Economy & Wealth · Quran topic

Miserliness

البخل · Bukhl

Recognizing the spiritual danger of withholding wealth and learning to free the heart through giving.

99 verses · 7 parts · 11 min read

Study guide based on

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

«البخل» · Volume 4

At a glance

Wealth is a trust placed in your hands by Allah, who is entirely free of need from all creation. While humans are naturally inclined toward possessiveness and fear of loss, the Quran warns that yielding to miserliness corrupts both the individual soul and society. Withholding what Allah has commanded you to share does not protect your wealth: it only deprives you of divine blessings and brings spiritual ruin.

The Quran repeatedly contrasts the destructive impulse to hoard with the purifying power of charity. Spending in good causes cleanses the heart of greed, draws down divine replacement, and shields a person from devastating regret in the Hereafter. Recognizing that everything you hold belongs ultimately to Allah is the first step toward genuine freedom from stinginess.

Overcoming miserliness requires an ongoing inner struggle. By learning how the Quran diagnoses greed, exposes the habits of hoarders, and prescribes practical remedies, you can nurture a spirit of openhanded generosity and attain true success.

Key verses

  1. Ali 'Imran 3:180: Those who stingily withhold what Allah granted them from His bounty will find that their hoarded wealth becomes a collar of punishment around their necks on the Day of Resurrection, for all inheritance belongs solely to Allah.
  2. Al-Hashr 59:9: True prosperity and ultimate success belong to those who are shielded from the innate greed of their own souls and choose selfless preference for others.
  3. Muhammad 47:38: When called to spend in the way of Allah, anyone who hoards is only withholding good from their own soul, because Allah is completely self-sufficient while all humans are impoverished before Him.
  4. At-Tawbah 9:103: Prescribed charity serves as an essential spiritual remedy that purifies the soul from sin and fosters righteous growth.
  5. An-Nisa 4:37: The Quran severely censures those who not only hoard their blessings but also urge others to be stingy while hiding the bounties Allah gave them.
  6. Saba 34:39: Allah guarantees to replenish whatever you spend in His cause, reassuring anxious hearts that giving never diminishes genuine provision.
  7. Fatir 35:15: Human beings are in absolute need of Allah in every single moment, whereas Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy, who requires nothing from His creation.
  8. Al-Layl 92:8-11: Whoever hoards, considers themselves self-sufficient, and denies the ultimate good will have their path smoothed toward hardship, and their wealth will be useless when they perish.
  9. At-Tawbah 9:34-35: A severe warning of intense punishment awaits those who hoard gold and silver without fulfilling their obligatory spending in the way of Allah.
  10. Al-Ahzab 33:19: The hypocrites are exposed by their profound stinginess toward the believers, withholding physical aid in crisis and showing pettiness toward every form of goodness.
  11. Al-Munafiqun 63:7: Hypocrites attempt to choke financial support from the righteous out of sheer malice, foolishly failing to grasp that the treasuries of the heavens and earth belong exclusively to Allah.

Words to know

البُخْل `al-bukhl`

Withholding possessions or rights that should not be held back, whether from one's own wealth or from the wealth of another, occurring in the Quran in both nominal and verbal forms.

Appears 12 times in the Quran.

Most common forms: بَخِلَ (10), بُخْل (2)

Root: ب خ ل

الشُّحّ `al-shuhh`

An intense, habitual stinginess accompanied by an eager, covetous craving to amass what one does not yet possess.

Root: ش ح ح

الإِقْتَار `al-iqtar`

Excessively constricting spending on living expenses, standing as the blameworthy opposite of extravagance.

الضَّنّ `al-dann`

Withholding and clinging tightly specifically to something deemed precious and rare.

الكَرَم `al-karam`

Giving freely and easily without demanding compensation, representing noble character and deeds.

Root: ك ر م

الإِيثَار `al-ithar`

Preferring others over oneself in worldly benefit out of strong faith, love, and desire for divine reward.

Giving wealth is a bounty from Allah

From the paper: «إيتاء المال فضل من الله»

The wealth in your hands is not your absolute property, but a gracious favor and trust from Allah to test how you act Al-Anbiya 21:35, An-Naml 27:73. In the end, all possessions return to Him alone as the true Inheritor of the heavens and the earth Ali 'Imran 3:180, Maryam 19:40. Recognizing that your resources are temporary loans removes any rational justification for hoarding.

Out of mercy, Allah does not demand all your wealth: He asks only for a moderate portion, knowing that an exhaustive demand would stir up inner resentment and expose human possessiveness Muhammad 47:36-37. When you spend in good causes, the benefits return directly to you:

  • Allah multiplies the reward many times over, viewing your spending as a generous loan Al-Baqarah 2:245.
  • Charity purifies you from sins and fosters moral growth At-Tawbah 9:103.
  • Giving aids the vulnerable and secures an immense reward in Paradise Ali 'Imran 3:133-134.
  • Allah promises to replace what is spent, while angels pray daily for the generous and against the hoarder Saba 34:39.

Allah commands spending not because He needs your wealth, but for your own benefit. He is entirely Self-Sufficient (al-Ghani), while all creation is intrinsically impoverished before Him Ibrahim 14:8, Fatir 35:15, Muhammad 47:38, An-Najm 53:48. Even if every human withheld their wealth, His dominion would not diminish by an atom, just as universal charity would add nothing to His sovereignty.

«ثم ذكر أن هذا الذي بيد العباد كله يرجع إلى الله، ويرثه تعالى، وهو خير الوارثين، فلا معنى للبخل بشيء هو زائل عنك منتقل إلى غيرك.»

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 4

Stinginess and miserliness as human nature

From the paper: «الشح والبخل طبيعة إنسانية»

The Quran explains that stinginess and self-protective greed are innate inclinations woven into the human disposition An-Nisa 4:128. When addressing this spiritual malady, the Quran speaks of man in general rather than singling out only disbelievers, highlighting that every soul carries a baseline fear of depletion Al-Isra 17:100, Al-Ma'arij 70:19-21, Al-Fajr 89:17-20.

Because human beings were created needy, they naturally cling to whatever dispels their perceived vulnerability An-Nisa 4:53. The Quran vividly states that even if mortals possessed the inexhaustible treasuries of divine mercy, they would hold back out of dread that their wealth might run dry Al-Isra 17:100. People instinctively hold resources for personal advantage and fear poverty, whereas Allah's unbounded generosity is free from every limitation.

Even when an uncultivated soul gives, it often does so seeking social praise or discharging a burden, acting out of subtle self-interest. However, being created with this tendency is not an excuse to surrender to it. The purpose of divine guidance is to refine the soul, tame its possessive impulses, and elevate it beyond raw nature. Allah commands you to guard against this internal greed, explicitly linking true spiritual success to overcoming the soul's innate avarice Al-Hashr 59:9.

فهذا «إخبار بأن الشح في كل أحد، وأن الإنسان لا بد أن يشح بحكم خلقته وجبلته، حتى يحمل صاحبه على بعض ما يكره»، «فالمراد أن الشح جعل كالأمر المجاور للنفوس اللازم لها».

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 4

Types of miserliness

From the paper: «أنواع البخل»

Miserliness holds no good whatsoever: it is an unmitigated evil that destroys relationships, shatters families, and fosters social envy Ali 'Imran 3:180. The Quran identifies two distinct forms of this vice:

  • Withholding what one owns: A person holds back their own resources: whether wealth, knowledge, or influence: from fulfilling the duties decreed by Allah An-Nisa 4:37, Al-Layl 92:8-11. They neglect divine obligations like zakah, starve their own dependents, or withhold necessary care from relatives. Such individuals live in chronic anxiety, suspecting that giving will ruin them and foolishly believing their wealth was earned solely by their own cleverness. The Quran shows that their stinginess rebounds against themselves, leaving them impoverished in spirit Muhammad 47:38.
  • Begrudging what belongs to others: Even more despicable is being stingy with what one does not own. This manifests when a person actively commands or pressures others to be miserly, hates to see divine favors reach fellow creatures, and conceals the blessings Allah has bestowed Al-Baqarah 2:105, An-Nisa 4:37, Al-Hadid 57:24.

This latter form represents the peak of malice. By feigning poverty while affluent, complaining about divine decree, and dissuading others from charity, such individuals mimic the historic traits of obstinate rejectors and incur humiliating disgrace.

«لا شك أن البخل لا خير فيه؛ بل هو شر كله، وهو من الصفات المذمومة التي نهى الله تعالى عنها، وحذر منها في القرآن الكريم وفي السنة النبوية المطهرة، فالبخل داء فتاك، كم فرق بين أحباب، ودمر بيوتًا ومجتمعات، وزرع الحسد والحقد بين قلوب البشر.»

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 4

Degrees of miserliness

From the paper: «درجات البخل»

People vary widely in their spending habits. While some rush eagerly toward charitable avenues without hesitation, others hold back in differing degrees, ranging from punishable sin to blameworthy deficiency.

  • Withholding obligatory dues: This is the gravest level, where a person refuses to pay mandatory spending decreed by Allah, such as zakah, lawful maintenance of spouses and family members, or required contributions for the defense and welfare of the community. The Quran delivers an intense warning of severe punishment for those who hoard wealth and refuse to spend it in Allah's cause, describing how their unspent treasures will be heated in Hellfire to brand their bodies At-Tawbah 9:34-35. Hoarding what is mandatory is a prohibited act that brings divine torment.
  • Withholding recommended charity: The second level involves holding back from voluntary, supererogatory spending (mustahabb). When called upon to contribute beyond the minimum duty, a person clings to their resources out of attachment to wealth Muhammad 47:38.

Although neglecting voluntary spending does not incur eternal punishment like abandoning obligations, it remains highly blameworthy. Such stinginess deprives the person of immense heavenly reward, stunting their spiritual growth and harming their own ultimate interests, while causing no harm to Allah whatsoever.

«• بخل يعذب عليه الإنسان، وهو إذا بخل بما فرض الله عليه.»

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 4

Stinginess as a trait of the hypocrites

From the paper: «الشح من صفات المنافقين»

Miserliness is a hateful trait repeatedly condemned by Allah, standing as one of the most prominent hallmarks of the hypocrites (munafiqun). The Quran recounts how some hypocrites swore solemn oaths to give charity and live righteously if granted wealth, but when bounty arrived, they hoarded it stubbornly, which bred entrenched hypocrisy in their hearts At-Tawbah 9:75-80.

Hypocrites display intense stinginess toward the believers in multiple ways:

  • Stinginess against the believers: They refuse to contribute effort, combat support, or funds to the community Al-Ahzab 33:18-19. They resent any victory or provision reaching the faithful, actively conspiring to cut off financial help from those around the Prophet in the vain hope that the community will scatter Al-Munafiqun 63:7. Their plot stems from sheer ignorance, blind to the fact that all heavenly and earthly treasuries belong to Allah.
  • Stinginess toward goodness entirely: Their miserliness is not confined to money: they withhold physical effort, wise counsel, knowledge, and sincere encouragement Al-Ahzab 33:18-19. Driven by lack of faith in the Hereafter and deep envy toward the righteous, they dread divine retribution because they expect no heavenly reward.

Believers are sternly cautioned never to imitate this hypocritical mentality by allowing wealth and children to distract them from Allah's remembrance Al-Munafiqun 63:9.

قال السعدي رحمه الله تعالى عند تفسير هذه الآية: «أشحة على الخير الذي يراد منهم، وهذا شر ما في الإنسان، أن يكون شحيحًا بما أمر به، شحيحًا بماله أن ينفقه في وجهه، شحيحًا في بدنه أن يجاهد أعداء الله، أو يدعو إلى سبيل الله، شحيحًا بجاهه، شحيحًا بعلمه، ونصيحته ورأيه».

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 4

Prevention and treatment of stinginess

From the paper: «الوقاية والعلاج من الشح»

Because greed is an innate tendency, every believer must proactively guard against it before it takes root and treat it diligently if it appears.

Root Causes and Prevention: Greed stems from weak certainty in Allah, forgetting the severe consequences of stinginess, obsession with worldly glitter, uncritical imitation of a miserly social environment, neglect of self-discipline, and harbored pride or malice An-Nisa 4:128, Ibrahim 14:2-3, Al-Layl 92:8-11, Al-Adiyat 100:6-8. To prevent it, you must:

  • Anchor firm certainty that provision comes from Allah alone and that He guarantees to replace what is spent Hud 11:6, Saba 34:39, Adh-Dhariyat 51:22-23.
  • Reflect on the transience of this life compared to the eternal Hereafter.
  • Actively discipline the soul and cleanse the heart from arrogance, envy, and malice, following the model of the early supporters who preferred others despite their own poverty Al-Hashr 59:9, At-Taghabun 64:16.

Practical Quranic Remedies: For one struggling with this affliction, the Quran prescribes multifaceted spiritual medicine:

قال الرازي: «اقتضت حكمة الشرع تكليف مالك المال بإخراج طائفة منه من يده؛ ليصير ذلك الإخراج: كسرًا من شدة الميل إلى المال، ومنعًا من انصراف النفس بالكلية إليها. وتنبيها لها على أن سعادة الإنسان لا تحصل عند الاشتغال بطلب المال، وإنما تحصل بإنفاق المال في طلب مرضاة الله تعالى.

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 4

Consequences of stinginess and miserliness

From the paper: «عاقبة الشح والبخل»

Stinginess reflects foolishness, poor judgment, and suspicion of Allah. It brings disaster in this life and the next:

  • Terrifying punishment in the Hereafter: Hoarded treasures will be turned into burning brands or wrapped as agonizing collars around hoarders' necks on the Day of Resurrection Ali 'Imran 3:180, At-Tawbah 9:34-35.
  • Divine replacement: If a person refuses to sacrifice their wealth or effort, Allah replaces them with sincere servants who gladly spend, leaving the hoarder bereft of honor and reward At-Tawbah 9:38-39, Muhammad 47:38.
  • Breeding hypocrisy and sin: Persistent stinginess causes hypocrisy to settle into the heart and leads to severe transgression, family estrangement, and bloodshed At-Tawbah 9:75-80.
  • Deprivation and ruined wealth: The miser forfeits the purifying blessings of charity At-Tawbah 9:103. Succumbing to Satan's false threats of poverty Al-Baqarah 2:267-268, hoarders invite the destruction of their assets, just like the Quranic garden owners whose harvest was incinerated overnight for denying the poor Al-Qalam 68:17-20.
  • Hardship in all affairs: Allah smooths the hoarder's path toward hardship and misery Al-Layl 92:8-11.
  • Social isolation and fractured bonds: Miserliness poisons community peace, disrupts reconciliation, and breeds deep resentment An-Nisa 4:114.

In this world, the miser lives the impoverished, anxious life of a beggar while hoarding fortunes, only to face the reckoning of the wealthiest on the Day of Judgment.

«إن البخل دليل على قلة العقل وسوء التدبير، وهو أصل لنقائص كثيرة، ويدعو إلى خصال ذميمة، ومن شأنه: أن يهلك الإنسان ويدمر الأخلاق، ويؤخر صاحبه، ويبعده عن صفات الأنبياء والصالحين، كما أنه دليل على سوء الظن بالله عز وجل.»

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 4

Takeaways

  1. Recognize yourself as a steward, not an owner

    Internalize that every dollar, talent, and opportunity you hold is a divine trust from Allah. Reminding yourself that everything ultimately returns to Him helps dissolve the possessive fear that drives stinginess.

  2. Fulfill obligatory dues before all else

    Never compromise on compulsory spending, including your annual zakah and the basic living support owed to your family. Withholding these rights constitutes a major sin that invites severe divine punishment.

  3. Give charity even when you fear need

    Do not wait until you feel wealthy or reach the end of life to give. The most rewarding charity is given while you are healthy, clinging to resources, and tempted by fear of poverty.

  4. Cleanse your heart from envy and malice

    Greed thrives on inner resentment and arrogance. Purifying your heart toward others makes generous giving and self-sacrifice natural, just as the early supporters of Medina gave despite their own hardship.

  5. Maintain balance between stinginess and excess

    Islam does not ask you to bankrupt yourself or give until you become helpless. Practice consistent, moderate spending that fulfills every obligation without crossing into wastefulness.

Reflect

  • When you feel reluctant to give charity, what specific fear is holding you back, and how does remembering Allah's promise of replenishment help?
  • Are there people under your care whose rightful financial support you are unnecessarily constricting out of anxiety for the future?
  • How can you train yourself to rejoice when good fortune and provision reach others, rather than feeling subtle envy or resentment?
  • In what ways besides money (such as your time, knowledge, or sincere counsel) might you be holding back from serving those around you?

Go deeper

Linguistic meaning

Linguistically, the root letters (b-kh-l) signify the absolute opposite of generosity and openhandedness, referring to holding back what one possesses rather than giving freely, with a miserly person termed bakhil.

وحد البخل الزبيدي رحمه الله تعالى بقوله: «إمساك المقتنيات عما لا يحل حبسها عنه».

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 4

Technical meaning

In sacred terminology, bukhl is withholding what is requested or required from assets that should not lawfully be held back, whether from one's own wealth or from the wealth of another, particularly when the recipient is fully entitled to it.

«وبهذا يتبين أن البخل في الاصطلاح هو: منع ما يطلب عما لا يحق حبسها عنه، سواء كانت من مال نفسه أو من مال غيره وهو أشد.»

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume 4

How it differs from related terms

الشح Covetous Greed
While bukhl denotes the general act of withholding what is already in your possession, shuhh is an intense, ingrained greed accompanied by an eager craving to acquire what you do not yet have, making a person greedy before obtaining wealth and stingy after receiving it.
الإقتار Constriction of Spending
Bukhl signifies total withholding and refusal to give, whereas iqtar refers to severely pinching and constricting one's expenditure on daily maintenance and living costs, serving as the blameworthy counterpart to extravagance.
الضن Withholding Precious Things
Bukhl applies broadly to withholding anything whether trivial or significant, whereas dann refers specifically to being tightfisted with something considered exceptionally valuable, scarce, and dearly cherished.
الكرم Generosity
Karam is the direct opposite of bukhl, describing the effortless, joyful giving of benefit to others without expecting compensation or return.
الإيثار Selfless Preference
Ithar stands in total antithesis to bukhl, representing the pinnacle of brotherly love where an individual voluntarily sacrifices their own worldly comfort and prefers others over themselves out of sincere faith and yearning for divine reward.

Every verse in the paper

All 99 verses the research paper discusses, grouped under its own headings.

Miserliness in Quranic usage «البخل في الاستعمال القرآني»

9:76, 3:180, 4:37

Related terms «الألفاظ ذات الصلة»

Technical definition of stinginess «الشح اصطلاحًا»

59:9, 4:128

Giving wealth is a bounty from Allah «إيتاء المال فضل من الله»

27:73, 21:35, 3:180, 19:40, 47:36-37, 9:103

Benefits of spending on good causes «أولًا: منافع الإنفاق في وجوه الخير»

2:245, 9:103, 3:133-134, 34:39

Allah is free of need from His servants «ثانيًا: الله عز وجل غني عن عباده»

35:15, 53:48, 47:38, 47:6, 14:8, 3:181

Stinginess and miserliness as human nature «الشح والبخل طبيعة إنسانية»

4:128, 4:53, 70:19-21, 89:17-20, 17:100, 59:9

Types of miserliness «أنواع البخل»

3:180, 57:24

Being miserly with what one owns «أولًا: بخل المرء بما يملك»

4:37, 92:8-11, 3:180, 47:38

Being miserly with what others own «ثانيًا: بخل المرء بما يملك غيره»

2:105, 4:37

Degrees of miserliness «درجات البخل»

9:34-35, 47:38

Stinginess as a trait of the hypocrites «الشح من صفات المنافقين»

9:75-80, 33:18-19, 63:7, 63:9

Prevention and treatment of stinginess «الوقاية والعلاج من الشح»

Methods of preventing miserliness and stinginess «أولًا: ذكر طرق الوقاية من البخل والشح»

59:9, 64:16, 92:8-11, 34:39, 14:2-3, 4:128, 100:6-8, 51:22-23, 11:6, 73:20, 26:88-89

Methods of treating miserliness and stinginess «ثانيًا: ذكر طرق العلاج من البخل والشح»

92:17-21, 64:16, 59:9, 2:261-262, 2:274, 2:254, 2:267-268, 57:10-11, 34:39, 2:272, 57:7, 9:103, 51:24-27, 12:111, 17:29, 25:67, 3:180, 50:23-25, 4:36-37, 92:8-11, 9:34-35, 68:10-12, 3:156, 73:20, 29:69, 40:60

Consequences of stinginess and miserliness «عاقبة الشح والبخل»

3:180, 9:34-35, 47:38, 9:38-39, 9:75-80, 9:103, 2:267-268, 68:17-20, 2:280, 92:8-11, 4:114

About this source

موسوعة التفسير الموضوعي للقرآن الكريم

مركز تفسير للدراسات القرآنية

Volume
4
Research paper
«البخل» (Miserliness)

Read the full paper (Arabic)

Encyclopedia of Thematic Tafsir of the Noble Quran, published by the Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

This study guide summarizes the Arabic research paper. For full scholarly detail, refer to the original. This preview has not been reviewed yet.

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