Sadqat K Fazail

Book Name:Sadqat K Fazail

about the outcome of a miser, extracted from the book ꜤUyūn al-Ḥikāyāt.

The outcome of miserliness

Sayyidunā Yazīd b. Maysarah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه tells us:

A man from a prior nation once collected a huge amount of wealth, and had many children alongside this. Despite the huge blessings in his possession, he was extremely stingy and never spent in the way of Allah. His time passed in pursuit of increasing his wealth, until one day he said, “I will now live my life in luxury.” The man then lived in opulence with his family, with everything at their fingertips. They even had many servants ready to fulfil their every whim.

The man was engrossed in the love of material wealth, such that he had forgotten of his own mortality. The angel of death, sayyidunā ꜤIzrāʾīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام then came to his home in the shape of a beggar. A servant heard a knock on the door, opened it and asked: “Why have you come here?”

The angel of death replied: “Go and tell your master to come outside. He and I have something to do.”

Other servants began to gather at the door. One of them lied and said: “Our master has gone to help a poor person like yourself.” They then closed the door.

Some time passed, when the angel knocked on the door again. A servant opened the door and the angel said: “Go and tell your master I am the angel of death.”

The wealthy man was frightened to his core when he heard this, and said to his servants, “Speak to him softly and with great care.”