قال الله تعالىٰ: { وَأَمَّا مَن بَخِلَ وَٱستَغنَىٰ * وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلحُسنَىٰ * فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلعُسرَىٰ * وَمَا يُغنِي عَنهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ} [الليل: 8 ــ11]، وقَال تعالىٰ: {وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفسِهِۦ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلمُفلِحُونَ} [التغابن: 16].
Allah Almighty says: {But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need and denies the best [reward], We will ease him toward difficulty. And what will avail him his wealth when he falls?} [Al-Layl: 8-11] He also says: {And whoever is protected from the avarice of his soul - it is those who will be the successful.} [At-Taghābun: 16]
البخل: هو منع ما يجب أو يستحب بذله.
Miserliness is to withhold what should or is recommended to be given.
الشح: هو الطمع فيما ليس موجوداً، وهو أشد من البخل، وكلاهما خُلقان ذميمان.
Avarice is to covet what one does not have. Avarice is worse than miserliness, and both are reprehensible traits.
1) أصل الفلاح وعنوانه أن يتخلص العبد من الشح.
1) The core of success of a person lies in getting rid of his avarice.
2) البخل والإعراض سبب في شقاء العبد وبعده عن الحسنىٰ.
2) A person’s miserliness and reluctance to give leads to misery and keeps one away from the best reward.
فتقدمت جملة منها في الباب السابق.
some of them have already been cited in the previous chapter.
1/563ــ وعن جابر رضي الله عنه أنَّ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قالَ: «اتَّقُوا الظُّلْمَ؛ فَإنَّ الظُّلْمَ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ، واتَقُوا الشُّحَّ؛ فَإنَّ الشُّحَّ أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، حَمَلَهُم علىٰ أن سَفَكُوا دِمَاءهم، واستَحَلُّوا مَحَارِمَهُم». رواه مسلم.
563/1 - Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Beware of injustice, for injustice will be layers of darkness on the Day of Resurrection; and beware of avarice, as it ruined those who were before you. It incited them to shed their blood and regard the unlawful as lawful.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) الظلم من كبائر الذنوب؛ لأن صاحبه مُتوَعد بالعذاب يوم القيامة.
1) Injustice is a major sin, for its perpetrator is threatened with punishment on the Day of Judgment.
2) الحذر من الشح؛ فهو سبب في هلاك من كان قبلنا، وقد نُهي المؤمنون عن التشبه بالقوم المعذبين.
2) We should beware of avarice, as it caused the ruin of those before us. The believers are prohibited from emulating the punished people.
الظلم ظلمان:
Injustice is of two types:
1) ظلم العبد نفسه، وهو نوعان:
1) Self-injustice, which falls under two categories:
أ ــ ظلم بالإشراك بالله _عز وجل_، وهو ظلم عظيم {إِنَّ ٱلشِّركَ لَظُلمٌ عَظِيمٞ}.
a. Injustice by associating partners with Allah Almighty - that is great injustice. {Indeed, associating partners [with him] is great injustice.}
ب ــ ظلم بارتكابه المعاصي والذنوب، وهو دون الشرك.
b. Injustice by commission of sins - that is less severe than associating partners with Allah.
2) ظلم العبد غيره، وهو نوعان أيضاً:
2) Injustice to others, which also falls under two categories:
أ ــ ظلمهم بترك الواجب لهم من أداء الحقوق الواجبة والمستحبة، كترك وفاء الديون والوعود.
a. Doing injustice to them by failing to fulfill their obligatory or recommended rights, like the repayment of debts or fulfillment of promises.
ب ــ ظلمهم بالعدوان عليهم بأخذ حقوقهم وانتهاك حرماتهم، كالغيبة والسرقة وغيرها.
b. Oppressing them by taking their rights and violating their sanctities, like backbiting and stealing.