Abstract:

It is observed that the act of "consumption", which is in a functional differentiation, has become a communication tool in the modern age, has been the subject of sociological and psychological studies, and may has been defined as a disease. This situation brings forward the concept of need, which can be described as the main driving force behind the consumption, and makes the meaning formed by the “need” in human minds significant. Besides its lexical meanings such as strong desire and requirement, it also means everything that is necessary for the continuation of life. Today, it can be said that the concept has experienced a semantic shift/expansion. The possibility of evaluating expensive cars, luxury houses and ostentatious lifestyles, which can be considered within the concept of taḥsīnīyyāt (amendatory) in classical thought, in the phenomenon of need has become debatable today. In the capital system, where consumption is strongly supported, the issue of what is needed appears as a Fiqh problem. It is a fact that many people go beyond the realm of real need and turn incline to commodities that they will never use to attain instant pleasure and happiness. It can be determined that the industrial revolution and the advancement of the production means have played a significant role in this semantic shift. Shopping, which was made to meet real needs in the past, has also begun to be used for creating an image and determining status recently. In today's world, where the concept of need has changed in the abundance of consumption and imaginary needs have been created, it is seen that many individuals turn shopping into a means of relaxation and temporary happiness. In addition, various advertisements present that the key to the individual's participation in or belonging to a group as the shopping from certain brands. With the advancement of technology, the need for manufacturing workers has decreased and hence most of the people have the opportunity to consume directly without the hassle of production. Undoubtedly, this situation has led mankind to undergo a mental evolution, and this evolution has contributed to turning many people away from their natural selves into endless pleasure machines. Both external effects and internal reasons have a significant role in this transformation. The most spectacular one is that sales organizations constantly make people feel that there is a need of buying something and urge them to purchase. At this point, the impact of manipulative advertisements is undeniable. The biggest trump card of the companies on the supply line in the economic system of our age is that they have opened a market to almost the whole world by taking advantage of the internet environment. A person can purchase any products he/she wants by making a few transactions on his/her phone at any time, twenty-four hours a day. As a result of motivation, the masses who do not want to miss the "consumption trend" can purchase goods that they will never actually use and can bliss the pure act of spending. Thus, it is paved the way for the emergence of a global waste, and it is posed a risk of a consumption society in which human values are lost. It can be said that unplanned expenditures put the society under a great financial burden and cause both economic problems and psychological distress to increase. In this study, a criticism has been voiced to the situation of today's consumer society within the scope of the principles found in Islamic culture. In the study, the basic concepts have been discussed, the factors in the said change have been emphasized, and determinations have been made on the ground of the basic sources and historical context of Islamic law.

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