A man bought a garment for three hundred riyals, while another of the same quality was available for fifty; is that considered extravagance, given that one is Japanese and the other is Korean or
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The questioner : O Shaykh, a man bought a garment for three hundred riyals, while another was available for fifty; is that permissible, and is it considered extravagance, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : But if he bought a garment for three hundred while he could find another for fifty.
The questioner : Of similar quality, O Shaykh; the quality is close.
The Shaykh : Why is this one three hundred and that one fifty, if it is close to it? How can this be three hundred and that one fifty?
The questioner : For example, he says: This one is Japanese and this one is English, and the Japanese one is, may Allah protect us, or Korean.
The Shaykh : I do not know whether the Japanese or the Korean one is better.
The questioner : The English one, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Okay, so it means he bought it because it is better.
The questioner : But this one is good, meaning it can be used for a year, considering that the person who bought it for three hundred might also use it for a year and then throw it away?
The Shaykh : In any case, it is extravagance.
The questioner : Meaning, what is the criterion for extravagance?
The Shaykh : Extravagance is exceeding the limit, and you know that people differ. A man who has millions of riyals might buy for three hundred, and it would not be called extravagance. But a man who is poor and does not have the expenses for his house, we say: this is extravagance. So extravagance is exceeding the limit, and people differ in this.
The questioner : So it is based on custom, O Shaykh?The Shaykh : Yes, it is based on custom.
The Shaykh : But if he bought a garment for three hundred while he could find another for fifty.
The questioner : Of similar quality, O Shaykh; the quality is close.
The Shaykh : Why is this one three hundred and that one fifty, if it is close to it? How can this be three hundred and that one fifty?
The questioner : For example, he says: This one is Japanese and this one is English, and the Japanese one is, may Allah protect us, or Korean.
The Shaykh : I do not know whether the Japanese or the Korean one is better.
The questioner : The English one, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Okay, so it means he bought it because it is better.
The questioner : But this one is good, meaning it can be used for a year, considering that the person who bought it for three hundred might also use it for a year and then throw it away?
The Shaykh : In any case, it is extravagance.
The questioner : Meaning, what is the criterion for extravagance?
The Shaykh : Extravagance is exceeding the limit, and you know that people differ. A man who has millions of riyals might buy for three hundred, and it would not be called extravagance. But a man who is poor and does not have the expenses for his house, we say: this is extravagance. So extravagance is exceeding the limit, and people differ in this.
The questioner : So it is based on custom, O Shaykh?The Shaykh : Yes, it is based on custom.