The Reward of one who Feeds a Believer, Quenches his Thirst, Clothes him or Pays off his Debt

159. It has been narrated that Abu Ja'far [a.s] said:

Feeding four Muslims is equal to freeing a slave from the descendants of Prophet Ishmael. 178

160. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

If two believers were to enter the house of a believer and he were to feed them to full, this would be better than freeing a slave.” 179

161. It has been reported that 'Ali ibn Al-Husayn [a.s] said:

Whoever feeds a hungry believer, Allah will feed him with the fruits of Paradise; and whoever gives a drink to a thirsty believer, Allah will quench his thirst (on the Day of Judgment) with an exquisite drink of Paradise; and whoever clothes a believer, Allah will clothe him with a green robe of Paradise.

According to another tradition, the Imam said:

Whoever clothes a believer will remain under the security of Allah as long as a thread of the cloth remains. 180

162. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

Whoever feeds a hungry believer, Allah will feed him with the fruits of Paradise; and any believer who quenches the thirst of another believer, Allah will quench his thirst with an exquisite drink of Paradise; and any believer who clothes another believer will remains under the guard and protection of Allah as long as a shred of it remains. 181

163. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] once said to one of his companions, “O Thabit! Can you not free a slave every day?' 'May Allah make you prosper,' he replied, 'I do not have the (financial) power to do it!' 'Are you not able,' asked the Imam [a.s], 'to entertain four Muslims for lunch or dinner?' 'I am able to do,' replied the companion.

'By Allah I swear,' said the Imam [a.s], 'that is equal to free a slave.' 182

164. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

Whoever clothes a believer will remain in the mercy of Allah [M.G] as long anything of that cloth remains; and one who gives him a sip of water, Allah will quench his thirst with an exquisite drink (of Paradise); and one who satiates his hunger, Allah will feed him with the fruits of Paradise. 183

165. It has been narrated that Amir al-Mu'minin [a.s] said:

Feeding your brother a mouthful is more loveable to me than giving a dirham in charity; and giving him a dirham is more lovable to me than giving ten in charity; and giving him ten Dirhams is more loveable to me than freeing a slave. 184

166. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

If any believer feeds another believer to full, Allah will feed him from the fruits of Paradise; and if he gives him a sip to drink, He will quench his thirst with an exquisite drink (of Paradise); and if he clothes him, Allah will clothe him with a green robe (of Paradise) and he will remain under the protection of Allah as long as a thread of that cloth remains. 185

167. It has been narrated that Abu Ja'far [a.s] said:

(Amongst) the qualities most loved by Allah are three: a Muslim who feeds a hungry Muslim, relieves him from a distress or settle his debt for him. 186

168. It has been reported that Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] said:

The first gift that a believer is presented with in his grave is the forgiveness for those who accompanied his bier. 187

169. Sudayr reported: Abu 'Abd Allah [a.s] once asked me, 'What stops you from freeing a slave every day?' 'My financial status will not allow that,' I replied.

'Can you feed a Muslim every day (to equal that reward)?' the Imam [a.s] asked.

'Must that Muslim be well-to-do or poor?' I asked.

'Even the well-to-do sometimes long for food,' the Imam [a.s] replied. 188

170. It has been narrated that Abu Ja'far [a.s] said: Feeding a Muslim is equal to freeing a human being. 189

Notes:

178. Al-Mustadrak 3/90 h.1, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/385 h.102 [as quoted from Shaykh al-Saduq: Thawab al-A`mal 165 and al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 2/395 h.60], 75/460 h.12, al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 16/444 h.32 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 2/395 h.59], 16/463 h.4 [as quoted from Shaykh al-Saduq: Thawab al-A`mal].

179. Al-Mustadrak 3/90 h.2, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/373 h.66 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/201 h.4], 75/460 h.10 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 2/394 h.54], 74/311 h.67, Al-Mustadrak 1/545 h.3 [as quoted from Shaykh al-Mufid: al-Ikhtisas 21] and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 16/447 h.1 [as quoted from al-Kafi and al-Mahasin].

180. Shaykh al-Mufid: al-Ikhtisas 220, al-Mustadrak 1/546 h.8, 1/220 h.4 [as quoted from al-Ikhtisas 220], 3/88 h.4, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/384 h.89 [as quoted from Shaykh al-Saduq: Thawab al-A`mal 164 and Shaykh al-Mufid: al-Amali 12], 74/373 h.67, al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 16/453 h.1 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/201 h.5]. The last statement of the narration is recorded in al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/381 h.86 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 3/420 h.2 and 3 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/205 h.4] and 3/421 h.6 [as quoted from Shaykh al-Saduq: Thawab al-A`mal and others].

181. This narration is the same as No. 161.

182. Al-Mustadrak 1/87 h.4, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/364 h.31 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 16/443 h.28 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 2/394 h.51].

183. Al-Mustadrak 1/88 h.1. The first statement is also recorded in Al-Mustadrak 1/220 [last part of] h.5. A similar to the first statement of the narration is recorded in al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/381 h.87 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 3/420 h.4 as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi: 2/205 [part of] h.5.

184. Al-Mustadrak 3/91 h.2.

185. The first statement is recorded in Al-Mustadrak 3/88 h.5 and the last in 1/220 h.5.

186. Al-Mustadrak 3/86 h.12, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/365 h.36 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 16/441 h.14 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 2/388 h.12].

187. Al-Mustadrak 1/119 h.9. A similar narration is recorded in al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 81/259 [part of] h.7, 81/377 [part of] h.28 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 2/821 h.7 [as quoted from al-Amali: 1/45. At any rate, this narration should have been mentioned in the Chapter 2, where it would be more appropriate.

188. Al-Mustadrak 3/87 h.5, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/377 h.74 [as quoted from al-Kulayni: al-Kafi 2/202 h.12], 74/364 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 2/394 h.49] and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 16/443 h.28 and 16/448 h.30 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 16/443 h.28 and al-Kulayni: al-Kafi].

189. Al-Mustadrak 3/87 h.4, al-Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar 74/363 h.24, 75/460 h.11 and al-Hurr al-`Amili: Wasa`il al-Shi`ah 16/442 h.21, 16/443 h.30 [as quoted from al-Barqi: al-Mahasin 2/391 h.33 and 2/395 h.56].

Adapted from: "Kitab al-Mu'min" by: "Al-Husayn ibn Sa'id al-Kufi al-Ahwazi"