Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari said, "A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'My camel has become exhausted, so give me a mount.' He replied, 'I do not have any. But go to so-and-so and perhaps he will give you one.' He went to that man and he gave him a mount. Then he went back to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and told him. He said, 'Whoever guides to good has the like of the reward of the person who actually does it.'"
Cheerfulness Towards People - Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 242
Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari said, "A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'My camel has become exhausted, so give me a mount.' He replied, 'I do not have any. But go to so-and-so and perhaps he will give you one.' He went to that man and he gave him a mount. Then he went back to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and told him. He said, 'Whoever guides to good has the like of the reward of the person who actually does it.'"
Commentary on the Hadith
This noble hadith from Imam al-Bukhari's "Al-Adab Al-Mufrad" establishes a profound principle in Islamic ethics. The Prophet (ﷺ), despite being unable to personally fulfill the request, demonstrated exemplary character by directing the needy person to someone who could help.
The wisdom here is twofold: First, the Prophet (ﷺ) showed that even when we cannot personally provide assistance, we should still engage in facilitating goodness. Second, the concluding statement establishes the spiritual reward for guiding others to virtuous deeds.
Scholars explain that "guiding to good" includes directing people to sources of benefit, connecting those in need with those who can help, teaching beneficial knowledge, and even smiling cheerfully at one's brother - all forms of directing toward goodness.
This teaching encourages Muslims to become bridges of goodness in society, recognizing that facilitating good is itself a form of worship that carries immense spiritual reward equivalent to performing the good deed itself.
Practical Applications
This hadith teaches us to maintain cheerfulness and helpfulness even when we cannot personally fulfill requests. Directing people to alternative sources of help maintains social bonds and collective responsibility.
In daily life, this means recommending skilled professionals to those in need, guiding students to knowledgeable teachers, directing travelers to safe paths, and connecting charitable donors with worthy causes - all while maintaining a pleasant and cheerful demeanor.