Miserliness and Extravagance in Islam:
In Islam, Allah teaches us to be kind, to be balanced, and to never go too far in anything we do, and one of the most important lessons is to not be miserly and not be extravagant, because both are wrong and both are disliked by Allah.
What is Miserliness?
Miserliness means not sharing anything with others, not giving to the poor, and keeping everything for yourself, even when you have a lot. A miser is a person who says, “No, this is mine!” even when someone needs help. A miser has money but does not spend it for good things. A miser has food but does not share it. A miser has clothes but does not help the needy. In Islam, this is very bad because Allah loves those who give.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that giving charity does not make your money less, it makes it more blessed. That means, when you give, Allah gives you even more. Being too stingy or miserly makes your heart hard and your life empty. Miserly people do not feel happy inside. They are always afraid to lose their money, so they don’t enjoy it and don’t help others.
But Islam tells us to spend in the way of Allah, to help people, to feed the hungry, to buy things for our family, and to give gifts to others.
What is Extravagance?
On the other side, being extravagant is also wrong. Extravagance means spending too much, wasting money, wasting food, wasting water, and showing off. An extravagant person keeps buying too many toys, too many clothes, and too much food, even when they don’t need it. They throw food in the bin, they use water too much, and they try to look richer than others. This is not good. Allah does not like people who waste.
In the Quran, Allah says, “Do not waste. Surely, the wasteful are brothers of the devils.” This means that wasting things is very bad, and it brings us away from Allah. When we waste, we forget that everything we have is a gift from Allah. We should say “Alhamdulillah” and use our things carefully.
Islam Teaches Balance
Islam teaches us to be in the middle – not too stingy, not too wasteful – but balanced. That means if you have food, eat what you need and share the rest. If you have money, buy what is important and give some in charity. If you have toys, play nicely and give old ones to other children. If you have water, drink and wash, but don’t waste it.
Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ even used little water to make wudu, just a small amount, and he never wasted anything. He fixed his shoes, mended his clothes, and ate simple food. He never ate too much. He never showed off. He shared with others and smiled. He said, “The best people are those who are not greedy and not wasteful.”
Teaching Children Gratitude
Children must learn to be like that. If we have a little, we share a little. If we have a lot, we share a lot. And we should never be proud of our money or things. All things come from Allah. Some children do not have shoes, some children do not have toys, some do not have a school or even food to eat, so we should thank Allah and not waste His gifts.
When your parents give you lunch, say “Thank you” and eat what you are given. If you don’t like something, don’t throw it—save it for later or give it to someone. When you have pocket money, don’t spend all of it on sweets. Buy something good or save some and give some to the poor.
When you take water to drink, take only as much as you need. If you leave the tap running, that is wasteful. If you tear your notebook just for fun, that is wasteful. If you throw away your old clothes when they can still be worn, that is wasteful.
Follow the Sunnah of Simplicity
Islam teaches us that all these things are part of extravagance, and extravagance makes Allah unhappy. Allah wants us to use His blessings wisely. When we are wise, we become good Muslims.
Miserliness and extravagance are both extremes, and Islam teaches us to be in the middle path, the straight path. Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ lived a simple life. Even when he could have had many things, he chose to live simply. He shared his food. He shared his home. He gave gifts. He helped the poor. He never wasted and never kept everything for himself.
That is the best example for us. We should follow his Sunnah. If you are eating at home, remember the hungry. If you are buying new clothes, remember the children who don’t have any. If you have many toys, remember the orphans. This will make your heart soft and kind.
Do not say, “It is mine, and I will not share.” Instead, say, “Allah gave it to me, and I will use it well and help others.” You can also make du’a and ask Allah to help you be kind and generous. Say, “Ya Allah, help me to use my things wisely and help me to be good, not stingy and not wasteful.” This du’a will make you strong in faith.
Encourage Small Good Deeds
Parents and teachers can help you too. They can show you how to save water, how to eat carefully, how to give in charity, and how to avoid waste. You can keep a little charity box at home and put coins in it every week. You can take care of your toys and share them with friends. You can finish your plate and not throw food away.
All of these are small good deeds, but they make Allah very happy. So, remember, a miser is someone who keeps everything and gives nothing, and an extravagant person is someone who wastes everything and does not care.
A good Muslim is someone who shares, who saves, who is thankful, who uses things with care, and who helps others. This is the way of Islam, the way of balance, the way of kindness, and the way of the Prophet ﷺ. Let us all try to walk on this path and leave behind miserliness and extravagance. That way, we will please Allah, help His people, and live a happy life full of blessings and love.
Miserliness and Extravagance in Islam