BUKHL (STINGINESS,MISERLINESS) CAUSES MISERY!

Let not those who are miserly with what Allah has given them from His Bounty think that it is good for them. Rather, it is bad for them. They will be made to wear what they withheld, owing to their miserliness, as a necklace (of fire) on the Day of Resurrection. And unto Allah is the inheritance of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is well informed of all that you do. (3:180)

Stinginess is such a repugnant vice that if a person gets afflicted with it, he keeps his family in poverty, detests guests coming to his house, abstains from visiting others in order that none visit him, withholds himself from associating with generous persons and feels uneasy about other people’s generosity. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) always sought refuge in God from this deadly vice

Allah Ta’ala says:

“He who is stingy is in fact stingy because of his nafs.”

Allah Ta’ala, the Wise, has said:

الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَ يَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ وَ يَكْتُمُونَ ما آتاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَ أَعْتَدْناَ لِلکاَفِرِينَ عَذاَباً مُهِيناً

(Those who are niggardly and bid people to be niggardly and hide what Allah has given them out of His grace; and We have prepared for the unbelievers a disgraceful chastisement.)

Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم ) said: “The miser is far from Allah, far from Jannat, far from people and close to the Fire.”

Bukhl is to withhold spending when such spending is necessary according to the Shariat and in order to be kind. Bukhl has two stages.

1. Contrary to the order of the Shariah. This stage is sinful.

2. Contrary to kindness (murrawwat). This degree of bukhl although not sinful is nor good. Elimination of even this degree of bukhl is commendable and meritorious.

According to the Hadith Shareef wealth spent to protect one’s honour is also sadqah (charity). Bukhl is a severe malady, hence Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم ) exhorted:

“Save yourself from bukhl, for it has destroyed nations before you.”

It does not, therefore, behove a Muslim to be miserly. In being stingy one is paving the path to Jahannam. Bukhl in reality is the effect of love for wealth which directs man’s attention to the world. The consequence of this is the weakening of the bond of love with Allah Ta’ala. At the time of death the miser looks on his wealth with regret and sorrow. He has to embark on his journey into the Aakhirah reluctantly and forcibly because in him there is no desire to meet Allah Ta’ala. According to the Hadith, the one who at death has no desire to meet Allah Ta’ala is a Jahannami (one who will enter Jahannam).

THE REMEDY

One of the cures of this is that love for this world and love for wealth should be removed from the heart. Once this love has been removed, there is no way that miserliness can remain.

Remembrance of Maut (death) in abundance expels the love of wealth from the heart.