/ The one who looks after a widow or a needy person is like one who performs Jihad in the cause of Allah, or one who regularly observes voluntary prayer at night and fasting during the day

The one who looks after a widow or a needy person is like one who performs Jihad in the cause of Allah, or one who regularly observes voluntary prayer at night and fasting during the day

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who looks after a widow or a needy person is like one who performs Jihad in the cause of Allah, or one who regularly observes voluntary prayer at night and fasting during the day."
Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that the one who tends to the needs of a woman whose husband has died and has none to look after her or the needy person, and provides for them seeking the reward from Allah Almighty will have the same reward as the one who fights in the cause of Allah, or the one who performs the voluntary night prayer and never gets tired, and the one who always fasts incessantly.

Hadeeth benefits

  1. Promoting cooperation, solidarity, and the act of fulfilling the needs of the weak.
  2. Worship includes every good deed and looking after the widows and the needy is an act of worship.
  3. Ibn Hubayrah said: "This means that Allah Almighty combines for him the rewards of the one who fasts on a regular basis, the one who observes voluntary night prayer on a regular basis, and the one who engages in Jihad altogether. This is because he took care of the widow in place of her husband and took care of the needy person who was unable to take care of himself, thus, spending the surplus of his provision and giving his forbearance in charity, which makes his benefit equal to that of fasting, praying at night and engages in Jihad."