Brotherhood & Help

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قالَ: «لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ، حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لِأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that no Muslim attains complete Imān until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself, among the acts of worship and types of goodness in terms of the religion and the life of this world, and hates for his brother what he hates for himself. If he sees a deficiency in the religious commitment of his brother, he strives to reform it, and if he finds goodness in him, he guides and helps him and renders sincere advice to him as regards his religious and worldly matters.

• It is obligatory for a person to love for his brother what he loves for himself, as the negation of Imān from someone who does not love for his brother what he loves for himself indicates the obligation of doing that.
• The bond of brotherhood for the sake of Allah is superior to biological brotherhood, and so its right is more worthy of fulfillment.
• Anything that contradicts this love is prohibited, including words and deeds like cheating, backbiting, envy, and transgression against the life, property, or honor of a Muslim.
• We should use some words of motivation, as he said: "for his brother".
• Al-Kirmāni (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: It is also part of Imān that a person should dislike bad things for his brother as he dislikes them for himself. He did not mention it because the love of something entails dislike for its opposite. So, this was needless to say.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 12) (13). صحيح مسلم (1/ 67) (45). التحفة الربانية في شرح الأربعين حديثًا النووية، مطبعة دار نشر الثقافة، الإسكندرية، الطبعة: الأولى، 1380 هـ. شرح الأربعين النووية، للشيخ ابن عثيمين، دار الثريا للنشر. فتح القوي المتين في شرح الأربعين وتتمة الخمسين، دار ابن القيم، الدمام المملكة العربية السعودية، الطبعة: الأولى، 1424هـ/2003م. الفوائد المستنبطة من الأربعين النووية، للشيخ عبد الرحمن البراك، دار التوحيد للنشر، الرياض. الأحاديث الأربعون النووية وعليها الشرح الموجز المفيد، لعبد الله بن صالح المحسن، نشر: الجامعة الإسلامية، المدينة المنورة، الطبعة: الثالثة، 404هـ/1984م.

عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ، إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified how Muslims should act together. They should love goodness for each other, show mercy, offer help, and support each other. Moreover, they should feel hurt by whatever harm afflicts them. In other words, they should act like a single body; whenever one of its organs gets sick, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever.

• The Muslims' rights should be venerated and cooperation and mutual kindness between them should be encouraged.
• There should be mutual love and support between the believers.

صحيح البخاري (8/ 10) (6011). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1999) (2586). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 246). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 317). كنوز رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين (4/ 405). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص173). المعجم الوسيط (1/ 492).