1276 – Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever relieves a Muslim of one of the distresses of this world, Allah will relieve him of a distress from the distresses of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever eases the plight of an insolvent person, Allah will ease his affairs in this world and the Hereafter. Whoever conceals a Muslim’s fault, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah remains at the aid of the servant for as long as the servant is at the aid of his brother.” Reported by Muslim. (1)
Vocabulary of the ḥadith
• naffasa: from tanfīs—loosening a strangling grip so that one can breathe; here, to remove or lessen hardship.
• kurbah: an overwhelming anxiety that weighs on the soul and saddens the heart, so severe it seems to cut off one’s breath.
• yassara ʿalā muʿsir: to make things easy for someone in financial hardship—by cancelling the debt, giving a gift or charity, or granting respite until solvency. Al-Fath notes that this also includes giving legal advice to a layman that frees him from his predicament, for such advice is a refuge for the unlearned.
• satara: to hide the fault or sin of dignified, upright people who are not known for evil; in return, Allah will veil his sins on the Day of Resurrection—either by erasing them completely or by questioning him about them without anyone else being aware.
Lessons derived from the ḥadith
- Ibn Daqiq al-ʿId said: “This is a tremendous hadith that gathers together numerous branches of knowledge and foundational principles.”