Islamic lessons

األخوة في الدينherhoodKhutbah: Religious BrotherhoodKhutbah: Religious BrotAICP UK1Allah al^Aliyy al^Azeez revealed an explicit verse whose meaning is: {believers arebut brothers, therefore make peace between your brothers and fear Allah, thatyou may receive mercy(10)O you who believe, let no people deride othersperchance they maybe better than they are and let no women deride otherwomen, perchance they may be better than they are. Neither defame oneanother, nor insult one another bynicknames;a bad name is evil after faith andthose who do not repent are the unjust(11)O youwho believe! Avoid suspicionas much as possible for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, do not spy norbackbite one another.Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother?No, you would abhor it, but be pious towards Allah; Allah acceptsrepentanceand is merciful(12)}1Brothers in faith, Allah called believers brothers because of the bonds of religion andbelief and the bond of creed is the strongest connection.The Messenger of Allah-salla-llaahu ^alayhi wasallam-explained how to develop brotherhood when he said-^alayhissalaatu wassalaam-what means: [Beware of suspicion for suspicion is the mostdishonest voice, do not look for others' faults, do not spy one another, do not bida high price to deceive one another, do not be envious of one another, do notnurse enmity against one another, do not turn your backs on each other. Slavesof Allah, be brothers]2When the Prophet-salla-llaahu ^alayhi wasallam-said what means: [Beware ofsuspicion] he meant to forbid accepting suspicion and believing it without somecontext that has to be taken into account according to religious standards; he did notmean the speculation of the mind which is a passing thought, for this cannot becontrolled.It is reported from ^Umar ibn alKhattab-radiya-llaahu ^anhu-that he said,1Sura alHujuraat 49:10-122Reported by alBukhariyy.

األخوة في الدينherhoodKhutbah: Religious BrotherhoodKhutbah: Religious BrotAICP UK2“It is notallowed for a Muslimwho hears his brother’s words to hold illthoughts about themwhenhe can interpret them in a positive way”, i.e. a likelyone.^Aliyy ibn 'AbiTalib-radiya-llahu ^anhu-said,“When a person knows his brother to have a good character, let him not lend hisear to what men say and when a person appears to be good, we assume what ishidden of him to be better”. What we mean by suspicion in this context isunjustifiable accusations such as accusing a man of committing a terrible sin withoutthere being signs pointing to it. For this reason the Prophet-salla-llaahu ^alayhiwasallam-coupled it with what means, [do not look for others' faults]; this is when aperson has a passing thought accusing his brother and he wants to accept it so helooks for faults in him, searching and listening purposefully; this is forbidden.Brothers in faith, looking for faults in others is to pry in their private lives with theeye or the ear; as for spying, thisis seeking out what has been hidden and most ofwhat is called like that is evil.As for bidding a deceiving high price, which the Prophet forbade-^alayhissalaatuwassalaam,it is callednajshand this is done by offering a higher price for amerchandise without any intention to buy, but rather to allure others into buying itby saying for instance: “for this I offer so much” mentioning a high price so as tomislead the buyer into believing that if he buys it for the selling price, he will win.Thisnajshisharaam for a Muslim should not deceive his brother.As for envy, it is to wish for the disappearance of a grace bestowed upon a Muslimand to act upon the will in one's heart to make the Muslim lose that favour; this isharaam.As for his commandment-^alayhissalaatu wassalaam-whose translation is [do notnurse enmity against one another], its meaning is not to give each other causes forhatred and its purpose is to forbid blameworthy character traits which generatemutual loathing.As for notturning our backs on each other, this is mutual hostility and cutting tieswith each other and it was calledtadaabur, turning backs on each other, becauseevery person involved in mutual hostility shows the other his back.The Prophet-^alayhissalaatuwassalaam-only started by forbidding suspicion and thenjoined it to mutual hatred and envy because their origin is found isdhann, suspicion.This is because the person who hates and envies yields to loathing and jealousy as aresult of him assuming theworst.As for his injunction-^alayhissalaatu wassalaam-whose meaning is: [Slaves of Allah, bebrothers] it says: O servants of Allah be brothers, that is work to acquire what willmake you brothers like brothers by lineage so care for each other, show mercy, give

األخوة في الدينherhoodKhutbah: Religious BrotherhoodKhutbah: Religious BrotAICP UK3love, comfort, assistance, advice and mutual help towards good, all of this with a pureheart.Brothers in faith, scholars have written books to explain what blamefulcharacteristics are and how to cure ourselves from them; it came in sections, all fedby the fresh spring water of the teacher who brought knowledge of good tohumankind: the Messenger of Allah-salla-llaahu ^alayhi wasallam. He summarised it alland put it together-^alayhissalaatu wassalaam-when he said what means, [None ofyouwill have faith until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself]3that is to say, he will not have a perfect faith until this has happened in his heart, andalso when he stated-salla-llaahu ^alayhi wasallam-what can be translated as: [Whoeverwants to be kept away from the fire and enter paradise, let his death come tohim while he believes in Allah and the last day and treats people the way hewould like to be treated]4This is part of the body of his sayings-salla-llaahu ^alayhi wasallam-and his amazingwisdom. In thishadeeth is a promise from the Messenger of Allah-salla-llaahu ^alayhiwasallam-that whoever acts upon it will not be tormented in hellfire.Is it not thatevery oneof us would like to be kept away from the fireand taken intoParadise? Indeed we would, so come on brothers in faith, let us take the path ofsuccess and salvation from hellfire. Let everyone of us look into what good he wouldlike to have and how he would like to be treated by people...My Muslim brother,would you not like to be treated with sincerity, trustworthiness and a good intention?Then deal yourself with them in the same way you would like them to deal with you...Would you not like people to assume the best about you? Would you not like themtointerpret your actions in the best way so long as they can find a good interpretationfor them? Then assume yourself the best about them...Would you not like your tradeto bring you large returns? Then do not envy your brother for the abundance ofsustenance Allah bestows upon him...Would you not like your lost property to bebrought back to you? Then return to your brother what he lost...Would you not likepeople to forgive you and not harbour enmity against you in their hearts if you actedbadly towards them? Then absolve those who wronged you...Would you not likepeople to advise you gently when they see you about to cause your own downfall?Then do your best to give advice with wisdom and gentleness...Would you not likepeople to be patient with you?Then be patient with people when they harm you andtreat them kindly...Would you not like people to treat you in the best way and as youdeserve? Then do not treat a Muslim with spite, do not be arrogant; deal with them inthe way you would like them to deal with you.3Reported by alBukhariyy.4Reported by Muslim.

األخوة في الدينherhoodKhutbah: Religious BrotherhoodKhutbah: Religious BrotAICP UK4If we act like this, affection will increase among us and so will solidarity, until webecome like one body: when one part complains, the rest of the limbs feel fever andinsomnia,and thenwe become real brothers.May Allah grant me and you the ability to do what He loves and approves of and I askfor forgiveness from Allah on your behalf and mine.