1310 – Abu Sirmah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever harms a Muslim, Allah will harm him; and whoever causes hardship to a Muslim, Allah will cause hardship to him.” Reported by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi, who graded it sound. (1)

• Status of the ḥadīth
The report is ḥasan (sound). Al-Tirmidhi explicitly declared it ḥasan. Al-Manāwī, in his commentary on al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr, noted that the work’s author—al-Suyūṭī—also marked it as ḥasan. Abu Dawud transmitted it as well, and both he and al-Mundhirī remained silent about it; al-Suyūṭī further cited it from Ibn Mājah and al-Nasāʾī. Accordingly, the ḥadīth is acceptable, and Allah knows best. Numerous corroborating narrations exist, among them the report in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: “O Allah, whoever is put in charge of any affair of my community and makes things difficult for them, make things difficult for him,” and others.

• Vocabulary and explanation
– “Whoever harms a Muslim”: that is, whoever unjustly brings harm upon a Muslim’s wealth, person, honor, or anything else, Allah will bring harm upon him in repayment matching his deed.
– “Whoever contends with (shāqqa) a Muslim”: the verb shāqqa—mushāqqa, shiqāq—means to oppose and show enmity; literally each party does what burdens the other so that they stand on opposite “sides.” Here it denotes anyone who wrongfully disputes with or oppresses a Muslim; Allah will in turn burden him with hardship.