The Virtue of Benevolent Assistance

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Um ay r from Mu‘awiyah ibn Wahab who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, 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.’”

3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah all from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Sa‘dan ibn Muslim from abu Yaqzan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, has said, ‘I see Benevolent Assistance (maʿrūf) is just as good as its name. No other thing is better than providing Benevolent Assistance except the reward that awaits it, and that is what is intended thereby. Not everyone who desires to provide Benevolent Assistance actually carries it out. Not everyone who desires to provide Benevolent Assistance has the ability to do so, and not everyone who desires 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 complete happiness is attained for both the one seeking to do good and the one to whom it is done.” (Ahmad ibn ‘Abd Allah has narrated from ibn Faddal from abu Jamilah from Muhammad ibn Marwan from abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, a similar Hadith.)

4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ariy from ibn al-Qaddah from abu ‘Abd Allah, from his ancestors, recipients of divine supreme covenant, who have said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, has narrated from his ancestors from the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, who has said, ‘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.’”

5. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, 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.’”

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil ibn Darraj who has said the following:“Abu ‘ Abd Allah عليه السلام, 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.”

7. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Bandar and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al- Qasim from a man of the people of Sabat who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, 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.’”

8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Jamil ibn Darraj from Hadid ibn Hakim or Murazim who has said the following: ‘Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, 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.’”

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, 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.)

10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far عليه السلام, 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.’”

11. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Walid who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, 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.’”

12. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Isma‘il ibn Mehran from Sayf ibn ‘Amirah who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah عليه السلام, 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.”