requesting money. He was advised to be grateful for the little wealth he had, as this was better than receiving wealth he could not be thankful for.

ThaꜤlabah did not understand this advice and favoured the wealth of the world. This was the man who was known as حَمَامَۃُ الْمَسْجِد because of how much time he spent in the masjid. However, the love of wealth entered his heart and extinguished the light of faith. In its place, the fire of hypocrisy began to burn.

Allah declares:

فَاَعۡقَبَہُمۡ نِفَاقًا فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ اِلٰی یَوۡمِ یَلۡقَوۡنَہٗ

“So, after this, Allah put hypocrisy in their hearts until the Day when they will meet Him.”^[1]

ThaꜤlabah became miserly because of his love for wealth, which prevented him from giving zakat even though he swore to fulfil its rights. He broke his oath, disobeyed the command of Allah and His Messenger, and became a hypocrite.^[2]

An evil practice of hypocrites

Regarding the verse we have just mentioned, the following explanation of it can be found in Tafsīr Ṣirāṭ al-Jinān:

Reflect on your condition whilst keeping the actions of ThaꜤlabah in mind. There are many people living in poverty who ask Allah for wealth, and they promise to use it for good purposes like feeding the poor. Unfortunately, as soon as they become rich, they forget their oaths, and good actions like feeding the poor are no longer appealing. Remember! The Quran has declared