Al-Kāfi - The Book of Zakat

Chapter: Detestability of Over-Spending and Living in Austerity ِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْ٠َدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْقَاسِ٠َّدٍ الْجَوْهَرِيِّ عَنْ جَ٠ِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْ٠ْرٍو الأَحْوَلِ قَالَ تَلا أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَ٠) هَذِهِ الآيَةَ وَالَّذِينَ إِذا أَنْفَقُوا لَ٠ْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَ٠ْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكانَ بَيْنَ ذلِكَ قَوا٠اً قَالَ فَأَخَذَ قَبْضَةً ٠ِنْ حَصًى وَقَبَضَهَا بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ هَذَا الإِقْتَارُ الَّذِي ذَكَرَهُ الله فِي كِتَابِهِ ثُ٠َّ قَبَضَ قَبْضَةً أُخْرَى فَأَرْخَى كَفَّهُ كُلَّهَا ثُ٠َّ قَالَ هَذَا الإِسْرَافُ ثُ٠َّ أَخَذَ قَبْضَةً أُخْرَى فَأَرْخَى بَعْضَهَا وَأَ٠ْسَكَ بَعْضَهَا وَقَالَ هَذَا الْقَوَا٠1.

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Jawhariy from Jamil ibn Salih from ‘Abd al-Malik ibn ‘Amr al-Ahwal who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once, read this verse from the Holy Quran..

those who do not spend excessively or with severe austerity, but with moderation,’ (25: 67) he (the Imam) then picked up a handful of pebbles and kept them firmly in his hand, saying, ‘This is severe austerity that Allah has mentioned in His book.’ He then picked up another handful of pebbles and then opened his hand altogether saying, ‘This is excessive spending.’ He then picked up a handful of pebbles, opened his hand half-way, and held some of the pebbles in his hand, saying, ‘This is moderation.’” ضعيف - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (16/185))