Nabiyyullah's ﷺ compassion for widows and the poor

Personal Traits of the Beloved Prophet ﷺ

Hadith

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا شَكَا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَسْوَةَ قَلْبِهٖ فَقَالَ: اِمْسَحْ رَأْسَ الْيَتِيْمِ وَأَطْعِمِ الْمِسْكِينَ .

مشکاۃ المصابیح، بابالشفقۃ (حدیچ5001)

Translation

Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضی اللہ عنہ: A man complained to the Beloved Prophet ﷺ about the hardness of his heart. The Beloved Prophet ﷺ said, "Caress the head of an orphan and feed the poor."

Narration

Regarding the reward of caring for widows and the poor, the Beloved Prophet ﷺ stated: The reward of spending on widows and the poor is like spending in the way of Allah (Jihad). Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه narrates that one day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made the following supplication: اللهمَّ أَحْيِنِي مِسْكِينَا وَ آمِتَنِي مِسْكِينًا وَاحْشُرُنِي فِي زُمَرَةِ الْمَسَاكِينَ يَوْمَ الْقِيمَةِ (O Allah! Keep me alive as a poor person, cause me to die as a poor person, and resurrect me among the poor on the Day of Judgment.) Sayyiduna Aisha رضي الله عنها asked: 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, why is that?' He ﷺ replied: 'They will enter Paradise forty years before the wealthy. O Aisha رضي الله عنها, do not turn away any poor person empty-handed from your door, even if it is with half a date. O Aisha رضي الله عنها, love the poor and keep them close to you; God will keep you close to Him on the Day of Judgment.'

Key Points

•From this narration, it is learned that showing compassion to the poor and needy is a means of attaining closeness to God, and in this lies the pleasure of the Lord.
•Similarly, a person should also adopt humility and should not spend more than necessary because on the Day of Judgment, an account of every single thing will be taken.

Seerat Ki Dunya