Part 4

q NOW THAT WITHHOLDING MONEY is not con- | sidered stinginess as a person may wish to save for his needs, future tribulations, or for his children and relatives. This is actually considered being economical, and as such it cannot be dispraised. Further, some people may find themselves strengthened by saving their wealth. Rather the word ‘stingy’ is used to desctibe someone who does not give the obligatory rights from his wealth. Ibn ‘Umar said, “Whoever gives [obligatory] alms is not stingy.” Also, a person who does not give what would benefit people though doing so would not affect him or would barely affect him in any way is considered stingy.

The Prophet (38) said, “What disease is as incurable as

Aba Muhammad al-Ramharmazi said, “Stinginess resembles a ' Reproted by al-Hakim in a/Mustadrak [3:219, 4.163-164], al-Bukhari in alAdab al-Mufrad 296, ‘Abdul-Razzaq in his Mussanaf 20705, al-Tabarani in his

Jaftir 10:104, Ahmad 3:307-308 narrated by Jabir ibn-‘Abdullah, May Allah be pleased with them.

disease because it spoils people, casts away honor and brings about revilement. It also weakens the body, extinguishes one’s desire and changes one’s color.”

Wise people used to say, “A generous man is free because he owns his money, while a stingy man does not deserve to be called free because his money owns him.”

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amt (radiyAllaby ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (38) said, “Be cautious of parsimony, for it has destroyed those who lived before you. It ordered them to sever the ties of kinship and they did, it ordered them to be stingy and they became stingy, it ordered them to indulge in dissoluteness and they did.”*

He also said, “Two traits are not combined in a believer; stinginess and bad morals.”

? Reported by Ahmad [2:160,195], Aba Dawid 1698 ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allah (38) delivered a sermon in which he said, “Be cautious of miserliness, for it has destroyed those who lived before you. It has ordered them to be stingy, they became stingy, it ordered them to severe kinship ties and they did, and it ordered them to indulge in dissoluteness and they did.” Al-Khattabi said, “Miserliness is more general than stinginess, because parsimony is a hypernym and is equivalent to a genus, stinginess is a hyponym and is equivalent to a species.” And most of what is said about stinginess is in individual and special cases, while miserliness is a general word and itis like a trait that is immanent, because of its inherent nature.

Some said stinginess is to withhold money while miserliness is to withhold money and kindness.

What is meant be fiir (dissoluteness) here is lying. The origin of this word means to incline from truthfulness and it is said to the liar 'he has dissoluted (fajar) i.e. inclined from truthfulness.

Al-Khattabi said, “Miserliness is more specific than stinginess, because miserliness is a hyponym and is equivalent to a genus while stinginess is a hypernym and is equivalent to the species.”

Some said, “Stinginess is to withhold money while miserliness is to withhold money, as well as kindness.”

Bishr al-Hafi said, “Meeting stingy people is anguish to the hearts of the believers.”

The cure for stinginess is to contemplate, as one will then realise that poor people are also one’s brothers, he is favored over them [with wealth] and that they were made in need of him; therefore one should thank the One Who blessed him by consoling his brethren. One should also reflect on the honor of generosity; for people should know that you enslave free people when you do them a favor and that evil people will ravage your state when you are stingy. Such a person should be certain that everything will remain in his hands obnoxiously. Therefore it would be better to leave it before it leaves him (he should give his money in good causes, before it is taken away from him).

QUANDERING IS ONE OF THE THINGS that Hawa commands and the mind prohibits. The best discipline regarding this is the discipline of Allah, Exalted is He, Who

Wseasen Ty “But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift.”

Know that a person might be given the sustenance of one whole month in one day, but if he spends it wastefully he will suffer for the rest of the month but if he is wise, in how he spends it, he will live happily for the rest of the month.

The cure of this disease lies in reflecting on the consequences of one’s actions and being cautious of the future possibility [of need] and poverty for this shall ensure the restraint of one’s hand from spending wastefully.

Elucidation on the Amount of Earnings and Expenditure

than what he actually needs, and he should keep some

savings aside to recompense for his loss lest a misfortune occur. Further, in the event that he is unable to work and earna living, due to some problem preventing him from doing so, his savings should be enough for him to use for the rest of his life. That said, if his wife gives birth to a child, or if he wants to marry another wife, or if he needs a servant, or if his child requires money then his earnings should suffice him. In general, expenditure should be less than earnings, so that one can set aside wealth for any misfortune that might occur, for this is what the mind; that reflects on consequences, commands, and what Hawa; that observes only the present state, is not concerned with.

T HE EARNINGS OF A WISE PERSON should be more

It has been reported that Abw’l-Darda’ said, “From the deep understanding of a man is the precognition of his life.”'

' Reported by Abi Nu‘aym in a/-Hihwzh (1:211] narrated by Abi’l-Darda’ as Mawaif.

calls to. This is because the human being, with his love

of leadership and authority, prefers to be the informant and the teacher because he knows the excellence of the informant over the informed.

T HIS IS ONE OF THE CONTINGENCIES that Hawa

The cure of this disease is to know Allah’s punishment for a liar and to be certain that when a person continuously lies he will eventually be exposed one day, then he will be disrespected in such a way that cannot be averted; his shame will increase, earn people’s disrespect to the extent that they will not believe him even when he is truthful, and their distrust will exceed beyond what he lied about.

“Abdullah (radiyAllahu ‘anbu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (38) said, “A man keeps telling lies and endeavors in telling them until he is written a liar with Allah.” '

‘ Reported by Muslim in the Book a/-Birr wa’l-Silah (Virtues, Good Manners and Preserving the Ties of Kinship) hadith 105.

Ibn Mas‘tid (radiyAMabu ‘anhn) said: “All traits are inherent in a believer except betrayal and lying.”

2 al-Shifa [1:25], al-Itbdf (7:518] Al-Bayhagi weakened the raf‘ of this hadith and al-Darqutni said that the degree of Mawqaf is more correct.

who is envied be removed, even if the one who envies

does not receive the same blessing. The reason for this disease is the love of distinction and the hatred of being equal to everyone else. This is why when someone is blessed with a grace that makes him distinct from everyone else the envious person is pained because of that distinction or because that person became equal to him. This pain will only disappear when the blessing of the one who is envied is removed. It is rare to find anyone safe from possessing some amount of envy in his heart, which is something that a person is not sinful for possessing but rather sin is only earned upon wishing for the removal of the blessings bestowed upon his Muslim brethren.

NVY IS TO WISH THAT THE BLESSING of the one

Know that envy causes insomnia, malnutrition, paleness, mood swings and continuous depression. A one hundred and twenty year old nomad was asked, “What made you live so long?” He answered, “I let go of envy, so I lived a long life.”

Know that envy only occurs in regards to worldly matters as

you will not find people envying those who pray at night or those who frequently fast, neither do they envy scholars for their knowledge rather they envy those who have fame.

The cure for this disease is to know first that what Allah has predestined will happen, trying to change what is predestined is impossible, the One who divided the sustenance between people is Judicious and Wise, He is the Possessor; He gives and He takes, for He created the universe and all that it contains.

It is as if the one who envies opposes the will of the Giver, may He be exalted. A wise man said:

‘Say to the one who envies me, ‘Do you know who you are misbehaving against?” You are misbehaving against Allah in what He gave because you are not pleased with what He gave me So He recompensed me for what you did and that is by increasing me (in my blessings) and shutting the doors of earning (a livelihood) in your face.’

Also the one who is envied did not take from the livelihood of the one who envied him nor did he take anything from his hand. Therefore, when an envier wishes someone’s blessing be removed it is merely an obvious injustice.

The one who envies should look to the state of the one he envies; if what he has is from worldly matters only, then he should rightfully be pitied and not envied, because what he possesses is probably against him not for him, for the surplus of worldly matters is nothing other than trouble.

‘The boy mentioned his life and his need while the surplus of livelihood is nothing but trouble.’

The explanation of all this is; one who is rich is always afraid for his money, the one who has many slave girls is always cautious and concerned about them, a ruler is always afraid of being dismissed. Then one should know that there is depression in many favors, those favors are temporary, and that misfortunes follow them. For the possessor of a favour is always waiting for it to end or for himself to leave it. He should also be certain that envied blessings and favors are not as important and valued to the one envied, as it is to the one who envies, for people think that those who hold important positions are the happiest while, in fact, they are not aware that a person aspites to something but when he has it, he loses his interest in it for he aspires to what is higher than he possesses whilst the one who envies him still covetously views what he envies.