The Ruling on Exaggeration in the Decoration of Mosques
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Q156: The questioner, A.A. from Jeddah, asks: What is the limit of extravagance that the Islamic Shari'ah has forbidden, and what is the ruling on exaggerating in the decoration of mosques? Does this fall under the category of extravagance?
A156: Extravagance is forbidden, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-A'raf 7:31],
and He the Exalted said:[Al-Furqan 25:67], and He the Glorious said: [Al-Isra 17:27]. Extravagance is spending that exceeds what is needed; therefore, whatever exceeds the need is extravagance and wastefulness, while what is within the limit of the need is not extravagance. It is not permissible to decorate mosques, because mosques were not built for boasting or for appearances, but rather for worship. Therefore, decorating and embellishing mosques, as well as writing on their walls, is disliked, because that distracts the worshippers.
A156: Extravagance is forbidden, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.
يَابَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلاَ تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَand He the Exalted said:
And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنْفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ قَوَامًاIndeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful.
إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.