Observing the Limits of Consumption
A Muslim consumer seeks to follow the holy Qur’an which is a divine revelation as well as the tradition of the infallible Imams as a model for finding the logical path in life that guarantees his happiness and prosperity in this world and afterlife and add value to his deeds by observing divine virtues and religious principles. Hence, observing the divine rules and limits is given the top priority while adopting the proper model of consumption. Islam contrary to the capitalist system where it is free to produce and consume with the aim of maximizing the profit and material gains, has set certain limits and rules and the use of certain commodities and services is not authorized due to the harms or corruption that they may cause. The following are examples in this regard:
1- Alcoholic beverages that have been openly negated by the holy Qur’an. The harms caused by alcohol to human health and its negative effects on stomach, kidney, lungs, nervous system, heart arteries and senses have been scientifically proven so much so that some scientists consider its prohibition fourteen centuries ago as one of the reasons indicating the righteousness of Islam and the holy Qur’an;
2- Generally speaking, Islam has authorized the use of meats that are moderately preferred by people and has disapproved or forbidden the use of a carcass, blood (for eating), pork and any animal whose meat is permissible (halal) but has not been slaughtered in a proper Islamic way or whatever that is not normally preferred by healthy persons;
3- Using gold-woven clothes, heroin, poison and whatever is harmful for the body such as wearing pure silk clothes and men wearing gold or men wearing female clothes and vice versa;
4- Using certain tools for gambling or acts of debauchery as well as using golden or silver containers;
5- Using commodities that would lead to the political and economic domination of infidels and foreigners upon Muslims causing the dependency of the Islamic society. Because Muslims have to defend their country’s political, economic and cultural foundations in any possible way. The boycotting of tobacco by the highest religious authority of time, Mirzaye Shirazi, at the time of Nasereddin Shah was in line with the aforementioned objective and managed to nullify the scheme designed by the British colonialists;
6-Using malicious things meaning whatever is hated by a healthy human nature. It has been stated in the valuable book of Javaher al-Kalamthat by malicious things one does not refer to any particular haram thing. In other words, it generally refers to unauthorized edibles that are hated by a healthy human nature.
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
Other links:
The theoretical foundations of consumption model: Recognizing forbidden and permissible commodities
Desire to use divine blessings in Islamic perspective
Remembering the Creator of all blessings
Forgetting God will cause hardships in livelihood
