Quranic theme
Stinginess
البخل
47 verses
Satan threatens human beings with the prospect of poverty, using the fear of loss to command foul deeds while masking the reality of God's promised abundance (2:268). This anxiety runs deep in human nature; even if a person possessed the very stores of God’s bounty, they would still hold it back out of a sheer fear of spending, as man is ever grudging (17:100). The Quran addresses this ingrained miserliness not just as a failure of generosity, but as a fundamental misunderstanding of who actually owns the world's wealth.
Why do we fear giving?
The reluctance to part with possessions is closely tied to an illusion of self-sufficiency. The Quran notes that when people are granted God's bounty, they frequently become mean and turn obstinately away (9:76). This grasping nature is volatile. If God were to actively press people for their wealth, they would become grudging, bringing their hidden ill-will to light (47:37). This behavior goes beyond personal thrift to become an active social corruption when individuals are not only miserly themselves but order other people to be the same, deliberately hiding the bounty they were granted (4:37, 57:24).
The illusion of ownership
At the core of withholding wealth is a failure to recognize who needs whom. When called upon to give even a little for the sake of God, those who harbor a grudging attitude only end up harming themselves (47:38). The verses clarify the actual power dynamic: God is the source of all wealth and is entirely self-sufficient, while human beings are the needy ones (47:38, 57:24). Clinging to riches assumes permanent possession, but the Quran points out that God is the one who will ultimately inherit the heavens and the earth (3:180). If a community chooses to turn away and withhold what they have, God promises to substitute them with other people who will not act the same way (47:38).
Finding the just balance
Despite its fierce condemnation of hoarding, the text does not command reckless, self-destructive spending. It dictates a precise middle ground. Believers are instructed not to be completely tight-fisted, but they are equally warned against being so open-handed that they end up overwhelmed with regret and blamed for their own ruin (17:29). The ideal financial state is described as a deliberate equilibrium, characterized by people who are neither wasteful nor niggardly when they spend, but keep strictly to a just balance (25:67).
The physical burden of hoarding
Those who withhold the grace God has granted them often assume they are securing their future. The Quran shatters this assumption, stating that their stinginess is not good for them, but profoundly bad (3:180). The gold and silver hoarded by those who refuse to spend in God's cause—including religious figures like rabbis and monks who wrongfully consume people's possessions—becomes the very instrument of their torment (9:34).
Whatever a person meanly withholds will take on a literal, crushing weight, hung tightly around their neck on the Day of Resurrection (3:180). The wealth they guarded so fiercely will be heated up in the Fire of Hell and used to brand their foreheads, sides, and backs, as they are told: "This is what you hoarded up for yourselves! Now feel the pain of what you hoarded!" (9:35).
Verses
All 47 verses, in mushaf order.
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغْفِرَةً مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلًا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Satan threatens you with the prospect of poverty and commands you to do foul deeds; God promises you His forgiveness and His abundance: God is limitless and all knowing,
وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ هُوَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم ۖ بَلْ هُوَ شَرٌّ لَّهُمْ ۖ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ مَا بَخِلُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَٰثُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
Those who are miserly with what God has granted them out of His grace should not think that it is good for them; on the contrary, it is bad for them. Whatever they meanly withhold will be hung around their necks on the Day of Resurrection. It is God who will inherit the heavens and earth: God is well aware of everything you do.
ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبُخْلِ وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا
who are miserly and order other people to be the same, hiding the bounty God has given them. We have prepared a humiliating torment for such ungrateful people.
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلْأَحْبَارِ وَٱلرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَٰلَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
Believers, many rabbis and monks wrongfully consume people’s possessions and turn people away from God’s path. [Prophet], tell those who hoard gold and silver instead of giving in God’s cause that they will have a grievous punishment:
يَوْمَ يُحْمَىٰ عَلَيْهَا فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَىٰ بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنُوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ ۖ هَـٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ
on the Day it is heated up in Hell’s Fire and used to brand their foreheads, sides, and backs, they will be told, ‘This is what you hoarded up for yourselves! Now feel the pain of what you hoarded!’
فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَىٰهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦ بَخِلُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَتَوَلَّوا۟ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
yet when He did give them some of His bounty, they became mean and turned obstinately away.
وَلَا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ ٱلْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُورًا
Do not be tight-fisted, nor so open-handed that you end up blamed and overwhelmed with regret.
قُل لَّوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَآئِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّىٓ إِذًا لَّأَمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ ٱلْإِنفَاقِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ قَتُورًا
Say, ‘If you possessed the very stores of my Lord’s bounty, you would hold them back in your fear of spending: man is ever grudging.’
وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا۟ وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا
They are those who are neither wasteful nor niggardly when they spend, but keep to a just balance;
إِن يَسْـَٔلْكُمُوهَا فَيُحْفِكُمْ تَبْخَلُوا۟ وَيُخْرِجْ أَضْغَـٰنَكُمْ
you would be grudging if He were to ask you and press you for them, and He would bring your ill-will to light-
هَـٰٓأَنتُمْ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ تُدْعَوْنَ لِتُنفِقُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَمِنكُم مَّن يَبْخَلُ ۖ وَمَن يَبْخَلْ فَإِنَّمَا يَبْخَلُ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْغَنِىُّ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ ۚ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوٓا۟ أَمْثَـٰلَكُم
though now you are called upon to give [a little] for the sake of God, some of you are grudging. Whoever is grudging is so only towards himself: God is the source of wealth and you are the needy ones. He will substitute other people for you if you turn away, and they will not be like you.
ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبُخْلِ ۗ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ
those who are miserly, and who tell other people to be miserly. If anyone turns away, remember that God is self-sufficient and worthy of praise.
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلْإِيمَـٰنَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّآ أُوتُوا۟ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
Those who were already firmly established in their homes [in Medina], and firmly rooted in faith, show love for those who migrated to them for refuge and harbour no desire in their hearts for what has been given to them. They give them preference over themselves, even if they too are poor: those who are saved from their own souls’ greed are truly successful.
فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ وَأَنفِقُوا۟ خَيْرًا لِّأَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
be mindful of God as much as you can; hear and obey; be charitable- it is for your own good. Those who are saved from their own meanness will be the prosperous ones:
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ
We have tried them as We tried the owners of a certain garden, who swore that they would harvest its fruits in the morning
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ
and made no allowance [for the Will of God]:
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ
a disaster from your Lord struck the garden as they slept
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ
and by morning it was stripped bare, a desolate land.
فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ
Still they called each other at daybreak,
أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰرِمِينَ
‘Go early to your field if you wish to gather all its fruits,’
فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ
and went off, whispering,
أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ
‘Make sure no poor person enters the garden today!’––
وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَـٰدِرِينَ
they left early, bent on their purpose-
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ
but when they saw the garden, they said, ‘We must have lost our way!
بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ
No- we are ruined!’
قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ
The wisest of them said, ‘Did I not say to you, “Will you not glorify God?”’-
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ
they said, ‘Glory be to God, Our Lord! Truly, we were doing wrong!’-
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ
and then they turned to each other in mutual reproach.
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَـٰغِينَ
They said, ‘Alas for us! We have done terrible wrong,
عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَآ أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَآ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَٰغِبُونَ
but maybe our Lord will give us something better in its place: we truly turn to Him in hope.’
كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
Such is the punishment [in this life], but greater still is the punishment in the Hereafter, if only they knew.
إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
he would not believe in Almighty God,
وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ
he never encouraged feeding the hungry,
كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ
But no! There is a raging flame
نَزَّاعَةً لِّلشَّوَىٰ
that strips away the skin,
تَدْعُوا۟ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
and it will claim everyone who rejects the truth, turns away,
وَجَمَعَ فَأَوْعَىٰٓ
amasses wealth and hoards it.
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ
He does not withhold what is revealed to him from beyond.
كَلَّا ۖ بَل لَّا تُكْرِمُونَ ٱلْيَتِيمَ
No indeed! You [people] do not honour orphans,
وَلَا تَحَـٰٓضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ
you do not urge one another to feed the poor,
وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسْتَغْنَىٰ
There is the one who is miserly, who is self-satisfied,
وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
who denies goodness––
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ
We shall smooth his way towards hardship
وَمَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ
and his wealth will not help him as he falls.
أَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى يُكَذِّبُ بِٱلدِّينِ
[Prophet], have you considered the person who denies the Judgement?
فَذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلْيَتِيمَ
It is he who pushes aside the orphan
وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ
and does not urge others to feed the needy.