سورة البلد

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It has been narrated from Abdullah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Whoever feeds a believer until he is satisfied — none of Allah's creation knows what his reward is in the Hereafter, neither a nearby angel nor a sent prophet, except Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Then he said: "Among the things that necessitate forgiveness is feeding a hungry Muslim on a day of hardship, as Allah the Exalted says: أَوْ إِطْعامٌ فِی یَوْمٍ ذِی مَسْغَبَةٍ یَتِیماً ذا مَقْرَبَةٍ أَوْ مِسْکِیناً ذا مَتْرَبَةٍ [Or the giving of food on a day of hunger to an orphan of near kinship, or to a needy person in misery], which is feeding an orphan who is a relative, or a needy person who is destitute, on a day of hunger."

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Umar ibn Yazid said: I informed Imam Rida (peace be upon him) that I had lost two of my sons and only a small son of mine remained. He said: "Give charity on his behalf." When I was about to leave, the Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Take that boy with you so that he may give the charity with his own hand, even if it be a piece of bread, a handful of food, or any other small thing; for whatever is given for the sake of Allah — even if little — once the intention is sincere, is very great. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: فَمَنْ یَعْمَلْ مِثْقالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَیْراً یَرَهُ وَ مَنْ یَعْمَلْ مِثْقالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا یَرَهُ [So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it] (Zilzal 7-8). And also: فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ * وَمَا أَدْرَاکَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ * فَکُّ رَقَبَةٍ * أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِی یَوْمٍ ذِی مَسْغَبَةٍ * یَتِیمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ * أَوْ مِسْکِینًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ [But he has not attempted the steep path. And what will make you know what the steep path is? It is the freeing of a slave, or the giving of food on a day of hunger to an orphan of near kinship, or to a needy person in misery]. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, knew that not every person is able to free a slave, so He made feeding an orphan and a needy person like freeing a slave — give charity on his behalf."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): We are the ones who feed on the day of hunger, and that is مَسْغَبَةٍ [famine / severe hunger].

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): Among the causes of forgiveness is feeding a Muslim on a day of hardship.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Abdali said: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say: "Fasting on the day of Eid al-Ghadir equals fasting the entire lifetime of the world — that is, if a person were to remain alive until the end of the world and fast, his reward would be like that of one who fasts this day, and its reward with Allah is equal to a hundred accepted Hajjs and a hundred accepted Umrahs." Then he said: "Do you know what is meant by fi'am?" I said: "No." He said: "A hundred thousand persons," and continued: "And he will have the reward of one who has fed and given drink to that number of prophets, truthful ones (siddiqin), martyrs and the righteous in the sacred sanctuary of Allah during a time of hunger and famine. Likewise, paying one dirham on this day equals a hundred thousand dirhams." Then he said: "Do you suppose that Allah the Mighty and Majestic has created a day more honoured than this? No, by Allah! No, by Allah! No, by Allah!"