Skip to content
Assabile

Quran verses about Extravagance and waste

الإسراف

18 verses in 12 surahs · 1 subtopic

Excess is treated in these verses from several angles: in spending, where the right course lies between waste and stinginess, and also in matters other than wealth. They recall that Allah does not like those who commit excess, call the extravagant a brother of Satan, and announce the evil end of the excessive in this world and the Hereafter.

Verses gathered from a topical index of the Quran, in Mushaf order; every verse is quoted in full.

Subtopics

Choose a subtopic to show only its verses.

18 verses

Ali ’Imran3:147

وَمَا كَانَ قَوْلَهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِىٓ أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ۝١٤٧

And their words were not but that they said, "Our Lord, forgive us our sins and the excess [committed] in our affairs and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people."

An-Nisa4:6

وَٱبْتَلُوا۟ ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغُوا۟ ٱلنِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ ءَانَسْتُم مِّنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافًا وَبِدَارًا أَن يَكْبَرُوا۟ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيًّا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيرًا فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيبًا ۝٦

And test the orphans [in their abilities] until they reach marriageable age. Then if you perceive in them sound judgement, release their property to them. And do not consume it excessively and quickly, [anticipating] that they will grow up. And whoever, [when acting as guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee]; and whoever is poor - let him take according to what is acceptable. Then when you release their property to them, bring witnesses upon them. And sufficient is Allāh as Accountant.

Al-Ma’idah5:32

مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًۢا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحْيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ ۝٣٢

Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And Our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.

Al-An’am6:141

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَ جَنَّٰتٍ مَّعْرُوشَٰتٍ وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَٰتٍ وَٱلنَّخْلَ وَٱلزَّرْعَ مُخْتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُۥ وَٱلزَّيْتُونَ وَٱلرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَٰبِهًا وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَٰبِهٍ كُلُوا۟ مِن ثَمَرِهِۦٓ إِذَآ أَثْمَرَ وَءَاتُوا۟ حَقَّهُۥ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِۦ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ ۝١٤١

And He it is who causes gardens to grow, [both] trellised and untrellised, and palm trees and crops of different [kinds of] food and olives and pomegranates, similar and dissimilar. Eat of [each of] its fruit when it yields and give its due [zakāh] on the day of its harvest. And be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess.

Al-A’raf7:31

يَٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُوا۟ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ ۝٣١

O children of Adam, take your adornment [i.e., wear your clothing] at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.

Al-A’raf7:81

إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهْوَةً مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ مُّسْرِفُونَ ۝٨١

Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people."

Yunus10:12

وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ ٱلضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنۢبِهِۦٓ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَآئِمًا فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُۥ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَآ إِلَىٰ ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُۥ كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ۝١٢

And when affliction touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he continues [in disobedience] as if he had never called upon Us to [remove] an affliction that touched him. Thus is made pleasing to the transgressors that which they have been doing.

Yunus10:83

فَمَآ ءَامَنَ لِمُوسَىٰٓ إِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ عَلَىٰ خَوْفٍ مِّن فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَإِي۟هِمْ أَن يَفْتِنَهُمْ وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ ۝٨٣

But no one believed Moses, except [some] offspring [i.e., youths] among his people, for fear of Pharaoh and his establishment that they would persecute them. And indeed, Pharaoh was haughty within the land, and indeed, he was of the transgressors.

Al-Isra17:26

وَءَاتِ ذَا ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلْمِسْكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا ۝٢٦

And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully.

Al-Isra17:29

وَلَا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ ٱلْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُورًا ۝٢٩

And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.

Al-Isra17:33

وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِۦ سُلْطَٰنًا فَلَا يُسْرِف فِّى ٱلْقَتْلِ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مَنصُورًا ۝٣٣

And do not kill the soul [i.e., person] which Allāh has forbidden, except by right. And whoever is killed unjustly - We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in [the matter of] taking life. Indeed, he has been supported [by the law].

Taha20:127

وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى مَنْ أَسْرَفَ وَلَمْ يُؤْمِنۢ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَشَدُّ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ ۝١٢٧

And thus do We recompense he who transgressed and did not believe in the signs of his Lord. And the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and more enduring.

Al-Anbya21:9

ثُمَّ صَدَقْنَٰهُمُ ٱلْوَعْدَ فَأَنجَيْنَٰهُمْ وَمَن نَّشَآءُ وَأَهْلَكْنَا ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ ۝٩

Then We fulfilled for them the promise, and We saved them and whom We willed and destroyed the transgressors.

Al-Furqan25:67

وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا۟ وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا ۝٦٧

And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate

Ya-Sin36:18

قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا تَطَيَّرْنَا بِكُمْ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهُوا۟ لَنَرْجُمَنَّكُمْ وَلَيَمَسَّنَّكُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ۝١٨

They said, "Indeed, we consider you a bad omen. If you do not desist, we will surely stone you, and there will surely touch you, from us, a painful punishment."

Ya-Sin36:19

قَالُوا۟ طَٰٓئِرُكُم مَّعَكُمْ أَئِن ذُكِّرْتُم بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ مُّسْرِفُونَ ۝١٩

They said, "Your omen [i.e., fate] is with yourselves. Is it because you were reminded? Rather, you are a transgressing people."

In the Sunnah

Hadiths that quote these verses, with their grade of authenticity.

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 2765

The following Verse:-- "If a guardian is well-off, let him claim no remuneration (i.e. wages), but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable." (4.6) was revealed in connection with the guardian of an orphan, and it means that if he is poor he can have for himself (from the…

أُنْزِلَتْ فِي وَالِي الْيَتِيمِ أَنْ يُصِيبَ مِنْ مَالِهِ إِذَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجًا بِقَدْرِ مَالِهِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 2 other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 3019b

" He who is rich should abstain, and he who is poor may reasonably eat (out of it)" that this was revealed in relation to the guardian of an orphan who is poor; he may get out of that what is reasonable keeping in view his own status of solvency.

أُنْزِلَتْ فِي وَلِيِّ الْيَتِيمِ أَنْ يُصِيبَ مِنْ مَالِهِ إِذَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجًا بِقَدْرِ مَالِهِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 2 other versions

Authentic Sahih Muslim 3028

During the pre-Islamic days women circumambulated the Ka'ba nakedly, and said: Who would provide cloth to cover the one who is circumambulating the Ka'ba so that she would cover her private parts? And then she would say: Today will be exposed the whole or the part and what is exposed I shall not…

كَانَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ تَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ وَهِيَ عُرْيَانَةٌ فَتَقُولُ مَنْ يُعِيرُنِي تِطْوَافًا تَجْعَلُهُ عَلَى فَرْجِهَا وَتَقُولُ الْيَوْمَ يَبْدُو بَعْضُهُ أَوْ كُلُّهُ فَمَا بَدَا مِنْهُ فَلاَ أُحِلُّهُ فَنَزَلَتْ…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 1 other version

Authentic Sunan an-Nasa'i 2956

"Women used to circumambulate the Kabah naked, saying: 'Today some, or all of it will appear And whatever appers I don't make is permissible.' Then the following was revealed: 'O Children of Adam! Take your adornment to every Masjid.'"

كَانَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ تَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ وَهِيَ عُرْيَانَةٌ تَقُولُ الْيَوْمَ يَبْدُو بَعْضُهُ أَوْ كُلُّهُ وَمَا بَدَا مِنْهُ فَلاَ أُحِلُّهُ قَالَ فَنَزَلَتْ ‏‏{‏ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 1 other version

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 4575

regarding the Statement of Allah: "And whoever amongst the guardian is rich, he should take no wages, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable (according to his work). This Verse was revealed regarding the orphan's property. If the guardian is poor, he can take from…

أَنَّهَا نَزَلَتْ فِي مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ إِذَا كَانَ فَقِيرًا، أَنَّهُ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ مَكَانَ قِيَامِهِ عَلَيْهِ، بِمَعْرُوفٍ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

Authentic Sahih Muslim 3019a

" And whoever is poor let him take reasonably (out of it)" that it was revealed in connection with the custodian of the property of an orphan, who is in charge of her and looks after her; In case he is poor, he is allowed to eat out of that.

أُنْزِلَتْ فِي وَالِي مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ الَّذِي يَقُومُ عَلَيْهِ وَيُصْلِحُهُ إِذَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجًا أَنْ يَأْكُلَ مِنْهُ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah

The root س ر ف in the Quran · All topics · Search “Extravagance and waste” in the Quran

Verses gathered from a human-made thematic index of the Quran; the introduction summarises its subtopics. For a legal opinion, consult a scholar.

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 2 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ