The End of Miserliness

The End of Miserliness

Hazrat Sayyiduna Yazid bin Maysrah (may Allah have mercy on him) says: “Among the nations before us, there was a man who had accumulated a lot of wealth and comforts, and his children were also sufficient. He was blessed with many blessings. Despite having a lot of wealth, he was extremely stingy. He did not spend anything in the way of Allah Almighty, and he was always trying to increase his wealth somehow. When he accumulated wealth, he said, “Now I will live a life of great luxury.” So, he started living in great luxury with his family and friends.

Many servants were always waiting for his command with folded hands, Al-Gharz! He became so engrossed in these worldly comforts that he forgot about his death. One day, the Angel of Death, Hazrat Sayyiduna Azrael (peace be upon him), came to his house as a beggar and knocked on the door. The servant immediately ran towards the door, and as soon as he opened the door, he found a beggar in front of him. He asked him: “Why have you come here?” The Angel of Death (peace be upon him) replied: “Go, send your master out; I have work to do with him.” The servants lied and said: “He has gone out to help a beggar like you.” Hearing this, the Angel of Death (peace be upon him) left from there. “After a while, he came again and knocked on the door. The servant came out and said to him: “Go and tell your master: I am the Angel of Death.”

When the rich man heard this, he became terrified and said to his servants: “Go and speak to him very gently.” The servants came out and told Hazrat Sayyiduna Malik al-Maut (AS): “Take someone else’s soul instead of our master and release him. May Allah Almighty bless you.”

Hazrat Sayyiduna Malik al-Maut (AS) said: “This cannot be possible.” Then the Angel of Death (AS) went inside and said to the rich man: “Do whatever you want to do; I will not leave here without taking your soul.”

Hearing this, all the family members started crying and weeping. The man said to his family and servants: “Open the chests and coffins filled with gold and silver. Give me all my wealth.” The order was immediately carried out, and the entire treasure was piled at his feet. The man came to the pile of gold and silver and said: “O most humble and wicked wealth! Curse be upon you; you have kept me heedless of the remembrance of my Lord Almighty and kept me from preparing for the Hereafter.”

Upon hearing this, the wealthy said, “Do not blame me. Are you not the same as the one who was despised in the eyes of the worldly people? I have increased your honor. Because of me, you have reached the courts of kings; otherwise, the poor and the wealthy cannot get there; because of me, you have been married to princesses and princes. Otherwise, where else can people with low incomes marry them? Now, it is your misfortune that you spent me on satanic deeds. If you had paid me on the deeds of Allah Almighty, this humiliation and disgrace would not have been your destiny. Did I tell you not to pay me for good deeds? Not today, but you deserve more blame and curse.

O son of Adam! Indeed, you and I are both created from dust. So many people are like that, wandering on the path of righteousness and immersed in many sins. (Imam Ibn Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:) “It is as if wealth speaks to everyone in the same way, so beware of the evils of wealth and spend it on good deeds.”