d! Why are you wasting?” Sa’d asked, “Is there waste in ablution?” The Prophet replied, “Yes, even if you are sitting beside a flowing river, using extra water is wasteful.” (Ibn Majah 425)
A thrifty life: the path out of poverty
Those who practice moderation in earning and spending will never face want. The Prophet said clearly in the Hadith that those who live thriftily never face poverty. In a Hadith narrated by Hazrat Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, he said: “Whoever spends moderately will not become destitute.” (Musnad Ahmad 7/303)
What God loves and dislikes
People often spend impulsively or for show, which brings no reward in the hereafter. The Hadith says:
“God loves three things in us: that we worship him, that we associate no partner with him, and that we remain united. He dislikes three things: idle talk, asking pointless questions and wasting wealth needlessly.” (Muslim 1715)
Thrift is therefore essential in daily life. Parents, siblings and spouses and children should be supported with what is needed, but no spending should be wasteful, for God has said:
اِنَّ الۡمُبَذِّرِیۡنَ كَانُوۡۤا اِخۡوَانَ الشَّیٰطِیۡنِ ؕ وَ كَانَ الشَّیۡطٰنُ لِرَبِّهٖ كَفُوۡرًا
“Surely the wasteful are the brethren of devils, and the devil is most ungrateful to his Lord.” (Surah Bani Isra’il: Verse 27)
Let us all live thriftily by Islamic ideals, give thanks to God, and seek peace and blessings in this life and the next.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report