Is it asceticism to abandon the comforts of this world, such as riding in cars and the like?
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Question:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, father. The questioner says: If a person abandons the matters of this world, such as riding in cars and living in modern houses, is this considered asceticism in this world?
Answer:
No, this is affectation and severity.[Al-A'raf 7:32] No one forbids what Allah the Mighty and Majestic has made lawful and says, "This is asceticism." Yes, but one should not be extravagant; one should not be extravagant, but rather be moderate. [Al-Furqan 25:67] One should not be extravagant nor stingy, but be moderate, which is what Allah the Exalted and Glorious has prescribed. It is not permissible to forbid the adornment that Allah has made permissible. Yes.
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, father. The questioner says: If a person abandons the matters of this world, such as riding in cars and living in modern houses, is this considered asceticism in this world?
Answer:
No, this is affectation and severity.
Say, "Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?"
قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِ وَالطَّيِّبَاتِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِAnd [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [557- 4717] هل من الزهد ترك متاع الدنيا كركوب السيارات ونحوها؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.