This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahih Fazail-e-Amaal.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿إِن تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ ۖ وَإِن تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا الْفُقَرَاءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۚ وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنكُم مِّن سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ﴾
"If you disclose your charity, it is good; but if you conceal it and give it to the poor, it is better for you. And He will remove from you some of your misdeeds [thereby]. And Allah, with what you do, is [fully] Acquainted."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:271)
﴿وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ﴾
"And [also for] those who were settled in al-Madinah and embraced faith before the emigrants [from Makkah] arrived. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful."
Reference: (59-Al-Hashr:9)
Dr. Luqman Salafi, may Allah preserve him, writes:
"How beautifully Allah Almighty honored their religious brothers, the Ansar. He endowed them with the spirit of selflessness and sacrifice to such an extent that this noble verse testifies to their true faith, sincere love for their Muhajir brothers, and spirit of sacrifice. It states that the believers who were already settled in the abode of migration (Madinah) and whose hearts had been illuminated with the light of faith and certainty before the arrival of the Muhajirun, love their Muhajir brothers greatly. And whatever the Muhajirun were given by the Messenger of Allah, these people do not feel any resentment in their hearts. Despite their own needs and hunger, they always wish that their Muhajir brothers live comfortably and that their children do not suffer. Due to these noble qualities and virtuous morals, Allah Almighty stated at the end of the verse that the unlawful love of wealth has been removed from their hearts. These people do not hesitate to spend in the way of Allah. Therefore, Allah Almighty promised to bless them with success and prosperity in both worlds."
Reference: (Taseer ur-Rahman: 1565/2)
عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: المسلم أخو المسلم لا يظلمه، ولا يسلمه - من كان فى حاجة أخيه، كان الله فى حاجته، ومن فرج عن مسلم كربة فرج الله عنه بها كربة من كرب يوم القيامة، ومن ستر مسلما ستره الله يوم القيامة
Narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim; he does not oppress him nor does he forsake him. Whoever fulfills the needs of his (Muslim) brother, Allah will fulfill his needs. Whoever relieves a Muslim of distress, Allah will relieve him of one of the distressing troubles of the Day of Resurrection. And whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Oppressions, Chapter: A Muslim does not oppress or forsake another Muslim, No: 2442. Sahih Muslim, Book of Virtue, Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship, Chapter: The Prohibition of Oppression, No: 2580.
Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet of Mercy, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لقد رأيت رجلا يتقلب فى الجنة، فى شجرة قطعها من ظهر الطريق، كانت تؤذي الناس
"I saw a man in Paradise who was enjoying himself greatly. His good deed was that he removed a tree that was causing hardship for travelers on the road."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Virtue, Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship, Chapter: The Virtue of Removing Harm from the Road, No: 1914.
In the above noble hadith, a person removed a hardship for people and thereby earned Allah’s pleasure in Paradise. But in our case, the situation is reversed. We take pride in causing difficulties for others, and we do not find peace until we have caused someone distress and rejoice in the suffering of those in hardship. This is one of the major sins. May Allah protect us from it. Ameen!
؎ Reality has been lost in superstitions
The Ummah has been lost in traditions
Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
من نفس عن مؤمن كربة من كرب الدنيا نفس الله عنه كربة من كرب يوم القيامة، ومن يسر على معسر يسر الله عليه فى الدنيا والآخرة، ومن ستر مسلما ستره الله فى الدنيا والآخرة، والله فى عون العبد ما كان العبد فى عون أخيه
"Whoever relieves a Muslim of one worldly hardship, Allah will relieve him of one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever makes things easy for one who is in difficulty, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and the Hereafter. And whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. As long as a person is helping his brother, Allah is helping him."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Remembrance and Supplication, Chapter: The Virtue of Gathering for the Recitation of the Qur'an and Remembrance, No: 2699.
Sayyiduna Amr ibn Hazm, may Allah be pleased with him, reports that the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
"Whoever consoles his distressed Muslim brother, Allah will clothe him with the garment of honor on the Day of Resurrection."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Funerals, Chapter: The Reward of Consoling the Bereaved, No: 1601. Silsilat al-Sahiha, No: 195.
The Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إن أول الناس يستظل فى ظل الله يوم القيامة لرجل أنظر معسرا حتى يجد شيئا، أو تصدق عليه بما يطلبه يقول: مالي عليك صدقة، ابتغاء وجه الله، ويحرق صحيفته
"The first person who will be brought and settled under the Throne of Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be the one who gave respite to a debtor until he could pay, or who forgave the debt as charity, saying: 'The wealth I took from you, I give it to you as charity for the sake of Allah,' and then tore up the debt document."
Reference: Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir al-Tabarani: 167/19. Majma' al-Zawa'id: 134/4. Al-Haythami said: Its chain of narration is Hasan.
Kindness to the needy should be done purely for the pleasure of Allah, so that on the day when people will be in distress and panic, this person will be under the shade of Allah’s Throne.
