His saying, Exalted is He: "And those who hoard gold and silver."

[The first interpretation]

10080 - My father narrated to us, Humayd ibn Malik narrated to us, Yahya ibn Ya'la al-Muharibi narrated to us, my father narrated to us, Ghaylan ibn Jami' al-Muharibi narrated to us from 'Uthman ibn al-Yaqzan from Ja'far ibn Iyas from Mujahid from Ibn 'Abbas who said: When this verse was revealed, "And those who hoard gold and silver," it weighed heavily upon the Muslims. They said: "None of us is able to leave for his children what will remain after him." So 'Umar said: "I will relieve you." 'Umar went, and Thawban followed him, and he came to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and said: "O Prophet of Allah, this verse has weighed heavily upon your companions." The Prophet of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: "Indeed, Allah did not make Zakat (obligatory charity) mandatory except to purify what remains of your wealth, and He only ordained inheritance for the wealth that remains after you." He said: 'Umar said "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is the Greatest). Then the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said to him: "Shall I not inform you of the best thing a person can hoard? It is a righteous wife, who, when he looks at her, pleases him, and when he commands her, she obeys him, and when he is away from her, she guards him."

10081 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashaj narrated to us, Waki' narrated to us from 'Abd al-'Aziz from Nafi' from Ibn 'Umar who said: "Whatever its Zakat has been paid is not a hoard, even if it is under the seven earths, and whatever its Zakat has not been paid is a hoard, even if it is apparent." It is also narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that he said: "Whatever its Zakat has been paid is not a hoard."

[The second interpretation]

10082 - al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Rabi' narrated to us, 'Abd al-Razzaq reported to us, al-Thawri reported to us, Abu Husayn informed me from Abu al-Duha from Ja'dah ibn Hubayrah from 'Ali regarding His saying: "And those who hoard gold and silver," he said: "Four thousand and less is considered personal sustenance, and anything above that is a hoard."

[The third interpretation]

10083 - al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Rabi' narrated to us, 'Abd al-Razzaq reported to us, from al-Thawri from Mansur from 'Amr ibn Murrah from Salim ibn Abi al-Ja'd who said: When, "And those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the path of Allah" was revealed, the Muhajirun (Emigrants) said: "So what wealth should we possess?" 'Umar said: "I will ask the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—about it." He said: "So I caught up with him on my camel and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, the Muhajirun said: What wealth should we possess?' The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—replied: 'A tongue that remembers, a heart that is grateful, and a believing wife who helps one of you with his religion.'"