In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Narrated Abu Hurairah [may Allaah be pleased with him]: Allaah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “There is Sadaqah (charity) to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allaah) every day the sun rises. To judge justly between two persons is regarded as Sadaqah, and to help man concerning his riding animal by helping him to ride it or by lifting his luggage on to it, is also regarded as Sadaqah, and (saying) a good word is also Sadaqah, and every step taken on one’s way to offer the compulsory congregational prayer is also Sadaqah, and to remove a harmful thing from the way is also Sadaqah”. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Hadeeth Number 2989. Vol 4]

Al-Allaamah Saaleh Al-Fawzaan [may Allaah preserve him] said: Allaah (Glorified be He) has not limited charity to a person’s spending by way of wealth; rather Allaah (The Most High) made it wider than this and everyone is able to partake in it. Acts of charity mentioned in this hadeeth:

– To judge justly between two people in a dispute and bring about conciliation between them– by uniting their hearts and make them become pleased with one another. This indeed is a great act of charity. Allaah (The Most High) said:

لَّا خَيۡرَ فِى ڪَثِيرٍ۬ مِّن نَّجۡوَٮٰهُمۡ إِلَّا مَنۡ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوۡ مَعۡرُوفٍ أَوۡ إِصۡلَـٰحِۭ بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ‌ۚ وَمَن يَفۡعَلۡ ذَٲلِكَ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ مَرۡضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ فَسَوۡفَ نُؤۡتِيهِ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمً۬ا

There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah ’s Cause), or Ma’ruf (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind, and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah, We shall give him a great reward. [Soorah An-Nisaa: Ayah 114]

Therefore, a person should not leave the people in dispute; rather it is incumbent upon him to be eager to bring about conciliation between disputing parties, especially relatives. As for some people-and Allaah’s Protection is sought-they only bring into disputes that which will increase it. This type of person is a shaytaan. Also the one who seeks to bring about conciliation between the people should do that with justice; he should not oppress any of them or judge based on desires.

– Helping a person with his riding animal: To help him concerning his riding animal-whether it is a riding beast or a car-if he is weak or disabled. You help him to climb his riding beast or to get in his car, or help him carry his luggage. This is an act of charity. Indeed, you did not give him money, but you aided him.

– Uttering a good word; such as greeting with As-Salaamu alaykum; supplicating for your Muslim brother etc. And a good word includes acts of worship a person does in the presence of his Lord, such as remembrance of Allaah-the utterance of Subhaanallaah; Laa-ilaaha-ilal-laah etc

– Walking to the masjid for the prayer: Every footstep taken towards the masjid is charity, and the farer the masjid the more reward a person gets. In this is an encouragement to attend the compulsory prayer in jamaa’ah and not to stay away from it. To miss the prayer in jamaa’ah is a great loss.

– Removing something harmful from the way: Removing harmful things from the pathways of the Muslims or from the pathways of the people in general; likewise removing harmful things from the pathways of the animals. One should not place harmful things in pathways that will harm pedestrians. One should not leave a harmful thing which another person left in a pathway. It has been reported in a hadeeth that the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: “While a man was going on a way, he saw a thorny branch and removed it from the way and Allaah (The Mighty and majestic) became pleased by his action and forgive him for that”. [Saheeh Al- Bukhaari Vol 1. Hadeeth Number 652]. He was entered into paradise because of his act of kindness to pedestrians.

But how about those who place harmful things in the roads; such as stones, thorns, planks of woods, metals, and spilling water on the road, which may be impure and placing rubbish on the roads. The person who does this has greatly sinned and everyone passer-by supplicates against him. The action of this person is oppression and the supplication of the oppressed person is answered. Therefore a Muslim should hasten to remove harmful things from the path in order to receive this reward mentioned in the hadeeth. (2)

Narrated Anas Ibn Maalik [may Allaah be pleased with him] that the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Do you know what Al-Ad’hu is (i.e. calumny)?” They (i.e. the people) said, “Allaah and His Messenger know best”. He said, “Transmitting speech from some people to another people in order to destroy their (mutual relationships)”.

Al-Allaamah Zayd Bin Haadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] commented on this hadeeth as follows: “The subject matter of this hadeeth is about the dangerous (consequences) of tale-carrying in this Dunyaa and in the Aaakhirah. Indeed, the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] called it Ad’hu, and the meaning of Ad’hu is to transmit speech from some people to another people in order to corrupt their (mutual) relationships. And in the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood [may Allaah be pleased with him], it is explained to mean tale-carrying and that is to transmit the statement of one person to another person, or from a group of people to another group, or from one country to another one in order to cause corruption. This (deed) is one of the major sins due to its evil (consequences) and the punishment (associated with it) in this life and the next. In this worldly life, it might lead to murder, chaos and other similar affairs – events that are in opposition to rectification. And due to this, the scholars say that the tale carrier- the one who transmits speech from one person to another person, or from a group of people to another group, or from one country to another in order to sow the seeds of corruption- causes more harm than a magician. This is because a magician might only harm one person, but as for the tale-carrier, he might harm many individuals and the tribulation that (results from this deed of his) will be prolonged.

Therefore, it is forbidden for a Muslim to transmit speech (for the purpose) of causing corruption between those upon brotherhood and those who aid one another upon piety. And even if nothing like this (i.e. fighting, chaos, killing etc) results (from tale-carrying), it is still not permissible to corrupt the relationship between the people by way of lies- sowing the seeds of enmity and hatred between them. The Messenger of Allaah [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] went past two graves and then said, “Both of them (i.e. the two people in these graves) are being punished, and they are not being punished due to the greatest of the major sins, but indeed they are great sins. One of them used not to protect himself from being soiled with his urine and the other one used to go about with tale-carrying”.

Therefore, what the opposite of this hadeeth (necessitates is that) it is obligatory to bring about reconciliation between the people due to the statement of Allaah[The Exalted]:

لَّا خَيۡرَ فِى ڪَثِيرٍ۬ مِّن نَّجۡوَٮٰهُمۡ إِلَّا مَنۡ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوۡ مَعۡرُوفٍ أَوۡ إِصۡلَـٰحِۭ بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ‌ۚ وَمَن يَفۡعَلۡ ذَٲلِكَ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ مَرۡضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ فَسَوۡفَ نُؤۡتِيهِ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمً۬ا

There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah’s Cause), or Ma’ruf (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind. [Surah An-Nisaa. Aayah 114]

However, there is an exception in this affair when it is carried out for the purpose of giving some sincere advice whose benefit cannot be reached nor can harm be repelled except by way of such speech. For example, you hear a person saying that he is lying in wait against your Muslim brother and wishes to kill him, take his wealth or violate his honour, or the like thereof, (whose evil consequences) you have clarified (for this perpetrator in order to stop him), but he refuses to accept your advice. Therefore, you go to the person who is unaware (of the evil plan of this perpetrator whom you have advised to refrain) and informed him about it, so that he can take precautions. Therefore, (transmitting) speech based on this type of intention and goal is considered to be sincere advice and it is not tantamount to causing corruption, for indeed you are either going to repel harm or bring about a benefit which one cannot do without (except by way of this transmission). And Allaah knows best. (1)

[Ref 1: Source: Excerpt from ‘Al-Minhatur Rabbaaniyyah Fee Sharh Al-Arba’een’ by Al-Allaamah

[Ref 2: At-ta’leeqaat Al-Maleehah Alaa Silsilatil Ahaadeeth As-Saheehah’ pages 27-28]