ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبُخْلِ وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًۭا مُّهِينًۭا
(yaitu) orang-orang yang kikir, dan menyuruh orang lain berbuat kikir, dan menyembunyikan karunia Allah yang telah diberikan-Nya kepada mereka. Dan Kami telah menyediakan untuk orang-orang kafir siksa yang menghinakan.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
The Censure of Stingy Behavior
Allah chastises the stingy behavior of those who refuse to spend their money for what Allah ordered them, such as being kind to parents and compassionate to relatives, orphans, the poor, the relative who is also a neighbor, the companion during travel, the needy wayfarer, the slaves and servants. Such people do not give Allah's right from their wealth, and they assist in the spread of stingy behavior. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«وَأَيُّ دَاءٍ أَدْوَأُ مِنَ الْبُخْل»
(What disease is more serious than being stingy) He also said,
«إِيَّاكُمْ وَالشُّحَّ، فَإِنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، أَمَرَهُمْ بِالْقَطِيْعَةِ فَقَطَعُوا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْفُجُورِ فَفَجَرُوا»
(Beware of being stingy, for it destroyed those who were before you, as it encouraged them to cut their relations and they did, and it encouraged them to commit sin and they did.) Allah said,
وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَـهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ
(and hide what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounties,) Therefore, the miser is ungrateful for Allah's favor, for its effect does not appear on him, whether in his food, clothes or what he gives. Similarly, Allah said,
إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ لِرَبِّهِ لَكَنُودٌ - وَإِنَّهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ لَشَهِيدٌ
(Verily, man is ungrateful to his Lord. And to that he bears witness.) by his manners and conduct,
وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيدٌ
(And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth.) Allah said,
وَيَكْتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَـهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ
(and hide what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounties) and this is why He threatened them,
وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـفِرِينَ عَذَاباً مُّهِيناً
(And We have prepared for the disbelievers a disgraceful torment.) Kufr means to cover something. Therefore, the Bakhil (miser) covers the favors that Allah has blessed him with, meaning he does not spread those favors. So he is described by the term Kafir (ungrateful) regarding the favors that Allah granted him. A Hadith states that,
«إِنَّ اللهَ إِذَا أَنْعَمَ نِعْمَةً عَلى عَبْدٍ،أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَظْهَرَ أَثَرُهَا عَلَيْه»
(When Allah grants a servant a favor, He likes that its effect appears on him.) Some of the Salaf stated that this Ayah 4:37 is describing the Jews who hid the knowledge they had about the description of Muhammad ﷺ, and there is no doubt that the general meaning of the Ayah includes this. The apparent wording for this Ayah indicates that it is talking about being stingy with money, even though miserly conduct with knowledge is also included. The Ayah talks about spending on relatives and the weak, just as the Ayah after it,
وَالَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَلَهُمْ رِئَـآءَ النَّاسِ
(And (also) those who spend of their wealth to be seen of men, ) Allah first mentions the punished misers who do not spend, then He mentions those who spend to show off to gain the reputation that they are generous, not for the Face of Allah. A Hadith states that the first three persons on whom the fire will feed are a scholar, a fighter and a spender who shows off with their actions. For instance,
«يَقُولُ صَاحِبُ الْمَالِ: مَا تَرَكْتُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ تُحِبُّ أَنْ يُنْفَقَ فِيهِ، إِلَّا أَنْفَقْتُ فِي سَبِيلِكَ، فَيَقُولُ اللهُ: كَذَبْتَ، إِنَّمَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ يُقَالَ: جَوَادٌ، فَقَدْدِقيل»
(The wealthy will say, "I did not leave any area that You like to be spent on, but I spent on it in Your cause." Allah will say, "You lie, you only did that so that it is said, `He is generous.' And it was said...") meaning you acquired your reward in the life, and this is indeed what you sought with your action. This is why Allah said,
وَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ بِالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ
(and believe not in Allah and the Last Day,) meaning, it is Shaytan who lured them to commit this evil action, instead of performing the good deed as it should be performed. Shaytan encouraged, excited and lured them by making the evil appear good,
وَمَن يَكُنِ الشَّيْطَـنُ لَهُ قَرِيناً فَسَآءَ قِرِيناً
(And whoever takes Shaytan as an intimate; then what a dreadful intimate he has!) Allah then said,
وَمَاذَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَوْ ءَامَنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَأَنفَقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقَهُمُ اللَّهُ
(And what loss have they if they had believed in Allah and in the Last Day, and they spend out of what Allah has given them for sustenance) This Ayah means, what harm would it cause them if they believe in Allah, go on the righteous path, replace showing off with sincerity, have faith in Allah, and await His promise in the Hereafter, for those who do good and spend what He has given them on what He likes and is pleased with. Allah's statement:
وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِهِم عَلِيماً
(And Allah is Ever All-Knower of them.) means, He has perfect knowledge of their intentions, whether good or evil. Indeed, Allah knows those who deserve success, and He grants them success and guidance, directing them to perform righteous actions that will earn them His pleasure. He also knows those who deserve failure and expulsion from His great mercy, which amounts to utter failure in this life and the Hereafter for them, we seek refuge in Allah from this evil end.
Hadits Terkait
Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Muhamamad] telah mengabarkan kepada kami ['Abdullah] telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Hisyam bin 'Urwah] dari [bapaknya] dari ['Aisyah radliallahu 'anha] tentang ayat ini QS An-Nisaa: 128): ("Apabila seorang isteri takut suaminya akan berbuat nusyuz (tidak mau menggaulinya) atau berlaku kasar terhadapnya"), dia ('Aisyah radliallahu 'anha) berkata: "Yaitu jika seorang suami yang memiliki isteri namun dia tidak lagi mencintai dan menggaulinya serta berkehendak untuk menceraikanya lalu isterinya berkata, "aku persilakan kamu meninggalkan aku namun jangan ceraikan aku", maka turunlah ayat ini
Telah bercerita kepada kami [Abu Al Yaman] telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Syu'aib] dari [Az Zuhriy] berkata telah bercerita kepadaku ['Urwah bin Az Zubair] bahwa [Az Zubair] pernah bercerita bahwa dia pernah bersengketa dengan seseorang dari kaum Anshor yang pernah ikut dalam perang Badar kepada Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam tentang masalah saluran air di Al Harrah dimana keduanya sama-sama saling menyiram (kebun mereka darinya) Maka Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam bersabda kepada Az Zubair: "Siramlah (kebunmu darinya) wahai Zubair lalu alirkanlah ke tetanggamu". Maka orang Anshor itu marah seraya berkata: "Wahai Rasulullah, Tuan bela dia karena dia anak dari bibi Tuan". Maka wajah Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam berubah kemudian Beliau berkata: "Siramlah (kebunmu) darinya kemudian tahanlah air itu hingga memenuhi kebun". Maka Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam saat itu memutuskan untuk mememnuhi hak Zubair padahal sebelumnya Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam memberi isyarat kepada Zubair agar memberi kelapangan bagi orang Anshor itu. Ketika orang Anshor itu tidak menerima maka Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam mengembalikan hak Zubair sepenuhnya sesuai hukum yang semestiya. 'Urwah berkata; Az Zubair berkata: "Demi Allah, tidaklah aku menduga ayat ini turun melainkan dalam perkara ini: ("Maka demi Tuhanmu, mereka (pada hakekatnya) tidak beriman hingga mereka menjadikan kamu hakim terhadap perkara yang mereka perselisihkan….) Ayat 65 dari surah an-Nisaa
Telah bercerita kepada kami ['Ubaidullah bin Isma'il] telah bercerita kepada kami [Abu Usamah] dari [Hisyam] dari [bapaknya] dari ['Aisyah radliallahu 'anha] tentang firman Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala dalam QS an-Nisaa' ayat; 6, yang artinya ("Dan barang siapa (di antara pemelihara itu) mampu, maka hendaklah ia menahan diri (dari memakan harta anak yatim itu) dan barang siapa yang miskin, maka bolehlah ia makan harta itu menurut yang patut"), dia berkata: "Ayat ini turun berkenaan dengan seorang yang memelihara anak yatim lalu ingin mengambil harta anak yatim tersebut apabila membutuhkannya sesuai dengan jumlah hartanya secara ma'ruf (yang patut)
Telah bercerita kepada kami [Abu Al Walid] telah bercerita kepada kami [Syu'bah] dari [Abu Ishaq] berkata aku mendengar [Al Bara' radliallahu 'anhu] berkata; Ketika turun ayat 97 Surah an-Nisaa' yang artinya ("Tidaklah sama orang-orang yang duduk-duduk saja (tidak ikut berperang) dari kalangan Kaum Mu'minin…"), Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam memanggil Zaid, maka dia datang dengan membawa papan tulis lalu dia menulis ayat itu. Kemudian Ummu Maktum datang mengadukan alasannya, maka turunlah ayat ini ("Tidaklah sama orang-orang yang duduk-duduk saja (tidak ikut berperang) dari kalangan Kaum Mu'minin tanpa memiliki alasan…
Telah bercerita kepada kami ['Abdul 'Aziz bin 'Abdullah] telah bercerita kepada kami [Ibrahim bin Sa'ad Az Zuhriy] berkata telah bercerita kepadaku [Shalih bin Kaisan] dari [Ibnu Syihab] dari [Sahal bin Sa'ad As-Sa'idiy] bahwa dia berkata: "Aku melihat [Marwan bin Al Hakam] sedang duduk di masjid lalu aku menemuinya hingga aku duduk di sampingnya lalu dia mengabarkan kepada kami bahwa [Zaid bin Tsabit] mengabarkan kepadanya bahwa Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam membacakan ayat 97 Surah an-Nisaa' kepadanya yang artinya ("Tidaklah sama orang-orang yang duduk-duduk saja (tidak ikut berperang) dari kalangan Kaum Mu'minin dengan orang-orang yang berjihad fii sabilillah…"), maka datang Ibnu Ummu Maktum kepada Beliau padahal Beliau sedang membacakan ayat itu kepadaku dengan berkata: "Wahai Rasulullah, seandainya aku mampu berjihad pasti aku akan berjihad". Dia adalah seorang yang buta. Maka Allah Tabaaraka Wa Ta'ala menurunkan ayat kepada Rosul-Nya pada saat paha Beliau sedang berada diatas pahaku dan aku merasa berat dengan paha Beliau tersebut (karena beratnya wahyu yang Beliau terima) hingga aku khawatir pahaku retak. Kemudian Beliau tenang kembali. Maka Allah 'AZZA WAJALLA menurunkan firman-Nya (kelanjutan ayat tersebut) yang artinya: ("Yang tanpa memiliki alasan…)