Hadeeth: Whoever removes hardship from a believer, brings ease to one in difficulty, hides the faults of a Muslim, helps his brother, strives to seek knowledge and gathers in a house of Allah to learn — And the one who is slow to do good deeds. (Explained by Shaikh Ibn Bāz)

Imam Muslim reported in his Saheeh (no. 2699)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ مَنْ نَفَّسَ عَنْ مُؤْمِنٍ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ الدُّنْيَا نَفَّسَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَنْ يَسَّرَ عَلَى مُعْسِرٍ يَسَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَمَنْ سَتَرَ مُسْلِمًا سَتَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَاللَّهُ فِي عَوْنِ الْعَبْدِ مَا كَانَ الْعَبْدُ فِي عَوْنِ أَخِيهِ وَمَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِلاَّ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ وَحَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ وَمَنْ بَطَّأَ بِهِ عَمَلُهُ لَمْ يُسْرِعْ بِهِ نَسَبُهُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu ’anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (sallallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said:

“Whosoever removes a hardship among the hardships of this world from a believer, Allāh will remove a hardship from him on the Day of Judgement.

Whoever brings ease to the one who is in difficulty, Allāh will bring him ease in this world and in the Hereafter.

Whoever hides the faults of a Muslim, Allāh will hide his faults in this world and in the Hereafter.

Allāh will continue to help a person so long as he is helpful to his brother.

Whosoever takes a path in search of religious knowledge, Allāh will make easy for him the path to Paradise.

There are not a group of people who gather together in a house from the houses of Allāh while reciting the Book of Allāh, and studying it between themselves except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy envelopes them, the angels surround them and Allāh makes mention of them to those who are in His presence.

And whoever is slow in performing good deeds and delays them, then his high lineage will not help him to race ahead.”

Commentary of Shaikh Abdul-‘Azeez Ibn Bāz (rahimahullāh):

These are from the encompassing and comprehensive sayings of the Prophet (sallallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) that gather together all of goodness due to what it is mentioned of removing hardship, bringing ease and concealing sins.

There is also the mention of seeking of knowledge; that it is must that the believer strives in acquiring knowledge; he should take the paths that lead to it by travelling to the scholars, by researching, reading, studying, revising and corresponding (with the people of knowledge).

There is a tremendous virtue in gathering to study the Book of Allāh, gathering to acquire knowledge, to study and revise – in this there is great excellence.

The one who is is slow and delays in doing righteous deeds, then his lineage will not aid him even if he is from Banī Hāshim, i.e., the family of Allāh’s Messenger (sallallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam). Lineage, wealth and frienships in this world will not benefit a person at all if it was not in the cause of Allāh and for the pleasure of Allāh. Merely being from the Banū Hāshim or from the descendants of the Prophets is of no benefit to a person if he does not perform righteous deeds. The same is true for one’s wealth – it will not benefit him if he does not spend it in obedience to Allāh. Qārūn was from the wealthiest of people in the time of Mūsā (peace be upon him), yet Allāh caused the earth to swallow him. For this reason the Prophet (salallāhu ’alaihi wassallam) said: ”Indeed Allah does not look at your forms nor at your wealth (and possessions), but He looks to your hearts and deeds.” And the Prophet (salallāhu ’alaihi wassallam) said: ”Whosoever is slow and delays to perform righteous deeds, his lineage will not carry him forward.” Meaning: his lineage will not carry him to a good end. Whoever is slow in righteous deeds and is negligent in establishing the prayer, giving sadaqah, striving in Allah’s cause and so on, then the fact that he is from the children of a Prophet, or a rich person or a scholar will not benefit him in front of Allāh. It will not help him at all – nothing will help him except righteous deeds. Allāh (the Most Gracious) said: ”Enter Paradise because of what you used to do.” (An-Nahl: 32) – not because of your lineage, rather because of your righteous deeds that your performed.

Questions:

Question: If this gathering (of remembering Allāh and knowledge) is in a normal house, can the same excellence be achieved?
Answer: It is hoped that they will achieve it, if Allāh wills, however, the Masājid are better and more beneficial for the people. And if they gather in a normal house for the same purpose, then it is hoped that they will attain this goodness.

Question: What is the meaning of, ”Tranquility (As-Sakeenah) will descend”?
Answer: What is apparent is that As-Sakeenah is an angel among the angels. He comes near and descends when goodness and dhikr can be heard.

Usayd Ibn Hudair was reciting Surah Al-Baqarah at night, and his horse was tied beside him. The horse was suddenly startled and troubled. When he stopped reciting, the horse became quiet, and when he started again, the horse was startled again. Then he stopped reciting and the horse became quiet too. He started reciting again and the horse was startled and troubled once again. Then he stopped reciting and his son, Yahya, was beside the horse. He was afraid that the horse might trample on him. So when he took the boy away, and then looked towards the sky, until he could no longer see it (whatever he saw). The next morning he informed the Prophet who said, “Recite, O Ibn Hudair! Recite, O Ibn Hudair.” Usayd Ibn Hudayr (radiyallāhu ‘ānhu) informed the Prophet: “O Allah’s Messenger, my son Yahya was near the horse and I was afraid that it might trample on him, so I looked towards the sky, and went to him. When I looked at the sky, I saw something like a cloud containing what looked like lamps, then it disappeared until I could not see it.” The Prophet (salallāhu ’alaihi wassallam) said, “Do you know what that was?” Ibn Hudair replied, ”No.” The Prophet (salallāhu ’alaihi wassallam) said: “Those were Angels who came near to you for your voice and if you had kept on reciting till dawn, it would have remained there till morning, and the people would have seen it as it would not have disappeared.” (Al-Bukhārī, no. 5018)

Question: Whoever unintentionally sleeps through ’Asr and Maghrib, and he does not wake up until just before ’Ishā prayer and he has no time except to begin with one of the prayers, so which one should he beging with?
Answer: He should begin with Dhuhr (if he missed it also) and ’Asr, then he prays Maghrib and ’Ishā.

Question: What is the meaning of the hadeeth: ”Whoever conceals a Muslim…”?
Answer: The hadeeth finishes, ”Allah will conceal him in this world and in the Hereafter.” This hadeeth includes two matters: the one who covers the ’awrah (parts of the body that must be covered) with a garment; and the one who conceals the shortcomings and sins of a Muslim and does not expose him.

Source: Slightly edited from binbaz.org.sa/audios/2241/91-من-باب-قضاء-حواىج-المسلمين

Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wāhid.