عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ «مَنْ نَفَّسَ عَنْ مُؤْمِنٍ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ الدُّنْيَا، نَفَّسَ اللهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَمَنْ يَسَّرَ عَلَى مُعْسِرٍ، يَسَّرَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَمَنْ سَتَرَ مُسْلِمًا، سَتَرَهُ اللهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَاللهُ فِي عَوْنِ الْعَبْدِ مَا كَانَ الْعَبْدُ فِي عَوْنِ أَخِيهِ،  وَمَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا، سَهَّلَ اللهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ،  وَمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللهِ، يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللهِ، وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ، إِلَّا نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمِ السَّكِينَةُ، وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ، وَحَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ، وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ، وَمَنْ بَطَّأَ بِهِ عَمَلُهُ، لَمْ يُسْرِعْ بِهِ نَسَبُهُ».

Abu Hurayrah narrated that God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: 

1. Whoever relieves a believer from one distress of this life, God will relieve him from a distress of the Day of Resurrection.  2. Whoever makes it easier for someone in straightened circumstances, God will make things easier for him in this life and the next.  3. Whoever shields a Muslim, God will shield him in this life and the life to come.  4. God will help a person as long as that person helps his brother.  5. Whoever takes a way seeking knowledge, God will facilitate for him a way to Heaven.  6. Whenever a group of people meet in one of God’s houses to recite God’s Book and study it together, they will be granted serenity; mercy will be bestowed on them; angels will be around them; and God will mention them to those who are with Him.  7. The one whose work keeps him slow gains no speed through his ancestry.

Related by Muslim, 2699.

Summary of Meaning

The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions the great merit of helping people in their life’s affairs. He says that God will help a person as long as that person helps his brother. The Prophet then mentions the exceptional merit of seeking knowledge and that its pursuer will receive God’s mercy as well as a feeling of serenity. God will mention him to the Highest Company. The Prophet then states that what elevates people is their deeds, not their lineage. 

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