[57] Surah Al-Hadid [The Iron] : Ayat 024

২৪. যারা কৃপণতা করে এবং মানুষকে কৃপণতার প্রতি উৎসাহ দেয়, যে মুখ ফিরিয়ে নেয়, তার জানা উচিত যে, আল্লাহ অভাবমুক্ত, প্রশংসিত। 


Ayat 24. Those who are misers and enjoin upon people miserliness (Allah is not in need of their charity). And whosoever turns away (from Faith Allah’s Monotheism), then Allah is Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all praise.

Tafseer of Surah Al-Hadid Ayat 24. Such persons as are  covetous and commend covetousness to men. And if any turn back (from Allah’s Way), verily Allah is Free of all Needs, Worthy of all Praise. Neither the Covetous nor the Boasters have any place in the Good Pleasure of Allah. The Covetous are particularly insidious, as their avarice and miserliness not only keep back the gifts of Allah from men, but their pernicious example dries up the streams of Charity in others. It is Charity in Allah's Way that is especially in view here. If people are selfish and withhold their hand, they only injure themselves. They do not hurt Allah's Cause, for He is independent of all needs, and He will find other means of assisting His more meagerly endowed servants; He is worthy of all praise in His 

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: There came a man to the Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, which charity is the most rewardable?'' He Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, "That you should give charity (in a state when you are) healthy and stingy and fear poverty, hoping to become rich (charity in such a state of health and mind is the best). And you must not defer (charity to such a length) that you are about to die and would be saying: 'This is for so-and-so, and this for so-and-so.' Lo! It has already come into (the possession of) so-and-so". [Al-Bukhari Book 02, Chapter 24, Hadith # 500].

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Al-Hadid Ayat 24. Those who are misers and enjoin upon people miserliness (Allah is not in need of their charity)", Charity in the real sense is that which a person gives when he is healthy. If a person gives charity when he is facing death, it does not have much value before Allah. Moreover, in that condition he cannot give more than one-third of his property in charity because then it becomes the property of his successors, which cannot be spent even in the way of Allah. For this reason Allah has prescribed a limit in this respect, according to which if a person going through a mortal disease wants to give his property in charity or donate it for some charitable purpose, he cannot spend more than one-third of it on this account. This injunction is an inducement for people to hurry in doing good deeds, especially in the matter of alms and charity. In fact, he should do it without delay.