Question Summary:
Is buying makeup, jewelery and nice clothes permissible and can I pray tarawih in sets of four?

Question Detail:

 
In Fatwa #18460, the person has asked if he must provide items such as mobile phones and laptops to his wife. Your answer states that it is the husbands duty to provide for the wife. My question is, are jewellery and makeup considered needs of the wife that the husband must pay for? My husband prefers saadgi, and Alhumdulillah we live very simply. But he likes me to adorn myself and I constantly wonder whether makeup, jewellery and nice clothes are considered israaf if they are bought at reasonable prices and in reasonable amounts, and ONLY for the husbands pleasure. Can I ask my husband to buy me such things?
Can I pray Taraweeh in 5 × 4 rakaats? 
Do you not interpret dreams anymore?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
1. Yes, it is permissible to buy nice clothes, jewelry and makeup provided it is done as an expression of Allah's blessings and not done for arrogance, showing off or for displaying to non-mahrams. The contents of the makeup should be of halal ingredients.
Since your husband prefers you to adorn yourself for him, you can request him to buy these things for you. Since deeds are based on intentions, a wife adorning herself for the sake of her husband is rewarded. Likewise, a husband's expenditure on his wife within reason is also rewarded. However, care should be taken that one does not spend money on things one cannot afford, nor becomes so preoccupied with them that they become the purpose of life.
2. Praying tarawih in sets of four while permissible would be going against the sunnah of praying it in sets of two and as such makruh tanzeehi (disliked). If one does offer it in sets of four, he should sit for tashahhud at the end of every two rakats as one normally does in a 4 rakat salah.[i] [ii]
3. We do not interpret dreams.
Sohail ibn Arif,
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
 
قوله وصحت بكراهة) أي صحت عن الكل. وتكره إن تعمد، وهذا هو الصحيح كما في الحلية عن النصاب) [i]
 وخزانة الفتاوى، خلافا لما في المنية من عدم الكراهة، فإنه لا يخفى ما فيه لمخالفته المتوارث مع تصريحهم بكراهة الزيادة على ثمان في مطلق التطوع ليلا فهنا أولى بحر
رد المحتار ٢/ ٤٥
 
فالأصح أنه إن تعمد ذلك كره" مقابله ما في منية المصلي من عدم الكراهة لأنه أكمل لزيادة المشقة ورد بأن" [ii]
 الكمال لا يحصل بمجرد المشقة ما لم يكن فيه اتباع السنة قوله: "وإذا لم يجلس إلا في آخر أربع الخ" أي آخر كل أربع فإذا جلس على آخر كل ركعتين تنوب عن تسليمتين على ما عليه العامة
حاشية الطحطاوي، ١/ ٤١٤