وَأَمّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاستَغنىٰ
But as for him who is stingy and considers himself free of need.
EXEGESIS
Istaghnā literally means to seek richness and wealth and here refers to the act of being stingy and accumulating wealth with the idea that this is a way of becoming rich. It can also mean to consider oneself independent and not in need (in this case of Allah) and acting as such. It has also been understood as considering oneself needless of the reward of the hereafter.
EXPOSITION
The following verses stand in juxtaposition to the previous three verses which described the qualities of the believers. In the next three verses, the contrary of those qualities are applied to the disbelievers. For those exegetes who understood verse 5 in a more general sense to apply to obedience and not just being generous in wealth, the object of the verb stingy (bakhila) is considered to be ‘that which they are commanded’, meaning they refrain from obedience. To consider oneself free of need is understood as ignoring the blessings of paradise for the pleasures of this world. For those exegetes who understood verse 5 as a direct reference to financially giving in the way of Allah, this verse would be referring to specifically being stingy when it comes to charity and monetary giving.
According to 96:6, when man feels he is self-sufficient and thinks he has what he needs and no longer requires Allah’s support, he becomes rebellious. In this context, perhaps some may even think that if they gather their wealth and be stingy, their wealth can save them from all challenges.
[1] Mizan, 20/303.
[2] Tabrisi, 10/760.
[3] Amthal 20/257; Manahij, 30/525.
[4] Safi, 5/337; Daqaiq, 14/305.
[5] Mudarrisi, 18/153.