Quran Verses about Helping one another
The Quran commands helping one another in righteousness and piety and forbids helping one another in sin and aggression. The believers are described as allies who help one another, whoever helps toward good shares in its reward, and those who refuse even small help are condemned.
Helping in good, not in sin
مَّن يَشۡفَعۡ شَفَٰعَةً حَسَنَةٗ يَكُن لَّهُۥ نَصِيبٞ مِّنۡهَاۖ وَمَن يَشۡفَعۡ شَفَٰعَةٗ سَيِّئَةٗ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كِفۡلٞ مِّنۡهَاۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ مُّقِيتٗا ٨٥
May yashfaʿ shafāʿatan ḥasanatay yakul lahū naṣībum minhā, wa may yashfaʿ shafāʿatan sayyiʾatay yakul lahū kiflum minhā, wa kānallāhu ʿalā kulli shayʾim muqītā.
Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a share [i.e., reward] therefrom; and whoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a portion [i.e., burden] therefrom. And ever is Allāh, over all things, a Keeper.1
Footnotes (1)
- Providing, protecting, witnessing, keeping precise records and capable of recompense.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُحِلُّواْ شَعَٰٓئِرَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا ٱلشَّهۡرَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ وَلَا ٱلۡهَدۡيَ وَلَا ٱلۡقَلَٰٓئِدَ وَلَآ ءَآمِّينَ ٱلۡبَيۡتَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ يَبۡتَغُونَ فَضۡلٗا مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرِضۡوَٰنٗاۚ وَإِذَا حَلَلۡتُمۡ فَٱصۡطَادُواْۚ وَلَا يَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ أَن تَعۡتَدُواْۘ وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ ٢
Yāʾayyuhal-ladhīna āmanū lā tuḥillū shaʿāʾirallāhi wa lash-shahral-ḥarāma wa lal-hadya wa lal-qalāʾida wa lā āmmīnal-baytal-ḥarāma yabtaghūna faḍlam mir rabbihim wa riḍwānā, wa idhā ḥalaltum faṣṭādū, wa lā yajrimannakum shanaʾānu qawmin an ṣaddūkum ʿanil-masjidil-ḥarāmi an taʿtadū, wa taʿāwanū ʿalal-birri wat-taqwā, wa lā taʿāwanū ʿalal-ithmi wal-ʿudwān, wattaqullāh, innallāha shadīdul-ʿiqāb.
O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of Allāh 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 iḥrām, then [you may] hunt. And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is severe in penalty.
قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيَّ فَلَنۡ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرٗا لِّلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ ١٧
Qāla rabbi bimā anʿamta ʿalayya falan akūna ẓahīral lil-mujrimīn.
He said, "My Lord, for the favor You bestowed upon me, I will never be an assistant to the criminals."
Believers help one another
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَهَاجَرُواْ وَجَٰهَدُواْ بِأَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ وَأَنفُسِهِمۡ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاوَواْ وَّنَصَرُوٓاْ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ بَعۡضٖۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَمۡ يُهَاجِرُواْ مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلَٰيَتِهِم مِّن شَيۡءٍ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُواْۚ وَإِنِ ٱسۡتَنصَرُوكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ فَعَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلنَّصۡرُ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوۡمِۭ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَبَيۡنَهُم مِّيثَٰقٞۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٞ ٧٢
Innal-ladhīna āmanū wa hājarū wa jāhadū biʾamwālihim wa anfusihim fī sabīlillāhi wal-ladhīna āwaw wa naṣarū ulāʾika baʿḍuhum awliyāʾu baʿḍ, wal-ladhīna āmanū wa lam yuhājirū mā lakum miw walāyatihim min shayʾin ḥattā yuhājirū, wa inistanṣarūkum fid-dīni faʿalaykumun-naṣru illā ʿalā qawmim baynakum wa baynahum mīthāq, wallāhu bimā taʿmalūna baṣīr.
Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allāh and those who gave shelter and aided - they are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate - for you there is no support of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allāh is Seeing of what you do.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَهَاجَرُواْ وَجَٰهَدُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاوَواْ وَّنَصَرُوٓاْ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ حَقّٗاۚ لَّهُم مَّغۡفِرَةٞ وَرِزۡقٞ كَرِيمٞ ٧٤
Wal-ladhīna āmanū wa hājarū wa jāhadū fī sabīlillāhi wal-ladhīna āwaw wa naṣarū ulāʾika humul-muʾminūna ḥaqqā, lahum maghfiratuw wa rizqun karīm.
But those who have believed and emigrated and fought in the cause of Allāh and those who gave shelter and aided - it is they who are the believers, truly. For them is forgiveness and noble provision.
وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتُ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ بَعۡضٖۚ يَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ سَيَرۡحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٞ ٧١
Wal-muʾminūna wal-muʾminātu baʿḍuhum awliyāʾu baʿḍ, yaʾmurūna bil-maʿrūfi wa yanhawna ʿanil-munkari wa yuqīmūnaṣ-ṣalāta wa yuʾtūnaz-zakāta wa yuṭīʿūnallāha wa rasūlah, ulāʾika sayarḥamuhumullāh, innallāha ʿazīzun ḥakīm.
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 zakāh and obey Allāh and His Messenger. Those - Allāh will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Asking for and giving help in a task
قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيۡرٞ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجۡعَلۡ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَبَيۡنَهُمۡ رَدۡمًا ٩٥
Qāla mā makkannī fīhi rabbī khayrun fa aʿīnūnī biquwwatin ajʿal baynakum wa baynahum radmā.
He said, "That in which my Lord has established me is better [than what you offer], but assist me with strength [i.e., manpower]; I will make between you and them a dam.
وَأَخِي هَٰرُونُ هُوَ أَفۡصَحُ مِنِّي لِسَانٗا فَأَرۡسِلۡهُ مَعِيَ رِدۡءٗا يُصَدِّقُنِيٓۖ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ أَن يُكَذِّبُونِ ٣٤
Wa akhī hārūnu huwa afṣaḥu minnī lisānan fa arsilhu maʿiya ridʾay yuṣaddiqunī, innī akhāfu ay yukadhdhibūn.
And my brother Aaron is more fluent than me in tongue, so send him with me as support, verifying me. Indeed, I fear that they will deny me."
قَالَ سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخِيكَ وَنَجۡعَلُ لَكُمَا سُلۡطَٰنٗا فَلَا يَصِلُونَ إِلَيۡكُمَا بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآۚ أَنتُمَا وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكُمَا ٱلۡغَٰلِبُونَ ٣٥
Qāla sanashuddu ʿaḍudaka biʾakhīka wa najʿalu lakumā sulṭānan falā yaṣilūna ilaykumā biʾāyātinā, antumā wa manittabaʿakumal-ghālibūn.
[Allāh] said, "We will strengthen your arm through your brother and grant you both supremacy so they will not reach you. [It will be] through Our signs; you and those who follow you will be the predominant."
Censure of those who refuse to help
فَوَيۡلٞ لِّلۡمُصَلِّينَ ٤
Fawaylul lil-muṣallīn.
So woe to those who pray
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَن صَلَاتِهِمۡ سَاهُونَ ٥
Al-ladhīna hum ʿan ṣalātihim sāhūn.
[But] who are heedless of their prayer1 -
Footnotes (1)
- i.e., the hypocrites who are unconcerned if they miss prayers when no one sees them.
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ يُرَآءُونَ ٦
Al-ladhīna hum yurāʾūn.
Those who make show [of their deeds]
وَيَمۡنَعُونَ ٱلۡمَاعُونَ ٧
Wa yamnaʿūnal-māʿūn.
And withhold [simple] assistance.