Fath al-Rabbani

Narrated from Sayyiduna Nu’man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: I was sitting on one side of the pulpit of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when a man said, “After accepting Islam, I do not care about any deed except giving water to the pilgrims.” Another said, “After accepting Islam, I do not care about any deed except maintaining the Sacred Mosque.” Another spoke and said, “What you are saying, better and superior to that is striving in the path of Allah.” Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) scolded them and said, “Do not raise your voices near the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).” It was the day of Jumu’ah. When I had performed Jumu’ah, I went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him about the disagreement of those people. Then Allah the Exalted revealed this verse: {اَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَا یَـۃَ الْحَاجِّ وَ عِـمَارَۃَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ کَمَنْ اٰمَنَ بِاللّٰہِ وَالْیَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ وَجٰہَدَ فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰہ ِ لَا یَسْتَوٗنَ عِنْدَ اللّٰہِ وَاللّٰہُ لَایَہْدِی الْقَوْمَ الظّٰلِمِیْنَ۔} (Surah At-Tawbah: 19) “Do you consider the providing of water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Al-Masjid Al-Haram as equal to the one who believes in Allah and the Last Day and strives in the cause of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.”