The different types of heartbroken people and how to soothe and appease them:
There is a need today for people to have a caring, sympathetic nature and kind words. They should also strive to serve others and seek to fulfill their needs. This is essential and important, especially in this era with excessive speech but lack of action. Stinginess, selfishness, poverty and ignorance have overtaken in this time. It is a serious mistake for righteous people to overlook and ignore vulnerable people and people in tribulation and to marginalize people’s issues and daily needs.
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The kinds of broken hearts today:
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This includes poor, the widows and orphans. Visiting/keeping in touch with them leads to appeasing them and soothing their tragedies.
“Abu Barzah would provide a bowl of porridge in the morning and bowl in the evening for the widows, orphans and the needy ones”.
[Reported by Ibn Sa’d in his book At-Tabaqaat Al-Kubra (4/299)]
“Saahib Al Maghrib Al-Mansoor would bring together once a year the orphans, giving each boy a garment, a loaf of bread and a pomegranate”
[Reported by At-Thahabi in his book Siyar A’laam An-Nubalaa’ (297/41)]
The judge Muhammad ibn Ali Al Marwazi was known as the tailor, because he used to sew in the night for the orphans and the needy and he considered it as charity.
[Reported by At-Thahabi in his book Siyar A’laam An-Nubalaa’ (565/14)]
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Among those who are the most needy and who deserve to be comforted are the families of prisoners:
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You should communicate with them, visit, sponsor and generally take good care of them, to prevent them from asking others and to protect them from extortion, as looking after a prisoner’s children relieves his burden and comforts him.
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It is much needed in these times to appease our servants and remedy their souls:
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Some of them have left their families and homeland to live in a foreign country, looking to earn a living and livelihood. So they need us to stand by them and comfort them and appease their souls. Ahmad ibn ‘Abdul Hameed Al Haarithi, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: “I never saw anybody with a better attitude then Al Hassan AlLu’lu’i, may Allaah have mercy on him, he used to dress his slaves the way he dressed himself.”
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This Islaamic etiquette is required even with enemies:
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Ibn Al Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: “One day I came with good news for Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, about the death of his biggest enemy, who bore the most enmity and harm toward him. He rebuked me and reproached me, then he immediately went to the deceased’s parents house to condole them. He said:
“I am here for you replacing him. If you have any problem and you need help I am here to assist you.”
They were very pleased and made supplication for him.”
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The impact of appeasing and soothing others:
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This act has a significant impact on the Nafs (self/soul) and an effective influence. A kind word can bring immense happiness to an elderly woman, and this happiness turns into an honest supplication sent toward the heavens. You might pat a sad child on the head and he will remember this gesture throughout his lifetime and make supplication for you all his life. You might stand by your brother’s side comforting him for the loss of his relative and he will not forget this gesture. The human Nafs (self/soul) is inclined naturally to loving someone who does good to them. Unfortunately the practice of this sublime Islaamic etiquette has been abandoned, increasing the suffering of people experiencing trials, taking away the intimacy and love between people, and making the Muslim miss out on a lot of reward
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