Being betrayed by friends Fatwa No: 84005
- Fatwa Date:20-4-2002
Many of my friends (Muslims and non-Muslims) have hurt me and treated me very badly in spite of me helping them so many times. They have used me when they needed me and then left me or ignored me whenever I needed them. Because of them I have spent many hours and days in depression. Sometimes I would hate them in my heart and sometimes I would just ignore them for some days. I just want to know if there is any punishment for people (especially Muslims) like them who hurt Muslims and what kind of punishment?
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
Dear Brother! Know that a person who mixes with people, surely he will be afflicted with some of their harm. So, one is advised to bear such a situation patiently; Allah will reward him/her. Moreover, you should not be sad for good services you render to people, who return nothing for that. Such a good work will be recorded on your behalf with Allah.
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {…Truly, Allâh does reward the charitable."} [12:88]. He also Says: {…surely, Allâh makes not the reward of the Muhsinûn (good-doers - ) to be lost."} [12:90]
As for punishment against one who deserts his/her Muslim brother in time of need, it is reported in the Prophetic Sunnah that Allah, The Great and Almighty, deprives His blessings and bounties from people who refrain from granting such bounties to those who deserve them. Ibn 'Umar (Radiya Allahu Anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Allah, The Great and Almighty, has endowed some people with blessings so as they make other people benefit from such boons. He, The Great and Almighty, keeps up such bounties in the hand of the first group as long as they give the others their rights. If the first group refrains from granting such bounties to those who are in need, Allah takes away the bounties from the first group and transfer them to another group" . [ Ibn Abu al-Dunia ].
It suffices a man to lose Allah's help and aid since he leaves a Muslim in distress. Allah will help a slave as long as the slave helps his brother. This means that a person who deserts his/her brother in time of need, although he can help him, Allah may abandon the first who abandons the latter, and if Allah abandons someone, he/she will be ruined; Allah forbid!
Here, we remind you of the Prophetic Hadith: "Whoever goes along with his Muslim brother for some need until (he) (the latter) gets his need satisfied, Allah will fix the former's foot on the Day (of Judgment) when most feet will slip" .
Allah knows best.