REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Islamic teachings advocate to behave sparingly. Thrift means being careful and careful in using or spending possessions.

Habib Abdullah bin Alwi Al Haddad in his book Fushulul Ilmiyah describes frugality as a middle attitude in spending wealth. That is, neither stingy (bakhil) nor wasteful (tabzir) and excessive (wasteful).

Because stinginess is bad behavior, even in the Epistle of An Nisa verses 36-37, stinginess is described as a sign of pride and pride.

وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَٰنًا وَبِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱلْجَارِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْجَارِ ٱلْجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلْجَنۢبِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا

wa’budullāha wa lā tusyrikụ bihī syai`aw wa bil-wālidaini iḥsānaw wa biżil-qurbā wal-yatāmā wal-masākīni wal-jāri żil-qurbā wal-jāril-junubi waṣ-ṣāḥibi bil-jambi wabnis-sabīli wa mā malakat aimānukum, innallāha lā yuḥibbu mang kāna mukhtālan fakhụrā

ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبُخْلِ وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا

allażīna yabkhalụna wa ya`murụnan-nāsa bil-bukhli wa yaktumụna mā ātāhumullāhu min faḍlih, wa a’tadnā lil-kāfirīna ‘ażābam muhīnā

That is, Allah does not like those who are arrogant and proud, those who misbehave and tell others to misbehave, and hide the gifts of Allah which He has given them. And We have provided for the infidels a humiliating punishment. (Quran Surat An Nisa verses 36-37).

God has prepared punishment for those who are stingy and who invite others to be stingy. Even so wasteful is reprehensible behaviour. In Al-Isra verses 26-27 God expressly warns not to be wasteful. Because the profligate man is his brother the devil.

Waat the Alghorba, Haqqah, and the Meskheina, and Abna al-Sabbeil, the Tubhazir, the Tabzheira. Ena al-Mubadzairina Canova Ekhwana al-Shayathiyatainn a Vakana al-Shaithana al-Shayataanu Larabeh Kafora.

That is to say: And give to the families who are close to their rights, to the poor and to those who are on the way, and do not waste (your possessions) lavishly. Indeed, the spenders are the brothers of Satan, and the devil is a disbeliever in his Lord. (Al Isra verses 26-27).