12/23. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1021b — The Miser and the Giver of Charity
The Likeness of the giver and the miser
Hadith About the Miser and Charity Giver
Sahih Muslim : 1021b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1021b
حَدَّثَنِي سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ الْغَيْلاَنِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ، - يَعْنِي الْعَقَدِيَّ - حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ ضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَثَلَ الْبَخِيلِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا جُنَّتَانِ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ قَدِ اضْطُرَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمَا إِلَى ثُدَيِّهِمَا وَتَرَاقِيهِمَا فَجَعَلَ الْمُتَصَدِّقُ كُلَّمَا تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ انْبَسَطَتْ عَنْهُ حَتَّى تُغَشِّيَ أَنَامِلَهُ وَتَعْفُوَ أَثَرَهُ وَجَعَلَ الْبَخِيلُ كُلَّمَا هَمَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ قَلَصَتْ وَأَخَذَتْ كُلُّ حَلْقَةٍ مَكَانَهَا " . قَالَ فَأَنَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ بِإِصْبَعِهِ فِي جَيْبِهِ فَلَوْ رَأَيْتَهُ يُوَسِّعُهَا وَلاَ تَوَسَّعُ .
Abu Haraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave similitudes of a miserly man and the giver of charity as two persons who have two coats-of-mail over them with their hands pressed closely to their breasts and their collar bones. Whenever the giver of charity gives charity it (the coat-of mail) expands so much as to cover his finger tips and obliterate his foot prints. And whenever the miserly person intends to give charity (the coat-of-mail) contracts and every ring grips the place where it is. He (Abu Huraira) said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying with fingers in the opening of his shirt:" If you had seen him trying to expand it, it will not expand."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1021bIn-book reference : Book 12, Hadith 97USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 5, Hadith 2228
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1021b
This hadith about the miser and charity giver repeats the same teaching with added detail. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم described two people wearing iron coats of mail, with their hands pressed close to their breasts and collar bones. When the giver of charity gives, the coat expands until it covers his fingertips and wipes out his footprints. When the miser intends to give, the coat contracts and every ring holds its place. Abu Huraira then described seeing the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gesture with his fingers in the opening of his shirt, showing how the miser tries to expand it but it does not expand. The lesson is easy to feel: charity loosens the heart and miserliness traps it. This is a strong hadith on generosity, sadaqah, and the danger of tight-hearted withholding.
What we learn from this hadith
- The giver of charity is pictured as gaining expansion and ease.
- The miser is pictured as trapped by tightness when he intends to give.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used a physical gesture to help people understand the example.
