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Brotherhood In Islam- By Shaykh Ashraf Salah
Brotherhood In Islam
By Shaykh Ashraf Salah
Dear Muslims: Muslim community is
characterised today by something that was never present before in our ummah;
loneliness. This loneliness is slowly decaying and destroying us. The relationships
we share with our family and friends can be at best described as an abstract
mosaic, devoid of life and intensity.
A Muslim in the
early days would see to the maintenance of his brother's wife and children
after his bother's death, attending to their needs, visiting them daily,
inquiring on what they needed. This is how brotherhood and compassion is shown.
If a man does not manifest compassion towards his brother in the same degree as
to himself, then there is no good in it.
Dear Muslims: Allah (SWT) says: “Surely believers are but brothers unto each
other, so make peace and reconciliation amongst your brothers..” [Al-Hujurat (49:10)].
Allah (SWT) also
says: “And you became brothers because of His bounty” [Al `Imran (3:103)].
One of the greatest blessings of Islam is
its admirable success in creating strong, warm, rich and durable bonds of love
and brotherhood between men. It is this blessing of love and brotherhood that
is the greatest source of sustenance and nourishment for man, but few of us can
honestly say that we have experienced true brotherhood.
The brotherhood that the Holy Quran is
talking about is the brotherhood that can become a permanent basis for social
organisation in Islam. In Islam, faith is the cornerstone of brotherhood. It keeps
Muslims close to each other in a fraternal relationship. This relationship is
based on each brother’s submission to Allah (SWT). Islamic
brotherhood is a bond of faith as mentioned in the following saying of the
Prophet (PBfUH): "The strongest relationship is built on loving for the
sake of Allah and becoming angry for the sake of Allah". [Al-Bukhari].
Dear Brothers and
Sisters in Islam: The Prophet (PBUH), in his first state in Medina Medina
The bond of brotherhood confers certain
rights and responsibilities between Muslims. Islam has laid down these rights
and responsibilities that I will try to summarize in my Khutbah.
One of the most important duties of
brotherhood is that we should provide personal aid whenever our Muslim
brothers/sisters need help. This is indicated by the Prophet (PBUH) who said:
"Those who help a Muslim in hardship in this world, will be protected by
Allah (SWT) from suffering hardship in the
Hereafter....Allah will help His servants as long as they help their fellow
Muslim brothers" (Muslim and Abu-Daud).
Every Muslim should also speak well to
his brother. The tongue should sometimes be silent and at other times speak
out. As for silence, the tongue should not mention a brother's faults in his
absence. Rather, you should feign ignorance. You should not dispute nor argue
with him, you should not criticise him, accuse him of anything or quiz him
about his affairs. You should not be suspicious, for suspicion is the most
untruthful report and suspicion leads to prying and spying.
On the authority of Abu-Huraira it is
narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Let him who believes in Allah and
the last day either speak good or keep silent". (Muslim and Bukhari). Also
on the authority of Abu-Huraira, the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Beware of
suspicion for suspicion is the most untruthful report, and don't look for the
faults of others and don't spy, and don't be jealous of one another; and O
Allah's worshippers! Be brothers (as Allah has ordered you)" (al-Bukhari).
Dear Muslims: We are also
required to forgive our brothers' mistakes and failings, and help them overcome
their shortcomings. Anas ibn Malik relates that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:
"Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or an oppressed person. A
companion asked: "Messenger of Allah, I will help him if he is an
oppressed person, but please tell me how I am to help if he happens to be an
oppressor"? The Prophet (PBUH) answered: "Check him from doing
injustice, because preventing him from committing aggression is a help to
him".(Bukhari).
Also, Abu-Huraira (RAA) relates that the
Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: "..He who covers up the failings and sins of
somebody in this world will have his shortcomings covered by Allah on the Day
of Judgment..." (Muslim).
Love and cooperation are also some of the
duties of brotherhood. One should relief his brother from
discomfort and inconvenience. He should not discomfort his brother with things
that are awkward for him. Rather, he should ease his heart of its cares and
needs, and spare him having to assume any of
his burdens.
On the authority of Anas ibn Malik (RAA),
it is narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "None of you truly believes
until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself, (al-Bukhari). In
another Hadith the Prophet (PBUH) says: "Do not end a friendship, do not
turn your back, do not hate each other, and don't envy each other. As a servant
of Allah, maintain brotherhood. Two Muslims may not remain on non speaking
terms with each other for more than three days". (Malik).
In the other hand, one should never do
any wrong of any kind against his brother. The
Prophet (PBUH) said: “The Muslim is a brother to the Muslim. He does not do
wrong to him, does not forsake him, and does not betray him”. (Muslim).
Dear Muslaims: You should
remain loyal, truthful and sincere to your brothers in Islam. The meaning of
loyalty is steadfastness in love and maintaining it to the death with your
brother and after his death with his children and his fellows.
For love is for the sake of the hereafter. It is related that the Prophet
(PBUH) once gave a hearty welcome to an old woman who called upon him. When
asked about it he said: She used to come to us in the days of Khadijah, and
honoring true friendship is part of religion. (Al-Hakim). The Prophet
(PBUH) also said: "If one of you defends the honour of his brother, Allah
the Almighty, will keep the hellfire
away from his face in the
Hereafter". (Muslim).
Moreover, Muslim brotherhood implies that
you should pray for your brother and hope for him what you would hope for
yourself. You should pray for him as you pray for yourself making no
distinction at all between you and him. You should pray during his life and
death that he may have all he might wish for himself, his family and his
dependents. The Prophet (PBUH) has said: "The supplication of a Muslim for
his brother without his knowledge is an accepted supplication and will be
rewarded by the presence of an angel at his side. Every time he Supplicates for
his brother the angel will say: Amen and the same for you too" (Muslim).
Dear Brothers and
Sisters in Islam: The following Hadith relates brotherhood as a
communal responsibility with many duties. Abu-Huraira relates the Prophet
(PBUH) as saying:
"There are six duties of a Muslim to
another Muslim: when you meet him you should say salaam, when he invites you,
you should accept his invitation, when he asks you to give him an advice, you
should advise him, when he sneezes and says 'Alhamdolilah', you should reply
'Yarhamukallah'. When he is sick, you should visit him and when he passes away,
you should accompany his dead body to the cemetery". (Muslim).
Dear Muslims: These are
the most important responsibilities of brotherhood. Inshallah by doing these
Allah (SWT) will unite our hearts and have mercy upon us and make our lives
easy and full of blessing.
O'Allah! Forgive us and all the believing
men and women and unite their hearts with mutual love and set aright their
mutual affairs and help them against your and their enemies.
May Allah (SWT) help us
to do whatever pleases Him, bless, guide and forgive us all. (Ameen).
