The previous verses talk about establishing the community, movement of the humans in the society and the command to have a good relation with the parents, relatives, orphans, the needy the neighbours… There is an important matter that may affect such a relation, the money:

 وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

(And know that your properties and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a great reward.) (Al-Anfal: 28)

وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَّمًّا % وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا

(And you consume inheritance, devouring [it] altogether, % And you love wealth with immense love.) (Al-Fajr: 19-20)

This tendency in humans is addressed by Allah’s commands.

(… الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ ) (Who are stingy…): Who is stingy finds it difficult to give, does not believe in Allah’s promise:

 مَّن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً ۚ

(Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over?) (Al-Baqara: 285)

It is multiplied because you are dealing with Allah (swt) rather than the poor, for that the Prophet (saws) swore saying:

“The wealth of a slave (of Allah) shall not be decreased by charity”[1]

How does it come that you take 2.5% off your money, yet it does not decrease! This is because you are dealing with Allah (swt) with this charity, so it is multiplied many times. The Prophet Muhammad (saws) said:

“No money is wasted in land or sea except by withholding zakat, so seize your money with zakat, treat your sick with charity, and repel from you the troubles of affliction with supplication, for supplication is beneficial for what came down from heaven and what was not revealed what was revealed reveals it and what did not come down locks it up”[2]

Meaning, whoever wants to protect his money, he has to pay the alms, a one may ask how it comes that the charity cures the sick whereas it is done by the medicines or a surgery, we say , yes we have to treat him by medicines, because Allah (swt) commands us to follow the reasons, but we have to keep in mind that Allah (swt) is the curative not the doctor:

 وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ

(And when I am ill, it is He who cures me) (Ash-Su’araa: 80)

So, we seek the recovery from Allah (swt) by paying the charity to the poor while the greedy does not deal with Allah (swt):

 وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

(And those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah – give them tidings of a painful punishment.) (At-Tawba: 34)

Why? Because they hoard and keep what Allah (swt) has favoured them over others and do not give the needy and the poor as required:

وَفِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ لِّلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ

(And from their properties was [given] the right of the [needy] petitioner and the deprived.) (Ath-Tharyat: 19)

Hence, zakat is taken not given:

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا

(Take, [O, Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase,) (At-Tawba: 103)

(… وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ …) (…and enjoin upon [other] people stinginess …): They are not only satisfied with being stingy, but they also command people to be stingy and wish that they will not find in society any generous who gives the needy, because the miser wants all people like him.

(… وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ …) (…and conceal what Allah has given them of His bounty – …): Miserliness is not only about money, it can be in prestige, knowledge or authority.

[1] Musnad Al-Bazaz: Vol 1, Musnad abdul-Rahman Bin Awf, Hadith No.1032.

[2] Musnad Al-Shamiyeen: Ibrahim Ibn Abi ‘abla, Hadith No.18.