you don’t need more stuff
but really, on spiritual practice as an antithesis to consumption (which is a less catchy title)
Don’t get me wrong - I love the stuff. While everyone was leaning into minimalism, purging their wardrobes, clearing their homes (a la Kondo), I staunchly accepted that I was a maximalist. Get rid? The books, the clothes, the cameras, the art supplies, the textiles. I leant all the way in. I love the mall! I could not understand people who said they didn’t like shopping (said people live with me) When I am saddled with an unenthusiastic shopper, I regret them joining me and return back alone.
For some self-protective context, I love design, fashion and textiles. I learned to sew simple stitches at a young age, and again, on a machine, a few years ago. From simple flat beginnings to miraculous wearable garments, going on a field trip through your life… I have a deep appreciation for clothing. I beg my friends to borrow pieces so they can live on and exist in the world, outside my closet. And also rationalize some of the steep costs.
I’ve got you, haven’t I? You’ve bought this explanation? Even if you don’t agree, it’s easy for me to rationalize all of the above. You almost didn’t counteract me that there are other reasons for buying clothing or ‘stuff’ too - self soothing, a coping response to stress, vanity, self-image, outside image, acceptance, societal pressure, rigorous consumer advertising, planned obsolescence of products (yeah, that shirt you have that disintegrated in two washes). I think about these things once a month. There is a level of disconnect necessary to be a human being, leaning into the consumption cycle without question.. To ignore what you feel and know, about poor labour practices, capitalist greed, and consumerism. I limited purchasing from fast fashion brands after learning some information.. but there is more to all this.
And like with most things I struggle with, I decided to lean into my spiritual practice to guide these reflections, and the brewing discontent. Is it so horrible to wake up?
Islam is rooted in justice and rooting out oppression, whether external or within ourselves.. doesn’t that apply to how and why I shop? Thinking about it sucks but the alternative (a slick layer of moral decay and apathy) is worse.
I often think about the hadith, verified saying, of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who instructed, “Give the worker his wages before his sweat dries". This level of care and worker’s rights does not exist in the modern world, with its bi-weekly, even monthly paychecks.. the sweat has dried and gone! I have new sweat on me!
But looking past the work itself, what of the actual wages (cough, lack of) being paid for our clothes to be made? It’s important to state plainly that all clothing is hand-made, at some point in the process. Even with all the modern inventions and machinations, from the Industrial Revolution to manufacturers in 2024, there is no production of clothing that can be done without human labour. It may be streamlined for efficiency (which translates to cutting costs) but it is real people that are cutting and creating patterns, finishing seams and hemming, running industrial sewing machines, feeding fabrics, sewing on buttons and zippers, and more. In addition to poorer fabric composition, the cost of clothing is predominantly lowered by undercutting wages, through use of factories in the global south.
The conversation moves from sweat drying to what wages at all…. if workers even survive (or in the case of Foxconn electronics manufacturers in China where there was a string of suicides, if workers don’t kill themselves). 1,134 people died in the 2013 collapse of Rana plaza in Bangladesh, garment workers working for Zara, Mango, and other stores. It was all over the news. Sure, there was a supposed up haul of the system and labour practices improved but until the past few years, had I ever googled to make sure what garment factories my clothes were made in?
I like getting paid for my work, I like working in a safe environment and I like for others what I like for myself.. Following this logical progression, I would like for others to get paid for their work in a safe environment. So why didn’t I think twice when I bought a cheap basic shirt before a trip? Why is it a flex to buy an article of clothing for $20?
Looking past production and manufacturing, capitalism implores us to look away while begging for our attention, ensuring we are commodities for not just labour, but profit. Look here, no, not there, yes, over here! Don’t pay attention to our wages and union busting (look at Indigo’s shut down of a Scarborough location after workers unionized)(You shall not take each others' money illicitly, nor shall you bribe the officials to deprive others of some of their rights illicitly, while you know. [Quran 2:188] ), pay no mind to environmental degradation (more than 66,000 tons of clothing are in Chile's Atacama Desert landfill)“(But waste not by excess: for Allah loves not the wasters” [Quran 6:141], it’s too complicated for you to learn about our investments and leadership structures (simple info-graphics were enough information sharing to see what companies invested in weapons manufacturing for Israel)(Prophet: “Do not cause harm nor return harm.”), just buy that dress and post a picture of it! You can even just wear it once! It’s probably better that you do.
There is a certain level of disconnect coupled with self-obsession needed to constantly consume. I say this, kindly, to myself first. In the words of Jemima Kirke (I never thought I’d reference her, but here we are):
In addition to thinking about others more, on the flip side, maybe let’s think about ourselves less?
If I get the thing then… I need this for… When I buy this, I will… It’s rooted in a place of lack and a dismissal of the present self’s authentic needs. There is always a future self that needs the thing. This isn’t a surprise - advertisers, influencers (like I said, advertisers) are paid millions to convince you there’s just one more thing you need to be better, brighter, more suitable, more beautiful, more worthy. Going even farther, they’ve flipped it so we’re all fighting to be marketed to. Look, see yourself here, there’s a black girl or guy on the poster! I fall for it.
It’s a distraction from the very tenants of spiritual practice in Islam that implore you to be grateful (“…Anyone who is grateful does so to the profit of his own soul…), count your blessings (“… And if you should count the favours of Allah, you could not enumerate them.” (14:34).
Where consumption is isolating (by design), gratitude is connective - it asks of you to be in relation to both your past and present self, others, and God. It asks of you to feel real emotions rather than numbing them, opening you up to your own humanity (and reality). Remembrance of Him helps to recognize and witness yourself as you are, how you were created. To the profit of your own soul…
Five times a day in prayer is the ask, “peace be on us”, through detachment from the physical world. When I’m honest with myself, peace does not lie at the end of my SSENSE wishlist!
“O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that – then those are the losers. [Quran 63:9]”
I can’t go down as a loser! and it’s not over until it’s over!
I don’t have prescriptions or tips. It’s clear this call is coming from deep.. deep.. deep inside my bulging closets. The only call I’ll make is to ask you to interrogate where your consumption delineates from your spiritual practice or values, whatever that is. Can the two be integrated? If not perfectly, then imperfectly? Through small increments and choices? It’s not all or nothing. Take pause, ask yourself the questions - go from there.
