Etiquette of the Special Brotherhood for the Sake of Allah – Loving and Hating for His Sake

[Excerpts from Minhaj Al-Muslim by Abu Bakr Jabir Al-Jaza’iry]

A Muslim, as ordered by his belief in Allah, does not love anyone he loves except for the sake of Allah the Almighty and he does not hate anyone he hates except for for the sake of Allah. This is because he does not love anything except what Allah the Almight loves and His Messenger (SAW) loves. Similarly, he does not hate anything except what Allah hates and His Messenger (SAW) hates. Therefore, if Allah or/and His Messenger love something, he loves it. If Allah or/and His Messenger hate something, he hates it. The evidence for this is in Allah’s Messenger’s statement:

((Whoever loves for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake of Allah, gives for the sake of Allah and withholds for the sake of Allah has completed his faith.)) (Abu Dawud)

Based on that, a Muslim loves and has loyalty for all of Allah’s righteous worshippers. Similarly, all evil humans who go against Allah and His Messenger’s commands are hated and opposed by a Muslim..

..Allah’s Messenger (SAW) also said:

((Around the Throne (of Allah) there are pulpits of light surrounded by people whose clothing is light and whose faces are light. They are neither Prophets nor martyrs but the Prophets and martyrs would be happy to be in their state.))

The people said, “O Allah’s Messenger, describe them to us.” He said,

((They are the ones who love for the sake of Allah, meet together for the sake of Allah and visit each other for the sake of Allah.)) (An-Nasa’i and it is Sahih)

..Allah’s Messenger (SAW) also said:

((A man went to visit another person and it was said to him, ‘Was it for some need you had with him?’ He answered, ‘No.’ The questioner then said, ‘Was it due to some blood relation that exists between you and him?’ The man said, ‘No.’ The questioner said, ‘Was it because of some bounty you had with him?’ He answered, ‘No.’ The questioner said, ‘Then why?’ He said, ‘I love him for the sake of Allah.’ The other then said, ‘Allah has sent me to you informing you that He loves you because you love that man for Allah’s sake. Paradise has become obligatory for you.’)) (Muslim)

This special brotherhood is conditioned by it being for the sake of Allah and completely free of any worldly needs or material benefits. The motivating factor behind it must be for the belief in Allah and only the belief in Allah.

As for its etiquette, one should keep the following points in mind when choosing a special brother for the sake of Allah:

1. The person chosen must be intelligent. There is no good in choosing a fool as a brother or accompanying him. The ignorant fool may end up harming the one who is seeking to benefit him.
2. The person chosen to be a special brother must be a person of good character..
3. The brother chosen must be fearful of Allah the Almighty..
4. The brother chosen must be one who sticks to the Qur’an and Sunnah and is far away from any kind of deviation or innovation..

..One of the righteous people summarized these characteristics when he advised his son, “O son of mine, if the need comes to you to accompany men, then accompany the one whom if you serve him, he will protect you; if you accompany him, he will make you better; if your provisions are restricted, he will give you; if you strech out your hand for good, he will strech it further; if he sees any good in you, he will reckon it for you; if he sees evil from you, he will close it. Accompany the one whom if you ask him, he will give you and if you are silent, he will start talking to you. If you are afflicted with something, he will console you. Accompany the one whom if you speak, he will believe in your speech and if you differ in any matter, he gives preference to what you say.”

The Rights of the Special Brotherhood for the Sake of Allah

1. Giving financial help and assistance to one another..
2. Each of the brothers must be willing to assist and help the other and give the other preference over himself..
3. He should not speak about his brother except in good terms..
4. He should say things about his brother that he loves to have said about himself. He should call his brother by the names that he likes the most.. Imam Shafi`i once said: “To admonish your brother privately is to advise him and improve his state. But to admonish him publicly is to disgrace him and shame him.”
5. A brother should overlook his brother’s slips and lapses. He should conceal his faults and have good thoughts or ideas about his brother..
6. One must fulfill the ties of brotherhood and continue fulfilling them until death.. From the fulfillment of the brotherhood is the brother not befriending the enemy of his brother.. Part of this brtoherhood is that one brother does not request of his brother what would be difficult for him to fulfill..
7. A brother must pray for his brother and his children. The same good that he prays for himself and his children, he should ask for his brother.. Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said:

   ((Whoever prays for his brother behind his back has an angel saying to him, ‘And for you the same.’ )) (Muslim)

One of the righteous said: “Where is the likes of the righteous brother? If a person dies, his family is dividing his wealth and enjoying what he left behind. The pious brother is the only one who grieves. He is concerned about what his brother is facing and will face. He prays for him in the darkness of the night. He asks forgiveness for him while he is under layers of earth.”

I would recommend everyone to go through this topic from the original book. These are only excerpts. A lot of important information had to missed out due to lack of time.

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