It is stated in one of the famous commentaries of the Quran, Tafseer Kabeer: Here, man has been referred to as ‘a great miser’ from the aspect of his nature, because humans have been created dependant. A dependant person always desires and keeps for himself those things that will free him of his dependency. Whereas, the generosity of a human is due to external causes, such as desiring praise or having the hope of attaining reward. This proves that a human is miserly by nature. (Tafseer Kabeer, Surah Bani Isra’eel, under the verse 100, vol. 7, p. 412)

This verse is a proof of humans being extremely greedy and stingy. Humans are stingier and greedier than a bird that dies out of thirst on the shore of a sea, fearing that if it drinks water, the water will finish. Humans are stingier and greedier than an insect whose food is soil but it dies out of hunger, fearing that the soil will finish if it eats. (Mirqat-ul-Mafatih, vol. 9, p. 124, under the Hadith 5273)

Dear Islamic brothers! The greed for wealth is such an evil greed that in many verses of the Quran, Allah Almighty has ordered us to abstain from it and has condemned it too. In one place, He says, ‘O believers! Your wealth nor your children, nothing should make you negligent of the remembrance of Allah Almighty.’ In another place, He said, ‘Wealth is a tribulation for you.’ In another place, He says, ‘Whoever seeks the splendours of this world, we will give him the full fruits of it in this world.’ He says regarding those who love wealth, ‘Indeed, he is definitely very severe in his love for wealth, but he is negligent of showing gratitude for the favours of Allah Almighty, and His remembrance.’

The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated the following in condemnation of wealth on various occasions: The love of wealth gives rise to hypocrisy in a heart, just like water causes greenery to grow. Excessive wealth ruins a person, and causes its owner to be from among the evil people. Wealth is a means of misfortune in the Hereafter. The greed for wealth and status causes more harm to one’s religion than the harm two hungry wolves cause to a flock of sheep.