مَنِ اسْتَعَاذَ مِنْكُمْ بِاللَّهِ، فَأَعِيذُوهُ، وَمَنْ سَأَلَ بِاللَّهِ، فَأَعْطُوهُ، وَمَنْ دَعَاكُمْ، فَأَجِيبُوهُ، وَمَنْ صَنَعَ إِلَيْكُمْ مَعْرُوفًا، فَكَافِئُوهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُوا مَا تُكَافِئُوهُ، فَادْعُوا لَهُ حَتَّى تَرَوْا أَنْ قَدْ كَافَأْتُمُوهُ
Translation: When someone seeks refuge with you in Allah’s name, give refuge; when someone asks in Allah’s name, give; when someone invites you, respond; and when someone does you a kindness, reciprocate. If you cannot find something with which to repay it, pray for that person until you consider that you have repaid the kindness.
Source: أحمد
The narration brings together four social duties: assisting one who seeks protection, dealing charitably with a request made in Allah’s name, responding to invitations, and reciprocating kindness. فَأَعِيذُوهُ، فَأَعْطُوهُ، فَأَجِيبُوهُ، فَكَافِئُوهُ are all imperative forms.
فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُوا introduces a condition: if one cannot find a suitable way to repay, فَادْعُوا لَهُ directs one to pray for the benefactor. This does not mean every request must automatically be granted; legitimacy, ability, and other people’s rights still matter.