At-Tawba (The Repentance)

34. “O’ you who have Faith! Verily many of the rabbis and monks consume the properties of the people in vanity and bar (them) from Allah’s way. And those who treasure up gold and silver, and do not spend them in the way of Allah; inform them of a painful chastisement.”

The contents of the former verses were mostly upon the heathenish deeds of the Jews and Christians who believed in a kind of diety for their religious scholars.

This verse implies that not only they have not the rank of diety, but also they have not the eligibility of leading people. The best evidence for this idea is their committing different offenses. The Qur’ān addresses the Muslims and says:

“O’ you who have Faith! Verily many of the rabbis and monks consume the properties of the people in vanity and bar (them) from Allah’s way.

These rabbis and monks used to devour the people’s properties falsely in different forms and without having a lawful permission, as follows:

One of those forms was that they used to conceal some of the facts of the religion of Messiah (as) and Moses (as) in order that people would not convert to the new religion (Islam), which put their interests in danger and caused their presents to be ceased.

Another thing was that, by bribery from people, they invalidated the right and confirmed falsehood in place of right, and thus they judged falsely in benefit of the cruel and the strong.

One of other ways of gaining their unlawful incomes was that, under the name of ‘selling Paradise’ or ‘forgiving sins’, they took a great deal of money from people.

They used to bar people from Allah’s way by perverting the Divine revelations or concealing them in order to preserve their unlawful gains.

Fitting to the discussion of mammonism of the leaders of both the Jews and the Christians, the Qur’ān mentions a general law due to those who treasure up wealth. It states:

“…And those who treasure up gold and silver, and do not spend them in the way of Allah; inform them of a painful chastisement.”

The abovementioned holy verse has clearly prohibited treasuring up wealth, and commands Muslims to utilize their properties actively in the way of Allah and in a profitable path for Allah’s servants. They should severely avoid treasuring and storing them in a corner so that their wealth would not be applied in the current bargains; otherwise, they must wait for a painful punishment.

This painful punishment is not only the violent retribution of the Resurrection Day, but also it encompasses the hard chastisements of this world which comes forth as a result of disturbing the economical harmony of the society and causing a larger gap between the rich and the poor.

How much of Wealth Is Counted Treasure?

According to many traditions, that which is obligatory to be paid is yearly alms tax, not other than that. Thus, if a person obtains some considerable wealth and regularly pays its Islamic tax, i.e. alms and also its one fifth levy, (khoms), the one will not be included of the meaning of the verse under discussion.

A tradition narrated from the Prophet (S) indicates that when this verse was revealed the circumstance became difficult for the Muslims. They said that by this command none of them could keep anything for the future of their children. Finally, they asked the matter from the Prophet (S), and he said:

“Allah has not enjoined alms-tax save for that the rest of your properties becomes pure for you. So, the law of heritage has been legislated upon the properties which remain after you.”

This statement means that if treasuring up wealth were absolutely prohibited, the law of heritage would be meaningless.

Considering the totality of the concerning traditions upon this subject and together with the holy verse itself, it is understood that in ordinary conditions, viz. at periods that society is not in an unpleasant or dangerous circumstance and people enjoy an ordinary life, paying alms tax is usually sufficient for the poor and the remaining wealth of such people is not counted ‘treasure’.

But at the time of extraordinary conditions, and when it requires that the interests of the Islamic society to be protected, the Islamic government can assign some limitations for treasuring up wealth, or may demand all the stored properties of people to protect the existence of the Islamic society.

Traditions upon Alms

Imam Sādiq (as) said:

“Allah has given you these extra properties in order that you spend them alongside His pleasure, not to hoard up and treasure it up.”1

The Holy Prophet (S) said:

“Allah has enjoined Alms in the wealth of the rich Muslims as much as to sufficient the poor. Verily Allah will severely reckon and punish them if they do not fulfil their duty.”2

According to some traditions, when the Expected Mahdi (May Allah hasten his glad advent) reappears, he will control treasures in order to use them all for the miserable people and his religious strives.¹

Abu Dharr and This Verse

To make a protest against the manner of Mu‘āwiyah, ‘Uthmān, and the authorities of the government in gathering and treasuring up gold and silver, Abu Dharr, who was one of the close companions of the Prophet (S), repeatedly recited this verse aloud before Mu‘āwiyah and then in front of ‘Uthmān every morning and evening.

He said that this verse was not allocated only to those who hinder Alms tax, but it encompasses everyone who treasures up wealth.

One of the excellencies of Abu Dharr in his life was that when confronting the governers of his time he used to enjoin right and forbid wrong concerning their vain expenses. His conflict with ‘Uthmān was not due to his wealth and position, but it was a protest to a social indecency ‘Uthman was committing.

Abu Dharr was frequently exiled because he opposed the wrong style of the government of his time and shouted against the financial method of ‘Uthman, Mu‘āwiyah’s treasuring up unlawful properties, and justifications of Ka‘b-ul-’Akhbār.

The details of this meaning are found in the history books of both great sects of Muslims, including: Al-Qadir, vol. 8, p.335 ; Al-Minār, the commentary, vol. 10; Tafsir-i-Nūr,vol. 5, p. 46, and so on.

Explanations

1. Not all the scholars and clergies are wicked. The holy verse says:

“O’ you who have Faith! Verily many of the rabbis and monks consume the properties of the people in vanity…”

It should be noted that this matter refers to many of them, not all of them. This statement means that there are also some ones among them who do not commit these indecencies. This very idea, that the Qur’ān announces, is a very good evidence that the judgements of the Qur’ān are just. That is why in Surah Al-Mā’idah,No. 5 ,verse 82 , the Qur’ān has admired a group of them.

2 . To misuse opportunities and ranks is religiously unlawful, and the greatest danger for clergymen is a financial mischief.

“…Consume the properties of the people in vanity and bar (them) from Allah’s way…”

3. The mammonism of the scholars and the treasuring up wealth done by the rich causes the wrath of Allah. The verse says:

“…And those who treasure up gold and silver, and do not spend them in the way of Allah; inform them of a painful chastisement.”

4. Treasuring up gold, silver and money, and restraining from spending them in charity is a capital sin, because it has been promised punishment for.

5 . In Islam, there is no limitation for having a considerable capital, but in gaining it, there are some conditions which should be observed. To spend wealth in a bad way is also unlawful in Islam.

6 . Treasuring up wealth is a social calamity, and worse than that is greed, while worse than this is concealing and storing wealth, since it produces a lot of difficulties for the society.