Source: Sharḥ Kitāb al-Jāmiʿ from Bulūgh al-Marām by Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī
Translation: Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbd al-Salām bin Muḥammad Bhaṭwī
عن ابن مسعود رضى الله عنه قال:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم:
من دل على خير فله مثل أجر فاعله.
[رواه مسلم]
"Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever directs someone towards a good deed will have a reward equivalent to that of the doer of the deed."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim – Kitāb al-Imārah, 133]
See also: Tuḥfat al-Ashrāf 7/329
Jareer bin ʿAbdullāh (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
"Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam (that is supported by Qurʾān and Sunnah),
he will receive its reward and the reward of all those who act upon it after him,
without their reward being diminished."
[Muslim 1017]
The reward mentioned includes all types of guidance toward good, such as:
◈ Verbally informing someone of a good deed.
◈ Referring them to a scholar or beneficial place.
◈ Pointing towards good by gesture or signs.
◈ Writing or publishing material that leads others to righteous actions.
◈ Sponsoring students or helping people reach sources of knowledge.
◈ Encouraging and inviting toward acts of worship, morality, or charity.
This reward encompasses:
This highlights the immense merit of guiding someone—even a single soul—to the path of truth.
Whoever guides to a good deed receives the same reward as the one performing it.
This applies to all types of moral, religious, or charitable encouragement and direction.
The reward remains intact for both parties without reduction.
Teachers, preachers, writers, and facilitators of good are all recipients of this virtue.
The unmatched rank of the Ṣaḥābah is largely due to their role in transmitting Islām.
Translation: Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbd al-Salām bin Muḥammad Bhaṭwī
✦ Ḥadīth
عن ابن مسعود رضى الله عنه قال:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم:
من دل على خير فله مثل أجر فاعله.
[رواه مسلم]
"Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Whoever directs someone towards a good deed will have a reward equivalent to that of the doer of the deed."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim – Kitāb al-Imārah, 133]
See also: Tuḥfat al-Ashrāf 7/329
❖ Key Lessons
➊ Equal Reward for Guiding to Good
- The one who shows the path to righteousness receives equal reward to the one who acts upon it.
- Example: You advise, remind, or educate someone about a good deed — when they act on it, you share the reward without their reward being reduced.
Jareer bin ʿAbdullāh (رضي الله عنه) narrated:"Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam (that is supported by Qurʾān and Sunnah),
he will receive its reward and the reward of all those who act upon it after him,
without their reward being diminished."
[Muslim 1017]
➋ Various Forms of Guidance
The reward mentioned includes all types of guidance toward good, such as:
◈ Verbally informing someone of a good deed.
◈ Referring them to a scholar or beneficial place.
◈ Pointing towards good by gesture or signs.
◈ Writing or publishing material that leads others to righteous actions.
◈ Sponsoring students or helping people reach sources of knowledge.
◈ Encouraging and inviting toward acts of worship, morality, or charity.
This reward encompasses:- Preachers and daʿwah workers
- Teachers and authors
- Institutions and supporters of Islamic education
- Mujāhidīn, foremost among them, who open the doors to Islām for nations.
➌ Excellence of the Companions (Ṣaḥābah)
- Because the Ṣaḥābah (رضي الله عنهم) were the first to convey Islām, every good action by subsequent generations includes a portion of reward for them.
- Hence, no later generation can attain the reward or rank of the companions.
- The Prophet ﷺ said to ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه):
“If Allah guides a single person through you, it is better for you than red camels.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2406]
This highlights the immense merit of guiding someone—even a single soul—to the path of truth.✿ Summary
Whoever guides to a good deed receives the same reward as the one performing it. This applies to all types of moral, religious, or charitable encouragement and direction. The reward remains intact for both parties without reduction. Teachers, preachers, writers, and facilitators of good are all recipients of this virtue. The unmatched rank of the Ṣaḥābah is largely due to their role in transmitting Islām.