217 - أبخلُ النّاسِ‏

217. The Most Miserly of People

729.رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : أبْخَلُ النّاسِ مَن بَخِلَ بما افترَضَ اللَّهُ علَيهِ .¹

729.The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'The most miserly person is he who refuses to give what Allah has made obligatory [i.e. the alms-tax].' ²

730.رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : إنّ أبخَلَ النّاسِ مَن بَخِلَ بالسَّلامِ .³

730.The Prophet (SAWA) said, ' Verily the most miserly person is he who is miserly with his greeting [i.e. he does not greet others].' ⁴

731.الإمامُ عليٌّ عليه السلام : أبخَلُ النّاسِ مَن بَخِلَ على‏ نفسِهِ بمالِهِ وخلّفَهُ لِوُرّاثِهِ .⁵

731.Imam Ali (AS) said, 'The most miserly person is he who does not spend his money on himself and stores it away for his inheritors.' ⁶

732.الإمامُ عليٌّ عليه السلام : البُخلُ بِإخراجِ مَا افتَرَضَهُ اللَّهُ سُبحانَهُ مِنَ الأموالِ أقبَحُ البُخلِ .⁷

732.Imam Ali (AS) said, The worst misiry is being miserable by not paying what Allah the Glorious has ordained to pay from one's property.' ⁸

733.الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام : إنّ أميرَ المؤمنينَ عليه السلام بَعثَ إلى‏ رجُلٍ بخَمسةِ أوْساقٍ مِن تَمرٍ ... فقالَ رجُلٌ لأميرِ المؤمنينَ عليه السلام : واللَّهِ ما سألَكَ فُلانٌ ، ولَقد كانَ يُجْزيهِ مِن‏الخَمسةِ أوْساقٍ وَسَقٌ واحدٌ ! فقالَ لَه أميرُ المؤمنينَ عليه السلام : لا كَثّرَ اللَّهُ في المؤمنينَ ضَرْبَكَ ! اُعطي أنا وتَبخَلُ أنتَ ؟ !⁹

733.Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'The Commander of the Faithful (AS) sent someone five camel-loads of dates ... at which a man said to him, 'By Allah, he did not even ask you for anything. Indeed, one camel-load would have been enough to recompense him!' The Commander of the Faithful (AS) replied, 'May Allah increase not the people of your type! I am giving and you are the one being miserly?!' ¹⁰