. I.ii . <': / f·g< "1// (cont.)

2 Al-Sindi, Sharh al-Arbaeen, pp. 1 1 0-1 1 1 . 3 Ibn Rajab, Jaami, vol. 2, p. 307. Hadith #36: "Whoever Relieves a Believer. . . " These last four results of reading and studying the Quran actually occur with respect to every form of dhikr or remembrance of Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, t ,,.. .... J .... .... Ɏ0 ·. , . ill J J , _r---:. l..u- ৥ ௮) 1...4) .r-:- ৤ ඊ).,:) u---,_) é ಯ "For all there will be ranks according to what they did. And your Lord is not unaware of what they do" (al-Anaam 1 32). If a person himself did not work for Paradise, then he is not going to be blessed with Paradise due to what others have done, no matter how close their blood relationship may be. Allah has said, .'২ q J1 [9J \ Jj \,..;) > S,. / ; ; , "Man can have nothing but what he strives for" (al-Najm 39). If the deeds are not there, one's lineage is not going to help the person whatsoever. This is true for the noblest lineage of mankind. In fact, when Allah revealed the verse, / / ,,, ǩ "'""' ,,,. / / / -:> -;.,,,. u:j__,J$I %& J'IJ "And warn your tribe of near kindred [O Muhammad]" (al-Shuaraa 214), the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) went to the top of the hillock of Safa and said, o J A rP J o J J J ,,,, J . . I ':1 JG.W-. ·; IS % ill\ & ° C::-_ . . I ';} ° C kఫi I ':'•1 • •; - ; ;. • ; IS ? " , . ௭ - - ,  ('"""'ȥ ? ('"""'ಮ Jr-" ,_r.__;J _rJt.A - ,,.. ,,,. ,,,. - ,,,, ,,_ J,... A rP 0 l rP 0 /. ; rP J ௩ ௨ IS' % ill\ & ' · · I ';} ৩l.W-. & ' ' G. IS' % ill\ '. ' c::-_ ., -) - ;  i..;: , . ; , . J. J' . - - ;  ('"""'ȥ o ,,,., J ,,. ,; Oi o / rP tc ·. ඉ c . 1-. ௫ ௬ aLt IS' % ill1 & ௧ . . 1 ':1 ill1 J , - !.,?-  , , ඈ " . , .) - , ๧ , , .r" J .. ,,,. ,,,. .. ... ,,. • ರ • J ১ (\ :x ) *\ ';} "O gathering of Quraish! Purchase your own souls for I cannot save you from Allah. Oh tribe of Abd Manaaf, I cannot save you from Allah. 0 Abbaas ibn Abdul-Muttalib, I cannot save you from Allah. 0 Safiyyah, the aunt of the Messenger of Allah, I cannot save you from Allah. 0 Fatima daughter of 1 Deeds without faith are of no avail. When the words "good deeds" are used, they imply a deed that is done with the proper faith and the proper intention of pleasing Allah. Hadith #36: "Whoever Relieves a Believer. . . " Muhammad, ask of me what you will of my wealth but I cannot save you from Allah." (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.) What then are the deeds that a person should wish to have filling his record of deeds since his blood relations are not going to be able to come to his rescue? The Prophet (peace be upon him) has already alluded to such deeds. The person should help his brother when he is in need, he should rescue him from distressful situations, he should be forgiving when his brother is in dire circumstances and he should conceal his brother's sins. Furthermore, he should strive after knowledge and he should get with others to read and study the Quran. These are some of the most important acts that he can perform. If he performs these acts sincerely for the sake of Allah, then, regardless if he were from the noblest or the lowest of families, Allah will be pleased with him and Allah will enter him into Paradise. Other Points Related to This Hadith • As stated in the commentary above, the reward for an act is of a similar nature to the act itself. However, the mercy and grace of Allah is so great that the act itself cannot compare to the type of reward that Allah will give for it. For example, although relieving a brother's difficulty in this world is rewarded by Allah relieving one's own difficulty, there is no comparison between removing a worldly difficulty and a difficulty or hardship on the Day of Judgment. The latter, which is the reward for the act from Allah, is much greater and much more needed by the human than the former. This demonstrates how gracious and merciful Allah is. Every believer should consider and remember these facts. If he does so, this should make his heart softer and filled with love for Allah.