Eat, drink, wear clothes, and give charity without extravagance or pride

Explanation

This Hadīth highlights the prohibition of extravagance in terms of food, drink and clothes. It is also a command to avoid ostentation and seeking fame when giving charity. Extravagance refers to exceeding the limit in every act or saying: but it is more commonly practiced in spending. The Hadīth corresponds to the verse where Allah, the Almighty, says: {Eat and drink and be not extravagant} [Sūrat al-A‘rāf: 31]. In addition, the Hadīth indicates the prohibition of pride and arrogance. This Hadīth combines all virtues related to one's management of his own affairs. It combines what is good for the soul and body in this world and in the Hereafter. Extravagance in everything is harmful to the body and the way of living. It leads to waste that harms the soul if it follows the body most of the time. As for pride, it harms the soul because it fills it with conceit and it, thus, negatively affects one's afterlife, because it urges him to sins. Pride also badly affects his life because it makes people hate him. Al-Bukhāri reported the following on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbās: "Eat whatever you want and drink whatever you want as long as you avoid extravagance and pride."

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