Brotherhood in Islam

Brotherhood in Islam
by Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahman Al-‘Ajlaan [Teacher in Al Masjid al-Haraam]

Al-hamdulillaah wa As-Salatu wa As-Salamu Ala Rasulillah- we ask Allah to make us from amongst those who cooperate upon albirr (righteousness) and at-taqwa.

I advise you as well as myself to have taqwa as Allah has advised the first and last of creation to have taqwa of Him. He said:

“… And verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allah.” [Surah Al Nisa’ 4:131]

Taqwa of Allah means that you act upon, or you obey Him with a light from Him and hoping for His reward. It also means that you stay away from disobeying Allah upon a light from Him, and fearing His punishment. I advise you to take care of the brotherhood between you. It is the brotherhood of emaan, the brotherhood of faith. I advise you to work on it and to strengthen it, for indeed it is the strongest of ties between people. The brotherhood of faith is the strongest of ties between brothers and the strongest of ties between nations, Allah said:

“The believers are indeed brothers (in Islamic religion)…” [Surah Al Hujurat 49:10]

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) encouraged everything that led to brotherhood and he prohibited everything that distorted or contradicted brotherhood and opposed it. Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:

““Do not envy one another and do not hate one another and do not argue with one another and do not detest one another and do not buy over what your brother is buying and be slaves of Allah, brothers having taqwa. The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim, he does not oppress him and he does not deny him and he does not betray him. It is enough of evil for a Muslim to betray his fellow Muslim. Taqwa is here;”

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) pointed to his heart three times saying: “Taqwa is here.”

All things to a Muslim are to another Muslim impermissible: his blood, his wealth and his ‘irdh – his honor (meaning do not speak about him).” [Muslim]

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) affirmed this and he strengthened the ties between the believers. Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:

“Whoever relieves a believer of one of the calamities in the dunyaa, Allah will relieve him of a calamity in the dunya (this world), as well as in the next life. And whoever from amongst the Muslims makes an affair easy for a Muslim who is in hardship, then Allah will make that Muslim’s affairs in the dunya easy, as well as his affair easy in the afterlife. And whoever conceals the sins of a believer, then Allah will conceal his sins in the life of this world as well as the next. And Allah will continue aiding his servant as long as his servant continues aiding another servant.” [Muslim]

This tie, the tie of emaan (faith), is the tie that joins between us, even though the distance between us is great, the languages we speak are different, and our nationalities vary. I pray to Allah that we live by emaan and we die upon emaan and that we are joined together under the banner of the Messenger (PBUH) in the afterlife and that we enter Jannah upon emaan.

This is adapted from a lecture shaykh did for www.albaseerah.org