Providing Food for a Believer

“Paradise becomes necessary for one who satisfies the hunger of a believer. For one who satisfies the hunger of an unbeliever (for his disbelief) it becomes necessary for Allah to fill his belly with al-Zaqum, the fruit of hell, regardless of his being a believer or unbeliever.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘If one serves food to a believer to satisfy his hunger, no one of the creatures of Allah will be able to find out how much reward he will have in the hereafter for such service, not even the angels close to Allah or a prophet Divinely commissioned to preach can find out except Allah, Lord of the worlds. ’ The Imam then said, ‘Among the means of forgiveness of sins is feeding a hungry Muslim.’ Then he read the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy: ‘. . . in a day of famine, the feeding of (9:14) an orphaned relative (9:15) and downtrodden destitute person, . . .’” (9:16)

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever serves a drink of water to a believer who (himself) also can find water, Allah will give him seventy thousand good deeds for each drink and if he provides a drink of water when he (himself) is not able to find one it will be like setting free ten persons from the descendents of Tsma’il.’”