Preparing trousseau long before marriage
9-1-2017 | IslamWeb
Question:
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu, Shaykh. If a woman keeps a collection of clothes, jewellery, and other items in order to use them when she gets married, is that wrong? If she dies before using those things (never gets married), will she be sinful and will she be asked about that Na'eem (pleasure)? ("Na'eem," as mentioned in Surah At-Takaathur). I have kept things, and I am trying to sell other things. I am confused and unable to decide. Is it better to not keep these things and only buy them once marriage happens? Please advice, Shaykh. May Allaah reward you.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
There is no harm if the woman keeps what she needs of clothes, jewelry, or other things (i.e. her trousseau) without exceeding the limit of extravagance and squandering, and she bears no sin for that if she passed away before using them. ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to sell the dates of Banu An-Nadheer and keep for his family what would cover their needs for a year. [Al-Bukhari]
Ibn Muflih 
wrote:
"Ibn Al-Jawzi said in his book Kashf Al-Mushkil fima fi As-Saheehayn, 'It is deduced from this hadeeth that it is permissible to store the supplies of one year, and this is not considered having hopes of a long life because it is praiseworthy according to sound reason as well as the Sharia to make preparations for one's needs. Shu‘ayb (Jethro) hired Moosa (Moses), may Allah exalt their mention, to work for him (for eight years). This refutes the false claims of the ignorant pretenders of being aascetic (who claim that this affects asceticism)...'" [Al-Aadaab Ash-Shar‘iyyah]
Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {Then you will surely be asked that Day about An-Na'eem (pleasure).} [Quran 102:8] The scholars held different views about the pleasure (Na'eem) about which people would be asked and whether the disbelievers would be the ones who shall be asked or whether the believers would be asked as well.
Al-Qurtubi wrote, "The term (Na'eem) is general and includes all the pleasures. It was narrated from Al-Qushayri that all people shall be asked; however, the disbelievers shall be asked as a reproach for their failure to express gratitude, whereas the believers shall be asked as an honoring gesture because they expressed gratitude."
Allah knows best.