Assisting a Believer in his Needs

قَالَ لِي‌ يَا مُفَضَّلُ اسْمَعْ مَا أَقُولُ لَكَ وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ وَ افْعَلْهُ وَ أَخْبِرْ بِهِ عِلْيَةَ[3] إِخْوَانِكَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وَ مَا عِلْيَةُ إِخْوَانِي قَالَ الرَّاغِبُونَ فِي قَضَاءِ حَوَائِجِ إِخْوَانِهِمْ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ مَنْ قَضَى لِأَخِيهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ حَاجَةً قَضَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ- يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ حَاجَةٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَوَّلُهَا الْجَنَّةُ وَ مِنْ

“The Imam said to me, ‘O Mufaddal, listen to what I say to you. Bear in mind that it is the truth. Do it and inform ‘Ilyat, of your brothers (in belief).’ I asked, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, what is (Tlyah) of my brothers (in belief)?’ The Imam said, ‘All those interested in helping their brothe

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ خَلَقَ خَلْقاً مِنْ خَلْقِهِ انْتَجَبَهُمْ لِقَضَاءِ حَوَائِجِ فُقَرَاءِ شِيعَتِنَا لِيُثِيبَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْجَنَّةَ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ فَكُنْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَنَا وَ اللَّهِ رَبٌّ نَعْبُدُهُ لَا نُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئاً[2].

2. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Muhammad ibn Ziyad who has that Khalid ibn Yazid narrated to him from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has created a creature among His creatures. He has chosen to make the

قَضَاءُ حَاجَةِ الْمُؤْمِنِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ عِتْقِ أَلْفِ رَقَبَةٍ وَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ حُمْلَانِ‌[4] أَلْفِ فَرَسٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ. - عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ مِثْلَ الْحَدِيثَيْنِ.

“Helping to meet the needs of a believer is better than setting free one thousand slaves and better than donating one thousand horses loaded (with good) in the way of Allah.’’ Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn Ziyad a Hadith similar to the two above Ahadith.

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ لَقَضَاءُ حَاجَةِ امْرِئٍ مُؤْمِنٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ عِشْرِينَ حَجَّةً كُلُّ حَجَّةٍ يُنْفِقُ فِيهَا صَاحِبُهَا مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘To help meet the needs of a believing man is more beloved to Allah than twenty Hajj for which one spends one hundred thousand.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ الْمُؤْمِنُ رَحْمَةٌ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ وَ كَيْفَ ذَاكَ قَالَ أَيُّمَا مُؤْمِنٍ أَتَى أَخَاهُ فِي حَاجَةٍ فَإِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ رَحْمَةٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ سَاقَهَا إِلَيْهِ وَ سَبَّبَهَا لَهُ فَإِنْ قَضَى حَاجَتَهُ كَانَ قَدْ قَبِلَ الرَّحْمَةَ بِقَبُولِهَا وَ إِنْ رَدَّهُ عَنْ حَاجَتِهِ وَ هُوَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَضَائِهَا فَإِنَّمَا رَدَّ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ رَحْمَة

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, is a believer a blessing for believers?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, he is.’ I then asked, ‘How is he as such?’ The Imam said, ‘A believer who may come to his brother (in belief) for help, in fact, is a blessing from Allah whom He has lead t

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ طَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ أُسْبُوعاً كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ حَسَنَةٍ وَ مَحَا عَنْهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ سَيِّئَةٍ وَ رَفَعَ لَهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ دَرَجَةٍ قَالَ وَ زَادَ فِيهِ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ وَ قَضَى لَهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ حَاجَةٍ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ قَضَاءُ حَاجَةِ الْمُؤْمِنِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ طَوَافٍ وَ طَوَافٍ حَتَّى عَدَّ عَشْراً.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from al- Hakam ibn Ayman from Aban ibn Taghlib who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) saying, ‘One who performs Tawaf (walking seven times around the Ka’ba for worship) Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will write for him six

مَا قَضَى مُسْلِمٌ لِمُسْلِمٍ حَاجَةً إِلَّا نَادَاهُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى عَلَيَّ ثَوَابُكَ وَ لَا أَرْضَى لَكَ بِدُونِ الْجَنَّةِ.

“Whenever a Muslim helps make the wish of a Muslim to come true, Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, says, ‘With Me is your reward and I will not agree to allow it to be less than paradise.’”

قَالَ: مَنْ طَافَ بِهَذَا الْبَيْتِ طَوَافاً وَاحِداً كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ حَسَنَةٍ وَ مَحَا عَنْهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ سَيِّئَةٍ وَ رَفَعَ اللَّهُ لَهُ سِتَّةَ آلَافِ دَرَجَةٍ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ عِنْدَ الْمُلْتَزَمِ‌[2] فَتَحَ اللَّهُ لَهُ سَبْعَةَ أَبْوَابٍ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ هَذَا الْفَضْلُ كُلُّهُ فِي الطَّوَافِ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِأَفْضَلَ مِنْ

“Whoever performs a single Tawaf (walking seven times around the Ka’ba for worship) of this House Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, writes down for him six thousand good deeds, deletes his six thousand sins, and raises him six thousand degrees in meritorious status until he reaches al-Multazam (a part of Ka’ba)

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ مَشَى فِي حَاجَةِ أَخِيهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ يَطْلُبُ بِذَلِكَ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ حَتَّى تُقْضَى لَهُ‌[1] كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ بِذَلِكَ مِثْلَ أَجْرِ حَجَّةٍ وَ عُمْرَةٍ مَبْرُورَتَيْنِ‌[2] وَ صَوْمِ شَهْرَيْنِ مِنْ أَشْهُرِ الْحُرُمِ وَ اعْتِكَافِهِمَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَ مَنْ مَشَى فِيهَا بِنِيَّةٍ وَ لَمْ تُقْضَ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِذَلِكَ مِثْلَ حَجّ

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Whoever walks to help make the wish of his believing brother (in belief) come true, seeking thereby the reward for it with Allah until he makes it happen, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, writes down for him a reward equal to the reward for performing Hajj and ‘Umrah that

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ تَنَافَسُوا فِي الْمَعْرُوفِ‌[3] لِإِخْوَانِكُمْ وَ كُونُوا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ فَإِنَّ لِلْجَنَّةِ بَاباً يُقَالُ لَهُ- الْمَعْرُوفُ لَا يَدْخُلُهُ إِلَّا مَنِ اصْطَنَعَ الْمَعْرُوفَ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَمْشِي فِي حَاجَةِ أَخِيهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ فَيُوَكِّلُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ مَلَكَيْنِ وَاحِداً عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ آخَرَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ يَسْتَغْفِرَانِ لَهُ رَبَّه

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Compete in al-Ma’ruf doing good to your brothers (in belief) and be of such people; in paradise there is a door called al-Ma’ruf through which no one can enter except those who have performed al-Ma’ruf (a virtuous deed) in the worldly life. If a servant (of Allah) walks to help his bel

وَ اللَّهِ لَأَنْ أَحُجَّ حَجَّةً أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ رَقَبَةً وَ رَقَبَةً وَ رَقَبَةً وَ مِثْلَهَا وَ مِثْلَهَا حَتَّى بَلَغَ عَشْراً وَ مِثْلَهَا وَ مِثْلَهَا[4] حَتَّى بَلَغَ السَّبْعِينَ وَ لَأَنْ أَعُولَ أَهْلَ بَيْتٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ‌[5] أَسُدَّ جَوْعَتَهُمْ وَ أَكْسُوَ عَوْرَتَهُمْ فَأَكُفَّ وُجُوهَهُمْ عَنِ النَّاسِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَحُجَّ حَجَّةً وَ حَجَّةً وَ حَجَّةً وَ مِثْلَهَا

“By Allah, performing one Hajj is more beloved to me than setting free of ten slaves and up to seventy slaves. If I look after a Muslim family, satisfy their hunger and clothe them to safeguard their dignity among the people it is more beloved to me than to perform Hajj ten times and so on up to seventy Hajj.”

أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى مُوسَى ع- أَنَّ مِنْ عِبَادِي مَنْ يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيَّ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَأُحَكِّمُهُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَقَالَ مُوسَى يَا رَبِّ وَ مَا تِلْكَ الْحَسَنَةُ قَالَ يَمْشِي مَعَ أَخِيهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ فِي قَضَاءِ حَاجَتِهِ قُضِيَتْ أَوْ لَمْ تُقْضَ‌[1].

12. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from abu Ali Sahib al-Sha’ir from Muhammad ibn Qays from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, sent revelations to Moses that said, ‘Of My servant there are those who perform a good deed seeking thereb

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ أَتَاهُ أَخُوهُ الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي حَاجَةٍ فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ رَحْمَةٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى سَاقَهَا إِلَيْهِ فَإِنْ قَبِلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ وَصَلَهُ بِوَلَايَتِنَا[2] وَ هُوَ مَوْصُولٌ بِوَلَايَةِ اللَّهِ وَ إِنْ رَدَّهُ عَنْ حَاجَتِهِ وَ هُوَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى قَضَائِهَا سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ شُجَاعاً مِنْ نَارٍ يَنْهَشُهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَغْفُور

“I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) saying, ‘To whomever his believing brother (in belief) comes for help, in fact, it is a blessing from Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, that He has lead to him. If he accepts that blessing he has connected his guardianship with our guardianship ( al - Walayah ) that is connected to t

إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَتَرِدُ عَلَيْهِ الْحَاجَةُ لِأَخِيهِ فَلَا تَكُونُ عِنْدَهُ فَيَهْتَمُّ بِهَا قَلْبُهُ فَيُدْخِلُهُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى بِهَمِّهِ الْجَنَّةَ.

“A believer may find his brother (in belief) needy in a certain matter that is not available to him and he intends in his heart to meet such need, Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, admits him in paradise just because of his intention.”

قَالَ: مَشْيُ الرَّجُلِ فِي حَاجَةِ أَخِيهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ يُكْتَبُ‌[4] لَهُ عَشْرُ حَسَنَاتٍ وَ يُمْحَى عَنْهُ عَشْرُ سَيِّئَاتٍ وَ يُرْفَعُ لَهُ عَشْرُ دَرَجَاتٍ قَالَ وَ لَا أَعْلَمُهُ‌[5] إِلَّا قَالَ وَ يَعْدِلُ عَشْرَ رِقَابٍ وَ أَفْضَلُ مِنِ اعْتِكَافِ شَهْرٍ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘For a believer’s walking to help a believing brother (in belief) ten good deeds are written for him, ten of his sins are deleted and he is raised ten degrees in meritorious status.’ The narrator has said, ‘I do not know what else the Imam said, but (I do know) he (the Imam) said, ‘It i