Help each other between people especially the needy is a teaching of Islam. As the word of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala which means “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.” (Q.S. Al-Maidah : 2)
Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said :
“The need is not those who mooch around to others, so they are given one and two spoons of food and one-two grains of date.” The companions asked : “O Rasulullah, (then) who is the needy?” He answered, “They are those who are not exactly living the high life and they do not have intelligence for that, then they are given sadaqah (zakat), and they do not want to mooch something to others.”
Related articles :
- Virtues of feeding the poor in Islam
- Importance of helping others in Islam
- Benefits of charity in Islam
Because it is one of advices from the Prophet Muhammad Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, it should has many virtues. So, in this chance, this article will discuss about virtues of helping the needy in Islam.
- It is a will from Rasulullah saw
In a hadith, Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam bequeathed Abu Dzar to loved the needy and close to them. It is not only for Abu Dzar, but it should do by all Moslems in the world. Islam advises its people to tawadhu with the needy, sit with them, help them and be patience with them.
- Get a big reward
Love the needy is not only closing to them, but you can help them, too. What we have , we can give to them because we will be given ease by Allah Ta’ala in every matters, lost difficultness in the Hereafter and got a big reward.
Rasulullah saw said :
“Whoever lose one difficultness of world from a believer, Allah will lose his one difficultness in the Hereafter. And whoever ease the difficultness of people who are in debt, Allah will ease him in the world and Hereafter.” [Shaheeh hadith. Narrated bby Muslim (number 2699), Ahmad (II/252, 325), Abu Dawud (number 3643), at-Tirmidzi (number 2646, Ibn Majah (number 225), and Ibn Hibban (number 78 in al Mawarid) From Abu Hurairah]
- Like a jihadist
If you earn a comfortable living, you should help the needy. You will look like a jiihadist. It is according to the word of the Prophet Muhammad saw :
“Someone who funds widows and the needy is like a person who jihad fii sabiilillaah.” I (narrator) thanked he said-, “And like a person who pray without get bored and like a person who fast continuously.” [The shaheeh hadith. Narrated by al-Bukhari (number 5353, 6006, 6007) and Muslim (number 2982), from the companion Abu Hurairah. This lafazh belongs to Muslim]
- Become tawadhu’
As Moslems, we should be tawadhu’. One of ways to be tawadhu’ is always together with the needy. We can pray to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala to be become tawadhu’ like a dua from Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam below :
“O Allah, revive me in poor condition, die me in poor condition and collect me with the group of the needy.” [This hadith is hasan. Narrated by Ibn Majah (number 4126), ‘Abd bin Humaid in al-Muntakhab (number 1000), and beside them. Look Silsilah al-Ahadits ash-Shahihah (number 308) and Irwa’ul Ghalil (number 861)]
- Get rizq from Allah Ta’ala
By helping the needy and the weak, we will get rizq from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. As the word of Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam :
“You only get help and rizq because there are the weak from among you.” [This hadith is shaheeh. Narrated by al-Bukhari (number 2896) from the companion, Mush’ab bin Sa’d Radhiyallahu anhu]
- Get help from Allah Ta’ala
The Prophet Muhammad Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam also said :
“Indeed Allah help this ummah because the weak among them, with their dua, their prayers and their sincerity.” [This hadith is shaheeh. Narrated by an-Nasa’i (VI/45) from the companion, Mush’ab bin Sa’d Radiyallahu anhu. See Shaheeh Sunan an-Nasa’i (II/669, number 2978)]
See also : Importance of helping others in Islam [AdSense-B]
- Be fulfilled your needs
If you help and fulfill others, including the needy. Your needs will be also fulfilled by Allah Ta’ala. As the hadith from Ibn Umar radhiyallalahu anhuma that Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said
“And whoever try to fulfill the needs of his brother, then Allah will also try to fulfill his needs.” [Narrated by al-Bukhoriy : 2442, 6051, Muslim : 2580, Abu Dawud : 4893, at-Turmudziy : 1426 and Ahmad : II/91. It is shaheeh from asy-Syaikh al-Albaniy]
- Can mellow your heart
From Abu Hurairah radliyallahu anhu, that there is someone who has told Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam about the hardness of his heart. Then he said to him,
“If you want to mellow your heart, then feed the needy and wipe the head of orphans.” [Narrated by Ahmad : II/263, 387 and ath-Thabraniy in Mukhtashor Makarim al-akhlaq. Asy-Syaikh al-Alabniy said it was Hasan]
See also : Rewards for helping orphans in Islam
- Be entered into the Heaven
One way to help the needy is feeding them. If we are sincere to feed them, insha Allah, we will enter the Heaven. As the hadith below,
From Hudzailah radliyallahu anhu said, Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam has said,
“Whoever end (his life) by feeding the needy, in order to find the willing of Allah Azza Wa Jalla, then he will enter the Heaven. Whoever end (his life) by fasting one day, in order to find the willing of Allah Azza Wa Jalla, then he will enter the Heaven. Whoever end his life by saying ‘Laa ilaaha illallah’ in order to find the willing of Allah Azza wa Jalla, then he will enter the Heaven.” [Narrated by Abu Nu’aim and Ahmad : V/391. Asy-Syaikh al-Albaniy said that this hadith was shaheeh] [AdSense-C]
- Become the best believer
The Prophet Muhammad saw has commanded his people to feed the needy or those who were hungry. He set that anyone between his people who are full at night while he knows that his neighbour is hungry, then he is not a believer.
From Shuhaid (bin Sinan) r.a., I have heard Rasulullah saw said,
“The best of you is those who like to feed and reply Salaam.” [Narrated by Ahmad : VI/16 and al-Hakim. Asy-Syaikh al-Albaniy said it is Hasan]
- Allah SWT will like you
A believer is not only doing all of His commands but also someone who spend his wealth, including feeding the needy. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala will like you as His word in Qur’an surah Ali-Imran verse 134, which means :
“Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people – and Allah loves the doers of good.”
- Strengthen Silaturahmi
Help the needy is equal to strengthen Silaturahmi between Moslems. By silaturahmi Allah will give a lot of rizq and increase longevity. So, help the needy is also a command of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala as His word below :
“Whoever faith in Allah and the Hereafter, he should connect silaturahmi.” [Narrated by al-Bukhari (number 6138), from Abu Hurairah r.a. This hadith is Shaheeh]
- Get seven kindness
Every help that we give to the needy has a reward as the hadith from the narration of Thabrani, “Whoever help other brothers then Allah will write for him seven kindness for every step that he is done.”
Thus the article about 14 virtues of helping the needy in Islam. Hopefully, we can help our brothers who help our need, especially those who are the needy. So, our help can ease their lives. Amen.