BROTHERHOOD IN ISLAM

Love is a gift from Allah (s.w.t.) and only comes from Allah. Therefore, Allah’s love is present in every Muslim. A person showing great kindness to his brother is a great blessing. Our Prophet (s.a.w.) says: “Allahu Ta’ala will forgive, whoever looks in the face of his Muslim brother with great kindness”.

Imam Malik (r.a.) explains in his book, Muwatta, that one day, an Arab, Qays ibn Mutata, arrives into a room where a group of Sahaba are having a friendly conversation. When he realises that Arab tribes, Aws and Hazraj, are talking and sitting with non-Arab tribes, he gets very angry and says: “Aws and Hazraj, are the servants of Rasulullah (s.a.w.). But, Bilal from Abyssinia, Suhayb from the Romans and Salman from Iran! But they are not Arabs? How is it possible that non-Arabs can sit and talk equally with Arabs?”

After hearing this Muaz ibn Jabal (r.a.) becomes very angry, stands up very quickly and says: “I am going to take you to Rasulullah (s.a.w.), and we will ask him exactly about what you have said”. When they arrive Muaz ibn Jabal (r.a.) says “O Rasulullah! What do you say for this man? For he who, created Fitnah of racism among us. He says Salman from Iran, Bilal from Abyssinia, and Suhayb from the Romans are all of lower superior than Arabs. He says Arabs are more superior to non-Arabs, and therefore non-Arabs should not be among Arabs?”

After hearing this, our Prophet (s.a.w.) became angry and stood up and said the following:

“Oh people! Your Creator is one. Your father and mother is the same. Your mother was not an Arab and nor was your father. The difference is only in the languages you speak. An Arab is not superior than a non-Arab. Being superior depends on your Iman and obedience to Allah. Everyone should know it like this.”

Everybody who listened to this were Arabs. None of them said Arabs were more superior to non-Arabs. And Muaz ibn Jabal (r.a.), who brought the Arab who created the Fitnah, was also an Arab, and was still holding the man. Muaz ibn Jabal (r.a.), asked Rasulullah (s.a.w.) “Oh Rasulullah, what shall I do with this man who created Fitnah among us?”

Rasulullah (s.a.w.) replied heavily for this man: “Da’hu ilannar!” (“Leave him, his route is to Hell”)