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Sunday 20 October 2024

Divine caution for the Niggards

No two human beings are born equal, whether is physical appearance or gifted with adequate means of sustenance. For those who have been blessed with countless Divine bounties are Divinely expected to help the poor and the have Nots. Likewise the Have Nots are expected to bear the Divine test of hunger and live on meagre means of sustenance, yet keep their hands tied up and not begging or resorting to illegal means of getting money. If this system works as per Divine dictates, everyone would be contended and living happily. But this does not happen, specially in case of the rich who keep their coffers closed and continue to amass more and more money.  

Such miser and niggards are the subject of 180th verse Surah 3. Al-i'Imran and being discussed in this post:

وَلَا يَحۡسَبَنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ يَبۡخَلُوۡنَ بِمَاۤ اٰتٰٮهُمُ اللّٰهُ مِنۡ فَضۡلِهٖ هُوَ خَيۡـرًا لَّهُمۡ​ؕ بَلۡ هُوَ شَرٌّ لَّهُمۡ​ؕ سَيُطَوَّقُوۡنَ مَا بَخِلُوۡا بِهٖ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيٰمَةِ ​ؕ وَ لِلّٰهِ مِيۡرَاثُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ خَبِيۡرٌ
(3:180) Those who are niggardly about what Allah has granted them out of His bounty think that niggardliness is good for them; it is bad for them. What they were niggardly about will turn into a halter round their necks on the Day of Resurrection. To Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is well aware of what you do.

This verse applies to any people who refuse to come forward to support God’s message with that which God has bestowed on them of His bounty. They may think that their niggardliness serves their interests by protecting their wealth, keeping it in their hands, rather than spend it for a good purpose. It emphasizes:
  • Condemnation of Greed and Hoarding: The verse speaks to those who hoard wealth, thinking it benefits them. Allah warns that this attitude is actually detrimental and harmful.
  • Consequences in the Hereafter: The wealth they withheld will become a source of punishment. The phrase "Their necks will be encircled by what they withheld" indicates that their greed and miserliness will become a burden and cause them suffering in the Hereafter.
  • Reminder of Allah’s Sovereignty: The verse reminds that ultimately, everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah. What people have is a temporary gift from Allah, and it should be used in ways that earn His pleasure.
Related Hadiths
There are several hadiths that align with and emphasize the warning given in this verse:
  • Hadith on Withholding Zakat: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever is made wealthy by Allah and does not pay the zakat of his wealth, then on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be made like a bald-headed poisonous snake with two black spots over the eyes. The snake will encircle his neck and bite his cheeks and say, 'I am your wealth, I am your treasure.'" (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

This hadith directly parallels the message of the verse, showing that those who withhold the obligatory charity (zakat) will face severe consequences, and their wealth will become a source of torment in the Hereafter.
  • Hadith on Generosity and Wealth: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also said:
"Wealth is not diminished by giving in charity." (Sahih Muslim)

This hadith complements the verse by reminding believers that giving does not reduce one's wealth; rather, it is a means of purification and blessing. Unlike those who hoard wealth, those who spend it in the way of Allah are actually securing their reward in the Hereafter.

You may also like to understand the Concept of Charity in Islam from our Reference page: Selected verses from Qur'an on importance of charity in Islam.

An eminent scholar and exegete of Qur'an Yusuf Ali Explains:
By an apt metaphor the miser is told that his wealth or the other gifts which he hoarded will cling round his neck and do him no good. He will wish he could get rid of them, but he will not be able to do so. According to the Biblical phrase in another connection they will hang like a millstone round his neck (Matt. xviii. 6). The metaphor here is fuller. He hugged his wealth or his gifts about him. They will become like a heavy collar, the badge of slavery, round his neck. They will be tied tight and twisted, and they will give him pain and anguish instead of pleasure. Cf. also xvii. 13.

Another metaphor is now introduced. Material wealth or property is only called ours during our short life here. So all gifts are ours in trust only; they ultimately revert to Allah, to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens or on earth.

Lessons and Implications
  • Warning Against Misuse of Wealth: The verse and hadiths collectively warn against greed, miserliness, and withholding wealth, especially when it comes to obligatory acts like zakat.
  • Encouragement of Generosity: Allah encourages generosity, and those who are generous will find their reward with Him. Miserliness, on the other hand, brings harm both in this world and in the Hereafter.
  • Accountability: The verse and hadith emphasize that everything people possess is a trust from Allah, and they will be accountable for how they use or misuse it.
In summary, Surah Al-Imran (3:180), in light of hadith, teaches that hoarding wealth and refusing to spend for the sake of Allah is harmful, and those who do so will face punishment. It encourages believers to be generous and fulfill their obligations, knowing that Allah is fully aware of their actions and will reward or punish accordingly.

We should remember that everything shall ultimately return to Allah as His inheritance because it really belongs to Him. Whatever is in the possession of any of His creatures is a temporary trust. Everyone in every case shall be dis-possessed of the property and wealth that he calls his own during the short life here and that shall ultimately return to our Creator, the real Owner. Therefore the wise one is he who generously spends Allah's property in Allah's way and the foolish one is he who tries to hoard it.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎)  help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may like to read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Ref Page: Divine Court Rules

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'anYou may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Photo | Resource References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4Input has also been taken from ChatGPT for expanding the meaning of the verse

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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