BismiLlah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim
If one studies Surat al-Hujurat, one will find that is Surah is filled with laws dealing with social issues. And in this very chapter of the Qur’an, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala tells us how to deal with our fellow Muslims. The saying of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala,
“O you who believe! If a fasiq comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done”[1]
In this ayah, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala tells us to make sure if the news or narration we hear from any fasiq is true or authentic before accepting or basing our opinion on it.
Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir rahimahuLlah writes in his tafsir,
“Allah the Exalted ordered investigating the news that sinners and the wicked bring, to make sure of its authenticity. Otherwise, if the sinner’s word is taken for granted and a decision is based on it, regardless of whether the information is true or not, the authorities will be taking the lead of the sinners. Allah the Exalted and Most Honoured forbade taking the path of the corrupted and sinners. This is why groups of the scholars of Hadith refuse to accept narrations from narrators whose reliability is unknown, for they might be from among the wicked people, in reality”[2]
Imam Al-Mawardi rahimahuLlah writes,
“In this ayah is the proof that the report of one individual is acceptable if he is trustworthy.”[3]
Imam Al-Qurtubi rahimahuLlah writes,
“…And whosever’s fisq is grounded (and proven) then his statement is rejected completely for reporting is a trust and the indication of fisq nullifies it.”[4]
We, the Muslims, are afflicted with the disease of accepting whatever is presented to us with any verification what so ever whether is be a Muslim or a non-Muslim source. A prime example of this would be the onslaught of the media against Islam. They are trying their best to portray Islam in the worst way possible. Even in Muslim countries, the liberals and secularists ‘Muslims’ try to put down those who follow or even attempt to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wassalam. The non-Muslims accuse the groups of Muslims as ‘terrorists’ and when Muslims are told this, they hear and believe in instantly without trying to find the source of the news. And we learn from this ayah, that this is completely forbidden for a fasiq, then what about a non-Muslim?
Not knowing the source of information and then accusing a fellow Muslim brother/sister of something can lead to slandering which is even worse than backbiting as the Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wassalam said in the following hadith,
The Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wassalam said
“Do you know what is meant by backbiting?” They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said, “To say something about your brother which he dislikes.” One asked, “Even if what I say is true about my brother?” He replied, “If such defects you say are true about him, then you have backbitten him, and if he doesn’t have what you say, then you have committed slander against him.” [5]
And we see that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala tells us in ayah number 12,
“O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting) . And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful”.[6]
If one looks at this verse with an eye of a grammarian, he will find that the word Ijtanibu starts with an alif known as ‘fa’l amr’ which means a commanding action and that means that avoiding the much suspicion is an obligation upon us as Muslims.
Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir rahimahuLlah writes in his tafsir,
“Allah the Exalted forbids His faithful servants from being suspicious, which includes having doubts and suspicions about the conduct of one’s family, relatives and other people in general. Therefore, Muslims are to avoid suspicion without foundation. The Leader of the faithful ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab said, “Never think ill of the word that comes out of your believing brother’s mouth, as long as you can find a good excuse for it.”
It is reported that the Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wassalam said,
“Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales; do not spy on one another; do not look for other’s faults; do not be jealous of one another; do not envy one another; do not hate one another; and do not desert (shun) one another. And O Allah’s servants! Be brothers.”[7]
‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas says,
“Allah has forbidden a believer to have bad suspicions about believers.”[8]
Al-Hasan rahimahuLlah says,
“We were in a time in which having suspicion of people was forbidden, but today; you act, remain silent and be suspicious of people however you will.”[9]
So being suspicious of your brothers and sisters doing acts, in general, against the teaching Islam is not allowed at all. As ‘Umar radhi Allahu ‘anhu said, we should try to give our brothers and sisters good excuses when we see them doing wrong. For example, we see a brother talking to a ghayr mahram. Normally the people would start having ill thoughts about that brother thinking maybe she is his girlfriend or such stuff. But, he being our brother deserves that we only think good of him. Instead having doubts about his Islamic personality, we should give the benefit of doubt that maybe he is seeking assistance from the lady or maybe the girl is his own sister.
But, we find that some Muslims are ready to accept whatever they hear from the non-Muslim sources who accuse our brothers and sisters of ‘terrorism’ and all other such nonsense. Moreover, we see that the accused Muslims get insulted and mocked by their fellow Muslim brothers and sisters sometimes just to please the non-Muslims and at times due to their ignorance of the teachings of Islam. In Islam we know that a person is innocent until proven guilty as the Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wassalam said,
“Were people to be given according to their claims, some would claim the wealth and blood of others. But the burden of proof is upon the claimant and the taking of an oath is upon the one who denies (the allegation).”[10]
But the enemies of Islam think that a Muslim is guilty even when proven innocent. The reality is, we should be careful with whatever we utter as we are going to be accountable for everything we utter on the Day of Judgement.
If we let suspicion to creep in our hearts, then this gives a solid foundation to have more illnesses in our hearts such as finding faults in one another, being envious of one another, hating others and so on.
Brotherhood:
The saying of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala,
“The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion). So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy.”[11]
This ayah is a general ayah, which means it does not specify that there comes a situation or a time when a believer does not remain another believer’s brother. Whether or not he practises his religion properly or he goes and carries out heinous crimes, a believer is a believer’s brother.
“The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion)…”
Imam at-Tabari rahimahuLlah explains in his tafsir,
“(Brothers) in religion.”[12]
The Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wassalam said,
“The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim, he is not unjust with him nor does he forsake him.”[13]
Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani rahimahuLlah writes in his book of sharh,
“‘The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim’ this is the brotherhood of Islam. For all the unity that is between the two people, takes the name of brotherhood. ‘He is not unjust with him’ this report is of the meaning of a command for the oppression of a Muslim to another Muslim is forbidden. ‘Nor does he forsake him’ that he does not leave him with someone who is harmful or something that is harmful to him.”[14]
Imam al-Qurtubi rahimahuLlah writes as an explanation of the verse,
“That is (brotherhood) in religion and sanctity, not in lineage. It was said regarding this, that the brotherhood in religion is stronger than the brotherhood in lineage for the brotherhood in lineage is disrupted due to the difference in religion whist the brotherhood in religion is not broken off due to the difference in lineage.” [15]
Part of injustice is having bad suspicion about your brother and it is one of the ingredients of the destruction of brotherhood as the Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wassalam said,
“Do not be envious of one another; do not artificially inflate prices against one another; do not hate one another; do not shun one another; and do not undercut one another in business transactions; and be as fellow-brothers and servants of Allah. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him. Piety is here – and he pointed to his chest three times. It is evil enough for a Muslim to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for another Muslim: his blood, his property and his honour.”[16]
From this hadith we understand that holding a Muslim on contempt is also forbidden according to the Shari’ah of Prophet Muhammad salAllahu ‘alayhi wassalam. We should deal with our Muslim brothers and sisters with a clean heart and having no ill feeling having for them. This way one achieves two benefits:
1) Having good relations with one another
2) Possibility of committing injustice lessens as the heart is devoid of evil
“…So make reconciliation between your brothers…”
This ayah was revealed in connection to the ayah preceding it but it can also be used for general purposes.
Imam al- Qurtubi rahimahuLlah writes in his tafsir,
“Abu ‘Ubaydah said, ‘Reconcile between all the brothers.’”[17]
Then he goes on and says,
“In this verse and the one before, is evidence that the ones tyrannise (like khawarij) do not cease to carry the name of Iman because Allah, the Exalted, named them brothers of believers in spite of the fact that they are wrong doers. Al-Harith al-A’ur said that ‘Ali bin Abi Talib was asked and he was exemplary in fighting the people of tyranny (khawarij or hypocrites) from the people of the Jamal and Siffin, ‘Are they polytheists?’ He said, ‘No, the one who do shirk have fled.’ Then it was asked, ‘Are they hypocrites?’ He said, ‘No, for the hypocrites do not remember Allah except little.’ Then it was said to him, ‘Then what is their condition?’ He said, ‘They are our brothers who have transgressed against us.’”[18]
I have personally read statements of kufr against the brothers and sisters who are accused by the west of murdering many innocent people. The situation of ‘Ali radhi Allahu ‘anhu was worse and still he considered them as his brothers.
In conclusion, we should try our best to refrain from all sorts of evils we could indulge in when dealing with our brothers and sisters. Not judging them, nor being suspicious of them nor speaking ill of them would solve many of the current problems this Ummah is facing. And indeed, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala knows best.
I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala to accept this work and give benefit to whoever reads it and save them from misguidance. Amin
References:
[1] Surah al-Hujurat, 49:06
[2] Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Karim
[3] An-Nakat wal-‘Uyun & Jami’ li Ahkam al-Qur’an (similar statement mentioned)
[4] Jami’ li AHkam al-Qur’an
[5]Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, Sunan At-Tirmidhi
[6] Surah al-Hujurat, 49:12
[7] Muwatta Imam Malik
[8] Jami’ al-Bayan Fi Tafsir al-Qur’an
[9] Jami’ li AHkam al-Qur’an
[10] Sunan al-Bayhaqi
[11] Surah al-Hujurat, 49:10
[12] Jami’ al-Bayan Fi Tafsir al-Qur’an
[13]Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
[14] Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari
[15] Jami’ li Ahkam al-Qur’an
[16]Sahih Muslim
[17] Jami’ li Ahkam al-Qur’an
[18] Ibid
