12/23. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1021a — The Expanding Coat of Charity
The Likeness of the giver and the miser
Hadith About Generosity and Miserliness
Sahih Muslim : 1021a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1021a
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم . قَالَ عَمْرٌو وَحَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ قَالَ وَقَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَثَلُ الْمُنْفِقِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ عَلَيْهِ جُبَّتَانِ أَوْ جُنَّتَانِ مِنْ لَدُنْ ثُدِيِّهِمَا إِلَى تَرَاقِيهِمَا فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الْمُنْفِقُ - وَقَالَ الآخَرُ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الْمُتَصَدِّقُ - أَنْ يَتَصَدَّقَ سَبَغَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَوْ مَرَّتْ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ الْبَخِيلُ أَنْ يُنْفِقَ قَلَصَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَأَخَذَتْ كُلُّ حَلْقَةٍ مَوْضِعَهَا حَتَّى تُجِنَّ بَنَانَهُ وَتَعْفُوَ أَثَرَهُ " . قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فَقَالَ يُوَسِّعُهَا فَلاَ تَتَّسِعُ .
Abu Haraira reported that the likeness of one who spends or one who gives charity is that of a person who has two cloaks or two coats-of-mail over him right from the breast to the collar bones. And when the spender (and the other narrator said, when the giver of charity) makes up his mind to give charity, it (coat-mail) becomes expanded for him. But when a miserly person intends to spend, it contracts and every ring grips the place where it is. For the giver of charity, this coat-of. mail expands to cover his whole body and obliterates even his footprints. Abu Huraira said: (The miserly man) tries to expand it (the coat-of-mail) but it does not expand.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1021aIn-book reference : Book 12, Hadith 96USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 5, Hadith 2227
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1021a
This hadith about generosity and miserliness uses a vivid image. Abu Huraira reported that the giver of charity is like a person wearing a coat or coat of mail that expands when he decides to give. It spreads until it covers his body and even wipes out his footprints. The miserly person is shown in the opposite way. When he intends to spend, the coat contracts and every ring grips its place. Abu Huraira also said the miser tries to expand it, but it does not expand. The main message is not about clothing itself. It is a teaching image about what giving and withholding do to a person. Charity opens, while miserliness tightens. The hadith encourages sadaqah by showing the inner ease connected with giving.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used a clear image to compare generosity and miserliness.
- Giving charity is pictured as something that expands and covers the person.
- Miserliness is pictured as tightness and restriction.
