The Difference Between Stinginess and Miserliness
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What is stinginess? And what is the difference between it and miserliness?
Stinginess and miserliness are close in meaning, but stinginess is miserliness accompanied by greed for what one does not have. The miser prevents what he has, while the stingy man prevents what he has and seeks what others have. He is like fire that wants to devour. This is the difference.
The questioner: By Allah, O Shaykh, we need clarification regarding stinginess. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: Stinginess is when a person prevents what he has, so he does not give charity or the obligatory maintenance, and yet he seeks what others have. You find him panting after the world. As for the miser, he may not care whether money comes or goes, but he does not fulfill what is obligatory upon him. So stinginess is more severely condemned and more ugly than miserliness.
Stinginess and miserliness are close in meaning, but stinginess is miserliness accompanied by greed for what one does not have. The miser prevents what he has, while the stingy man prevents what he has and seeks what others have. He is like fire that wants to devour. This is the difference.
The questioner: By Allah, O Shaykh, we need clarification regarding stinginess. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: Stinginess is when a person prevents what he has, so he does not give charity or the obligatory maintenance, and yet he seeks what others have. You find him panting after the world. As for the miser, he may not care whether money comes or goes, but he does not fulfill what is obligatory upon him. So stinginess is more severely condemned and more ugly than miserliness.