Brotherhood And Sisterhood In Islam

As a yardstick and criterion in our lives, Islam has given us a clear definition of unity and brotherhood and how it can be realized and implemented.  The uniting factor is the `Aqeedah (creed) of Islam which defines the belief of a Muslim.  Unlike other bonds (nationalistic, patriotism, etc.) which are superficial, animalistic, reactive, emotional, and completely devoid of a real solution for life’s affairs, the intellectuality of the ideological bond of Islam unites man irrespective of their race, nationality, colour, status and other factors which are irrelevant when it comes to bonding on an ideological creed.

Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an: 

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ

"The Mu’minoon (believers) are but a single Brotherhood."
[Surah Al-Hujuraat: 10]

And then again:
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَوةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَوةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُوْلَـئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
The believers, men and women, are supporters of one another; they enjoin good, and forbid evil; they perform the Salah, and give the Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His mercy on them. Surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
[Surah At-Taubah: 71]

Brothers and sisters in Islam share the same beliefs and religious identity. They work towards the same goals, and share the same code of behaviour. The Qur'an says:

وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً مَّآ أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

And He has united their (believers') hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

Brotherhood/Sisterhood must be established purely for the sake of Allah (SWT). This requires the brothers to abandon any type of personal interest that they might hope to gain through their relationship. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said: 

"A man set out to visit one of his brothers for the sake of Allah and Allah (SWT) appointed an angel to watch over him.

The angel asked the man, 'Where are you going?'

The man replied: 'I wish to visit my brother.'

'Do you need anything from him?' asked the angel.

'No,' replied the man. 

'Then why are you going to visit him?' inquired the angel. 

The man answered, 'I love him for Allah's Sake.' 

The angel said, 'Then know that Allah has sent me to tell you that Allah loves you because of your love for your brother and that He has decreed Paradise for you'." 

(Sahih Muslim)

One of the first steps towards building an Islamic community is to create an atmosphere of unity. Through the guidance of Allah (SWT), the Prophet (peace be upon him) established a bond of brotherhood between the Ansar and the Muhajireen, and he said:

"You will not be a believer until you love for your brother what you love for yourself." [Al- Bukhari]

And he said:

"You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another." [Muslim]

The Rights Of Our Brothers And Sisters

Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an:

يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَى أَن يَكُونُواْ خَيْراً مِّنْهُمْ وَلاَ نِسَآءٌ مِّن نِّسَآءٍ عَسَى أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْراً مِّنْهُنَّ وَلاَ تَلْمِزُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَلاَ 

تَنَابَزُواْ بِالاٌّلْقَـبِ بِئْسَ الاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الايمَانِ وَمَن لَّمْ يَتُبْ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الظَّـلِمُونَ

"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 yourselves, nor insult one another by nicknames. Evil is the name of wickedness after faith. And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed wrongdoers."

يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ اجْتَنِبُواْ كَثِيراً مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ وَلاَ تَجَسَّسُواْ وَلاَ يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضاً أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتاً فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيم

"O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicion is sin. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother You would hate it. And have Taqwa of Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful."

[Surah Al-Hujuraat: 11-12]

The rules are simple as laid out by these two ayahs:

1. Do not ridicule other people.

2. Do not insult or call each other names.

3. Avoid much assumption (negative assumption).

4. Do not spy on each other.

5. Do not back bite one another.

Our love for our Muslims brothers and sisters should extend beyond mere feelings. It should be apparent in our actions:

1. Dealing gently with them.
2.Guard your brothers' secrets.

3. Keeping our promises to them.
4. Visiting them when they are ill.

5. Making Dua'a for them in their absence.
6. Smiling at you brothers and sisters.

7. Staying by their side during their good and bad times.

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The example of the believer in their affection, mercy and sympathy for one another is like that of the body; when on of its organs complains, the rest of the body responds to it in wakefulness and fever." [Muslim]

8. Showing affection and friendliness towards them.
9. Giving them the benefit of doubt.

Hamdun al-Qassar, one of the great early Muslims said, “If a friend among your friends errs, make seventy excuses for them. If your hearts are unable to do this, then know that the shortcoming is in your own selves.” [Imam Bayhaqi, Shu`ab al-Iman, 7.522]

10. Become aware of their problems to assist them where necessary.

Our Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever relieves a believer of a distress from the distresses of this world, Allah will relieve him of a distress from the distresses of the Day of Judgement. And whoever facilitates [a matter] for one in financial difficulty, Allah will facilitate for him [matters] in this world and the Hereafter. And whoever covers [the fault of] a Muslim, Allah will cover his [faults] in this world and the Hereafter. Allah is in aid of [His] servant as long as the servant is in aid of his brother." [Muslim]

It is unlawful to hold our brothers and sisters in disrespect because of some sin they may have committed in the past, for perhaps they may have repented and will repent in the future and be forgiven by Allah (SWT), while the one who looks down on her will not be forgiven for her self-righteous attitude.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned: 

"No one who had in his heart, an atom's weight oof pride would enter Paradise."

(Muslim and At-Tirmidhi]

As soon as the new brother or sister enters Islam, their past is over and forgiven by Allah (SWT), and they are equal to all other Muslims in  status, duties and rights. And their first right is to be taught everything they need to know about Islam in the best possible manner.

If we want to regain our lost glory we should forget our self-made differences and be united as we are being directed by Allah (SWT) in the Holy Quran:

وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُم أَعْدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَاناً وَكُنتُمْ عَلَى شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُمْ مِّنْهَا كَذلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
“And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you) and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah’s favour on you for you were enemies and he joined your hearts in love, so that by his grace, ye become brothers; and ye were on the brink of the pit of fire, and He saved you from it”. 

[Al Imran : 103]

May Allah (SWT) help us to establish the true spirit of brotherhood by forgetting our so-called differences. It is only possible if we act upon the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Let us step forward to promote ‘Islamic concept of brotherhood and sisterhood’ throughout the world. The world will InShaAllah be changed into a better place; where the differences of colour, language, race and nationality will vanish. May Allah guide us all to the straight path. Ameen!