12/23. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1021c — Charity Expands While Miserliness Restricts
The Likeness of the giver and the miser
Hadith About Charity and Miserliness
Sahih Muslim : 1021c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1021c
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ، عَنْ وُهَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ طَاوُسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَثَلُ الْبَخِيلِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِ مَثَلُ رَجُلَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا جُنَّتَانِ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ إِذَا هَمَّ الْمُتَصَدِّقُ بِصَدَقَةٍ اتَّسَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى تُعَفِّيَ أَثَرَهُ وَإِذَا هَمَّ الْبَخِيلُ بِصَدَقَةٍ تَقَلَّصَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَانْضَمَّتْ يَدَاهُ إِلَى تَرَاقِيهِ وَانْقَبَضَتْ كُلُّ حَلْقَةٍ إِلَى صَاحِبَتِهَا " . قَالَ فَسَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " فَيَجْهَدُ أَنْ يُوَسِّعَهَا فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ " .
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: . The similitude of a miserly man and the giver of charity is that of two persons with coats of mail over them; when the giver of charity intends to give charity, it expands over him (to much so) that the footprints are also obliterated. And when the miserly man intends to give charity, it contracts over him, and his hands are tied up to his collar bone, and every ring is fixed up to another. He (the narrator) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: He would try to expand it. but he would not be able to do so.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1021cIn-book reference : Book 12, Hadith 98USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 5, Hadith 2229
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1021c
This hadith about charity and miserliness gives the same lesson in a short and strong way. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said the miser and the giver of charity are like two people with coats of mail over them. When the giver intends charity, it expands over him until even his footprints are covered. When the miser intends charity, it contracts over him, his hands are drawn to his collar bone, and every ring joins tightly with the next. The narrator heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم say that the miser tries hard to widen it but cannot. The hadith shows charity as a way of openness and miserliness as a form of restriction. It does not make a worldly promise. It teaches a spiritual and moral picture: giving frees a person from tightness.
What we learn from this hadith
- Charity is shown as expansion and openness in the example.
- Miserliness is shown as contraction and difficulty.
- The hadith encourages action before the heart becomes trapped by withholding.
