The economics of a Muslim home are based upon a group of values and foundations that distinguish it from any other home; and these are: 


Faith that its wealth belongs to Allah The Almighty, and the members of the family are merely temporary trustees for it, Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made you successors.}[Quran 57:7]Faith that Allah The Exalted decreed that some people have more provision than others; Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {And Allah has favored some of you over others in provision.} [Quran 16:71] Favoring in provisions means in terms of the varying amounts designated to people, and does not mean that the rich are favored or are superior to those who are less in material wealth. Rather, superiority with Allah The Almighty is in terms of piety and righteous deeds. The poor have a great rank with Allah The Exalted when they are adorned with patience and contentment with what He has provided them. This does not mean that we should wish to become poor, for the Messenger of Allah, , said: "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty. (Allahumma inee a‘oothu bika min Al-kufr wal faqr.)”[Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i and Ahmad] Rather, we are requested to work and exert effort to earn so as not to be poor.Observance of the advice of the Messenger, , to not look longingly at those that are greater than us in provisions, for he, , said: "Look at those who are lower [in material wealth] than yourselves, and do not look at those who are above you; that is better suited for you such that you do not belittle the favor of Allah." [Muslim][Having only] lawfully-earned sustenance; Allah The Exalted Said (what means): {O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.} [Quran 2:172]; for Allah The Almighty is Good and does not accept other than what is good, as Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {O you who have believed, spend from the good things which you have earned}[Quran 2:267]. Also the Prophet, , said: "There is no flesh that has been nurtured from unlawfully earned sustenance except that the Hellfire is more deserving of it." [At-Tirmithi and Ahmad]. Lawfully earned sustenance is one of the means for one’s supplications being answered; the Prophet, , said: "…And he eats the forbidden [that is bought by unlawfully earned money]; and he drinks the forbidden; and he wears the forbidden; and he is fed with the forbidden; how then can he be answered [when he supplicates]?"[Muslim]The man's responsibility to provide the living expenditures. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth.} [Quran 4:34]. Expenditure is to be carried out within the limits of monetary capability, for Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Let a man of wealth spend from his wealth, and he whose provision is restricted – let him spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not charge a soul except [according to] what He has given it. Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease.}[Quran 65:7]. Also the Prophet, , said: "And he who spends [from what Allah gives him] on his wife, children, and household it is [counted for him as] charity." [At-Tabaraani]Moderation in spending and household management. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.}[Quran 17:29]


Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him said, "I dislike that the members of a household spend the provisions of days in one day."


A righteous woman once advised her daughter, saying, "Do not charge your husband except what he can manage, in accordance to his circumstances; and help to elevate him from being placed in a state causing him to be weak or to [suffer] hardship; for to carry huge rocks is easier than to carry debts."Realizing the difference between moderating expenditure and being stingy, and there is no doubt that the necessities of one era and those of another differ, and that the necessities of one home differ from that of another. It is important to take into account purchasing only what is necessary and will be used.Prioritizing expenditures according to earnings, considering first what is necessary followed by articles of luxury. It is obligatory to keep away from unlawful expenditures, and that includes spending on devices that cause diversion [from Thikr (mentioning and remembering Allah) and obeying the commands of Allah] and are unlawful; or to buy food or drinks that the Sharee‘ahhas prohibited from doing.Saving any surplus that remains of the basic needs, as this can be used afterwards, especially in times of need and hardship.Organizing the budget, and this means distributing the limited resources to the various needs. The objective behind organizing the budget is to get the most out of the available resources.


It is important to take note of the following during the organization of the budget:


ـFamily members should learn how to make decisions that are sound and wise and help them follow the best course to utilize available resources and potential; this can aid in accomplishing future objectives that they hope for and look forward to in their lives.


ـRelying on consultation between family members in order to manage the budget, under control, as far as possible. For all the members of the family to join together in planning the budget results in each of them gaining a moral incentive and determination to render the budget successful, as they all share in the duty of making it work.


ـ Organizing the process of home management and sound planning to render problem solving for any difficulty facing the family an easier task, and to balance between the duty of the individual towards the family, and the duty of the family towards the individual.


Any successful management process is comprised of five stages, and they are:


* Defining the target


* Planning


* Organizing


* Implementing


* Assessing.


This would happen together with consideration and commitment to the constituents of the management process, such as for example:For each member of the family to estimate the value of time and effort required to accomplish chores.Considering the ability of each individual family member.To take precautions for emergency situationsDefining resource volume and dividing the family resources into two categories, human resources and non-human resources.


Human resources would include: talents, capabilities, personal inclinations, energy levels, and preferences.


Non-human resources include: time, income, property, and community facilities.


There are factors that affect family resources, such as, for example: family living standards, family size, place of residence, the current phase through which the family is living, and so on.


Managing food consumption by following certain guidelines, such as:


ـ  Knowledge of the quality and cost of the various available food products.


ـ Knowledge of the basic supply alternatives, so that this can be made use of when certain goods are no longer available or their prices are raised.


ـ  Awareness so as to not be negatively influenced by commercials into buying products that are not necessary.


ـPurchasing the basic needs in the required quantities without excess.


ـ  Selecting the products that are appropriate to the family income and are available in wholesale stores that are close to the home.


Taking advantage of purchasing stock in the seasons where the prices are optimal; for example during tomato season quantities can be purchased and made into tomato paste for use at times when it is not readily available and prices soar.Cooking food in required quantities and avoiding waste; and limiting the variety of dishes cooked for one meal.


ـUsing leftovers rather than discarding them.


ـ Forms of avoiding food waste include thinly peeling fruits and vegetables so as not to discard a large portion with the skin.


When setting meals on the table, place only the required quantity of food; Islam informs us that even a mouthful of food is a blessing that should be preserved. The Prophet, , said: "If a morsel of food should fall from any of you, then remove any harm that might have stuck to it and eat it, and do not leave it for the devil; then, after one has finished [his meal], he should lick his fingers for he does not know where in his food there is blessing." [Muslim]


Using unbreakable kitchen utensils and keeping expensive china for special occasions.


Methods to Economize on Clothing:


ـ The housewife’s knowledge of sewing, clothes design, and embroidery aids in decreasing expenditure on ready-made clothes. This results in savings on a good portion of the budget.


ـ Purchasing materials that are leftover at bargain prices and selecting from them suitable color co-ordinations when designing children's clothes.


ـ Promptly mending small tears in clothes before they increase in size. Loose buttons should also be fixed so as to save the cost of purchasing a replacement.


ـ  Following proper methods for washing, ironing and drying clothes to preserve the clothes for the longest possible period of time.Taking care of children's clothes so that they can be used again by a younger child; to save on purchasing new clothes, taking into consideration the psychological and educational aspects related to this practice; and taking care that not all the younger child's clothes are those that were worn by elder siblings to avoid any negative feelings that may result such as feeling that the parents are favoring the elder child. Such feelings can result in jealousy and hatred between siblings. When giving a younger child his elder brother's clothes, he should be persuaded into accepting them with no hard feelings; this can be achieved by the continual fostering of love between the siblings and clarifying that there is no favoring of one over the other and that his elder sibling only gives him his clothes out of love.

Methods to Economize on Electrical Appliances:  

Allah The Exalted has bestowed knowledge upon humans and as a result of this knowledge there are modern inventions that have made chores easier, resulting in greatly reducing human exertion, thereby freeing up time for other things.


Therefore, electrical appliances should be maintained and well taken care of by reading the user instructions. Some of the general instructions for taking care of appliances include:


ـReading the appliance instruction manual.


ـ Keeping the appliance clean.Using the appliances correctly and without overuse.


The user instructions for some of appliances are as follows:


For the refrigerator: to maintain the refrigerator, the following instructions should be implemented:


ـ The refrigerator should be placed away from sources of heat, and there should be some space left between it and the wall.


ـFor the older, frost-forming refrigerator types, ice that forms in the freezer should be melted continuously without using a sharp knife so as not to pierce a hole in the fridge's pipes resulting in a refrigerant gas leak, thus requiring the cooling system to be changed.


ـAvoiding opening the fridge door frequently or leaving it open for a long time for whoever is using it. Therefore, it may be better to have a separate large water container placed outside it.Not to overfill the fridge with more than its capacity.During vacations, the fridge should be emptied, unplugged, and the door left open.Ensure that the inner rubber tubing around the fridge door closes properly, this can be examined by placing a sheet of thin paper between the door and the fridge every once in a while to check. If the door opens easily, this means that the tubing needs to be replaced.Adjusting the cooling level knob as required.If the refrigerator remains empty for one reason or another it should be switched off.To absorb refrigerator odors, place a box of natural coal [or baking soda] in the fridge.


The Washing Machine is an appliance that has saved much effort in washing clothes; therefore, it should be well taken care of by using it efficiently and considering the following:Checking to make sure that its electrical plugs are safe to use. When running the appliance on a wet surface, one should stand on something rubber or wooden that does not conduct electricity to avoid any electric shock.For older washing machines that are not automatic, it is necessary to empty the water from the washing machine, and the hose and basin rinsed from any traces of soap, and the washing machine should be returned to its original place.In the older type washing machines, it is not suitable to soak clothes for a long period of time to avoid salt and soap deposits causing inner wall corrosion; soak them instead in a separate washbowl.Use fresh warm water when washing.


The Dishwasher: It is important to note the following when caring for a dishwasher:Use pure and warm water.Remove any traces of burnt food from pots before placing them in the machine.Place cups and plates in the machine in such a way as to leave spaces between them and enable water to penetrate between the surfaces.Use the correct quantity of dishwashing detergent, taking care to use sufficient detergent to clean the dishes without using excess as too many suds may negatively affect the machine.


The Cooker and Water Heater: To maintain them, the following is important:Avoid the risks of dangerous accidents; any possibility of a gas leak should be totally precluded. Therefore, care should be taken when using the cooker, insuring that the gas piping is in proper condition and properly connected.Should the flame suddenly turn off, turn the gas knob off immediately, and do not ignite any other flame at that time, and ensure sufficient ventilation for the room.Clean the cooker inside and out, so that gas pores are not clogged with food, as well as for reasons of hygiene and maintaining a fresh room fragrance


The Meat Grinder: Take care of the following:For manual grinders, the different parts should be individually washed well with soap and water and dried. For automatic grinders, after disconnecting the appliance, only wash the food compartment. The remainder should be carefully wiped; taking care that the water does not come near the motor. To clean, first wipe with a cloth moistened with soap and warm water, then wipe again with water only.The grinder blade should be sharpened when it loses its sharpness. Care should be taken not to leave the machine running for too long for should the motor heat-up, this may cause it to burn.Take care not to grind pieces of bone and the like that may be present in the meat. To push meat through, use the accompanying utensil and do not use a wooden spoon so that it does not get stuck and ruin the machine.Use the grinder only for the purpose for which it was made.


The Dough Maker: take care to follow these guidelines:Add constituents in quantities that are within the appliance's capacity to process.Keep water away from the motor. It is sufficient to simply to wipe it clean with a moist cloth; to minimize yeast growth, it should be washed with soap.Do not leave the machine running for too long, so as not to ruin the motor.When using the dough maker, make sure that it is balanced and not tilted in one direction while it is running.


The Blender: A blender is very useful when juicing fruits and tomatoes. Caring for the appliance requires the following:Blades should be taken care of and carefully washed and dried.Wash only the food compartment and blades, the appliance body is to be wiped using a moist cloth to avoid any water from coming near the appliance motor and damaging it.Do not run the machine for too long so that the motor does not heat-up and burn.


Fans: Fans are often used in the summer, especially when the weather is very hot. To maintain and care for fans the following should be taken into consideration:Clean the outside surface with a soft damp cloth.The inner fan wings can be wiped when needed by carefully opening the fan case.The fan motor should never come into contact with water, for it would be damaged.The fan should be oiled once a year by a specialist technician.


The Air Conditioner: to care for the air conditioner:Do not cover the fans with anything that may impede air flow.Be sure thick solid wires are used, as well as high capacity electrical connectors that can bear the force of the electrical air suction of the appliance.Use a vacuum cleaner to clean any dust caught on its outer surface.Filters may require changing after some time according to the instructions that accompany the appliance.Should any peculiar sound be emitted from the air conditioner, immediately switch off the electrical current, and call a specialized technician to check it.


The Vacuum Cleaner: To maintain this appliance and use it for the longest possible time:Empty its dust bag whenever it becomes half full. For the bag type, disposable bags are more convenient and less clogging to the machine.Clean the filter often - using a soft brush and wipe the inner surface of the vacuum cleaner.Replace the hose when necessary.Lubricate the appliance at regular intervals.


The Iron: caring for an iron requires the following:Clean with a cloth dampened with soap and water, do not use any abrasive cleaners so as not to affect the smoothness of the iron's surface.Store the iron by wrapping its wire around it, and only after it has completely cooled down.Do not fill or empty the iron with water except after disconnecting it from the electric current.It is best to use clean distilled water when filling a steam iron so as to avoid salt precipitation that can result in impairing the appliance or reducing its water vapor production speed.When ironing, place the iron in a safe position to ensure it does not drop.Lubricate an old iron with Vaseline or wax to prevent the formation of rust when it is to be left without use for a long period of time. Fine sandpaper can be used to remove rust.


The Sewing Machine: An important machine that is recommended for every home. To maintain and care for it:Keep the machine covered in its casing when not in use. Oil the machine regularly with oil that is specific for sewing machines.Remove any excess oil or built-up dust particles, so that material will not become soiled while sewing.Use a suitable type of thread, and sew clothing in the direction of its grain to make sewing easier.Make sure the sewing machine foot peddle remains in a balanced position when applying pressure on it (if it is the [older] type without a motor); keeping the feet in a level position on the peddle; the right foot should be on the lower right corner of the peddle, and the left foot on the top left corner. When the machine is running with an electrical motor, use one peddle and discard the other.