The Virtue of Benevolent Assistance

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Providing all Benevolent Assistance is charity, and the best charity is a charity provided from an affluent condition. You must begin with your dependents. The upper hand is better than the lower hand. Allah does not blame one for moderation.”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘All Benevolent Assistance is charity.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘I see Benevolent Assistance is as good as its name. No other thing is better than providing Benevolent Assistance except the reward for it, which one has in one’s intention thereby. Not everyone who loves Benevolent Assistance provides such charity. Not everyone who loves to provide Benevolent Assistance is able to do so, and not everyone who loves to provide Benevolent Assistance has permission to do so. When all three conditions - the desire, the ability and permission - to provide Benevolent Assistance come together, only then will the goal and the means materialize.” (Ahmad ibn ‘Abd Allah has narrated from ibn Faddal from abu Jamilah from Muhammad ibn Marwan from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), a similar Hadith.)

Providing Benevolent Assistance is charity. One who shows the way to good is just like a doer of good. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, loves those who provide relief to a grief stricken person.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said , ‘Providing Benevolent Assistance is something other than compulsory charity (zakat). You must seek nearness to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, through virtuous deeds and good relations with relatives.’”

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that you should provide Benevolent Assistance to those who deserve and to those who (in reality) are un-deserving; if the recipient does not deserve it, you are considered a provider of Benevolent Assistance.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to ‘Ammar, ‘O ‘Ammar, are you the owner of a great wealth?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause.’ The Imam then asked, ‘Do you pay all of the zakat Allah has made compulsory upon you to pay?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I do so.’ The Imam then asked, ‘Do you pay the known amount out of your wealth?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I do so.’ The Imam then asked, ‘Do you maintain good relations with your relatives?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I do so.’ The Imam then asked, ‘Do you maintain good relations with your brothers (in belief)?’ He replied, ‘Yes I do so.’ The Imam then said, ‘O ‘Ammar, wealth vanishes, bodies become old, but good deeds remain, and the One who provides compensation for good deeds lives and never dies. O ‘Ammar, whatever you send ahead of you, does not leave you behind; whatever you delay does not catch up with you.’”

‘Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a believing person maintains good relations with his brother in belief, he is considered as maintaining such relations with the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Provide Benevolent Assistance to everyone; if the recipient is not deserving, you are a deserving provider.” (This and Hadith 6 above are considered to apply when the provider has no knowledge of the condition of the recipient. Thus, what will come later does not contradict.)

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Once an Arab man from the tribe of banu al-Tamim came to see the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and said, ‘Please grant me good advice.’ The good advice the Holy Prophet provided was this, ‘O so and so, do not withhold Benevolent Assistance from deserving recipients.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘The first ones entering Paradise are those who actuate Benevolent Assistance and come to me at the pond in Paradise.’”

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must consider slips possible by providers of Benevolent Assistance and forgive them for such slips; Allah’s protection for them is like this;’ using his hand as shielding something, the Imam explained.”