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wa-lā yaḥsabanna lladhīna yabkhalūna bi-mā ʾātāhumu llāhu min faḍlihī huwa khayran lahum bal huwa sharrun lahum sa-yuṭawwaqūna mā bakhilū bihī yawma l-qiyāmati wa-li-llāhi mīrāthu s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi wa-llāhu bi-mā taʿmalūna khabīrun
Let the stingy not suppose that [their grudging] what Allah has given them out of His bounty is good for them; no, it is bad for them. They will be collared with what they grudge on the Day of Resurrection. To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is well aware of what you do.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 180
180. "And as for those who are niggardly with what Allah has granted out of His grace, let them not think it is better for them, nay it is worse for them; that which they were niggardly of will be clung to their neck on Resurrection Day; and to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is aware of what you do."
The Heavy Burden of Captivity!
This holy verse explains the destiny of the misers on the Day of Resurrection. These are the very people who try to heap wealth and protect it. They refrain to spend out money in charity along the path of the servants of Allah. In the above verse, there is not anything mentioned about alms and incumbent payments, but according to the traditions by Ahlul-Bayt (as) and the statements of commentators, this verse has been appropriated to those who hinder paying alms. The Qur'an says:
But, in spite of the imagination of these people, this manner will be against them. It says:
Then, it explains their destiny in the Hereafter, like this:
It is understood from this verse that the wealth whose incumbent rights have not been paid and the society has enjoyed nothing of it, according to the law of embodiment of deeds, will incarnate in the form of a painful chastisement on Resurrection Day, similar to other evil deeds of man. Then, the verse points to another subject and indicates that these properties, whether they be spent out in the way of Allah and in the path of His servants, or not, will finally be separated from their possessors; and:
Now that the circumstance is like this, so much the better that before separating from their wealth, instead of only having its responsibility and regret they enjoy of its spiritual merits. At the end of the verse, it says:
Therefore, if you behave niggardly, He knows it; and if you apply your wealth in the path of assisting the society, He knows it, too; and He grants the reward of every one appropriately.