Answered by: Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question

Is it extravagance to use tiles in the bathroom? 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer

Islam does not prohibit us from spending and consuming, but Islam forbids us from being extravagant.

The Quran expresses the sense of spending wastefully through two words:  (1) Tabdhir, translated as squandering recklessly.  (2) Israaf  (extravagance).  The prohibition of tabdhir is clear from the following verse where Allah (SWA) says: “And do not squander recklessly.  Surely squanderers are brothers to Shaitans and the Shaitan is very ungrateful to his Lord”.  (Surah Bani Israeel v.26-v.27)

And the prohibition of Israaf is deduced from Surah Al-Araf v.33 (and do not be extravagant).  Some commentators say that both words are synonymous.  Any spending in sin or disobedience or a wrong occasion or place is called tabdhir and israaf.  There are others who define it by saying that tabdhir is spending in sin or on some totally unsuitable occasion or place, while israaf is spending beyond the level of need on an occasion where it is permissible to spend.  (Maariful Quran p.489 v.5)

Imam As-Shabi (RA) narrates that Muawiya wrote to Al Mughira bin Shuba: Write to me something, which you have heard from the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam.  So Mughira wrote:  I heard the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam saying, “Allah has hated for you vain talks, wasting of wealth and asking too many questions.”   (Sahih Bukhari p.958 v.2)

The conclusion we can come to is that if the tiles of the bathroom are of average quality, not too lavish or extravagant, then this will be permissible.

Only Allah Knows Best

Written by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham