Tirmidhi

Explanation:
1:
From this hadith, it is understood that the reward for calling towards guidance—that is, faith (iman), monotheism (tawhid), and adherence to the Sunnah—and for spreading it, is such that not only will the person receive the reward for his own action, but in addition, he will continue to be granted a reward equal to that of all those who act upon it until the Day of Judgment.
Similarly, those who initiate evil, corruption, bloodshed, and innovations (bid‘ah) and superstitions will not only bear the sin of their own deeds, but also the burden of the sins of all those who act upon them.

Urdu footnote:
“He established a good practice.” This is on the condition that the act is already present in the Shari‘ah, as in the above incident where the Ansari initiated a righteous deed and, seeing him, others also gave charity. And charity (sadaqah) is legislated in the Shari‘ah. If someone establishes a practice that is not present in the Shari‘ah, then this will be an innovation (bid‘ah), even if outwardly it appears to be a good deed, because the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever introduces into this religion of ours something that is not from it, it is rejected.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Sulh, Hadith: 2697, and Sahih Muslim, al-Aqdiyah, Hadith: 1718) Because in this way, distortion would enter the religion and the original form and appearance of the religion would not remain intact.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: (1)
Upon seeing the state of poverty and hunger among the Muslims, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) became extremely distressed, to the extent that the color of his face changed. In his anxiety, he would sometimes go inside the house and sometimes come outside, seeking a way to help and support them. For this purpose, when the time for prayer arrived, he had the call to prayer (adhan) given and arranged for the prayer.
When the people gathered, he led them in prayer and taught them the lesson of human unity,
aroused concern and awareness for the Hereafter,
and then encouraged charity. The Muslims did not show any negligence or laziness in helping and supporting their religious brothers; rather, people immediately began bringing food items and clothes from their homes.
So much so that two large piles of food and clothes were collected. Upon seeing the spirit of sympathy, goodwill, and cooperation among the Muslims, the face of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) lit up with joy and happiness.
Islam seeks to instill this very spirit of goodwill and sympathy for one another in the hearts of Muslims.

(2)
Some respected and esteemed scholars have, based on this hadith, made a specification (takhsis) in the generality of (kullu bid‘atin dalalah) (every innovation is misguidance), as Imam Nawawi rahimahullah has written that by "every innovation is misguidance," what is meant are the false and blameworthy innovations (muhdathat batilah wa bida‘ madhmumah). Using this as a basis, some people have made marginal notes, whereas the word "bid‘ah" (innovation) does not even appear in this hadith; rather, the word (sanna sunnatan) is used. "Sunnah" refers to the path upon which people travel, i.e., the way or course of action that already exists.
As in this hadith, the Companion who brought the pouch did not do anything new;
he merely took the initiative in giving charity, and in this sense, he became like the first drop of rain. In other words, he took the lead in adopting an act established by the Book and Sunnah.
Similarly, whoever takes the lead in adopting an act prohibited by the Book and Sunnah,
he will share in the sin of all who follow. In the same way, if an act established by the Book and Sunnah has been abandoned somewhere, then whoever revives it in that place will be entitled to the reward of those who act upon it.
If in a village or area a wrong act is not being committed—for example, there is no TV
or VCR—whoever brings it first will share in the sin of those who follow. Now, if a scholar writes a book with the intention of spreading and propagating the religion or explaining the Book and Sunnah, as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) commanded, but its specific form or method was not determined, i.e., it was not specified that the propagation of religion and the Book and Sunnah must only be done in a particular way or form, then to say about this that it is (ma lam yurid bihi al-sunnah) (that which is not mentioned in the Sunnah) is mere stubbornness and a mistaken notion. The categories of innovation made by such-and-such Imam or scholar do not become correct just because they made them,
whereas the authentic hadith of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is (kullu bid‘atin dalalah) (every innovation is misguidance),
and a group of scholars explains its correct meaning in its general sense and considers the division to be incorrect, as Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi among the Hanafi scholars has done, and we will quote his statement at an appropriate place. In summary, those Sunnahs and recommended acts (mustahabbat) towards which people are not attentive,
or which people have abandoned, or in a particular situation or time, whoever takes the initiative in a good deed and begins it, he is included in (man sanna sunnatan hasanatan) (whoever initiates a good Sunnah). And whoever promotes an unlawful or forbidden thing, or takes the lead in it at a particular time or occasion, and others follow him in that act, he is included in (man sanna sunnatan sayyi’atan) (whoever initiates an evil Sunnah).
And those acts which are started due to religious need and requirement, and whose form and method are not specified or determined,
they may change with time and circumstances.
To use these as evidence for the permissibility of innovation (bid‘ah), when in innovation a specific and determined form is established, is not correct.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: It is established from this hadith that when a person is the first to perform a righteous deed or a good action, and presents it as an example for others to follow, or becomes a cause of motivation for them, then after him, those who act upon it by following his example, he too will receive the reward just like those who perform the action. However, it is necessary that this action is good and righteous, and that it is established from the Qur’an and Sunnah. Just as here, charity (sadaqah) was a good and righteous deed, but people delayed in acting upon it. When one Companion initiated it, the motivation to do so arose in others as well, and a line of people bringing charity formed. Upon this, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) stated this matter.

Therefore, to invent any action on one’s own accord on the basis of this hadith, when it has no existence in the Qur’an and Sunnah, is not included in the purview of this hadith. Rather, it falls under another hadith, in which the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever does an action that is not upon our matter, it is rejected.” That is, whoever does such a deed which we have not done, it is rejected.

Therefore, to use this hadith as a pretext to legitimize practices such as Mawlid (celebration of the Prophet’s birthday), Urs (death anniversary gatherings), Soyem (third-day mourning), and Chehlum (fortieth-day mourning), etc., is evidence of ignorance of the meaning of the hadith.

Further clarification of this hadith is provided by the upcoming hadith of Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu).

Commentary:

➊
The literal meaning of "sunnah" is "way" or "method," whether good or bad.
In this hadith, the word is used in its literal sense.
In the sciences of hadith and the principles of hadith, "sunnah" includes everything narrated from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, whether it is his statement (qawli hadith),
his action (fa’li hadith),
or something done in his presence and, after becoming aware of it, he did not prohibit or reject it (taqreeri hadith).
The jurists (fuqaha) mean by "sunnah" a good deed that is neither obligatory (fard) nor necessary (wajib); this is also called "mustahabb" (recommended). Furthermore, the word "sunnah" is also used in contrast to "bid‘ah" (innovation), meaning a belief or action whose obligation, recommendation, or permissibility is established by the Shari‘ah, while "bid‘ah" refers to an act done with the belief of reward, even though it has no basis in the Shari‘ah.

➋
To establish a good way means that there was a need for a good deed and no one was doing it.
Or, a sunnah had been abandoned, and someone revived it, so seeing him, others also began to act upon it.
Or, to promote a legislated (mashru‘) act, a new method was adopted. Merely declaring something good based on one’s own opinion and inventing it is "bid‘ah," for which there is sin instead of reward.

➌
To establish an evil way means that an evil which did not previously exist in a society was initiated by a person, and seeing him, others also began to do that act.
The Prophetic statement is:
"Whoever soul is killed unjustly, a portion of its unjust blood is upon Adam alayhis salam’s first son (Qabil),
because he was the first person to establish the way of (unjust) killing." (Sahih Bukhari, Al-I‘tisam, Chapter: The sin of one who calls to misguidance, Hadith: 7321; and Sahih Muslim, Al-Qasamah, Chapter: The sin of one who establishes killing, Hadith: 1677)

➍
This is also clarified by the context in which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said this:
The incident is that members of the tribe of Banu Mudar came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in a pitiable state, not even having proper clothing.
On this occasion, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam encouraged the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum to give charity. The first to respond was an Ansari Companion who brought such a heavy pouch filled with dirhams and dinars that it was slipping from his hand.
After that, so much charity was brought that on one side a heap of food and drink was formed, and on the other side a heap of clothes.
On this occasion, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam made the aforementioned statement:
(Sahih Muslim, Zakat, Chapter: Encouragement to give charity even with half a date or a good word...etc., Hadith: 1016)

➎
Those engaged in da‘wah and tabligh (inviting and preaching) should act with caution so that, by seeing weak or fabricated ahadith, they do not begin to invite towards an act that is not established by an authentic hadith. Otherwise, not only will their effort be wasted, but they will also bear a great burden of sin.

➏
When someone is invited towards sin, Satan usually whispers that there is no harm in committing this sin; the sin will be upon the one who invited us to it. This is a great misunderstanding.
The one who commits the wrong act cannot escape its responsibility; however, the sin of the one who invites towards sin is more severe, so he will also be considered an equal partner in the crime of the perpetrator and will be deserving of punishment.

➐
This hadith contains great glad tidings for those who preach goodness.
For every person who adopts a good deed due to the effort of one individual, an equal amount of reward will automatically be recorded in his book of deeds.

➑
The reward and sin being recorded in the account of the inviter happens automatically; the intention or purpose of the one who acts upon it has no bearing on this. Therefore, it is not correct to use this hadith as evidence for the prevalent concept of "isal al-thawab" (conveying reward to the deceased), otherwise, just as isal al-thawab is accepted, the concept of "isal al-ithm" (conveying sin) would also have to be accepted.

Takhrij al-Hadith:
[صحيح مسلم 2351]

Fiqh al-Hadith:
➊ In this hadith, establishing a sunnah refers to a way that is proven from the Book and the Sunnah, but it should be remembered that this does not mean inventing an innovation (bid‘ah).
➋ Inviting people towards an act that is established from the Sunnah is a deed of great reward.
➌ Allah Ta‘ala sent the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as a mercy to the worlds.
➍ If there is a severe need, it is permissible to appeal for cooperation before the people.
➎ If weapons are available, it is Sunnah to remain armed at all times.
➏ The only one who removes difficulties is Allah alone.
➐ Reciting verses (ayat) in the sermon (khutbah) to explain to the people is Sunnah.
➑ To become distressed upon seeing a troubled Muslim and to feel happiness at his relief is the essence of faith (iman).

Benefit:
It is understood that when any collective good deed is about to begin, one should strive to be the first to start it, because by doing so a person becomes deserving of a great reward without hardship.