How can we support our brothers who are in need or who have suffered disasters?
What are our duties towards our Muslim brothers who have been stricken by calamities and disasters throughout the world?
Praise be to Allah.
Allah says:
{إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ}
'Translation' {The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion)} [al-Hujuraat from the verse:10].
And He describes them:
{أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ}
'Translation' {severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves} [al-Fath:29].
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: «» (Narrated by Imaam Ahmad).
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) neatly summed up the ways in which a believer can support his fellow-believer. He said: "There are different ways of supporting a fellow believer: with one's wealth, with one's position of authority or power, by means of physical service, by offering sincere advice and guidance, by making supplication (du'aa') and asking for forgiveness for them, and by feeling their pain. The level of one's support will be affected by the level of one's faith. The weaker a person's faith, the weaker his support will be; the stronger the faith, the stronger the support. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the greatest of all people in his support for his companions, so the more closely his followers follow him, the greater will be their support for their fellow-believers" (al-Fawaa'id [1/171]).
Al-Khaleel ibn Ahmad was walking with a companion of his when his companion's shoe broke, so he carried his shoes and walked barefoot. Al-Khaleel took off his own shoes and carried them and walked barefoot. His companion asked him why he was doing that, and he said: "I am showing sympathy for you in your being barefoot".
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid.
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