Detestability of Over-Spending and Living in Austerity

تَلَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ- وَ الَّذِينَ إِذا أَنْفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَ لَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَ كانَ بَيْنَ ذلِكَ قَواماً[3] قَالَ فَأَخَذَ قَبْضَةً مِنْ حَصًى وَ قَبَضَهَا بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ هَذَا الْإِقْتَارُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ ثُمَّ قَبَضَ‌ قَبْضَةً أُخْرَى فَأَرْخَى كَفَّهُ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ هَذَا الْإِسْرَافُ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ قَبْضَةً أُخْرَى‌[1] فَأَرْخَى بَعْضَهَا وَ أَمْسَكَ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once, read this verse from the Holy Quran. . those who do not spend excessively or with severe austerity, but with moderation,’ (25: 67) he (the Imam) then picked up a handful of pebbles and kept them firmly in his hand, saying, ‘This is severe austerity that Allah has mentioned in His book.’ He

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلَ ع- عَنِ النَّفَقَةِ عَلَى الْعِيَالِ فَقَالَ مَا بَيْنَ الْمَكْرُوهَيْنِ الْإِسْرَافِ وَ الْإِقْتَارِ.

“Once I asked abu al-Hassan, the 1st (a.s.), about the expenses of one’s dependents. He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is between the two detestable limits: namely, excessive spending and severe austerity.’”

أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِنَّ مَعَ الْإِسْرَافِ قِلَّةَ الْبَرَكَةِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘There is very little blessing with excessive spending.’”

رُبَّ فَقِيرٍ هُوَ أَسْرَفُ مِنَ الْغَنِيِّ إِنَّ الْغَنِيَّ يُنْفِقُ مِمَّا أُوتِيَ وَ الْفَقِيرَ يُنْفِقُ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَا أُوتِيَ.

“Sometimes poor people may spend more excessively than a wealthy one. A wealthy person spends from what he has received, but a poor person spends from that which does not belong to him.’”

سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ آتُوا حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصادِهِ وَ لا تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ‌[2] فَقَالَ كَانَ فُلَانُ بْنُ فُلَانٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ سَمَّاهُ وَ كَانَ لَهُ حَرْثٌ وَ كَانَ إِذَا أَخَذَ يَتَصَدَّقُ بِهِ وَ يَبْقَى هُوَ وَ عِيَالُهُ بِغَيْرِ شَيْ‌ءٍ فَجَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ ذَلِكَ سَرَفاً.

“A man once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘Give His right on the day of its harvest and do not spend excessively; He does not love excessive spenders.’ (6:141) He (the Imam) said, ‘So and so, he mentioned his name, Ansariy (people of al-Madinah) had a farm.

فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ لا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلى‌ عُنُقِكَ وَ لا تَبْسُطْها كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُوماً مَحْسُوراً[3] قَالَ الْإِحْسَارُ الْفَاقَةُ.

“This is about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘You must not make your hands tied up to your neck nor open it excessively so you remain blame-worth and tied up.’ (17:29) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ‘Mahsur (tied up) means severe austerity.’”

كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَجَاءَ سَائِلٌ فَقَامَ إِلَى مِكْتَلٍ‌[4] فِيهِ تَمْرٌ فَمَلَأَ يَدَهُ فَنَاوَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَامَ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ فَنَاوَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَامَ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ فَنَاوَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَامَ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ فَنَاوَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ رَازِقُنَا وَ إِيَّاكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص كَانَ

7. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Musa ibn Bakr from ‘Ajlan who has said the following: “Once, I was in the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when a man came asking for help. He (the Imam) gave him a handful of dates from a basket. Then another

الْقَوَامُ هُوَ الْمَعْرُوفُ- عَلَى الْمُوسِعِ قَدَرُهُ وَ عَلَى الْمُقْتِرِ قَدَرُهُ مَتاعاً بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ‌[2] عَلَى قَدْرِ عِيَالِهِ وَ مَئُونَتِهِمُ الَّتِي هِيَ صَلَاحٌ لَهُ وَ لَهُمْ وَ لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْساً إِلَّا ما آتاها.

“This is about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘It (moderation) was in between . . .’ (25:67), the Imam said, ‘Al-Qawam (moderation) is a Benevolent Assistance,’ ‘. . . proportionate to the abilities of a wealthy and poor person is a right upon the people of good deeds.’

فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى- وَ الَّذِينَ إِذا أَنْفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَ لَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَ كانَ بَيْنَ ذلِكَ قَواماً فَبَسَطَ كَفَّهُ وَ فَرَّقَ أَصَابِعَهُ وَ حَنَاهَا شَيْئاً[3] وَ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى- وَ لا تَبْسُطْها كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَبَسَطَ رَاحَتَهُ وَ قَالَ هَكَذَا وَ قَالَ الْقَوَامُ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْأَصَابِعِ وَ يَبْقَى فِي الرَّاحَةِ مِنْهُ شَيْ‌ءٌ.

“This is about the words of Allah, most High, ‘Those who, when spending, do not do it excessively or with severe austerity, but with moderation.’ He opened his palm and tilted it a little to one side. About the words of Allah, most High, ‘Do not open your hand excessively . . .’ (25:67) he opened up his palm all the wa

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَدْنَى مَا يَجِي‌ءُ مِنْ حَدِّ الْإِسْرَافِ فَقَالَ ابْتِذَالُكَ ثَوْبَ صَوْنِكَ وَ إِهْرَاقُكَ فَضْلَ إِنَائِكَ وَ أَكْلُكَ التَّمْرَ وَ رَمْيَكَ النَّوَى هَاهُنَا وَ هَاهُنَا.

‘What is the minimum limit of excessive spending?’ The Imam replied, ‘It is when you give away your clothes that you need for protection, burning the leftovers in your cooking utensils, and eating dates and scattering the stones inside them here and there.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ أَرْبَعَةٌ لَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهُمْ أَحَدُهُمْ كَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ فَأَفْسَدَهُ فَيَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ ارْزُقْنِي فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَ لَمْ آمُرْكَ بِالاقْتِصَادِ[4].

‘Four people’s prayers are not accepted. One is he who destroys his wealth and appeals, “Lord, grant me sustenance.’” Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, then says, “Did I not command you to observe moderation?””’