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Brotherhood between the Believers and Its Fruits

Shaykh Abū Muḥammad al-Maghribī

Our noble brother Abū Muḥammad al-Maghribī (may Allāh preserve him) explains a monumental work by Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān (from the Kibār al-ʿUlāmāʾ) entitled Brotherhood Between the Believers and its Fruits. Brotherhood and sisterhood in al-Islām is more important than that established by ties of the families. From the means of increasing in this love and mercy is avoiding suspicion which is thinking bad of you brother or sister in terms of the character, manhaj and ʿaqīdah, when this person is known to be an upright person. In addition, avoiding spying which Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān described as searching for a defect in the people. Furthermore, refraining from ghībah (backbiting) which is to mention something about your brother or sister which is disliked.

Allāh mentions in Sūrah al-Ḥujurāt (49:11),

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِّن نِّسَاءٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُنَّ ۖ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ ۖ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

“O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former; nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it, to insult one’s brother after having Faith [i.e. to call your Muslim brother (a faithful believer) as: “O sinner”, or “O wicked”, etc.]. And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Ẓalimun (wrong-doers, etc.).

This dīn is naṣīhah and we need to strive to preserve it. Abū Muḥammad encourages us to strive to be from those who rush to aid this blessed daʿwah, especially when an event in being set up in the community. This brotherhood established by Allāh is more precious than all that is in between the heavens and the earth. From the means of safeguarding this brotherhood is verifying news related from a fāsiq. Moreover, never being a spectator when you witness people trying to create problems within the brotherhood. Be at the forefront of those who have respect, mercy, kindness, generosity and do not be from those who had hatred, enmity, suspicion.

Published: May 2, 2016
Edited: July 10, 2022