The Book of Miscellany

Riyad as-Salihin · Chapter 29

Fulfillment of the needs of the Muslims

باب قضاء حوائج المسلمين

This chapter turns brotherhood into action: meeting the needs of fellow Muslims and easing their hardships. The promise running through it is reciprocal, that whoever relieves another in this life will find Allah relieving him, especially on the Day of Resurrection when relief is most needed.

The central idea is captured in a single phrase, that Allah aids His servant as long as the servant aids his brother. Notice how the second hadith widens the circle outward from helping the distressed to seeking knowledge, gathering to recite and learn the Book of Allah, and reminds us that lineage counts for nothing where good deeds fall short. It is what we do for others and for our own souls, not who we are, that carries weight.

Hadith 244

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah bepleased with them) reported:

وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏ "‏المسلم أخو المسلم لا يظلمه ولا يسلمه‏.‏ من كان في حاجة أخيه كان الله في حاجته، ومن فرج عن مسلم كربة فرج الله عنه بها كربة من كرب يوم القيامة، ومن ستر مسلمًا ستره الله يوم القيامة‏" ‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A Muslim is a brother of (another) Muslim, he neither wrongs him nor does hand him over to one who does him wrong. If anyone fulfills his brother's needs, Allah will fulfill his needs; if one relieves a Muslim of his troubles, Allah will relieve his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; and if anyone covers up a Muslim (his sins), Allah will cover him up (his sins) on the Resurrection Day". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

A Muslim does not wrong a fellow Muslim or leave him to be wronged. Whoever meets a brother's needs, eases his hardship, or conceals his faults will find Allah doing the same for him on the Day of Resurrection.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 244 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 244

Hadith 245

Abu Hurairah (May Allah bepleased with him) reported:

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏ "‏من نفس عن مؤمن كربة من كرب الدنيا، نفس الله عنه كربة من كرب يوم القيامة، ومن يسر على معسر يسر الله عليه في الدنيا والآخرة، ومن ستر مسلمًا ستره الله في الدنيا والآخرة، والله في عون العبد ما كان العبد في عون أخيه، ومن سلك طريقًا يلتمس فيه علمًا سهل الله له طريقًا إلى الجنة‏.‏ وما اجتمع قوم في بيت من بيوت الله تعالى، يتلون كتاب الله، ويتدارسونه بينهم إلا نزلت عليهم السكينة، وغشيتهم الرحمة، وحفتهم الملائكة، وذكرهم الله فيمن عنده‏.‏ ومن بطأ به عمله لم يسرع به نسبه‏" ‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who removes from a believer one of his difficulties of this world, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; and he who finds relief for a hard-pressed person, Allah will make things easy for him on the Day of Resurrection; he who covers up (the faults and sins) of a Muslim, Allah will cover up (his faults and sins) in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah supports His slave as long as the slave is supportive of his brother; and he who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah makes that path easy, leading to Jannah for him; the people who assemble in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah, learning it and teaching, there descends upon them the tranquillity, and mercy covers them, the angels flock around them, and Allah mentions them in the presence of those near Him; and he who lags behind in doing good deeds, his noble lineage will not make him go ahead." [Muslim]

In plain words

Relieve a believer's distress and Allah relieves yours; cover a Muslim's faults and Allah covers yours. Allah helps the servant as long as he helps his brother, eases the seeker of knowledge toward Paradise, and lineage will not advance one whose deeds fall short.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 245 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 245