❀ Fear of Poverty and Satanic Whisperings ❀
✍ Compiled by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha حفظه الله
Is it Satan who instills the fear of poverty?
Allah Almighty says:
"الشَّيْطَانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِالْفَحْشَاءِ ۖ وَاللَّـهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغْفِرَةً مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلًا ۗ وَاللَّـهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٦٨﴾"
[Al-Baqarah: 268]
“Satan threatens you with poverty and commands you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and bounty. And Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.”
This verse explains that Satan casts the fear of poverty into people’s hearts in order to prevent them from spending their wealth in the cause of Allah.
The part:
"وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِالْفَحْشَاءِ"
—means that along with stopping you from spending wealth due to the fear of neediness, Satan commands sins, immoral acts, and disobedience to Allah.
Hence, anyone who abandons Allah’s command and obeys Satan becomes one of those who are deprived. A miser who refrains from spending in the way of Allah becomes a victim of his own miserliness, and angels invoke destruction upon his wealth.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"اللهم أعط منفقا خلفا، وأعط ممسكا تلفا"
“O Allah! Grant more to the one who spends, and destroy the wealth of the one who withholds.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Hadith No. 1374 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 1010]
Those who spend to please Allah are declared successful in the Qur'an. Allah says:
"وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٩﴾"
[Al-Ḥashr: 9]
“And whoever is protected from the greed of his soul—it is they who are the successful.”
① Satan instills fear of poverty to prevent believers from charity and righteous spending.
② He commands immorality and sin, turning people away from divine obedience.
③ Obeying Satan instead of Allah is a pathway to deprivation and spiritual loss.
④ The angel curses the miser, praying for the destruction of his hoarded wealth.
⑤ Generosity brings divine reward, while greed is a source of failure in both worlds.
⑥ True success lies in overcoming the soul’s greed and giving in the path of Allah.
✍ Compiled by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha حفظه الله
❖ Question:
Is it Satan who instills the fear of poverty?
❖ Answer:
Allah Almighty says:
"الشَّيْطَانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِالْفَحْشَاءِ ۖ وَاللَّـهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغْفِرَةً مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلًا ۗ وَاللَّـهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٦٨﴾"
[Al-Baqarah: 268]
“Satan threatens you with poverty and commands you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and bounty. And Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.”
This verse explains that Satan casts the fear of poverty into people’s hearts in order to prevent them from spending their wealth in the cause of Allah.
The part:
"وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِالْفَحْشَاءِ"
—means that along with stopping you from spending wealth due to the fear of neediness, Satan commands sins, immoral acts, and disobedience to Allah.
Hence, anyone who abandons Allah’s command and obeys Satan becomes one of those who are deprived. A miser who refrains from spending in the way of Allah becomes a victim of his own miserliness, and angels invoke destruction upon his wealth.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"اللهم أعط منفقا خلفا، وأعط ممسكا تلفا"
“O Allah! Grant more to the one who spends, and destroy the wealth of the one who withholds.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Hadith No. 1374 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 1010]
Those who spend to please Allah are declared successful in the Qur'an. Allah says:
"وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٩﴾"
[Al-Ḥashr: 9]
“And whoever is protected from the greed of his soul—it is they who are the successful.”
✔ Key Points:
① Satan instills fear of poverty to prevent believers from charity and righteous spending.
② He commands immorality and sin, turning people away from divine obedience.
③ Obeying Satan instead of Allah is a pathway to deprivation and spiritual loss.
④ The angel curses the miser, praying for the destruction of his hoarded wealth.
⑤ Generosity brings divine reward, while greed is a source of failure in both worlds.
⑥ True success lies in overcoming the soul’s greed and giving in the path of Allah.
