Rights of Muslims

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «حَقُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ سِتٌّ» قِيلَ: مَا هُنَّ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟، قَالَ: «إِذَا لَقِيتَهُ فَسَلِّمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَإِذَا دَعَاكَ فَأَجِبْهُ، وَإِذَا اسْتَنْصَحَكَ فَانْصَحْ لَهُ، وَإِذَا عَطَسَ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ فَسَمِّتْهُ، وَإِذَا مَرِضَ فَعُدْهُ وَإِذَا مَاتَ فَاتَّبِعْهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that a Muslim owes his fellow Muslim six things: First: To greet him with peace upon meeting him by saying: Peace be upon you, and he should return the greeting by saying: And may peace be upon you. Second: To accept his invitation when he invites you to a banquet or any other occasion. Third: To give him advice when he asks for it without flattering or cheating him. Fourth: When he sneezes and says: Alhamdu lillah (praise be to Allah), say Tashmīt to him by saying: Yarhamuka Allah (may Allah have mercy upon you); and he should reply by saying: Yahdīkum Allah was yuslih bālakum (may Allah guide you and set your affairs right). Fifth: To visit him and check on him when he is sick. Sixth: To pray over him when he dies and follow his funeral until he is buried.

• Ash-Shawkāni said: What is meant by (The Muslim's right) is that it should not be neglected, and fulfilling it is either obligatory or firmly recommended in such a way that makes it similar to the obligation that must not be neglected.
• Responding to a greeting of peace is an individual obligation if the greeting is directed at a single person, and if directed at a group, it suffices if one of them responds. As for initiating the greeting of peace, it is basically an act of Sunnah.
• One of the Muslim’s rights over his fellow Muslims is to visit him when he is sick, as it brings joy and comfort to his heart and is considered a communal obligation.
• It is obligatory to respond to an invitation unless it involves a sin. If the invitation is to a wedding banquet, the majority hold that it is obligatory to respond unless there is a valid excuse under the Shariah. However, if the invitation is for something other than a wedding banquet, the majority consider it recommended.
• Saying Tashmīt to the sneezer is obligatory upon whoever hears him praising Allah.
• The perfection of the Shariah and its emphasis on strengthening the bonds of society and faith, as well as the ties of love among its members.
• (Say Tasmīt to him) and in some versions "Tashmīt" with "s" and with "sh": a supplication for goodness and blessing. It was said that "Tashmīt" means: May Allah keep you away from gloating and protect you from what may cause your enemy to rejoice over you. "Tasmīt" means: may Allah guide you to the straight path.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 1705) (2162). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 7). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، للبسام (3/ 128). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 327).

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «المُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ المُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ، وَالمُهَاجِرُ مَنْ هَجَرَ مَا نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that a true and perfect Muslim is the one from whose tongue Muslims are safe, so he does not insult, curse, or backbite them and does not hurt them with his tongue in any way. They are also safe from his hand, as he does not assault them or take their properties wrongfully, or the like. As for the emigrant, he is the one who abandons what Allah Almighty has prohibited.

• One's Islam is perfect only when he does not harm others physically or morally.
• The tongue and the hand were mentioned in particular given their frequent mistakes and harms, as they are the source of most of the evil.
• Encouraging the abandonment of sins and adherence to the commands of Allah Almighty.
• The best Muslims are those who fulfill the rights of Allah Almighty and the rights of the Muslims.
• Assault could be verbal or physical.
• The perfect emigration is abandoning what Allah Almighty has forbidden.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 11) (10). صحيح مسلم (1/ 65) (40). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 236). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 511). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 306).

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.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تَحَاسَدُوا، وَلَا تَنَاجَشُوا، وَلَا تَبَاغَضُوا، وَلَا تَدَابَرُوا، وَلَا يَبِعْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَيْعِ بَعْضٍ، وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللهِ إِخْوَانًا الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ، لَا يَظْلِمُهُ وَلَا يَخْذُلُهُ، وَلَا يَحْقِرُهُ التَّقْوَى هَاهُنَا» وَيُشِيرُ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ «بِحَسْبِ امْرِئٍ مِنَ الشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ، كُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ، دَمُهُ، وَمَالُهُ، وَعِرْضُهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised the Muslim to be kind to his fellow Muslims and outlined some of the duties and etiquettes he is required to observe toward them, including the following: First advice: Do not envy one another by wishing others may lose the blessings they have. Second: Do not raise prices by overbidding against one another. By doing so, a person does not really want to buy the commodity, except to benefit the seller or harm the buyer. Third: Do not hate one another. It is the intention to cause harm, as opposed to love, unless hatred is for the sake of Allah Almighty, which is obligatory. Fourth: Do not turn your backs on each other, forsaking and abandoning one another. Fifth: Do not undercut one another in trade. It is when a person says to someone who bought a commodity: I have the like of it at a lower price or a higher-quality commodity at the same price. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave comprehensive advice, saying: Be like brothers, by abandoning the aforementioned prohibitions and showing cordiality, kindness, compassion, gentleness, and cooperation in goodness, while having pure hearts and sincerity in all conditions. The following are among the requirements of this brotherliness: Not to wrong his Muslim brother or transgress against him. Not to leave his Muslim brother to be wronged, failing to support him in a situation where he can help him and remove the injustice practiced against him. Not to belittle him or look down upon him with contempt and disdain; this stems from arrogance in the heart. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out three times that piety lies in the heart, and whoever has piety in his heart, which entails good morals and fear and heedfulness of Allah, will not belittle a Muslim. Indeed, it is enough for him, as an evil trait and reprehensible manner, to belittle his fellow Muslim, for this results from arrogance in his heart. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) affirmed the aforementioned, saying that all of a Muslim is inviolable to another Muslim: his blood: to attack him by killing, injuring, beating him, or the like; his property: to take any of his properties unjustly; and his honor: to malign him or his lineage.

• The Hadīth commands all that is entailed by faith-oriented brotherliness and prohibits all words and deeds that contradict it.
• The essence of piety is the knowledge of Allah and the fear and heedfulness of Him that lie in the heart. This piety leads to the performance of righteous deeds.
• Outward deviation indicates weakness of piety in the heart.
• Harming a Muslim in any way, by word or action, is prohibited.
• It is not part of envy that a Muslim wishes to be like someone else without hoping for the removal of the blessing from him. This is called "Ghibtah", and it is permissible and it prompts people to compete for good things.
• By nature, man dislikes being surpassed by others in any virtue. If he wishes for the removal of that virtue from another, it is the blameworthy envy. However, if he desires to compete for it, it is the permissible Ghibtah.
• A Muslim is not regarded to be undercutting his fellow Muslim in trade if he alerts the buyer that he has been grossly deceived in a certain transaction. In fact, this falls under sincere advice, provided that his intention is to advise his brother, the buyer, not to harm the seller, and actions depend on the intentions.
• A Muslim is not regarded to be undercutting his fellow Muslim in trade if the buyer and seller have not agreed and settled over a price.
• Hatred for the sake of Allah does not fall under the hatred prohibited in the Hadīth; rather, it is a duty and one of the firmest handholds of faith.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 1986) (2564). التحفة الربانية في شرح الأربعين حديثًا النووية، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (ص79). شرح الأربعين النووية، لابن عثيمين (ص339). فتح القوي المتين في شرح الأربعين وتتمة الخمسين، النووي وابن رجب (ص118). الأحاديث الأربعون النووية وعليها الشرح الموجز المفيد، لعبد الله المحسن (ص67).

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «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».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded the Muslim to support his fellow Muslim, whether he is an oppressor or oppressed. A man then said: O Messenger of Allah, I support him if he is oppressed by removing the injustice from him, but what if he is the oppressor? How can I support him then? He said: Stop him, restrain him, and prevent him from committing injustice, for it is indeed supporting him against his devil and his own soul that commands evil.

• A reminder of one of the rights of faith-based brotherhood among Muslims.
• Restraining the oppressor and preventing him from committing injustice.
• Islam stands in opposition to the concepts of the pre-Islamic era, where people would support one another whether they were oppressed or oppressors.

صحيح البخاري (3/ 128) (2443). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 589). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 326).

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ نَفَّسَ عَنْ مُؤْمِنٍ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ الدُّنْيَا نَفَّسَ اللهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَمَنْ يَسَّرَ عَلَى مُعْسِرٍ يَسَّرَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَمَنْ سَتَرَ مُسْلِمًا سَتَرَهُ اللهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، وَاللهُ فِي عَوْنِ الْعَبْدِ مَا كَانَ الْعَبْدُ فِي عَوْنِ أَخِيهِ، وَمَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللهِ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللهِ وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِلَّا نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمِ السَّكِينَةُ، وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ، وَحَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ، وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ، وَمَنْ بَطَّأَ بِهِ عَمَلُهُ لَمْ يُسْرِعْ بِهِ نَسَبُهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that the reward a Muslim receives from Allah is of the same nature as the actions he performs for other Muslims. Whoever relieves, alleviates, removes, or eliminates a hardship and a difficulty from a believer in this world, Allah will reward him by relieving him from one of the hardships of the Day of Judgment. And whoever facilitates and makes things easy for someone in difficulty and removes his difficulty, Allah will make it easy for him in this world and the Hereafter. And whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, such as knowing what should not be exposed of slips and errors, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. Allah supports His slave as long as the slave supports his brother in his religious and worldly interests. Support could be through supplication, physical action, money, etc. Whoever walks in pursuit of religious knowledge, doing it for the sake of Allah Almighty, Allah will facilitate for him a path to Paradise. No group of people gather in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquility and solemnity descend upon them, the mercy of Allah envelops and encompasses them, the angels surround them, and Allah praises them in the presence of those near Him. It is enough of an honor that Allah mentions the slave in the highest assembly. The one whose good deeds are insufficient will not be elevated to the rank of those with righteous deeds. Hence, he should not rely upon his noble lineage and the merit of his forefathers while neglecting the performance of good deeds.

• Ibn Daqīq al-‘Īd said: This is a great Hadīth, comprising various types of knowledge, rules, and etiquettes. It highlights the merit of fulfilling the needs of Muslims and benefiting them in whatever way is possible, whether through knowledge, wealth, assistance, offering useful advice, giving counsel, or other means.
• Encouraging the act of making things easy for the one in difficulty.
• A Muslim is encouraged to help other Muslims, as Allah Almighty helps the one who helps his brother in proportion to his help.
• Among the ways of concealing a Muslim’s faults is: to refrain from seeking out his shortcomings. One of the predecessors is reported to have said: I met people who had no faults, yet they spoke about the faults of others, so people started mentioning their faults. And I met people who had faults but refrained from mentioning the faults of others, so their faults were forgotten.
• It is not a requirement of concealing the faults of others to neglect the prohibition of evil and not to change it. Rather, it should be changed and concealed at the same time, and this applies to those who are not known for corruption or persistence in transgression. As for one who is known for such behavior, it is not recommended to conceal his faults; instead, his affair should be referred to those in authority, provided that this does not lead to greater harm. This is because concealing his faults encourages him in his corruption and emboldens him to harm others, as well as emboldening others from among the wicked and stubborn.
• Encouraging the act of seeking knowledge, reciting, and studying the Qur’an.
• An-Nawawi said: This is evidence of the merit of gathering to recite the Quran in the mosque... and similar gatherings in a school, a garrison, or the like also attain this merit, Allah willing.
• Allah has made the recompense contingent upon deeds, not upon lineages.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 2074) (2699). التحفة الربانية، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (ص82). الأحاديث الأربعون النووية وعليها الشرح الموجز المفيد، لعبد الله المحسن (ص69). شرح الأربعين النووية ، لابن عثيمين (ص355).