Main Idea of the Hadith: The Keenness of Islam to strengthen the bonds of Islamic Brotherhood among the believers.
This Hadith shows the steps to achieving true Islamic Brotherhood. It lays down the basics and principles that create Brotherhood in Islam, commands the believers to adhere to them, warns of that which destroys brotherhood, and shows the sanctity of Muslims blood, money, and honour.
There are many verses and Hadiths which encourage Brotherhood and forbid division. In Surah At-Tawbah [9:71]:
"The believers, men and women, are Auliya' (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise."
And in Surah Aal-Imran [3:103]:
"And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Quran), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah's Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided."
Allah and His Prophet ﷺ guided Muslims to certain conducts which strengthen this Brotherhood. This Hadith shows us some of the negative conducts which weaken Brotherhood among the believers.
The Prophet ﷺ uses أسلوب النهي; using لا الناهية. This indicates Forbidding. Every ill conduct mentioned in the Hadith is Forbidden.
"لاتحاسدوا"
Do not envy one another
Envy = Wishing the removal of a blessing another person has and sometimes hoping to acquire it oneself.
There are four main attitudes of envious people:
1) The envious person tries to physically (through words or actions) remove the bounty from the person, then tries to acquire it himself
2)The envious person tries to physically remove the bounty from the person, without trying to acquire it himself.
3) The envious person does not take any physical action, it just remains in his heart. This is further divided into two types:
i) Where the envious person does not take a physical action, but does not resist the feeling in his heart either, and may even theorize about taking an actions.
ii) Where the envious person tries hard to resist the feeling in his heart. This person is not sinful.
4) The envious person feels envious in his heart but resists it, and supplicate for the one he is envious of, and talks good about him with others. This person will be rewarded by Allah.
Envy is حرام (Prohibited) because it causes harm to others and indicates the weakness of faith in the heart of the person and dissatisfaction and uncertainty towards Allah. He objects to the decrees of Allah (أقدار الله) and accuses Allah of injustice, forgetting that Allah is the Just who distributes the livelihood of people with wisdom. In Surah Az-Zukhruf [43:32]:
"Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of your Lord? It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world, and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may employ others in their work. But the Mercy (Paradise) of your Lord (O Muhammad) is better than the (wealth of this world) which they amass."
The first act of envy was committed by Shaytan in the heavens, when he envied Adam عليه السلام, when Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to him. On earth, the first act of envy was committed by one of the sons of Adam عليه السلام. Qabil killed his brother out of envy. Another example of committing a sin out of envy are the brothers of Yusuf عليه السلام. If envy grows deep in the heart, it will destroy the strongest ties between people and weaken the Muslim Community.
The Prophet ﷺ warned us that this sickness will invade the Muslim Society:
دَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ دَاءُ الأُمَمِ قَبْلَكُمُ الْحَسَدُ وَالْبَغْضَاءُ هِيَ الْحَالِقَةُ لاَ أَقُولُ تَحْلِقُ الشَّعْرَ وَلَكِنْ تَحْلِقُ الدِّينَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا وَلاَ تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا أَفَلاَ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا يُثَبِّتُ ذَاكُمْ لَكُمْ أَفْشُوا السَّلاَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ
The disease of the nations before you is creeping towards you: Envy and hatred, it is the Haliqah. I do not speak of what cuts the hair, but what severs the religion. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love each other. Shall I tell you about what will strengthen that for you? Spread the Salam among each other." [At-Tirmithi]
This sickness was found with the People of the Scriptures. In Surah Al-Baqarah [2:109]:
"Many of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) wish that if they could turn you away as disbelievers after you have believed, out of envy from their ownselves, even, after the truth (that Muhammad Peace be upon him is Allah's Messenger) has become manifest unto them. But forgive and overlook, till Allah brings His Command. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things."
Until now they are trying their best to disunite Muslims and plant the seeds of conflict between Muslims. In Surah An-Nisa [4:54]:
"Or do they envy men (Muhammad and his followers) for what Allah has given them of His Bounty? Then We had already given the family of Ibrahim (Abraham) the Book and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah - Divine Inspiration to those Prophets not written in the form of a book), and conferred upon them a great kingdom."
عن أنس بن مالك قَالَ كُنَّا جُلُوسًا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ يَطْلُعُ عَلَيْكُمْ الْآنَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَطَلَعَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ الْأَنْصَارِ تَنْطِفُ لِحْيَتُهُ مِنْ وُضُوئِهِ قَدْ تَعَلَّقَ نَعْلَيْهِ فِي يَدِهِ الشِّمَالِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَطَلَعَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ مِثْلَ الْمَرَّةِ الْأُولَى فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الثَّالِثُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِثْلَ مَقَالَتِهِ أَيْضًا فَطَلَعَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى مِثْلِ حَالِهِ الْأُولَى فَلَمَّا قَامَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَبِعَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي لَاحَيْتُ أَبِي فَأَقْسَمْتُ أَنْ لَا أَدْخُلَ عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثًا فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ أَنْ تُؤْوِيَنِي إِلَيْكَ حَتَّى تَمْضِيَ فَعَلْتَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ أَنَسٌ وَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّهُ بَاتَ مَعَهُ تِلْكَ اللَّيَالِي الثَّلَاثَ فَلَمْ يَرَهُ يَقُومُ مِنْ اللَّيْلِ شَيْئًا غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا تَعَارَّ وَتَقَلَّبَ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ ذَكَرَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَكَبَّرَ حَتَّى يَقُومَ لِصَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ غَيْرَ أَنِّي لَمْ أَسْمَعْهُ يَقُولُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا فَلَمَّا مَضَتْ الثَّلَاثُ لَيَالٍ وَكِدْتُ أَنْ أَحْتَقِرَ عَمَلَهُ قُلْتُ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ أَبِي غَضَبٌ وَلَا هَجْرٌ ثَمَّ وَلَكِنْ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ لَكَ ثَلَاثَ مِرَارٍ يَطْلُعُ عَلَيْكُمْ الْآنَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَطَلَعْتَ أَنْتَ الثَّلَاثَ مِرَارٍ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ آوِيَ إِلَيْكَ لِأَنْظُرَ مَا عَمَلُكَ فَأَقْتَدِيَ بِهِ فَلَمْ أَرَكَ تَعْمَلُ كَثِيرَ عَمَلٍ فَمَا الَّذِي بَلَغَ بِكَ مَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ مَا هُوَ إِلَّا مَا رَأَيْتَ قَالَ فَلَمَّا وَلَّيْتُ دَعَانِي فَقَالَ مَا هُوَ إِلَّا مَا رَأَيْتَ غَيْرَ أَنِّي لَا أَجِدُ فِي نَفْسِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ غِشًّا وَلَا أَحْسُدُ أَحَدًا عَلَى خَيْرٍ أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ إِيَّاهُ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ هَذِهِ الَّتِي بَلَغَتْ بِكَ وَهِيَ الَّتِي لَا نُطِيقُ
Anas ibn Malik reported: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said, “Coming upon you now is a man from the people of Paradise.” A man from the Ansar came whose beard was disheveled by the water of ablution and he was carrying both of his shoes with his left hand. The next day the Prophet repeated the same words, and the man came in the same condition. The third day the Prophet repeated the same again, and the man came in the same condition. When the Prophet stood up to leave, Abdullah ibn Amr followed the man and he said, “I am in a dispute with my father and I have sworn not to enter my home for three days. May I stay with you?” The man said yes.
Abdullah stayed three nights with the man but he never saw him praying at night. Whenever he went to bed, he would remember Allah and rest until he woke up for morning prayer. Abdullah said that he never heard anything but good words from his mouth. When three nights had passed and he did not see anything special about his actions, Abdullah asked him, “O servant of Allah, I have not been in dispute with my father nor have I cut relations with him. I heard the Prophet say three times that a man from the people of Paradise was coming to us and then you came. I thought I should stay with you to see what you are doing that I should follow, but I did not see you do anything special. Why did the Prophet speak highly of you?” The man said, “I am as you have seen.” When Abdullah was about to leave, the man said, “I am as you have seen, except that I do not find dishonesty in my soul towards the Muslims and I do not envy anyone because of the good that Allah has given them.” Abdullah said, “This is what you have achieved and it is something we have not accomplished.” [Musnad Ahmad #12286]
He frees his heart from this feeling, is satisfied with what Allah gave him, and because of that he is a person of Paradise. From this we learn that whoever gets rid of this feeling, Allah will recompense him with Paradise.
We seek refuge with Allah from Hasad in Surah Al-Falaq [113:5]:
"And from the evil of the envier when he envies."
There is a feeling similar to حسد but acceptable in Islam, and it is الغبطة; which is wishing for the blessing another person has without removal of it.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
لاَ حَسَدَ إِلاَّ فِي اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً فَسَلَّطَهُ عَلَى هَلَكَتِهِ فِي الْحَقِّ، وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ حِكْمَةً فَهْوَ يَقْضِي بِهَا وَيُعَلِّمُهَا
"There is no envy except in two: a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the right way, and a person whom Allah has given wisdom (i.e. religious knowledge) and he gives his decisions accordingly and teaches it to the others" [Bukhari]
"و لا تناجشوا"
Do not deceitfully raise prices against one another
تناجش is from النجش which is using deception and treachery to bring about something. The hunter in Arabic is sometimes called ناجش because is cunning when harming an animal.
There are exceptions to deception, such as in war. The Prophet ﷺ said:
الْحَرْبُ خُدْعَةٌ
"War is Deceit" [Bukhari]
Specifically, it refers to raising the price of a certain good by those who do not want to buy the good, so that in the end it is sold for more than its value. This benefits the seller and harms the buyer, and is usually done by a previous agreement with the seller and another "buyer".
This is similar to auctioning. The difference between auctioning and نجش is intention. Those who come not to buy, but just to raise the price are practicing النجش.
If the buyer find out he has been manipulated, he is allowed to return the goods to the seller.
"ولا تباغضوا"
Do not hate one another
I.e. Do not adopt any words or acts that cause or leads to hatred between Muslim brothers. In Surah Al-Maa'idah [5:91]:
"Shaitan (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from As-Salat (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain?"
Islam issued many prohibitions which prevent hatred between Muslims, such as backbiting, spying, gambling, drinking alcohol, etc.
However, We should not love hypocrites or people of innovation.
"و لا تدابروا "
Do not turn your backs on one another
The Prophet ﷺ said:
لا يحل لمسلم أن يهجر أخاه فوق ثلاث، فمن هجر فوق ثلاث، فمات دخل النار
"It is not lawful for a Muslim to forsake his (Muslim) brother beyond three days; and whosoever does so for more than three days, and then dies, will certainly enter the Hell." [Abu Dawud]
Shunning has two types:
1) For the Sake of the Dunya
2) For the Sake of the Hereafter
Regarding Dunya related shunning, Allah knows that the Muslim's soul is not strong, so you are excused for three days. Beyond that, it is Haraam. In Surah Al-Fussilat [41:34-35]:
"The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly), then verily! he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend"
"But none is granted it (the above quality) except those who are patient, and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion (of the happiness in the Hereafter i.e. Paradise and in this world of a high moral character)."
If you forsake for the Religion, you can forsake for more than 3 days. This is what happened for those who stayed behind in the battle of Tabuk; they were forsaken for 50 days.
"و لا يبع بعضكم على بيع بعض"
Nor some of you sell in spite of someone else's sale
We are not allowed to undercut one another in business transactions.
شرط الخيار - Condition of Choice
The seller and the buyer have the right to set a condition to choose whether to carry out the contract or invalidate.
If the condition is with the buyer - he buys a good from a man and takes it with him. He has three days choice to keep it or give it back. In these three days a seller comes and says "I will sell the same good for a less price". It is Haraam for the man to return the good to the first seller just to buy it for a cheaper price.
If the condition is with the seller - the seller sells the good to the buyer and says, "I have the option of taking it back within three days'. Another buyer comes and says he will give him more money for it. It is Haraam for him to ask the old buyer to return the product.
Some Scholars said that if this happens the contract will still be valid.. The wisdom behind the prohibition of doing so is that it will cause harm to one of the two parties and spread hatred between the Muslim's.
"و كونوا عباد الله أخوانا"
And be, O Slaves of Allah, brothers
This connects what is said before this phrase with what is said after.
The Prophet ﷺ reminds us that such conducts should not be practiced between brothers in Islam.
"المسلم أخو المسلم"
The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim
How do we achieve this brotherhood? By avoiding all the evil conducts mentioned.
"لا يظلمه"
He neither oppresses him
The Prophet ﷺ is talking about some of the most important rights of a Muslim upon his brother. He warns the Muslims from oppression. It is prohibited for the Muslim to oppress his brother Muslim or deal with him with injustice.
"و لا يخذله"
Nor does he fail him
This is to leave helping him at the time he needs help and is Haraam if you are able to help him. Allah said in Surah Anfal [8:72]:
"Verily, those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard and fought with their property and their lives in the Cause of Allah as well as those who gave (them) asylum and help, - these are (all) allies to one another. And as to those who believed but did not emigrate (to you O Muhammad), you owe no duty of protection to them until they emigrate, but if they seek your help in religion, it is your duty to help them except against a people with whom you have a treaty of mutual alliance, and Allah is the All-Seer of what you do."
The Prophet ﷺ said:
انْصُرْ أَخَاكَ ظَالِمًا أَوْ مَظْلُومًا ". فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْصُرُهُ إِذَا كَانَ مَظْلُومًا، أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِذَا كَانَ ظَالِمًا كَيْفَ أَنْصُرُهُ قَالَ " تَحْجُزُهُ أَوْ تَمْنَعُهُ مِنَ الظُّلْمِ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ نَصْرُهُ "
Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or an oppressed," A man said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I will help him if he is oppressed, but if he is an oppressor, how shall I help him?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "By preventing him from oppressing (others), for that is how to help him. [Bukhari]
"و لا يحقره"
Nor does he despise him
Do not belittle your Muslim brother or make fun of him. The Prophet ﷺ said it is enough evil for one to despise his Muslim brother. The main cause of this is arrogance.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
الكبر بَطَر الحق، وغمط الناس
Pride is when someone disdains the truth and is contemptuous of people. [Muslim]
We should respect each other regardless of nationality, colour, social levels. A poor person may have not much worth in the eyes of people, but Allah may love him more than other people.
"التقوى هاهنا - و يشير إلى صدره ثلاث مرات"
At-Taqwa is here [and he pointed to his chest thrice]
Taqwa is to avoid Allah's punishment by avoiding his prohibitions and acting upon his commandments. What distinguishes a person above others is the level of his Taqwa. The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ
Verily Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth but He looks to your heart and to your deeds. [Muslim]
In Surat al-Hujurat [49:13]:
"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware."
The Prophet ﷺ mentioning Taqwa indicates that a requirement of piety is the preservation of the rights of Islamic brotherhood and avoiding all the previous mentioned ill conduct.
He pointed to his heart, and this indicates three things:
1) Affirming that piety resides in the heart; not the tongue or limbs. Allah says in Surah AlHajj [22:32]
"Thus it is [what has been mentioned in the above said Verses (27, 28, 29, 30, 31) is an obligation that mankind owes to Allah]. And whosoever honours the Symbols of Allah, then it is truly from the piety of the heart."
2) Piety is hidden; no one knows its reality or size except Allah
3) To emphasise the importance of piety.
"بحسب امرئ من الشر أن يحقر أخاه المسلم"
It is evil enough for a man to despise his Muslim brother
He ﷺ mentioned this before and after talking about piety to emphasise its importance. People who practice Piety never do this.
If you did not do any bad conduct but this, it is evil enough.
"كل مسلم على مسلم حرام: دمه و ماله و عرضه"
The whole of a Muslim is Haraam for the Muslim: His Blood, Property, and Honour
The Prophet ﷺ crowned this hadith by mentioning the sanctity of the Muslim as a whole. Then he moved to the detail: blood, property, and honour. These three should not be violated by other Muslims. Islam preserves these, legislated laws concerning these matters, and guarantees these rights.
1) Blood
The Prophet ﷺ said:
لاَ يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ بِإِحْدَى ثَلاَثٍ الثَّيِّبُ الزَّانِي وَالنَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالتَّارِكُ لِدِينِهِ الْمُفَارِقُ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ
The blood of a Muslim man, who testifies that none has the right to be worshipped Allah, is not lawful except for one of three cases: The (previously married or) married adulterer, a life for a life, and the one who leaves the religion and parts from the Jama'ah (the community of Muslims.) [At-Tirmithi]
In Surah Nisa [4:93]:
"And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him."
2) Property
In Surah Nisa [4:29]
"O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you."
If you harm another Muslims property you have to replace it.
3) Honour
The honour of a Muslim should be respected. If we talk badly about a person, we are slandering him if we lie, and backbiting if it is true. Allah says in Surah An-Nur [24:4]:
"And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes, and reject their testimony forever, they indeed are the Fasiqun (liars, rebellious, disobedient to Allah)."
Attacking these three matters strike the core of brotherhood in Islam.
The meaning of brotherhood is not limited to putting money in a charity box, but the real test of brotherhood is with people who you deal with everyday. If we take to these principles and avoid ill conduct we will create a society full of love, tranquility, and peace.
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