Tawba 34-35
34- YOU WHO BELIEVE, MANY OF THE RABBI AND THE MONKS EAT UP PEOPLE’S MONEY THROUGH FALSEHOOD AND THEY OBSTRUCT PEOPLE’S WAY TO ALLAH, AND THOSE WHO TREASURE UP GOLD AND SILVER AND DO NOT SPEND IT IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH, GIVE THEM THE NEWS THAT THEY WILL HAVE PAINFUL PUNISHMENT.
35- ON THE DAY WHEN IT WILL BE HEATED UP IN THE HELL-FIRE TO BURN THEIR FOREHEADS, SIDES, AND BACKS WITH, THIS IS WHAT YOU TREASURED UP FOR YOURSELVES, THEN TASTE WHAT YOU TREASURED.
There are two issues in these Ayahs:
First: Allah the Highest is telling us about some of the errors which the scholars of other religions have fallen into, mainly the scholars of the Jews and Christians.
The Rabbis are the scholars of the Jews and The Monks are the dedicated worshippers and scholars of the Christians. People trust the scholars and devout worshippers, they donate money and property and entrust it to them to spend on the orphans, poor, needy etc.
They also entrust them with their religion and with guiding them to the right path and to tell them what they should do and not do, and this trust is greater than entrusting them with money. They come between people and God and they are in a position to guide or misguide, particularly those who trust them most.
The religious scholars, including the Muslim scholars should be aware of the trust people have in them and of the power they possess. Some abuse this power and others may line their pockets with the money of the poor and simple.
Second: The treasuring of money. A treasure is money hidden away where it is of no benefit to anyone. Every person’s money benefits everyone else when spent or used, but even money that is hoarded up and not used at least the Zakah paid on it benefits the poor. Omar Ibn El-Khatab said: “Any money you pay the Zakah from is not a treasure, even if is buried under the ground, and any money you do not pay the Zakah from is a treasure, and its owner will be burned with it, even if over the Earth”.
Omar Ibn El-Khatab asked Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him: “What kind of money we have is better?” He said: “Let one of you have a thankful heart, a tongue busy with Zekr, and a wife to help him for his Hereafter”. (A: 5; 282 & T: Tafseer El-Tawba & Ma: Nekah)
The Zakah of the money purifies the rest of it. Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Allah prescribed the Zakah to purify the rest of your money, and prescribed inheritance for the money you leave behind”. Then he said: “Shall I tell you the best treasure a man may keep? This is righteous woman who pleases him to look at, obeying him and keeping him in his absence”. (D: Zakah & Hakem)
The punishment for holding such treasure is that the treasure itself will be the instrument for punishment, heated in the Fire, and used to burn the holder. This is a vivid and frightening picture we should keep in mind when we consider the Zakah too much or unnecessary.
Allah the Highest punishes people with the wealth they do not pay Zakah for in this life as well. He makes it a source of misery and unhappiness for them and their families instead of it being a source of pleasure and happiness. Allah the Highest may take away the contentment from their hearts, so that they are never satisfied and contented with what they have. Then they always feel in need and want, and will in their hearts be poor and needy.
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