Fashion and its effect on the society

Q: Recently, fashion mania has spread in clothes, especially for women. This problem is not new, but it has become complicated nowadays. Women are increasingly tending to wear these models, (Part No. 24; Page No. 21) in spite of their disadvantages, including but not limited to:First, showing off and bragging that takes place among the women by wearing these models. Every woman does all her best to buy clothes that make her unique, so that she boasts in front of other women in occasions. Your Eminence must be aware of the ruling on this boasting of clothes.Second, prodigality and wasting of money that takes place because of these clothes. It is noticeable that most of the women who wear such clothes spend large amounts of money. A dress might cost three thousands, four thousands, five thousands or even more. After being worn in a party or two, this dress is not worn again until it is thrown away. Prodigality has two forms here:exaggerating in the costs of making the dress, or buying it for the purpose of boasting and keeping up with the fashion;and wearing these dresses only on a few occasions.Your Eminence definitely knows the status of those who are required to sustain their women, such as husbands, fathers and brothers, (Part No. 24; Page No. 22) who cannot provide such requirements that usually consume their monthly salaries and their pensions.Based on the two previously mentioned points, is it permissible to give my wife all the money she wants to fulfill her wishes? Am I considered a sinner if I prevent her from doing so, given that my salary is a little more than 8,500 Riyals? Please advise concerning the ruling on wearing clothes in the previously mentioned way.

A: Allah (Exalted be He) prohibited prodigality and wasting money in His saying, ...and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allâh) likes not Al-Musrifûn (those who waste by extravagance). He (Exalted be He) also says, But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. Verily, the spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayâtîn (devils), and the Shaitân (Devil-Satan) is ever ungrateful to his Lord. He asks us to spend in lawful means, without either lavishness or stinginess, in His saying, And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty. He also asks us to keep the money away from foolish people in His saying, And give not unto the foolish your property which Allâh has made a means of support for you, but feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them words of kindness and justice. (Part No. 24; Page No. 23) Foolish people are those who cannot deal with money in a wise way. If a person buys and makes expensive clothes to wear them on a few occasions and then throw them away, they are considered among the foolish people mentioned in the Ayah. Allah asks us not to give the foolish people money, even if it is theirs, let alone if it is not their own money. They should be paid only Nafaqah (obligatory financial support), without either lavishness or stinginess. If a foolish person asks for Nafaqah in the way mentioned in the question, it is impermissible to obey them.It is a great merit to leave dressing in the way mentioned in the question out of humbleness to Allah while being able to afford it. It was reported on the authority of Mu`adh ibn Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, Whoever gives up wearing elegant and expensive garments out of humbleness, while they can afford them, Allah will call them on the Day of Judgment, and in front of all the people, He will give them the choice to wear whichever garment of Iman (Faith) they would like to wear. Narrated by Al-Tirmidhy who ranked it as Hadith Hasan (good Hadith). (Part No. 24; Page No. 24) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.