Allah commands the believers to help one another in goodness and taqwa, and the Prophet ﷺ made helping practical enough for a child. He ﷺ said charity is due from every joint each day, and then gave the example of helping someone onto their ride or lifting their luggage. He ﷺ promised that whoever lifts a hardship from a believer will have his own hardship lifted, described the believers as one body that aches together, and as bricks that hold each other up. These five lessons turn a small helper into someone the whole house and street can lean on. Every point carries its ayah or hadith reference.
Lesson 1 · Daily charity · ages 8-11
Charity from every joint
The Prophet ﷺ said charity is due every day from every joint — and helping someone lift their load is that charity.
1The hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said charity is obligatory every day on every joint of a human being: helping a person with his riding animal, or lifting his luggage onto it, is charity.
2You do not need money
This hadith puts sadaqah inside the reach of a child who owns nothing.
3A good word counts
The same hadith counts a good word and every step towards the prayer as charity.
4Judging fairly counts too
Another wording of this hadith adds that settling fairly between two people is also charity.
5Allah loves the doers of good
Allah tells us to do good and that He loves those who do.
Wa anfiqoo fee sabeelil laahi wa laa tulqoo bi aydeekum ilat tahlukati wa ahsinoo; innal laaha yuhibbul muhsineen
“And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]. And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.”
Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanoo laa tuhilloo sha'aaa 'iral laahi wa lash Shahral Haraama wa lal hadya wa lal qalaaa'ida wa laa aaammeenal Baital Haraama yabtaghoona fadlam mir Rabbihim wa ridwaanaa; wa izaa halaltum fastaadoo; wa laa yajrimannakum shana aanu qawmin an saddookum 'anil Masjidil-Haraami an ta'tadoo; wa ta'aawanoo 'alalbirri wattaqwaa; wa laa ta'aawanoo 'alal ismi wal'udwaan; wattaqul laah; innal laaha shadeedul 'iqaab
“O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of Allah or [the sanctity of] the sacred month or [neglect the marking of] the sacrificial animals and garlanding [them] or [violate the safety of] those coming to the Sacred House seeking bounty from their Lord and [His] approval. But when you come out of ihram, then [you may] hunt. And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.”
Innal laaha yaamaru bil 'adli wal ihsaani wa eetaaa'i zil qurbaa wa yanhaa 'anil fahshaaa'i wal munkari walbagh-i' ya'izukum la'allakum tazakkkaroon
“Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.”
“Charity is obligatory everyday on every joint of a human being. If one helps a person in matters concerning his riding animal by helping him to ride it or by lifting his luggage on to it, all this will be regarded charity.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 2891
“There is a (compulsory) Sadaqa (charity) to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allah) everyday the sun rises. To judge justly between two persons is regarded as Sadaqa.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 2989
Do this before next time
Carry something heavy for someone at home or at school today without being asked.
Lesson 2 · Relief · ages 8-11
Lift someone's worry
The Prophet ﷺ said whoever removes a believer's hardship will have his own hardship removed on the Day of Resurrection.
1The hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said he who alleviates the suffering of a brother in this world, Allah will alleviate his suffering on the Day of Resurrection.
2Allah helps the helper
The same hadith says Allah is at the back of a servant so long as the servant is at the back of his brother.
3Making things easy
Whoever makes things easy for someone in difficulty, Allah makes things easy for him in this world and the next.
4Covering faults
The hadith also praises covering a Muslim's fault instead of broadcasting it.
5Worries are small too
A classmate with no lunch or no partner in a group is a real hardship you can lift today.
Surah Al-Lail · 92:5
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ
Fa ammaa man a'taa wattaqaa
“As for he who gives and fears Allah”
Surah Al-Lail · 92:6
وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
Wa saddaqa bil husnaa
“And believes in the best [reward],”
Surah Al-Lail · 92:7
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
Fasanu yassiruhoo lilyusraa
“We will ease him toward ease.”
“He who alleviates the suffering of a brother out of the sufferings of the world, Allah would alleviate his suffering from the sufferings of the Day of Resurrection, and he who finds relief for one who is hard-pressed, Allah would make things easy for him in the Hereafter.”
Sahih Muslim 2699a
Do this before next time
Find one person today who is stuck on something and help them out of it.
Lesson 3 · Feeling it · ages 5-7
The ummah is one body
The Prophet ﷺ said the believers in their love and mercy are like one body: when a limb aches, the whole body aches.
1The hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said the similitude of believers in mutual love, affection and fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb aches, the whole body aches.
2So you feel for others
News about Muslims far away is not someone else's story; it is your own body hurting.
3It shows in dua
The first way a child joins in is by making dua for people they will never meet.
4And in giving
Sadaqah sent for people in hardship is the body treating its own wound.
5Hold the rope together
Allah tells the believers to hold on to His rope all together and not to be divided.
Wa'tasimoo bi Hablil laahi jamee'anw wa laa tafarraqoo; wazkuroo ni'matal laahi alaikum iz kuntum a'daaa'an fa allafa baina quloobikum fa asbah tum bini'matiheee ikhwaananw wa kuntum 'alaa shafaa hufratim minan Naari fa anqazakum minhaa; kazaalika yubaiyinul laahu lakum aayaatihee la'allakum tahtadoon
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.”
Wa allafa baina quloobihim; law anfaqta maa fil ardi jamee'am maaa allafta baina quloobihim wa laakinnallaaha allafa bainahum; innaahoo 'Azeezun Hakeem
“And brought together their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but Allah brought them together. Indeed, He is Exalted in Might and Wise.”
“The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever.”
Sahih Muslim 2586a
Do this before next time
Make one dua today for Muslims somewhere in the world who are having a hard time.
Lesson 4 · Strength · ages 5-7
Two bricks holding each other
The Prophet ﷺ said a believer is like a brick for another believer, each one supporting the other.
1The hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said a believer is like a brick for another believer, the one supporting the other.
2Nobody stands alone
A single brick falls over; bricks together become a wall that holds a roof.
3He ﷺ interlocked his fingers
The companions reported him joining his fingers together to show how believers hold.
4Helping is not weakness
Asking a friend for help and giving it back is how the wall stays up.
5Allah's help comes with unity
Allah tells the believers to help each other in righteousness and taqwa, not in sin.
Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanoo laa tuhilloo sha'aaa 'iral laahi wa lash Shahral Haraama wa lal hadya wa lal qalaaa'ida wa laa aaammeenal Baital Haraama yabtaghoona fadlam mir Rabbihim wa ridwaanaa; wa izaa halaltum fastaadoo; wa laa yajrimannakum shana aanu qawmin an saddookum 'anil Masjidil-Haraami an ta'tadoo; wa ta'aawanoo 'alalbirri wattaqwaa; wa laa ta'aawanoo 'alal ismi wal'udwaan; wattaqul laah; innal laaha shadeedul 'iqaab
“O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of Allah or [the sanctity of] the sacred month or [neglect the marking of] the sacrificial animals and garlanding [them] or [violate the safety of] those coming to the Sacred House seeking bounty from their Lord and [His] approval. But when you come out of ihram, then [you may] hunt. And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.”
Walmu'minoona wal mu'minaatu ba'duhum awliyaaa'u ba;d; yaamuroona bilma'roofi wa yanhawna 'anil munkari wa yuqeemoonas Salaata wa yu'toonaz Zakaata wa yutee'oonal laaha wa Rasoolah; ulaaa'ika sayarhamuhumul laah; innallaaha 'Azeezun Hakeem
“The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.”
“A believer is like a brick for another believer, the one supporting the other.”
Sahih Muslim 2585
Do this before next time
Name one friend you support and one who supports you, and thank them.
Lesson 5 · Never abandon · ages 8-11
Meet your brother's need
The Prophet ﷺ said a Muslim must not wrong his brother or hand him over to harm, and whoever meets his brother's need has his own met by Allah.
1The hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said a Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him nor hand him over to an oppressor; whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfil his needs.
2Not handing over
Standing by while someone is bullied is named in the hadith as handing them over.
3Speak up safely
Telling a trusted adult is how a child helps without becoming the next target.
4Screening a Muslim
The hadith ends with Allah screening on the Day of Resurrection whoever screened a Muslim here.
5Justice is commanded
Allah orders justice and kindness and forbids wronging people, whoever they are.
Yaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanoo koonoo qawwa ameena bilqisti shuhadaaa'a lillaahi wa law 'alaa anfusikum awil waalidaini wal aqrabeen iny yakun ghaniyyan aw faqeeran fallaahu awlaa bihimaa falaaa tattabi'ul hawaaa an ta'diloo; wa in talwooo aw tu'ridoo fa innal laaha kaana bimaa ta'maloona Khabeera
“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.”
Innal laaha yaamaru bil 'adli wal ihsaani wa eetaaa'i zil qurbaa wa yanhaa 'anil fahshaaa'i wal munkari walbagh-i' ya'izukum la'allakum tazakkkaroon
“Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.”
“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.”
“A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 2442
Do this before next time
If you see someone left out or picked on this week, help them or tell a trusted adult.
Every ayah on this page comes from the Tanzil Uthmani text of the Qur'an with the Sahih International translation, and every hadith carries its collection and number so you can check it yourself. Back to the learning path
