وَعَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ – رضي الله عنه – قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – – مَنْ دَلَّ عَلَى خَيْرٍ, فَلَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ فَاعِلِهِ – أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ
On the authority of Abi Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peach and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever directs someone to a good, then he will have the reward equal to the doer of the action. [Muslim (1893)]
___________________________________________
1- That the Believer is an example in performing righteous deeds. Allah said:
وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
And those who say: “Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the Muttaqûn” (pious).” (Al-Furqan 25:74)
Allah also said:
وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا
And We made them leaders, guiding (mankind) by Our Command … (Al-Anbiya 21:73)
It is narrated in Sahih Muslim (1017) from the hadeeth of Jarir bin ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (may Allah’s peach and blessings be upon him) said:
من سن في الإسلام سنة حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها بعده من غير أن ينقص من أجورهم شيء
“Whoever enacts a good sunnnah into Islaam will have the reward of it and the reward of oil those who act upon it with out their reward being diminished at all.”
2- The hadeeth in this chapter indicates that the person who directs someone to a good whether it be pertaining to the good of the Worldly Life or Hereafter: he will have a similar reward like the one who performed it without their being any decrease from the reward of the doer of the action (the one who is actually doing the act), rather it is a (full) reward because of him being a good model and exemplar in doing beneficence.
3- From the best of righteous actions that are considered to be beneficial to others and the fruits of those actions remain beneficial through time is beneficial knowledge. This is referring to that which Allah has legislated from the fundamental and branches and whatever assists one in attaining understanding of it.
So whoever spreads this knowledge then he has done his part in being a good example, and a guide towards the straight path. He has removed people -by the permission of Allah- from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge, right guidance and integrity of conduct.
He will attain because of this a mighty reward from Allah. The Prophet (may Allah’s peach and blessings be upon him) said:
فوالله لأن يهدي الله بك رجلا واحدا خير لك من أن يكون لك حمر النعم
By Allah, if Allah were to guide one man through you, that would be better for you than having red camels (the best kind).”. [Bukhaari (3009) and Muslim (2406)]
[This is a section from the book Towdihil Ahkam min Bulogil Maraam by Ash-Sheikh ‘Abdillah bin ‘Abdir Rahman al Bassaam.]
[Translator – Abu Abdillah]
