Chapter 21: Assistance towards righteousness and piety

allah, the exalted, says:

"help you one another in al-birr and at-taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety)". (5:2)

"by al-`asr (the time). verily, man is in loss. except those who believe (in islamic monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth [i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (al-ma`ruf) which allah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (al-munkar) which allah has forbidden], and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in allah's cause during preaching his religion of islamic monotheism or jihad)". (103:1-3)

177.  khalid al-juhani (may allah be pleased with him) reported: the prophet (pbuh) said, "he who equips a warrior in the way of allah (will get the reward of the one who has actually gone for jihad); and he who looks after the family of a warrior in the way of allah will get the reward of the one who has gone for jihad".
[al-bukhari and muslim].

commentary:  this hadith tells the mode which can make jihad more effective and give the participants of jihad equal share in its reward. every society has many able-bodied young people who want to take part in jihad but do not have the resources for it, and this is how a very useful segment of the society fails to make any contribution to it. on the other hand, there are people in the society who have plenty of resources but do not possess health, vigour and youth which are essential for jihad. according to the method prescribed in this hadith, not only the requisite manpower and resources essential for jihad are combined but everyone gets an even share in its reward. it should be kept in mind that in the early period of islam, mujahidun (the muslims who took part in jihad) were neither professional soldiers nor were they paid regular salaries, the way they now constitute a regular, permanent and vast military institution. these mujahidun used to take part in jihad voluntarily as is being done nowadays under many organizations also.

178. abu sa`id al-khudri (may allah be pleased with him) reported: messenger of allah (pbuh) sent a detachment to banu lahyan tribe and remarked, "let one of every two men get ready to advance, and both will earn the same reward".
[muslim].

179. ibn `abbas (may allah be pleased with them) reported: messenger of allah (pbuh) came across a party of mounted men at ar-rauha and asked them, "who are you?'' they answered: "we are muslims, and who are you?'' he said, "i am the messenger of allah.'' a woman from among them lifted a boy up to him and asked: "can this one go on hajj?'' he (pbuh) said, "yes, and you will have the reward.''
[muslim].

commentary:
1. we learn from this hadith that in the matter of dress, style and appearance, the prophet (pbuh) was so simple that ordinary people could not easily recognize him as a prophet.

2. if a child is taken with his parents for hajj, its reward will be given to his parents because at that age hajj is not obligatory on him. after gaining maturity, if the child has the means to go for hajj, then he is duty-bound to perform it. the hajj performed by him in childhood is considered as nafl only.

180. abu musa (may allah be pleased with him) reported: the prophet (pbuh) said, "the honest muslim trustee who carries out duties assigned to him (in another narration he said, "who gives''), and he gives that in full, with his heart overflowing with cheerfulness, to whom he is ordered, he is one of the two givers of charity".
[al-bukhari and muslim].

commentary: this hadith also mentions a very important principle to the effect that everyone must wholeheartedly perform the duty assigned to him by the state. if he is appointed custodian of the bait-ul-mal (public exchequer), he must fulfill his duty with utmost honesty. if he is not envious of anyone, nor harms anybody, nor behaves niggardly then he will be entitled to the same reward which will be due to the person who entrusted him that duty. thus this hadith enjoins every muslim to perform his official duties wholeheartedly and to the best of his ability.