Foundations of Islamic Brotherhood and Sisterhood [notes]

  بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

FOUNDATIONS OF THE ISLAMIC

(BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD IN ISLAM)

31ST DECEMBER 2014- 09 RABI AL-AWWAL 1436 HIJRI

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (RA) who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Do not envy one another, and do not inflate prices for one another, and do not hate one another, and do not turn away from one another, and do not undercut one another in trade, but [rather] be slaves of Allah and brothers [amongst yourselves]. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim: he does not oppress him, nor does he fail him, nor does he lie to him, nor does he hold him in contempt. Taqwa (piety) is right here [and he pointed to his chest three times]. It is evil enough for a man to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. The whole of a Muslim is inviolable for another Muslim: his blood, his property, and his honour." [Sahih Muslim (4/1986) No. 2564]

- The above is Hadith #35 from the 40 Hadith of Imam Nawawi (rh).

- This Hadith was chosen because it is the foundation of the Brotherhood and Sisterhood in Islam.

- The rasul (ﷺ) stated some commandments to strengthen and uphold.

- The Islamic sisterhood and brotherhood.

- We shall look at them in turn insha Allah.

1. DO NOT ENVY ONE ANOTHER

What is envy?

Envy is to see your Muslim brother enjoying Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)'s bounties and you hate it.

Therefore, you'd like the bounties to be transferred from him to you.

Or you would like the bounties to disappeared from him.

But it should not be transferred to you.

These are the two types of envy.

The second type is worse than the first.   

The Prophet (ﷺ) said in the Hadith below:

Ibn Masood (RA) narrated the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Do not wish to be like anyone, except in two cases: (1) A man whom Allah has given wealth, and he spends it righteously. (2) A man whom Allah has given wisdom (knowledge of the Qur'an and the Hadith) and he acts according to it and teaches it to others." [Al-Bukhari (1409) and Muslim (816)]

- This type of envy stated in the Hadith above is the ONLY one allowed.

- You'd like him to keep the barakah, but you would like to be like him.

- Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) told us in the Quran that the people of the book (Jews and Christians).

- Are people who have the disease of envy in their hearts.

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 own selves, 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. (Al-Baqarah 2:109)

- They envy you for your honour.

- They envy you for your book (Qur'an) because it has no flaws.

- This is why they burn the Qur'an.

- They envy you for your family structure.

- Because in the Muslim family, everyone respects one another.

- They envy you for your Deen.

- Because they know that this is the religion they should be following.

- But they cannot because of their evil desires and their addition to them.

- The shaitan is envious too.

- He envied Adam (AS) for his status.

- Because Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) chose Adam to be the caliph on earth.

And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate unto Adam." They prostrated except Iblis (Satan). He said: "Shall I prostrate to one whom You created from clay?" [Iblis (Satan)] said: "See? This one whom You have honoured above me, if You give me respite (keep me alive) to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely seize and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!" (Al-Isra 17:61-62)

- He is telling us why he has declared war on mankind in the above ayaat..

- Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) told you in Surah Falaq (113) to seek refuge from the one who envies.

- Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) mentions black magic and envy in the same Surah.

- Because one causes the other.

- The envious works magic on the envied.

- The evil eye is a type of envy.

Say: "I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak, "From the evil of what He has created; "And from the evil of the darkening (night) as it comes with its darkness; (or the moon as it sets or goes away). And from the evil of the witchcrafts when they blow in the knots, "And from the evil of the envier when he envies." (Al-Falaq 113:1-5)

- According to shariah law, you should execute the one who does black magic.

Bajaalah (RA) said: “Umar ibn al-Khattaab (RA) wrote to us commanding us to kill every sorcerer, male or female.” [Musnad Ahmad (1/190) No. 1657, Sunan Abu Dawud (3/168) No. 3043, al-Sunan al-Kabir al-Bayhaqi (9/318) No. 18652]

- Whenever a person harms another with the evil eye.

- The victim should make Ghusl with the Wudu water of the one who caused it.

A’ishah (RA) said: The person who had put the evil eye on another would be ordered to do wudoo’, then the person who had been afflicted would wash himself (with that water). [Sunan Abu Dawud (4/9) No. 3880]

- A person who believes in Qadr will not have the disease of envy in his heart.

- Because he believes in Qadr Allah (سبحانه وتعالى).

- Envy is for people who don't believe or don't understand Qadr (destiny).

- The following Hadith is a warning against envy:

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Beware of envy! Indeed, the envy eats up good deeds like the fire eats up wood” [Sunan Abu Dawud (4/276) No. 4903]

2. DO NOT INFLATE PRICES ONE TO ANOTHER

- This commandment of the Prophet (ﷺ) means do not sell your goods.

- Higher than the normal price established in the society.

- For example, if an iPhone 4 is $100 and you sell it to someone for $200,

- You rip off the person for $100.

- You should take back your phone or give him $100 that you oversold the phone for

- It also means, when you have an auction,

- Do not plant a person in the crowed to bid in order to raise the price.

- That is called inflating prices one to another.

- The bidder is a fake bidder.

- He is not buying the item.

- The Prophet (ﷺ) also said.

- ‘The person from the town shouldn't sell goods on behalf of a person from the desert’

 

Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), forbade a townsman to sell on behalf of a man of the desert, people bidding against each other, outbidding each other in order to raise the price, a man to sell against the sale of his brother or to make a marriage proposal in the face of his brother’s proposal, and a woman to ask for her sister to be divorced in order to take her place.” [al-Bukhari (2140) and Muslim (1413)]

- This is to protect the public because the people from the town are sometimes con artists.

3. DO NOT HATE ONE ANOTHER

- Sometimes Muslims have weaknesses.

- Maybe he smokes or has a girlfriend.

- You should hate the sin, not him.

- You had sahabah who drank alcohol.

- A person who drank alcohol was flogged.

- The Prophet (ﷺ) heard someone speaking bad about him and forbade it.

- This drunkard used to make the Prophet (ﷺ) laugh.

- But he had a weakness - alcohol.

Narrated By 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: During the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) there was a man called 'Abdullah whose nickname was Donkey, and he used to make Allah's Apostle laugh. The Prophet lashed him because of drinking (alcohol). And one-day he was brought to the Prophet  on the same charge and was lashed. On that, a man among the people said, "O Allah, curse him ! How frequently he has been brought (to the Prophet on such a charge)!" The Prophet said, "Do not curse him, for by Allah, I know for he loves Allah and His Apostle." [Sahih Bukhari, Vol 8, Book 81, Hadith #771]

- Do not hate people for their weaknesses.

- Everyone has a weakness.

- There would be no love in the community if you hated people for their weaknesses.

- You should hate the munafiq not the faasiq.

- A faasiq is a sinful Muslim; a munafiq is a fake Muslim.

- A faasiq is still a Muslim and there is hope for him.

- Because he says the Shahada.

- There is no hope for a munafiq.

- Because a munafiq is a fake Muslim.

Verily, the hyprocrites will be in the lowest depths (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them. (An-Nisa 4:145)

- As Muslims, we love and hate for the sake of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى).

- This is called Al walaa wal baraa.

- We love what Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) loves, and we hate what Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) hates.

- Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) Himself loves and hates too.

- Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) loves some people and hates others.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “When Allah loves a servant, He calls Gabriel and says, ‘Verily I love so and so; you should also love him’, and Gabriel begins to love him. Then he (Gabriel) makes an announcement in the heaven saying, ‘Allah loves so and so, you should also love him’, and then the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also begin to love him and then there conferred honour upon him in the earth; and whenever Allah dislikes a servant of His, HE calls Gabriel and says, ‘I dislike so and so you should also dislike him’, and then Gabriel also dislikes him and then makes an announcement amongst the inhabitants of heaven, ‘Verily ALLAH dislike so and so, so you should dislike him’, and thus they also dislike him. Then he becomes the object of wrath of the earth also”. (Sahih Muslim (English translation) Vol. 4 pg1385 No.6373)

4. DON'T TURN AWAY FROM EACH OTHER

- Turn away from each other means to boycott each other and don't give the salaam.

- To malice the person; carry a grudge.

Narrated By Abu Aiyub Al-Ansari: Allah's (ﷺ) Apostle said, "It is not lawful for a man to desert his brother Muslim for more than three nights. (It is unlawful for them that) when they meet, one of them turns his face away from the other, and the other turns his face from the former, and the better of the two will be the one who greets the other first." [Sahih Bukhari, Vol 8, Book 73, Hadith #100]

-This hadith is only for real Muslims.

- If the person is known to be a munafiq, you can turn away from him.

- For example, if he is a spy.

Narrated By Abu Khirash as-Sulami: Abu Khirash heard the Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) say: "If one keeps apart from his brother for a year, it is like shedding his blood." [Sunan Abu Dawud (4/279) No. 4915, Musnad Ahmad (4/220) No. 17964, al-Adab al-Mufrad al-Bukhari No. 404, Mustadrak al-Haakim (4/180) No. 7292, Shu'ab al-Iman al-Bayhaqi (9/26) No. 6207, al-Mu’jam al-Kabir al-Tabarani (22/308) No. 780]

When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally. Certainly, Allah is Ever a Careful Account Taker of all things. (An-Nisa 4:86]

- To give the salaam is Sunnah, but the return the salaam is fard.

5. DO NOT UNDERCUT ONE ANOTHER IN TRADE

- It means, do not cut your price to take away the customers of your brother.

- It also means if your Muslim brother is buying a commodity,

- Don’t offer the seller a higher price to take away the deal from your brother.

- It also means, don’t propose to a girl that your brother already proposed to.

- Ahmed ibn Hanbal said you can propose to the girl.

- If the man who proposed to the girl is a munafiq.

- Because this Hadith is only for real Muslims.

Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), forbade a townsman to sell on behalf of a man of the desert, people bidding against each other, outbidding each other in order to raise the price, a man to sell against the sale of his brother or to make a marriage proposal in the face of his brother’s proposal, and a woman to ask for her sister to be divorced in order to take her place.” [Al-Bukhari (2140) and Muslim (1413)]

-The scholars differ about a girl who received a proposal and said "let me think about it"

-The Hanbalis allow you to propose to the girl because she didn’t say yes.

-She only asked for time to think about it.

-Abu Hanifa (HA) said it is haram to propose to the girl while she is thinking about it.

-The correct opinion is Abu Hanifa.

-Because you may confuse her and she may not take the correct decision.

6. BE SLAVES OF ALLAH (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) AND BROTHERS AMONGST YOURSELVES

-The Islamic brotherhood is based on the foundation of la illaha illallah.

-Our Muslim brother is closer to us than our blood brother.

-If our blood brother is not practicing or is a kafir.

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. (At-Tawbah 9:71)

Nubay bin Wahab (RA) from the Banu Abdud Daar tribe reports that when Rasulullaah (ﷺ) arrived with the captives from the Battle of Badr, they distributed them amongst the Sahabah saying, "I emphatically command you to treat them wel1." Amongst the prisoners was Abu Azeez bin Umayr bin Hishaam, the real brother of Mus'ab bin Umayr. Abu Azeez says, "When I was captured by one of the Ansaar, my brother Mus'ab bin Umayr passed by. He said to the Ansaari, 'Tie both his hands well because his mother is very wealthy and she will pay a large ransom for him.' I was with a group of Ansaar when we returned from the battle. Whenever the morning and afternoon meals were served, they gave me the bread and ate dates only because of the instruction of Rasulullaah (ﷺ) to treat us (prisoners) well. Whenever any of them happened to receive any bread, he would ensure that he gave it to me. When I returned it to him out of embarrassment, he would give it back without even touching it." Abu Yasar (RA) was the Ansaari who captured Abu Azeez. After Mus'ab bin Umayr had told Abu Yasar what he did (about tying both hands well), Abu Azeez said, "Dear brother! Is this the advice you give him about me (your own brother)?" Mus'ab replied, "He (Abu Yasar) is my brother and not you." When Abu Azeez's mother enquired what the highest ransom was that anyone from the Quraysh had paid, she was informed that it was four thousand Dirhams. She then sent four thousand Dirhams and ransomed her son. [Ibn Is'haaq, as quoted in Al Bidaayah wan Nihaayah (Vol. 3 Pg.307)]

7. A MUSLIM IS THE BROTHER OF A MUSLIM

- This means the only real brotherhood is the Islamic brotherhood.

The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion). So, make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy. (Al-Hujurat 49:10)

- Brotherhood based on racism, tribalism, nationalism is a fake brotherhood.

- The freemason calls their movement the brotherhood.

- If that was the case, why is it that they only accept rich people in their movement?

- They will never ask a poor man to join their movement.

- They will never approach a person on welfare and ask him to join.

- Nobody hates the poor people like the freemason.

- The only real brotherhood is the Islamic brotherhood.

8. A MUSLIM DOESN'T OPPRESS HIS BROTHER

O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both (than you). So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you may avoid justice, and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well­Acquainted with what you do. (An-Nisa 4:135)

Narrated By Ibn Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) sent Mu'adh to Yemen and said, "Fear the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah." [Al-Bukhari (1496) and Muslim (19)]

Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Three prayers are surely answered: the supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the traveller, and the supplication of the father for his son." [Sunan Tirmidhi (5/502) No. 3448, Sunan Ibn Majah (5/30) No. 3862, Musnad Ahmad (2/258) No. 7501, Sunan Abu Dawud (2/89) No. 1536]

Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer." It was asked, "Who is that, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, “One whose neighbour does not feel safe from his evil." [al-Bukhari (6016) and Muslim (46)]

Another narration of Muslim is Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He will not enter Jannah whose neighbour is not secure from his wrongful conduct".

Abu Huraira narrated the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The one who gets married with the intention not to pay dowry to his wife is a fornicator. And the one who borrows money with the intention not to pay back is a thief.” [Ibn Hibban in ‘al-Majruheen’ (2/261) No. 941]

9. A MUSLIM DOESN'T FAIL ANOTHER MUSLIM

- It means he doesn't let him down by making false promises to him.

10. A MUSLIM DOESN'T LIE TO ANOTHER MUSLIM

- We are allowed to lie to the enemy but not to the Muslim.

On the authority of Safwan ibn Sulaym who said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked, 'Can the mumin be a coward?' He said, 'Yes.' He was asked, 'Can the mumin be a miser?' He said, 'Yes.' He was asked, 'Can the mumin be a liar?' He said, 'No.'" [Muwatta Malik (2/169) No. 2088, Shu'ab al-Eman al-Bayhaqi (6/456) No. 4472, Makarim al-Akhlaq Ibn Abi al-Dunya (pg. 54) No. 147, Mishkat al-Masabih (3/1364) No. 4862]

- We are only allowed to lie on three occasions.

1. To save a marriage

2. On the battlefield

3. To reconcile two Muslims

11. A MUSLIM DOESN'T HOLD ANOTHER MUSLIM IN CONTEMPT

- This means to look down on them because you think you are better.

- Because of race, tribe, nationality or wealth.

- The following Ayah speaks about this:

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 [i.e. one of the Muttaqun (pious - see V.2:2). Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Al-Hujurat 49:13)

- This Ayah prevents you from holding your Muslim brother in contempt.

- Because of race, tribe, nationality or wealth.

12. TAQWA IS RIGHT HERE (THE HEART) AND HE (ﷺ) POINTED TO HIS CHEST THREE TIMES

- Taqwa means piety in English.

- That is a literal meaning.

- The technical meaning is ‘to place between you and the wrath of Allah a barrier by doing. the fard and obtaining from the haram’

Abu Huraira reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: "Verily Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth but He looks to your heart and to your deeds." [Sahih Muslim (4/1987) No. 2564]

13. IT IS EVIL ENOUGH TO HOLD YOUR MUSLIM BROTHER IN CONTEMPT

- The following Hadith explains:

Saeed al-Jurairi narrated Abi Naddra told me of a sermon he heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in middle during the Days of Tashreeq said: “O people, your Lord is One and your father [i.e., Adam] is one. There is no superiority of the Arab over the non-Arab, or of the non-Arab over the Arab, or of the red over the black, or of the black over the red – except with regard to taqwa.” [Musnad Ahmad (5/411) No. 23536]

- All of you are from Adam (AS), and Adam is from mud.

And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud. (Al-Hijr 15:26) Sahih International

14. THE WHOLE OF A MUSLIM IS HARAM FOR ANOTHER MUSLIM

- His blood, wealth and honour.

- You were told by Allah not to kill a Muslim.

- If you do, you will be in the hellfire.

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. (An-Nisa 4:93)

- If you kill a Muslim, all of his sins will be transferred to you.

Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ud (RA) narrated the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “No soul is killed unlawfully, but there is a share of the sin on the first son of Adam, because he was the first one to set the precedent of killing.” [Related by al-Bukhari (3335) and Muslim (1677)]

- Concerning the wealth of a Muslim.

- We were told by Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) not to eat up the wealth of another wrongfully in Surah 2:188.

And eat up not one another's property unjustly (in any illegal way e.g. stealing, robbing, deceiving, etc.), nor give bribery to the rulers (judges before presenting your cases) that you may knowingly eat up a part of the property of others sinfully. (Al-Baqarah 2:188)

Abu Hurayra (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said, "Anyone who carries arms against us is not one of us. Anyone who cheats us is not one of us." [Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith #182]

- Allah سبحانه وتعالى warns us about robbing the orphans in Surah 4:10

Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only a fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire! (An-Nisa 4:10)

- Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) said cut off the hand of the thief to protect the Muslim’s wealth in Surah 5:38

Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female, as a recompense for that which they committed, a punishment by way of example from Allah. And Allah is All­ Powerful, All­ Wise. (Al-Ma'idah 5:38)

- And Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) said to kill the murderer to protect the life of a Muslim in 2:179

And there is (a saving of) life for you in Al-Qisas (the Law of Equality in punishment), O men of understanding, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V.2:2). (Al-Baqarah 2:179)

15. A MUSLIM PROTECTS THE HONOR OF A MUSLIM

- The Prophet (ﷺ) said to stay away from the 7 major sins.

- And of them is slandering a chaste Muslims woman.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Avoid the seven sins that doom one to Hell." It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, what are they?" He said: “Associating others with Allah (Shirk), magic, killing a soul whom Allah has forbidden killing, except in cases dictated by Islamic law, consuming Riba, consuming the property of orphans, fleeing on the day of the march (to battlefield), and slandering chaste women who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers." (Sunan an-Nasa’i: Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3701)

Abu Hurayra (RA) reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A believer is the mirror of his brother. A believer is the brother of another believer. He protects him against loss and defends him behind his back." [Sunan Abu Dawud (4/280) No. 4918, al-Bukhari in 'Adab al-Mufrad' No. 239]

Abu Huraira (RA) reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ said, “Each of you is a mirror of his brother. So, if he sees a defect in him, he must remove it from him.” [Sunan Tirmidhi (4/325) No. 1929]

Narrated By Uqbah ibn Amir: The Prophet (ﷺ said: "He who sees something which should be kept hidden and conceals it will be like one who has brought to life a girl buried alive." [Abu Dawood (4/273, No. 4891), al-Hakim (4/426, No. 8162), al-Bayhaqi (8/331, No. 17387), Sunan Kubra Nasa'i (4/307, No. 7281), At-Tabarani (17/319, No. 883)]

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: The servant (who conceals) the faults of others in this world, Allah would conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection. [Sahih Muslim, Book 32, Hadith #6267]

Woe to every slanderer and backbiter. Who has gathered wealth and counted it, (Al-Humuzah 104:1-2)

- Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) revealed Surah Al Humuzah because the honour of a Muslim is sacred.

- In shariah law we give 80 lashes to the slanderer.

- To protect the honour of Muslims.