Shaikh Ma’ruf al Karkhi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Pray salah with congregation even if you have to walk a mile to do so
Pray Juma even if you have to walk two miles.
Visit the sick even if you have to walk three miles.
Be in a Janazah even if you have to walk four miles.
Greet those returning from Hajj or Umrah even if you have to walk five miles.
Visit those fighting in the way of Allah (mujahid) even if you have to walk six miles.
Deliver charity to the needy even if you have to walk seven miles.
Reconcile people even if you to travel eight miles to do so.
Visit the blood relatives and close friends even if you have to travel nine miles.
Fulfill the needs of your family members even if you have to walk ten miles to do so.
Help your brother even if you have to walk eleven miles to do so.
Visit another Muslim because of Allah even if you have to walk twelve miles to do so.’
Manaqib wa Ahwal Shaikh Ma’ruf Karkhi rehmatullah aleh, Ibne Jawzi Ra, page 105
As Salamu Alaykum wrwb Hazrath Shaykh D.B.
First of all very brilliant teachings of our deen captured in such a concise manner by the pious predecssor.
Some questions to help understand better. Does it imply that the list of actions mentioned are in increasing order of merit?
With my limited understanding, apparently some actions seems like they are same as helping brother in some way.
For eg. the following actions apparently seem similar:
Deliver charity to the needy even if you have to walk seven miles.
Help your brother even if you have to walk eleven miles to do so.
Visit another Muslim because of Allah even if you have to walk twelve miles to do so.’
Also visiting sick seems similar to visit another muslim for the sake of Allah. Is there difference?
Jazakallahu Khayran for sharing this beautiful post.
Wa alaykum as salam wrwb
Jazak Allah.
May be there is incresing order of merit according to the Shaikh rehmatullah aleh.
I agree that Huqooq al ibaad is emphasized repeatedly.
was salam
muhtaj e dua