Abu Hurairah reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid: ‘Whoever relieves a believer from a distress, Allah will relieve him from one of his distresses on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever alleviates the hardship of a person in difficulty, Allah will alleviate the hardship in this world and the next. Whoever covers (the shortcomings, faults and sins of) a Muslim, Allah will cover him up in this world and the next. And remember, Allah will help a servant so long as the servant helps his brother.’
(Sahih Muslim)
Extending help and succour to a fellow being is inherent in human nature. It is part of the Mercy Allah has bestowed upon the earth. The distinction Islam holds in this regard is that it considers it a highly righteous act and guarantees rich reward in the Hereafter.
Today hardly anyone cares for the welfare of his fellow beings. But the Blessed Prophet teaches the believer to relieve his fellow believer from a distress. Reward? Allah will relieve him from one of his distresses on the Day when there will be none to help him. Similarly, the Blessed Messenger enjoins the believer to alleviate the hardship of a person in difficulty. His injunction here becomes general in the sense that the man to be helped is ‘a person’ rather than ‘a believer’. Hence the reward here as well as the Hereafter. The Blessed Messenger of Allah also enjoins to cover the shortcomings, faults and sins of a fellow Muslim.