Brotherhood and Sisterhood in Islam (importance of it and why we need it in our lives)

1. Definition of brotherhood

a. An association of people united in some kind of common belief

i. Thakwa or fear of Allah

1. The prophet Muhammad said that Allah saying that “my love is a

right for those who visit each other for my sake. And my love is a

right for those who support each other for my sake” (minhaj al

Muslim).

a. We need to take time out of our schedule for Allah

i. Developing this brotherhood is considered as a act

of worship

ii. And worshipping Allah is the only way to achieve

the jannah

iii. Just building the brotherhood will not promise the

jannah, but it is an important factor in the faith or

the iman

b. To receive compassion from Allah, one must make

sacrifices in his name

i. We have to do things for the sake of Allah

ii. Five pillars of Islam

1. You do not do it for other people. You

follow these pillars and apply them in our

lives to obtain the mercy of Allah

2. Shahada, salat, zakat, saum, and hajj

a. Each is very important for the

Muslim

3. I do not want to go into detail with the

pillars but just as we need to complete the

pillars of Islam, we also need to build up this

brotherhood

b. We assume the meaning of brotherhood is based on faith and respect

i. There are three types of brotherhood

1. Biological related

a. Example: laws of inheritance in Islam

2. Descendents of Adam

a. Allah says: “we have honored the children of Adam and

have carried them over land and sea and have provided for

them good things and have preferred the over much of what

we have created”.(bani Israel, ayah 70)

ن�ا ق� ن� ن� ق� ن م� � ر ث�ي ن� ى� ن� ن� ق� ه� ى� ن� ق� �ن �ن �ن �ث ى� ن� مي ن ٱل ن� م� ه�� ى� ن� ق# ن$ ن% �ن ث ق& ن� قل ن�ٱ م ن� قل ٱ ��ث ق� ه� ى� ن� ق� ن ن' �ن ن) ن( ن+ا ى� ث� ن- ن�ا ق� ن ن. ق/ ن� نل �ن) 01 ر ث�يل ق3 )٧٠ن4

b. Allah has given the general mercy

i. Allah has treated all humanity equally and does not

allow discrimination and has given everybody there

rights

1. Allah has given everybody the chance to

receive the mercy of Allah

2. Allah says in surah fathiha 7ن ن ٲ م9 ٱل ن:ا ث/ ق; ٱن� ث�ي ن> ق= ه قل ٱ

a. Guide us towards the straight path

b. This surah is a Dua and we should

only ask help from Allah

c. Nobody is perfect in this world, but

asking Allah to help you will bring

you closer to him and his rewards

3. Based on belief and religious identity

a. This means brotherhood was formed by the virtue (maroof)

of their Islam and love for one another

i. So for the sake of Allah and fear of Allah, he loves

his brother. The brother loves his brother for Allah

b. Allah’s messenger (pbuh) said: “A Muslim is the brother of

another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, forsake him,

or despise him”.

i. Be kind to your brother. Treat your brother the way

you want to be treated

c. When Qabeel threatened to kill Habeel, Habeel said “if you

do stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall never

stretch my hand against you to kill you: for I fear Allah, the

lord of the alameen” (al maidah, 28).

ن� ( ثي ن� ى� ن< قل ٱ ?ن ن% ن@ � ن ٱل Aه ن�ا نBا ى� م: ثCا D ‌Fن ن� ه> ق# GBن Hث Fن قي نل ثCا Iن ث/ Jن Kر� Lث ن�ا ث- اا ن: نBا ىا ن� ث�� ن� ه> ق� ن> ثل Nن ن/ Jن �ن نل ثCا �ن ن= ن- ن� PCث ٢٨نلi. [be like him] Habeel showed good morals and

perfect piety and feared only Allah and only

thought of Allah’s punishment if his brother

attacked him

1. We should have that mentality or mind set

a. We should think before we act.

When I say this, I mean remember

Allah before you do anything. Allah

has sent the Quran as a reminder to

the mankind to remember there duty

to Allah as a well as themselves.

Allah does not need us, we need

Allah

4. Abu bakar reported Allah’s messenger saying: when two Muslims

confront each and one of them attacks the other with a weapon,

they both go to the hell fire. Reason is that they both had the

intention of killing their companion.

a. Even the slightest misguided intention in your heart can

lose the paradise and feel the wrath of the hellfire

2. Brotherhood as a whole

a. A single united body

i. One part injured, the whole body feels it

ii. Brotherhood

1. Provides stability in a troubling world

a. We are living in a foreign country. I am from Pakistan.

Some people are from Asia, Middle East, and Africa.

b. Making the brotherhood in our own countries may have

been easier but here, there is a different language, different

culture, and different way of life. We must try harder.

3. ) Qن هو ن' ق ه4 ق� Sه � ن ن< نل ن@ � ن ٱل اا ه�و 4 ن ن�ٱ D‌ق� Sه Jق نو ن� نBا ن� قي ن- اا ه&و ث� Vق نBا �ن WX ر نو ق� ثCا Qن ه�و ث� Yق ه قل ٱ نا : ن ١ثCا ٠(

i. “The muminoon are but a single brotherhood”(49:10)

b. Believers are one brotherhood

i. You see a believer in Islam. No matter if you know him. He is your

brother in Islam. Allah shows the duties of the believers in a ayah in the

Quran:

4. ث Sن ه� قل ٱ ث� ن� Qن قو ن� ق� Jن �ن Aث � ه ق< ن قل ث-ٱ Qن � ه ه� Bا ق Jن D ‌\� ر ق< ن- ه+ ىا ني ثل �ق نBا ق� ه� ه� ق< ن- �ه ى� ن� ث� Yق ه قل ن�ٱ Qن ه�و ث� Yق ه قل ن�ٱi. “ The believers, men and women, are protectors of each other and they

enjoin the maroof, and forbid all the munkar”(9:71)

1. Promote halal, demote haram

2. The ummah needs to come together for the message of Allah to

prevail. To be dominant

ii. As related by huzaifa (R.A) the prophet (S.A.W) said, “Whoever does not

take an interest in the affairs and problems of the Muslims, he is not of

them. And whoever’s state is such that, each morning and evening, he is

not loyal and earnest to Allah, his Apostle, his book, the Islamic ruler, and

towards the Muslims, as a whole, he is not of them”

iii. So, anyone who claims to be a Muslim, but is lacking in this aspect, he

does not have true faith(iman)

1. Brother and sisters, we need to take care of our masjid. Any

problems that go on must be fixed. It is our duty and to keep this

status of being a Muslim, we must get involved and be part of the

ummah that started all the way back in the time of the prophets

b. The prophet said” you shall not enter paradise until you have faith; and you

cannot attain to faith until you love one another”

i. Look in the Quran

5. ) ]Xر هVو ق � ن �X ر ى� ني ق� ه- ه�� : ن نBا ن. 3ا 1 ر Vن ث@ۦ ث� ث�ي Lن ��ث Qن ه�و ث> ى� ن� Jه ن� J_ث ل ن ٱ ه ث& Jه ن@ � ن ٱل Qن )٤ثCاi. In surah as- saff ayah 4, this brotherhood, this ummah, is like a solid

cemented structure or a brick wall, which is a defense in the service of

right and against wrong

1. Again this ummah’s duty is to fight against evil, and promote good

2. Each and every person in the masjid is apart of this ummah. If one

fails, this wall will collapse. To prevent this, help your brother in

need

6. Problems we face including discrimination and cultural barriers and hurting our brothers

i. Prophet Muhammad’s last Khuthba

1. All mankind is from Adam and eve, an Arab has is no better than a

non-Arab, nor a non- Arab is better than a Arab: a white person is

not better than a black person and a black person is no better than a

white person except by piety and good. Learn that every Muslim is

a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one

brotherhood”

a. The Muslim believes in the brotherhood and to believe in it

means that you have to protect it from any kind of harm

like discrimination, racism, and sexism

b. Anybody can be accepted into Islam: black, white,

handicapped, male, female, and anybody from any culture

2. Islam takes every measure to preserve humanity from division and

it’s a fact that many African Americans have converted to Islam

because of this color blindness

i. And they see that Islam is a universal religion and

to fear Allah is the best path for living and

achieving the jannah

b. I would like to give an example of the past in which racism

was occurring and discuss about how it was dealt with

i. Racism did not just start in the 1800s or 1700s but

has affected lives since the time of the prophets

c. In early days of Islam, one of the greatest honors is to call

the azan or be the muezzin. Muhammad Ibn Abdullah gave

this honor to bilal in Mecca. Some prideful Arabs said, he

should not be calling the azan. The prophet made a sermon

saying that men are divided in two categories

i. The pious and god fearing

ii. Transgressors and disbelievers

d. Brother and sisters look and read the Quran. Allah says,

Surah hujarat ayah 13, that the best among in the eyes of

Allah is the most pious

ق� Sه Pى ن� ق4 نBا ث@ � ن ٱل ن/ ث�� ق� Sه ن� ن ق� نBا Qن ثCاi. Allah does not see black, white, yellow, green, or

any other color but rather he sees what is in the qalb

or heart

1. Allah sees our bad deeds, our good deeds

and what we have done in our lives

ii. Prophet (S.A.W) strongly condemned hatred among

brothers like suspicion, contempt, jealousy,

backbiting etc. and warned the ummah of the

painful consequences of such habits

1. It is related by Abu hurairah (R.A) that the

prophet of Allah (S.A.W) said “do not be

suspicious, for suspicion is the height of

falsehood, not bear a grudge or enmity

against each other, nor be jealous of each

other, nor indulge in backbiting nor dig into

secrets of one another, but o slaves of Allah!

Live like brothers as the lord has

commanded

a. Respect your brother and sister. They

have rights on you. Allah commands

you to be like brothers, so then do it.

Allah says in surah bakarah, ayah

285,

ن� ق< aن نBا �ن ن�ا ق< ث Lن D ا‌b. We hear, and we obey

1. This is what a good Muslim

should believe in

2. If Allah tells us to be

brothers, just do it. No

questions asked

3. That is a true Muslim

ii. Keep with your brother

1. This means staying with your brother. No matter what the

consequences are and abiding by the rules of Allah together

2. “A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not oppress

him, nor does he leave him at mercy of others (sahih Muslim book

32, number 6219)

a. Never take advantage of your brother or be taken advantage

of. There is no higher class or lower class just the piety of a

Muslim

3. The Prophet said, “Do not be envious of one another; do not inflate

prices by overbidding against one another; do not hate one another;

do not turn away from one another; but be you, o slaves of Allah,

as brothers. All things of a Muslim are sacred for his brother in

faith: his blood, his property, and his honor.”[related by imam

Muslim]

a. Respect the property of your brother; do not cheat your

brother. Surah falaq, ayah 5 Allah says

7. د� ( ح�س� ذ�ا إ د� ح�اس ر� ش� )٥و�منi. Here it says to ask Allah for protection from the

envy of an envious person1. Allah does this for a purpose2. Envy can break the brotherhood so we must

be careful to avoid thisb. The prophet said that you cannot be a true believer unless

he desires for his fellow-brother what he desires for himself

i. This is the true test of faith in that a person is not

selfish or greedy rather in the name of Allah, he

wants his brother to have success and with this will

lead you towards the jannah

2. In the sahih, it is said that the prophet said that do not under rate

any good act even its meeting your brother with a cheerful face

(muslin 4:2026)

a. Even the smallest act of pleasing your brother maybe huge

in the eyes of Allah and should always kept in mind

8. Ummah

a. Allah has shows many times in the Quran how Muslims are one

i. In surah An- nur ayah 61, Allah says greet yourself rather then greet each

other.

ن� ث� اا ه�و ه. Bا ق ن4 QاBن ق� bه ث= ه3 نBا: ى� ى ن� ن� GHن �ن cX ر ن ن' ث\ J ث ن قل ٱ ن�� ن� GHن �ن cX ر ن ن' cث ن ق� GBن Hق ٱ ن�� ن� GHن �ن cX ر ن ن' ى� ن ق� GBن Hق ٱ ن�� ن� dن قي ل ن

�ق نBا ق� bه ث ى� ن ق� نBا eث هيو ه- �ق نBا ق� bه ث4 نوٲ ن� نBا eث هيو ه- �ق نBا ق� bه ث: نوٲ ق� ثCا eث هيو ه- �ق نBا ق� Sه ث> ى� ن� � ن هBا eث هيو ه- �ق نBا ق� bه fCث ىا ن- ن+ا eث هيو ه- �ق نBا ق� bه ث4 هيو ه- ه@ ن& ث4 ن3ا � ن ه>� bق ن� ن� ن�ا �ق نBا ق� bه ث> ى� ن� ى� ن� eث هيو ه- �ق نBا ق� Sه ثل نوٲ ق� نBا eث هيو ه- �ق نBا ق� bه ث> ى� ن ن� eث هيو ق�  ه- bه قي ن� ن� dن قي نل D ق�‌ bه ث� J/ث Vن �ق نBا ۥ

D ‌i1 ر ن� مي aن i1 ر ن� ن ى� ن� ه� ث@ � ن ٱل ث/ ث�� ق� م� i1 ر ي ن ث& ن4 ق� Sه ث= ه3 نBا: ى� ى ن� ن� اا هو م� ن= �ن 41ا ر هيو ه- ه>� ق� ن� ن( نjا ثCا �ن D 41ا‌ ر ن>ا kق نBا �ق نBا 1<ا ثي lن اا ه�و ه� Bا ق ن4 QاBن mX ن�ا lه) Qن ه�و ث� ق< ن4 ق� bه � ن ن< نل �ث ى� Jن GBن Hق ٱ ه� bه نل ه@ � ن ٱل ه� مي ن� Jه Fن ثل ن_ٲ ٦ن� ١(

ii. In hujarat ayah 11 Allah says do not defame yourself instead of do not

defame each other.

1 ا ر قي ن� �ن Sه Jن QاBن ى� ى ن= ن� +� ىا ن= م: م�� +X ر ىا ن= ث: GHن �ن ق� oه ق� م� 1 ا ر قي ن� اا ه:و هSو Jن QاBن ى� ى ن= ن� (� قو ن# م�� (X ر قو ن# ق pن ق= Jن GHن اا ه�و ن� ن+ا ن� J_ث ل ن ٱ نoا Jه نBا ى� ى Jن ه� ه; Fن PCث ى� ى نل �ا هBا �ن ق ه> Jن ق� ل ن ن�� �ن D‌ث� ى� ن JGCث Hق ٱ ن/ ق< ن- qه ه=و ه3 قل ٱ ه� Lق ثHٱ ٱ dن sق ث- D ‌ ث ى� ن� قل GBن Hق ث-ٱ اا �tه ن- ن�ا ن4 GHن �ن ق� Sه ن= ه3 نBا: اا �ى tه ث ق� ن4 GHن �ن D‌�ن oه ق� م�

) Qن هو ث� ى� uن )١١ٱل

iii. In surah nissa ayah 29, Allah says do not kill yourself rather then do not

kill each other

9. GHن �ن D‌ق� Sه م�� v� ر ن ا ن4 ن�� W1 ن ى� wن ث4 Qن هSو ن4 QاBن Gى H ن ثCا xث ث ى� ن� قل ث-ٱ �bه ن� قي ن- �Sه نل نوٲ ق� نBا اا ىو ه� ه� Bا ق ن4 GHن اا ه�و ن� ن+ا ن� J_ث ل ن ٱ ن�ا Jه نBا ى� ى Jن 1ا ( ر ث'ي ن% ق� Sه ث- Qن ن.ا ن@ � ن ٱل Qن ثCا D ق�‌ Sه ن= ه3 نBا: اا ىو ه� ه> ق� )٢٩ن4

1. This may seem a coincidence but has a purpose

a. Whatever happens to the brotherhood, we are effected by it

and any aggression to any part of it is an aggression to all

of it

b. “Whoever relieves from a believer some grief in this world, Allah will relieve

some grief from him in the hereafter. Whosoever alleviates the difficulties of a

needy person who cannot pay his debt, Allah will alleviate his difficulties in both

this world and the hereafter. Whosoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah

will conceal his faults in this world and the hereafter. Allah will aid a servant (of

his) so long as the servant aids his brother”

i. Brother and sisters, we need to help not only our brother, but the people

around us who are in need. We all want to receive the jannah, but the one

way is to help your brother out. When he is in need, help him. When he is

not in need, spend time with him. Only this will unite the ummah as one.

c. Abu Hurairah related that the prophet has said “there is five claims of a Muslim

on a Muslim

i. Return his greetings when he greets

ii. Visit him when he falls ill

iii. Attend his funeral

iv. Accept his invitation to a meal and to pray for him

v. When he sneezes saying yarhumukallahh (may the mercy of Allah be on

you)

1. These are the responsibilities of a Muslim on his brother or sister

And we as a ummah need to work on applying these claims in our

lives to achieve any kind of reward or achievement of the jannah

10. Conclusion

1. For us to build a true ummah, we must stand with our brothers

when there right and stand against them when their wrong

2. “When any one of you sees anything that is disapproved (of by

Allah), let him change it with his hand. If he is not able to do so,

then let him change it with his tongue. And if he is not able to do

so, then let him change it with his heart, though that is the weakest

kind of faith”.

a. If one of our brothers is going in the wrong path, we should

help them and guide them to the straight path

b. And if our brothers are doing good for the sake of Allah,

we should give them our total support and help them do

this good

c. Anas (ra) said, The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said

"Help thy brother whether he is the doer of wrong or wrong

is done to him."They (his companions) said, O Messenger

of Allah! We can help a man to whom wrong is done, but

how could we help him when he is the doer of wrong? He

said: "Take hold of his hands from doing wrong."

i. Stop your brother from doing wrong. Don’t just

watch, do something about it

ii. Allah on the Day of Judgment will ask us why we

did not do anything when we saw something wrong

being done.

iii. It is our duty to fix mistakes that are being done.

1. But, If you do not have knowledge about a

certain subject, just say I don’t know when

you are asked about it

2. Imam maliki said, saying I don’t know is

half the knowledge

3. If he/she asks for your help on a certain

subject and you are not familiar with it, just

tell him u don’t know.

4. You will be accounted for misguiding your

brother or sister

ii. If there are any other problems in the community, let us work together to

resolve it

a. It is not permissible for a Muslim to have bad relations with

his brother for more than three days

i. Resolve any kind of division

b. Stop these cultural barriers between Pakistanis, Arab, and

Africans

i. We are all one and to receive the jannah, we must

all work hard together

1. Get involved in the Masjid and spend more

time with our brothers

a. Activities like salat thul thasabeeh,

qiyam ul layl, and halaqas

b. Things that can destroy the ummah is

backbiting

1. Talking about your brother

behind his back. This is

haram and is considered a

sin.

2. So brothers and sisters, a lot of things are going in the masjid and

half the people here do not know what is going on. How is this

brotherhood? How is this unity? How is this a true ummah? We

need to resolve this by spending more time in the masjid. We

should be in the masjid more then once in a week. The masjid is a

place of worship and building this brotherhood is a type of

worship. We need to remember, in Islam, keeping this ummah

together is important and every Muslim is responsible for doing

this. We can accomplish this one step at a time. Look at your

brother or sister to the left and to the right. You and I both are

responsible for taking care of them and they are responsible of

taking care of us. Always remember what the Quran and Sunnah

has said and we should try with the best of our ability to

understand it, apply it, and teach it to others.