STINGINESS Stinginess is the second major social disease that incurs the wrath of Allah in the form of increased fitan (tribulations). The deen of Islam is complete. Allah SWT, with His ultimate mercy and wisdom, has informed us through the Qur’an and the sunnah of His Prophet Sallallahu alayh wa sallam of the situations that we will encounter in this world, and how to deal with them. Stinginess is one of the diseases—personal and social—that we have been warned against by Allah SWT and His Prophet Sallallahu alayh wa sallam. The Prophet Sallallahu alayh wa sallam said: Beware of injustice, for oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection; and beware of stinginess because it doomed those who were before you. It incited them to shed blood and treat the unlawful as lawful. (Muslim) It is not a quality of the believer to be stingy—whether in his manners, actions or spending. Rasul Allah Sallallahu alayh wa sallam has said: “Stinginess and faith can never be combined in a slaves heart. (An-Nasai) Scholars said that two traits are not combined in a believer: Stinginess and bad manners. EASE OF THE HEART Ease of the hand (spending) is directly related to the ease of the heart! When the heart is softened with the constant remembrance of Allah SWT and the awareness of the transient nature of this world, spending in the way of Allah comes naturally and with ease. Stinginess is one of the diseases of the heart that not only constrain the life of the stingy person but spread corruption, injustice and discord in the society. This wrong in the society becomes a cause of inviting trials and tribulations from Allah SWT. Rasul Allah Sallallahu alayh wa ssalam has already informed us that as we get closer to the Day of Judgment, stinginess will spread in the society. Along with warning us of this social ill, He Sallalahu alayh wa Sallam has also given us advice on what to do when we see it spreading around us: It was narrated that Abu Umayyah Sha’bani said: “I came to Abu Tha’labah Al-Khushani and said: ‘How do you understand this Verse?’ He said: ‘Which verse?’ I said: “O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who are in error.”?[5:105] He said: ‘You have asked one who knows about it. I asked the Messenger of Allah (SAW) about it and he said: “Enjoin good upon one another and forbid one another to do evil, but if you see overwhelming stinginess, desires being followed, this world being preferred (to the Hereafter), every person with an opinion feeling proud of it, and you realize that you have no power to deal with it, then you have to mind your own business and leave the common folk to their own devices. After you will come days of patience, during which patience will be like grasping a burning ember, and one who does good deeds will have a reward like that of fifty men doing the same deed.” (Ibn Majah)
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 06:21:47 +0000