Helping one another in Al-Birr (righteousness) and At-Taqwa (piety

Helping one another in Al-Birr (righteousness) and At-Taqwa (piety). The Buck Stops Here; gawha express 29th october 2023 “The buck stops here”,U.S. president Harry S. Truman had a sign with this inscription on his desk, Meaning. Responsibility is not passed on beyond this point. What tragedy disaster could be worse than the silence of the Muslims and its sullen leadership, which is duty-bound to support the Muslim brethren in the face of the calamity? Who will stir the conscience of our brothers and sisters that Helping a Muslim, Covering his Mistakes, Relieving his Hardships-may be be small acts in the minds of people – All Virtues, Big and Small can earn rewards-Dr Fiaz Fazili. A big hang up of our times -- sometimes found even in those involved in socio-religious work --- is the focus on doing something big earning publicity. We want to be associated with mega projects and big banners. We want to serve the cause of society or religion in a big way. Big deeds, big rewards. Big success, here and in the hereafter. Who can argue with that? It assumes that the reward for a good deed is based on its value as perceived by us. Islam is a way of life. It teaches its followers the meaning of brotherhood, community, and the responsibilities of the Muslim individuals towards their community and to the society at large. One important aspect of Islam is helping whoever is in need and the reward for every good deed is based on the actual goodness in it and only Allah can judge that. In this life, humankind suffers various types and forms of hardships, which will cause sorrow and depression, especially when such hardships and trials befall and touch people's health, property, offspring, or religion. When such difficulties befall a certain Muslim, his Muslim brethren are obliged to rush to his aid and to defuse this hardship, so that his pain will subside, as much as can be. One should not wait for his call rather it is encouraged to volunteer for assistance. The sayings of the Prophet (SAW ) also do not specify that the ease of the suffering be done only by money. It means any type of help that a Muslim can provide to his Muslim brother to relieve him from his hardship. No doubt helping a destitute person with small amount of money brings rewards, but just some kind words, greeting a stranger, telling someone the way, sharing someone's load or helping him with it, and all other acts of public service like visiting the sick, joining in the funeral, consoling someone going through difficulty, removing something harmful from the path, making a quiet prayer for someone in need of help, forgiving a person who has hurt us --- none of these will make big headlines but all of them can bring about major change in our lives. “Those who help others are truly much blessed," as the hadith says, “Best people are those who are useful to others.” Take the case of a woman of ill repute who once helped a thirsty dog by making extra effort to fetch water from a well. She was saved from hell for that small kindness alone. (Bukhari;Muslim) Helping a Muslim includes appropriate rebuttal of any wrong charges or insinuations levelled against another Muslim. Abu Darda' (RA)reported that our Holy Prophet has said, "One who defends the honour of his brother, Allah keeps the fire of hell away from his face on the Day of Judgment.” (Tirmidhi) Another hadith runs as follows, "If a Muslim is being insulted and degraded and his honour besmirched somewhere and another Muslim leaves him helpless, Allah would leave the latter helpless on occasions when he would need help. And if any Muslim helps him when he is insulted and degraded, Allah shall help him when he needs help" (Abu Da'ud). As Muslims, we have special responsibilities towards our brothers and sisters in Islam. The Prophet (SAW)said,” None of you truly believes unless he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself. Do not envy one another; do not inflate prices one to another; do not hate one another; do not turn away from one another; do not undercut one another, do not indulge in mudslinging but be you, oh servants of Allah, brothers. Covering mistakes is the duty of every Muslim.” The Prophet (SAW ) stressed upon the believers the importance of helping and easing the hardships of suffering Muslims.” He who relieves a hardship of this Dunya (this earthly life) for a believer, Allah will relieve a hardship of the Day of Resurrection for him; he who makes it easy for an indebted person, Allah will make it easy for him in the Dunya and the Hereafter; he who covers a Muslim (his mistakes and shortcomings), Allah will cover him in the Dunya and the Hereafter; Allah will be in the slave 's need, as long as the slave is in his (believing) brother's need…" [Muslim].A Muslim does not oppress other Muslim neither humiliates nor looks down upon him. Therefore, when a Muslim witnesses a shortcoming or a mistake by his Muslim brother, he asks Allah the Almighty to grant his brother firmness on His Path, and advises him in secret. Imam Ash-Shafi'i once said, "Advise me when I am alone, and avoid giving advice in public, for advising in public is a type of criticism that I will not be pleased to hear." When a righteous person commits an error or a mistake, then those who uncover or know of these mistakes must not expose him. If a person exposes this righteous person, it will be an act of backbiting that Allah has prohibited. Also, this act will constitute spreading sin among Muslims. Muslims neither rejoice when they see or hear their Muslim brothers do not commit mistakes, nor do they make such mistakes the subject of their conversations. Abdullah Ibn Umar( r.a) related, "The Prophet(SAW ) once rose above the podium and then heralded with a loud voice, 'O those who have embraced Islam only with their tongue, while Imaan has not yet entered their hearts, neither harm Muslims, nor mock them, nor try to expose their mistakes, for he who follows (or searches for) the errors of his brother (so that he exposes him), Allah the Almighty will follow his errors, and he whom Allah(ST)follows his errors, He will expose him even if he was in the middle of his home.' [Saheeh Al-Jamee) Unfortunately nowadays some of our brothers feel elated by highlighting any shortcoming, that they have done a great job. For who knows the true value of a small kindness or small virtue? Who knows afflictions could have been much worse than his present affliction. One may simply say thank Allah by saying Alhamdu-lillah (Praise be to Allah) with such an intense feeling that it alone tilts the scale in his or her favor in the life here and life after. We the Muslims have rights upon each other, and we must fulfill these rights first then we can help others. The fact of belief in Allah is what makes the Muslim's life sacred. The Muslim servant of Allah cannot be ignored, for serving/helping him is equal to serving/helping Allah. (-Author besides being a medical doctor is very active in positive perception management of various moral and social issues. He can be reached at drfiazfazili@gmail.com & twitter @drfiazfazili) --