of his use of it in buying and selling.

Overall meaning: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) reports that three categories of sinners will suffer the most severe punishment because of the heinousness of their crimes.

1. The first is the one who commits the vile act of adultery in spite of his advanced age. At that stage of life, the impulse to sin is weak, so his persistence in adultery shows that what drives him is a love of sin and depravity. Although adultery is reprehensible from anyone, it is even more repugnant from such a person.

2. The second is a poor man who behaves arrogantly toward others. Arrogance is ugly in every individual, yet the poor man possesses no wealth that might entice him to conceit; his haughtiness in the absence of any motive indicates that arrogance is his very nature.

3. The third is one who turns oaths by Allah into merchandise, frequently invoking them in buying and selling, thereby demeaning the Divine Name and using it as a means to gain money.

Relevance of the hadith to this chapter: it contains a warning against excessive swearing in commercial transactions.

Benefits derived from the hadith:
1- A warning against the habitual use of oaths in trade, together with an exhortation to revere the oath and honor the Names of Allah, Exalted is He.
2- Affirmation that Allah speaks and that He will address and thus honor those who obey Him.
3- A warning against the crime of adultery—especially when committed by an elderly person.
4- A warning against arrogance—especially on the part of the poor.