Is it true that extravagance varies from person to person according to the person's circumstances and wealth?
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The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you: We hear that extravagance varies from person to person.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And that is according to the money he has, whether he is a merchant or a rich man.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is correct. Extravagance is a relative matter; it does not pertain to the act itself, but to the one performing it. For example, if a poor woman takes jewelry equal in value to the jewelry of a rich woman, she is being extravagant. If a rich woman took this jewelry, we would say there is no extravagance in it. If a poor woman took it, we would say there is extravagance. Indeed, even in eating and drinking, people differ regarding extravagance. A poor person, meaning one of the lower class, may be satisfied with a small amount of food, while another is not. Also, it differs in that a person may have a guest and honor him with what he does not usually eat in his home, and this would not be considered extravagance. The important point is that extravagance pertains to the doer, not the act itself, because people differ in this regard.
And with this, the session ends, because it is time, and Brother Musa indicated that. Until the next meeting, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And that is according to the money he has, whether he is a merchant or a rich man.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is correct. Extravagance is a relative matter; it does not pertain to the act itself, but to the one performing it. For example, if a poor woman takes jewelry equal in value to the jewelry of a rich woman, she is being extravagant. If a rich woman took this jewelry, we would say there is no extravagance in it. If a poor woman took it, we would say there is extravagance. Indeed, even in eating and drinking, people differ regarding extravagance. A poor person, meaning one of the lower class, may be satisfied with a small amount of food, while another is not. Also, it differs in that a person may have a guest and honor him with what he does not usually eat in his home, and this would not be considered extravagance. The important point is that extravagance pertains to the doer, not the act itself, because people differ in this regard.
And with this, the session ends, because it is time, and Brother Musa indicated that. Until the next meeting, if Allah wills.