Holding in One ’s Arm

“Any believer who leaves (his home) to visit his brother (in belief) because of his knowledge of the importance of such person, Allah writes for him, for every step, one good deed, deletes one evil deed, and raises him one degree in meritorious status. When he knocks at his door, the doors to heaven open to him. When they meet, shake hands and hold each other in their arm Allah turns to them with His face and expresses pride because of them to the angels and says, ‘Look at My two servants who are visiting each other and love each other for My sake. It is a right upon Me not to make them suffer in fire in the hereafter. When he returns the angels, numbering equal to the number of his breaths, steps and words, will escort him. They protect him against the misfortunes of this world and the hardships of the hereafter up to a similar night next year. If he dies in between he will be exempt from presenting an account of his deeds. If the person visited would know the importance of the visitor as he knew of his importance, he also will have the same privileges.”

“When two believing people embrace each other, blessings engulf them. When they hold each other just for the sake of Allah and for no worldly reasons, it then will be said to them, ‘You are forgiven, resume your deeds.’ When they begin asking about each other the angels will say to each other, ‘Keep away from them; they have secret matters and Allah has granted them cover and privacy.’ I (Ishaq) then asked, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, how is it that the angels do not write their words when Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, “. . . he does not utter a word which is not recorded immediately by the watchful scribes”?’ (50: 17) The narrator has said that Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) took a breath of sigh and wept so much that his tears drenched his beard, and he said, ‘O Ishaq, Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, commands the angels to leave the believing people who meet each other alone just because of respect for them; otherwise, if the angels do not write their words or do not know them, He knows and saves them; He knows all the secrets and the hidden things.’”