In The Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَنفِقُواْ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا ڪَسَبۡتُمۡ وَمِمَّآ أَخۡرَجۡنَا لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُواْ ٱلۡخَبِيثَ مِنۡهُ تُنفِقُونَ وَلَسۡتُم بِـَٔاخِذِيهِ إِلَّآ أَن تُغۡمِضُواْ فِيهِ‌ۚ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ
ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلۡفَقۡرَ وَيَأۡمُرُڪُم بِٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ‌ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغۡفِرَةً۬ مِّنۡهُ وَفَضۡلاً۬‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٲسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ۬

O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have (legally) earned, and of that which We have produced from the earth for you, and do not aim at that which is bad to spend from it, (though) you would not accept it save if you close your eyes and tolerate therein. And know that Allah is Rich (Free of all wants), and Worthy of all praise. Shaitan (Satan) threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha (evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse, sins etc.); whereas Allah promises you Forgiveness from Himself and Bounty, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower. [Surah Al-Baqarah. Aayaat 267-268]

Imaam As-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Allaah commands His believing servants to spend from the good things which He has facilitated for them and from that which He has provided for them from the earth. And just as Allaah bestowed on you by making it easy for you to acquire these things, you should spend from it as an act of gratitude to Allah, fulfilling some of the rights owed to your brethen in faith and as a means of purifying your wealth. The goal in this spending is that you give the good things which you love for yourselves, and not the bad which you neither want, nor accept except with closed eyes (reluctance).

[وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ – And know that Allah is Rich (Free of all wants), and Worthy of all praise]- Meaning, Allaah is absolutely not in need of you. The benefit of your charity and (good) deeds returns (only) to you. And alongside the fact that Allaah is the only one worthy of all praise, He praises you for fulfilling the praiseworthy affairs and upright characteristics which He has commanded you, therefore it is obligated on you to fulfil His commands because it is means of strengthening your hearts (with good characteristics), a means of piety and delight for the souls. And beware of following your enemy the Shaytan, who commands you to refrain from spending your wealth and frightens you with poverty and neediness when you are required to spend. This is not sincere advice, but rather it is deception at the highest level. [إِنَّمَا يَدۡعُواْ حِزۡبَهُ ۥ لِيَكُونُواْ مِنۡ أَصۡحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ – He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire]. [An Excerpt from Tafseer as-Sadi]

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

ٱلَّذِينَ يَبۡخَلُونَ وَيَأۡمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلۡبُخۡلِ وَيَڪۡتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَٮٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ‌ۗ وَأَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلۡڪَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابً۬ا مُّهِينً۬ا

Those who are miserly and enjoin miserliness on other people and hide what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounties. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a disgraceful torment. [Surah An-Nisaa. Aayah 37]

Imaam As-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: “Those who are miserly”- Meaning, they refrain from fulfilling the rights obligated on them to fulfil. “And enjoin miserliness on other people” through their statements and actions. “And hide what Allaah has bestowed upon them of His Bounties” – Meaning, knowledge by way of which the astray are guided and the ignorant ones are led aright; hide it from them and make apparent to them falsehood that comes between them and the truth. So they (i.e. the misers) have gathered between miserliness with regards to wealth and knowledge, and between hastening towards loss for themselves and for others. This is a characteristic of the disbelievers, and because of this reason, Allaah (The Most High) said: [وَأَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلۡڪَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابً۬ا مُّهِينً۬ا – And We have prepared for the disbelievers a disgraceful torment]. [An Excerpt from Tafseer As-Sadi]

Imaam Ibn Qudaamah [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “The severest level of miserliness is that a person is miserly towards himself despite being in need; for how many a miser has wealth and falls ill, but he does not seek medication. He yearns for something but miserliness prevents him from (getting it)”. [Mukhtasar Minhaaj Al-Qaasideen. page 218]

The Messenger used to supplicate saying:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ

O Allaah! I seek refuge with You against distress and grief, helplessness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, being heavily in debt and being overcome by men. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Number 2893]

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Cowardice And Miserliness: Cowardice and miserliness are connected to each other, because indeed Ihsaan [i.e. to do good for others, generosity, etc] brings happiness to the heart and comfort to the inner self, overcomes distress and repels rancour. And abandoning it [i.e. Ihsaan] would cause the heart to be constricted and prevents it from reaching blessings by way of it. Cowardice is to abandon Insaan by way of physical actions and miserliness is the abandonment of Insaan through wealth. [https://salaficentre.com/2020/03/24/grief-distress-helplessness-laziness-miserliness-cowardice-being-heavily-in-debt-and-being-overcome-by-men-the-prophet-used-to-seek-allaahs-refuge-from-these-eight-affairs/ ]

Abu Hurairah [may Allaah be pleased with him] narated that the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Everyday two angels come down from heaven and one of them says, ‘O Allaah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause’, and the other (angel) says, ‘O Allaah destroy every miser'”. [Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Number 1442]

The Spender, The Rock, The Dust and The Heavy Rain – [One of The Finest and Most Profound Parables]: https://salaficentre.com/2020/04/14/the-spender-the-rock-the-dust-and-the-heavy-rain-one-of-the-finest-and-most-profound-parables/

The Garden On An Elevated Place That Receives Either Heavy or Light Rain Likened to The Righteous Spenders! https://salaficentre.com/2020/03/28/the-garden-on-an-elevated-place-that-receives-either-heavy-or-light-rain-likened-to-the-righteous-spenders/

Abu Hurairah [radiyallaahu-anhu] narrated that the Messenger of Allaah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said, ‘’Look at those who are below you and do not look at those above you, for it is more suitable lest you look down on Allaah’s blessings [bestowed upon] you.” [Saheeh Muslim’ Hadeeth Number 2963]

Al-Allaamah Saaleh Al-Fawzaan [may Allaah preserve him] stated:

A person should neither be covetous of this worldly life nor anxious due to what afflicts him [or her], rather he (or she) should exercise patience and hope for [Allaah’s reward due to exercising patience] – whether he [or she] is poor, sick or other than that. The worldly life is a place of trial and test, so one should not become anxious due to calamities and trials. And what makes this affair easier for a person is the guidance given by the Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] in this hadeeth [as follows]:” Look at those who are below you and do not look at those above you, for it is more suitable lest you look down on Allaah’s blessings [bestowed upon] you”.

A poor person should look at the one who is poorer and should not look at a wealthier [person], for if Allaah willed He would have placed you in the same situation as that poor person who has nothing. You have something – you have your daily nourishment; but that one poorer than you has nothing – he does not even have his daily nourishment. You are in a better situation, so praise Allaah for this and do not look at the wealthier people because that will lead you to harbour anger against Allaah and being displeased with His divine Will, and then you [will or might] say, ‘’Why can I not be like such and such person; why am not like the wealthy people?’’ This is the meaning of looking down on the blessing you have. However, if you look at the person below you, it will make you thankful because your situation is better than that of many people. Therefore, the one in good health should look at the sick person and then praises Allaah for granting him [or her] good health. The one who is sick should look at the one who is sicker than him (or her) and then praises Allaah for being less sick than the person who is sicker than him [or her]. This (hadeeth embodies) a great principle. Therefore, ‘look to the one below you’ in (relation) to wealth, health and in other affairs.

However, this should not be the case in affairs related to acts of worship – in affairs related to acts of worship, you should not look at the one below you. You should not look at the lazy people and those who neglect their religious duties, rather you should look at the righteous and God-fearing people so that you can join them in performing good deeds and be like them. Therefore, with regards to affairs related to the religion, you should not look at the one below you, rather you should look at the one above you in the religion, for why do not want to be like him (or her); why do you not want to be like the righteous people; why do not want to emulate the God-fearing scholars? [i.e. those scholars whose creed is sound; those free from shirk, religious innovations, superstitions, fictitious beliefs and practices- who practice Islaam based on the Qur’aan, the authentic Sunnah and the understanding of the Sahaabah]. If you are a student of knowledge, you should not be satisfied with the sciences of the religion you have acquired; rather you should seek to increase in knowledge as long as you are alive. [Tasheelul il’haami Bi-Fiqhil Ahaadeethi Min Bulooghil Maraam’ Hadeeth Number 1438’ Vol 6′ pages 168-169. slightly paraphrased]

Narrated Abu Kabshah Al-An’maariy (radiyallaahu-anhu) that Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: “I swear by Allah regarding three (affairs) which I am going to tell, so remember them. The wealth of a man does not decrease due to (giving) charity; a slave does not exercise patience when oppressed, except that Allah increases his honour; a slave does not open the door of begging, except that Allaah opens for him the door of poverty (or he stated a statement similar to it).” I am going to tell you (something), so remember it: The worldly life is for four types of people. A slave whom Allaah has given wealth and knowledge, so he fears his Lord by way of it. He preserves the ties of kinship and acknowledges Allaah’s Rights regarding it. This (type of person) is on the most virtuous position. A slave whom Allaah has given knowledge but not wealth. He is truthful in his intention and says: `If I had wealth, I would have done the deed of such and such (person).’’ So because of this intention of his, his reward is the same (i.e. the righteous one who has been given wealth and knowledge). A slave whom Allaah has given wealth but not knowledge. He wastes his wealth out of ignorance. He neither fears Allaah nor does he keep the ties of kinship, nor does he acknowledge Allaah’s rights. This (type of person) is at the evilest position. A slave whom Allaah has neither given wealth nor knowledge and he says: `If I had wealth, I would have done the deed of such and such (person).’’ So by way of his intention, they are similar (i.e. similar to the evil person who wastes his wealth). [Reported by Tirmidhee 2325; Ahmad 18031; Al-Baghawiy 4097]

Al-Allaamah Ubaid Bin Abdillaah al-Jaabiri (may Allaah preserve him) stated: The first is a wealthy person who is thankful (to Allaah); so Allaah will raise him to the most virtuous position due to his deed. The second is a poor person who exercises patience. He is truthful in his intention with regards to spending from that which Allaah has bestowed on him. So Allaah makes him reach the most virtuous position due to his truthful intention. The third is a boastful wealthy person. He is covetous and stingy; so his deed takes him to the most evil position. The fourth is a boastful poor person and his intention is evil. So together with his poverty, his intention takes him to the most evil position. So based on this, we know that by way of truthful intentions Allaah raises the person. And an evil intention debases a person until he finds him/herself in the most evil position. [An Excerpt from: البيان المرصع شرح القواعد الأربع- pages 8-9. Slightly paraphrased]

Abu Hurairah [may Allaah be pleased with him] narrated that the Messenger of Allaah [peace and blessings be upon him], said, “The worldly life is a prison for the believer [in Allaah and the final Messenger] and a paradise for the disbeliever [in Allaah and the final Messenger]”. [Ref 1]

Imaam An-Nawawi [may Allaah have mercy be upon him] said: Every believer is imprisoned and prevented – in the worldly life – from evil and repugnant desires and obligated to perform demanding acts of obedience. But after death, he relaxes and receives what Allaah [The Exalted] promised of permanent bliss and perfect relaxation. As for the disbeliever [in Allaah and the final Messenger], he gets what he receives in the worldly life together with the fact that it is very little and disrupted by distress. And after he dies, he finds himself in permanent punishment and eternal wretchedness. [Ref 2]

Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Regardless how great the affair of the worldly life is – its good days and its dwelling places (surrounded by beautiful trees, plants, scenery etc), then indeed it is like a prison for the believer, because a believer looks forward to a bliss that is better, more perfect and loftier. As for the disbeliever [in Allaah and the final Messenger], the worldly life is his paradise because he enjoys himself in it [i.e. outside the boundaries of halaal and haraam] and forgets the afterlife, and thus becomes like those about whom Allaah [The Exalted] stated:

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَتَمَتَّعُونَ وَيَأۡكُلُونَ كَمَا تَأۡكُلُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمُ وَٱلنَّارُ مَثۡوً۬ى لَّهُمۡ

Those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as cattle eat, and the Fire will be their abode. [Surah Muhammad Aayah 12]

Therefore, when the disbeliever dies, he does not find anything in front of him except the fire and Allaah’s punishment, and woe to the people of the fire. So that which is found in the worldly life of distress, grief, sadness and sorrow is like a paradise in relation to the state of affairs of the disbeliever [in Allaah and the final Messenger], because he will leave this world to receive Allaah’s punishment.

It has been mentioned about Ibn Hajar Al Asqalaani – the author of Fat’hul Baari – that he used to be the chief of the judges in Egypt in his era, and he used go past the market with an entourage. So, one day a Yahoodi stopped him and said, “Your Prophet said, ‘The worldly life is a prison of the believer and paradise of the disbeliever’, and how can this be the case whilst you are in a state of luxury and joy, and I am in a state of extreme poverty and low status?” So, Ibn Hajr said to him, “If in your view I am in state of joy and that people are at my service, then this state is a prison in comparison to what a believer will receive of bliss in Paradise. As for yourself, even though you are in state of extreme poverty and low status, then it is like paradise in comparison to what a disbeliever will receive in the fire”. So, the Yahoodi was amazed by this statement and then testified that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah. [Ref 3]

The Issue of Wealth and Poverty- By Imaam As-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him]:

The Religion of Islam is a Perfect Solution for all Problems (Part 22A): [Introduction – A Problem Related to Wealth and Poverty]

The Religion of Islam is a Perfect Solution for all Problems (Part 22B): [A Collective Responsibility of The Rich and Poor]

The Religion of Islam is a Perfect Solution for all Problems (Part 22C): [Specific Guidance For The Wealthy]

The Religion of Islam is a Perfect Solution for all Problems (Part 22d): [15 Ways of Removing Poverty- (Specific Guidance For The Poor)]

The Religion of Islam is a Perfect Solution for all Problems (Part 22e): [Some Corrupt Solutions to The Problem of Wealth and Poverty]

[Re 1:Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2956]
[Ref 2: Sharh Saheeh Muslim 18/74. Daar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah. 1st Edition 1421AH (2000)]
[Ref 3: https://binothaimeen.net/content/8835 ]