Is Spending on Lawful Enjoyment Considered Israf If Zakat Is Paid?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

Is spending on lawful but non-essential enjoyment considered israf (wastefulness), if zakat is fulfilled?

Answer

I pray you are well.

No, it is not necessarily israf. Generally, you should look at matters from the perspective of ma‘ash and ma‘ad.

• Ma‘ash is your worldly life and living here.
• Ma‘ad is your return to Allah in the akhira.

Enjoyment and spending should be assessed in light of these two.

Lawful Enjoyment Within Reason

If someone works hard to provide for their family and wants to take them out for some enjoyment, such as visiting a theme park, this is generally permissible.

If the intention is to take time off from stress, bring relief to oneself, give the family a healthy break, or bond with one’s children, then this is not considered mere time-wasting.

Similarly, exercise or activities done for well-being can also be rewarded if done with the intention of pleasing Allah and maintaining strength to fulfill one’s duties.

Conditions and Limits

Such enjoyment must remain within reasonable limits.

It should not involve anything impermissible, such as places where awrah is exposed. One should not pay for things of that nature.

So the permissibility depends on the activity being lawful and the intention being sound.

Avoiding Wastefulness and Showing Off

Spending should also be reasonable. One should not extravagantly waste money, such as spending enormous sums on pointless luxuries.

Another key issue is intention. If someone spends only to show off, post pictures, or make others jealous, it becomes purely dunya-focused and not for Allah.

That kind of spending is blameworthy.

Spending Depends on One’s Means

What is reasonable differs from person to person. Not everyone has the same income.

Someone with greater means may spend more without it being considered wasteful, as long as it remains within moderation.

A Practical Guideline

Use your judgment and ask:

• What is my intention?
• Is this purely for dunya, or is there benefit and relief in it?
• Is the cost reasonable for my circumstances?

Even if it is simply to bring relief so that you can return to fulfilling your duties, it can be rewarded.

Pray istikhara, spend with balance, and insha’Allah, you will be rewarded.

And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began studying Arabic Grammar and Morphology whilst studying for a degree in English and History. After graduating, He traveled to Damascus and studied Arabic, Hanafi Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Theology, and Logic with Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahman Arjan al-Binsawi, Shaykh Husayn Darwish, Shaykh Muhammad Darwish, the late Shaykh Rashad Shams, and others. He then moved to Amman to continue his studies in those fields, as well as in Tafsir, Quranic Sciences, Hadith Methodology and Commentary, Prophetic Biography, Prophetic Perfections and Traits, Rhetoric, Arabic Literature, and Tajwid. His teachers include Shaykh Ali Hani, Dr. Hamza al-Bakri, Dr. Salah Abu al-Hajj, Dr. Mansur Abu Zina, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Shaykh Ahmad Jammal, and others.