Al-Hadid (The Iron)

24. Those who are misers and enjoin people to miserliness. And whosoever turns away from expending in His Cause and giving loans, then Allah is Rich, Worthy of all praise.

The blessed Verse in question elaborates on the aforesaid points and depicts the vain arrogant, saying:

"Those who are misers and enjoin people to miserliness."

Severe attachment to mundane possessions requires arrogance and vanity which in turn require miserliness and enjoining others to the same. Such people are miserly since they regard mundane possessions as the means of arrogance and vanity.

They do not intend to lose them. But enjoining others to miserliness is owing to the fact that if others happen to be generous, they will be disgraced. Secondly, since they favor miserliness, they enjoin something by which they are enamored. God Almighty emphatically enjoins others to expend in His Cause and refrain from miserliness. Such encouragement does not stem from the need of His Pure Essence.

The blessed Verse ends by saying:

"And whosoever turns away from expending in His Cause and giving loans, then Allah is Rich, Worthy of all praise."

He is needless but all need Him, since He is the Origin of all things. He is also Worthy of all praise, since He encompasses all Perfect Attributes.

Although

"miserliness"

(bukhl) mainly reflects miserliness in expending possessions, but the semantic range is broader such that it includes miserliness in imparting knowledge, acting upon obligations, and the like.

In this vein, mention will be made of some traditions.

Imam ‘Ali (as) said:

"Do not consult with the miserly."1

Once circumambulating at night, Imam Sadiq (as) thus invoked God Almighty:

"O Lord! Keep me from miserliness."2

The Noble Prophet (S) said:

"The true miser is one who hears my name but refrains from saluting me."3

The Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as) said:

"Glancing at the miserly and associating with them hardens man's heart."4

Imam ‘Ali (as) said:

"Miserliness is the attire of poverty and destitution."5

Imam ‘Ali (as) said:

The miserly are humiliated among their friends and beloved ones."6

Imam Sadiq (as) said:

"The best of you are your generous and chivalrous people and the worst of you are the miserly. Beneficence toward brethren and making efforts to meet their demands reflect pure faith."

Imam Ridha (as) said:

"The miserly are remote from God Almighty, Paradise, and people."7