A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
Cowardice and stinginess.
Two blameworthy character traits.
The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, linked them together.
He frequently sought refuge from them in his supplications.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow,
and from incapacity and laziness, and from cowardice and stinginess."
Agreed upon.
It is rare to find one of these traits in a person
without the other being present as well.
For the stingy person is often a coward,
and the coward is often stingy.
This is because greed is the common denominator between them.
The coward is stingy with his own self,
and the stingy person is stingy with his wealth.
Allah the Exalted has said:
"And whoever is protected from the greed of his own soul, it is they who are the successful."
These two traits may remain hidden
due to the absence of situations that reveal them.
But when a situation of fear arises,
the trait of cowardice appears,
or when a situation of greed arises,
the trait of stinginess appears.
The Children of Israel were tested with both situations,
and most of them failed in both.
When they were commanded to enter Jerusalem,
they were cowardly and said:
“They said: O Moses! Lo! a giant people (dwell) therein and lo! we go not in till they go forth from thence. When they go forth from thence, then we will enter (not till then).” (5:22)
Allah withheld the fish from them,
except on the Sabbath.
It was forbidden for them to work on that day,
yet they could not restrain their desire to accumulate wealth.
They resorted to trickery to fish on their Sabbath,
by setting nets before it,
and collecting the catch after it.
This was out of stinginess, fearing that wealth might be lost to them.
Allah tested the Companions of Muhammad, peace be upon him,
with both situations,
and they succeeded in both.
Regarding the situation of fear,
Allah the Exalted said:
“Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them. (The threat of danger) but increased the faith of them and they cried: Allah is Sufficient for us! Most Excellent is He in Whom we trust!” (3:173)
“Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them. (The threat of danger) but increased the faith of them and they cried: Allah is Sufficient for us! Most Excellent is He in Whom we trust!” (3:173)
"So fear them,"
and it only increased them in faith.
“Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them. (The threat of danger) but increased the faith of them and they cried: Allah is Sufficient for us! Most Excellent is He in Whom we trust!” (3:173)
They were neither cowardly nor afraid.
As for wealth,
they were forbidden from hunting in the Sacred Precinct or while in the state of ihram,
as the Exalted said:
"O you who have believed,"
“O ye who believe! Kill no wild game while ye are on the pilgrimage. Whoso of you killeth it of set purpose he shall pay its forfeit in the equivalent of that which he hath killed, of domestic animals, the judge to be two men among you known for justice, (the forfeit) to be brought as an offering to the Ka'bah; or, for expiation, he shall feed poor persons, or the equivalent thereof in fasting, that he may taste the evil consequences of his deed. Allah forgiveth whatever (of this kind) may have happened in the past, but whoso relapseth, Allah will take retribution from him. Allah is Mighty, Able to Requite (the wrong).” (5:95)
and they complied with the ruling and did not disobey it.
Furthermore, when Allah opened the world to them toward the end of their era,
they rose above it and remained ascetic toward it.
A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.