Chapter on the Virtue of Generosity and Munificence
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 2|Book 1|Chapter 16
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh
Volume 2, Book 1, Chapter 16
Chapter on the Virtue of Generosity and Munificence
وَ سَمِعَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ رَجُلاً يَقُولُ اَلشَّحِيحُ أَعْذَرُ مِنَ اَلظَّالِمِ فَقَالَ لَهُ «كَذَبْتَ إِنَّ اَلظَّالِمَ قَدْ يَتُوبُ وَ يَسْتَغْفِرُ وَ يَرُدُّ اَلظُّلاَمَةَ عَلَى أَهْلِهَا وَ اَلشَّحِيحُ إِذَا شَحَّ مَنَعَ اَلزَّكَاةَ وَ اَلصَّدَقَةَ وَ صِلَةَ اَلرَّحِمِ وَ إِقْرَاءَ اَلضَّيْفِ وَ اَلنَّفَقَةَ فِي سَبِيلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ أَبْوَابَ اَلْبِرِّ وَ حَرَامٌ عَلَى اَلْجَنَّةِ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهَا شَحِيحٌ».
The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام heard a man saying, "The miser is more excusable than the oppressor." He said to him: "You have lied. Indeed, the oppressor may repent, seek forgiveness, and restore the injustice to its rightful owners. But the miser, when he becomes miserly, withholds zakat, charity, maintaining family ties, hospitality to guests, spending in the way of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, and other acts of goodness. It is forbidden for a miser to enter Paradise."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh