Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Whoever relieves a believer from one of the hardships of this world, Allah will relieve him from one of the hardships of the Day of Judgment. Whoever makes things easy for someone in difficulty, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and the Hereafter. Whoever covers a Muslim, Allah will cover him in this world and the Hereafter. Allah is in the aid of the slave as long as the slave is in the aid of his brother. Whoever treads a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. No group of people gather in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy envelops them, the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them to those near Him. And whoever is slowed down by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage."
Reported by Muslim (No. 2699a, 2700a), Abu Dawud (No. 1455, 3643, 4946), At-Tirmidhi (No. 1425, 1930, 2646, 2945, 3378), Ibn Majah (No. 225, 2417), Ahmad (No. 7118, 7601, 7965, 8906, 9396, 10091, 10260, 10857) and Ad-Darimi (No. 348, 349).
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that the reward a Muslim receives from Allah is of the same nature as the actions he performs for other Muslims. Whoever relieves, alleviates, removes, or eliminates a hardship and a difficulty from a believer in this world, Allah will reward him by relieving him from one of the hardships of the Day of Judgment. And whoever facilitates and makes things easy for someone in difficulty and removes his difficulty, Allah will make it easy for him in this world and the Hereafter. And whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, such as knowing what should not be exposed of slips and errors, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. Allah supports His slave as long as the slave supports his brother in his religious and worldly interests. Support could be through supplication, physical action, money, etc. Whoever walks in pursuit of religious knowledge, doing it for the sake of Allah Almighty, Allah will facilitate for him a path to Paradise. No group of people gather in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquility and solemnity descend upon them, the mercy of Allah envelops and encompasses them, the angels surround them, and Allah praises them in the presence of those near Him. It is enough of an honor that Allah mentions the slave in the highest assembly. The one whose good deeds are insufficient will not be elevated to the rank of those with righteous deeds. Hence, he should not rely upon his noble lineage and the merit of his forefathers while neglecting the performance of good deeds.
Lessons
Ibn Daqīq al-‘Īd said: This is a great Hadīth, comprising various types of knowledge, rules, and etiquettes. It highlights the merit of fulfilling the needs of Muslims and benefiting them in whatever way is possible, whether through knowledge, wealth, assistance, offering useful advice, giving counsel, or other means.
Encouraging the act of making things easy for the one in difficulty.
A Muslim is encouraged to help other Muslims, as Allah Almighty helps the one who helps his brother in proportion to his help.
Among the ways of concealing a Muslim’s faults is: to refrain from seeking out his shortcomings. One of the predecessors is reported to have said: I met people who had no faults, yet they spoke about the faults of others, so people started mentioning their faults. And I met people who had faults but refrained from mentioning the faults of others, so their faults were forgotten.
It is not a requirement of concealing the faults of others to neglect the prohibition of evil and not to change it. Rather, it should be changed and concealed at the same time, and this applies to those who are not known for corruption or persistence in transgression. As for one who is known for such behavior, it is not recommended to conceal his faults; instead, his affair should be referred to those in authority, provided that this does not lead to greater harm. This is because concealing his faults encourages him in his corruption and emboldens him to harm others, as well as emboldening others from among the wicked and stubborn.
Encouraging the act of seeking knowledge, reciting, and studying the Qur’an.
An-Nawawi said: This is evidence of the merit of gathering to recite the Quran in the mosque... and similar gatherings in a school, a garrison, or the like also attain this merit, Allah willing.
Allah has made the recompense contingent upon deeds, not upon lineages.
Explanation in Arabic
بَيَّنَ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أنَّ جَزاء المسلم عند الله مِن جِنْس ما يَعمله المسلم مع المسلمين؛ فمَن نفَّس وفرَّج وأزال وكَشَفَ عن مؤمنٍ كُربةً وشدة من كُرَب الدنيا، جازاه الله بأن ينفَّس عنه كربةً من كرب يوم القيامة.
ومَن يَسَّر على معسرٍ وسهَّل عليه وأزال عسرته، يسَّر الله عليه في الدنيا والآخرة.
ومَن ستر مسلمًا كأن اطّلع منه على ما لا ينبغي إظهاره من الزّلات والعَثَرات، ستره الله في الدنيا والآخرة.
والله يكون مُعينًا لِعَبدِه، ما كان العبد سائرًا في إعانة أخيه في مصالحه الدينية والدنيوية، والإعانة تكون بالدعاء والبدن والمال وغير ذلك.
ومن مشى إلى تحصيل علمٍ شرعيٍ، قاصدًا به وجه الله تعالى؛ سهَّل الله له به طريقًا إلى الجنة.
وما اجتمع قومٌ في بيتٍ من بيوت الله، يتلون كتاب الله ويتدارسونه بينهم، إلا نزلت عليهم الطمأنينة والوقار، وغطتهم وعمَّتهم رحمة الله، وحفَّتْهم الملائكة، وأثنى الله عليهم في المقرَّبين عنده، وكفى شرفًا ذِكرُ اللهِ العبدَ في الملأ الأعلى.
ومَن كان عمله ناقصًا، لم يُلْحِقْه بمرتبة أصحاب الأعمال، فينبغي ألا يَتَّكل على شرف النسب وفضيلة الآباء ويُقَصّر في العمل.
قال ابن دقيق العيد: هذا حديث عظيم، جامع لأنواع من العلوم والقواعد والآداب، فيه فضل قضاء حوائج المسلمين ونفعهم بما يتيسر، مِن علم، أو مال، أو معاونة، أو إشارة بمصلحة، أو نصيحة، أو غير ذلك.
الترغيب في التيسير على المعسر.
الحث على عون العبد المسلم، وأن الله تعالى يُعين المعين حسب إعانته لأخيه.
مِن سِتْر المسلم: عدمُ تتبُّع عوراته، وقد رُوي عن بعض السلف أنه قال: أدركت قومًا لم يكن لهم عيوب، فذكروا عيوبَ الناس، فَذَكَر الناسُ لهم عيوبًا، وأدركت قومًا كانت لهم عيوب، فَكَفُّوا عن عيوب الناس، فنُسِيت عيوبُهم.
ليس من لوازم الستر على الناس ترك المنكر وعدم تغييره، بل يُغَيِّر ويَسْتُر، وهذا في حقِّ مَن لا يُعرَف بالفساد والتَّمَادِيْ في الطغيان، وأما من عُرِف بذلك فإنه لا يُستحب الستر عليه، بل يرفع أمره إلى مَن له الولاية، إذا لم يخَفْ مِن ذلك مفسدة؛ وذلك لأن الستر عليه يُغْرِيْهِ على الفساد، ويُجَرِّئهُ على أذية العباد، ويُجرّئ غيره من أهل الشر والعناد.
الحث على طلب العلم وتلاوة القرآن وتدارسه.
قال النووي: في هذا دليل لفضل الاجتماع على تلاوة القرآن في المسجد... ويلحق بالمسجد في تحصيل هذه الفضيلة الاجتماع في مدرسة ورباط ونحوهما إن شاء الله تعالى.
الجزاء إنما رتَّبَه الله على الأعمال لا على الأنساب.
"من نفس عن مؤمن كربة من كرب الدنيا، نفس الله عنه كربة من كرب يوم القيامة، ومن يسر على معسر يسر الله عليه في الدنيا والآخرة، ومن ستر مسلمًا ستره الله في الدنيا والآخرة، والله في عون العبد ما كان العبد في عون أخيه، ومن…
وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم -{ مَا جَلَسَ قَوْمٌ مَجْلِسًا, يَذْكُرُونَ اَللَّهَ إِلَّا حَفَّتْ بِهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ, وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ…
"المسلم أخو المسلم، لا يظلمه، ولايسلمه، من كان في حاجة أخيه كان الله في حاجته، ومن فرج عن مسلم كربة فرج الله عنه بها كربة من كرب يوم القيامة، ومن ستر مسلمًا ستره الله يوم القيامة"
