On greed & stinginess:
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “[…] the stinginess and faith can never be combined in a slave’s heart.”
Hasan (Darussalam)
Sunan an-Nasa’I 3110
Commentary on the hadith:
The part of the hadith which was left out refers to the actions of a believer which are made in the cause of Allah (swt). Their efforts will not go to waste and will be rewarded on the day of recompense.
The emphasis of this newsletter will focus on the latter part, greed or stinginess (Arabic word: shuh – شُحَّ ).
وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفۡسِهِۦ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ
wa many yooqa shuhha nafsihee fa ulaaa’ika humul muflihoon
…And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul – it is those who will be the successful.
Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) mentions that there are three roots that cause evil and corruption. These are all found in the story of Adam (as), and we can see the destruction which follows.
1. Pride (Kibr)
2. Greed (Hirs)
3. Envy (Hasad)
Kibr was the sin of Iblees which prevented him from prostrating (see 2:34). Hirs was what got Adam (as) to eat from the forbidden tree and expelled from paradise (see 7:22). And the story of Cain and Abel (sons of Adam (as)) is one of hasad. It’s what caused Cain to kill his brother and make him among the losers (see 5:27-32).
The hadith mentions that the one with iman (faith) does not let shuh (stinginess) enter their heart. A more accurate description of shuh is covetousness – a strong desire to want the things that other have. It stems from greed and envy and can plague both the rich and the poor equally. Even when one has enough, they still can feel it’s not enough. Comparison truly is the thief of joy.
It’s a powerful force that drives fierce competition and corruption in this world. A believer recognizes this and works to become detached from these worldly pursuits as he/she understands their temporary existence.
The heart of envy is said to come from social comparison. We believe others having something has something to say about our self-worth in some sense. Are you envious of an elite swimmer? Probably not, but that’s just because you haven’t identified as being a competitive swimmer. You’d be more prone to feeling jealous of Michael Phelps’ long torso and arms if you cared a little more about swimming.
So whenever you feel envy, you must reflect on understanding why. It’s often a reflection of the inner. Is it you don’t feel intelligent, rich, or beautiful? When you catch yourself falling into these whispers of shaitan, try to shift your focus on shukr (gratitude) of all the things Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) has blessed you with. This exercise should fill you up instead of draining you of your happiness.
As discussed in yesterday’s newsletter, the framing effect can be a positive tool in your arsenal of weapons to fight waswas. You can always find a way to reframe a situation to be more productive for yourself.
وَأُحۡضِرَتِ ٱلۡأَنفُسُ ٱلشُّحَّۚ
wa uhdiratil anfusush shuhh
“And present in [human] souls is stinginess.”
This ayah is referenced in the context of disputes between spouses. It mentions, “settlement is best [..] But if you do good and fear Allah – then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.” It recognizes our failure to let emotions and selfishness cause unfairness but advocates for both parties to come through and act with kindliness and grace.
If you do good, fear Allah – that is enough for you to be satisfied, for Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Al-Khabir, The All-Acquainted, Knower of truth.
More than just money:
Greed and stinginess can extend beyond money.
Some people are not generous with their knowledge; when they find out about something beneficial, they want to withhold it for themselves and keep from sharing and helping others. It can also refer to stinginess with their time and effort; they will happily take others’ time but won’t reciprocate when asked.
“There are two ways to have the tallest building in town. One is to tear everyone else’s building down, and the other is to build your building taller.”
As Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mentions, the one with iman does not let stinginess direct his or her life. They overcome feelings of jealousy, greed, and envy. They understand true success is not being a victor in the competition of worldly matters but in receiving the approval of Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ).
