a meaning of its own, that establishes distinct meanings and differentiates between the two words. The correct view regarding the words “to every mocker and faultfinder” is that there is a difference between them: mockery is by action, while faultfinding is by tongue. Allah Most High says:

“Among them are those who criticize you concerning the distribution of alms. If they are given some of it, they are pleased; but if they are not given any, they at once become angry.” [al-Tawbah: 58]

Mockery by action means ridiculing people through one’s actions, such as twisting one’s face or scowling. It may also be done by gesturing toward someone as though to say, “Look at him!” in order to disparage him, or something similar. Thus, mockery is by action, while faultfinding is by tongue. Some people—Allah’s refuge is sought—are obsessed with finding fault with others, whether through their actions, in which case they are mockers, or through their words, in which case they are faultfinders. This is like the statement of Allah Most High:

“Do not obey any contemptible habitual swearer, an inveterate mocker who goes about spreading malicious gossip.” [al-Qalam: 10–11]

“Who amasses wealth and counts it repeatedly.” These are further ugly traits of his: constantly amassing and withholding. He accumulates wealth and withholds giving; he is miserly and gives nothing, but instead accumulates his wealth and counts it repeatedly.

“Counts it repeatedly.” It has been said that this means continually counting it. Because of his obsession with wealth, he repeatedly goes to his strongbox and counts it. He counts the coins in the strongbox in the morning and counts them again at the end of the day, even though he knows that he has neither taken anything from it nor added anything to it. Yet because of his intense obsession with wealth, he keeps returning to it and counting it. This is why the intensive form “counts it repeatedly” is used: he counts it again and again because of his intense attachment to and love for it. He fears that something may have diminished, or wants further reassurance beyond what he had before. Thus, he is constantly counting his wealth.

It has also been said that “counts it repeatedly” means that he makes it a reserve for himself—that is, he saves it against the vicissitudes of time. Although the wording can bear this meaning, it is unlikely, because setting aside wealth against the vicissitudes of time is not blameworthy when one fulfills one’s obligations by paying the zakat and other dues owed from it. What is blameworthy is for wealth to become a person’s overriding concern, so that he continually returns to it, counts it, and checks whether it has increased or decreased. Accordingly, the view that “counts it repeatedly” means that he amassed it—