Brotherhood is one of the significant and profound concepts in Islam, which transcends mere blood relations but encompasses the spiritual bond that unites Muslims irrespective of their racial or geographical locations. In other words, Islamic brotherhood is a concept deeply rooted in faith and not mere familial ties.
Islam makes no distinction or privilege among its adherents based on colour, race, tribe, geographical location and the standards of living. Hence, the individuals of the Islamic society are equal in terms of rights and duties, while the only criterion for superiority is piety and fear of God, the Mighty. That is to say, Islam considers every individual in the Islamic system equal without any difference or superiority in terms of ethnic group, tribe or race.
In verse 13 of Qur’an 49 [Surah al-Hujurāt], it is said: O mankind! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you nations and tribes that you may identify yourselves with one another. Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most Godwary among you. Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-aware.
According to Ayatollah Subhani, he writes thus: “The issue of equality between all human beings, opposition to any type of racial, ancestral and class discrimination, fairness between all the children of Adam in relation to human rights and that no person is better than another due to his skin colour, language, lineage or race- is one of the most important societal issues in the Qur’an which has been mentioned in various Ayat of the Heavenly Book[1].”
Likewise, in the explanation of Ayatollah Faqih Imani on this glorious verse, he said: “The Islamic faith rejects all racial, political, ethnological, tribal, geographical, economic, intellectual, cultural, social, and military segregations and places fear of God as the standard for distinction between virtues and vice[2].”
Similarly, in verse 10 of the Qur’an 49 [Surah al-Hujurāt], it is categorically stated that the faithful are brothers: “The faithful are indeed brothers. Therefore, make peace between your brothers and be wary of Allah, so that you may receive [His] mercy.”
While explaining this verse, Ayatollah Faqih Imani[3] writes: The blessed Verse in question treats the relationship amongst believers like that between brothers. The similitude demonstrates a number of points including:
1. The friendship between two brothers is deeply rooted and firm.
2. The friendship between two brothers is bilateral rather than unilateral.
3. Such friendship is based on innate nature and disposition rather than on worldly and mundane appeals.
4. Two brothers are unanimous before strangers and support each other.
5. The two brothers descend from common progenitors.
It is on this basis that the first step taken by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) upon his arrival at Medina was the establishment of the pillars of love and friendship between the Muslims wherein each one of the Helpers [Anṣār] would profess their brotherhood to another person of the Immigrants. This holy covenant has had a profound effect on promoting social relations. As a result, the feelings of revenge and pre-Islamic tribalism break down and they have been replaced by love, friendship and Islamic brotherhood. Thus, all of them have been associated within the sphere of the true religion and become a single rank and a single nation.
In addition, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) and his purified household (peace be upon them) have emphasized on different occasions the covenant of brotherhood between believers so that it may be a strong bond which strengthens society’s adherence and promotes the deep relations between the individuals.
Thus, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) says: “Whoever fraternises with a brother out of love of God, God will raise for them a degree in Paradise which they would never attain out of their work[4].”
It is narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) who was reported to have said: “A believer is the brother of a believer, his eye, and his guide; he does not betray him nor wrong him, nor deceive him, nor does he break a promise he made to him[5].”
Meanwhile, when Islam encourages the love of God then, this love is directed towards the lovers and friends of God as well. On the other hand, showing love to the friends of God brings about remembrance of God since His attributes can be manifested in the conduct and practices of His friends, which would finally lead us to gain proximity to Him.
Therefore, on the grounds of love for the sake of God alone does dissociation from His enemies and the unbelievers come into view since an enemy of our beloved is deemed to be our enemy too. Thus, the noble verse, which embodies that sense splendidly, says: “Muhammad, the Apostle of Allah, and those who are with him are hard against the faithless and merciful amongst themselves[6].”
There are some intimate relationships between the believers, which have been united by divine love, and this love has made them indeed a powerful bloc against the enemies of God. Truthfulness in divine love can be achieved through two things:
The first is obedience to God the Mighty in His commands and prohibitions since one cannot be deemed truthful if they claim to love but do not obey the beloved. As for God, He loves us and His plentiful favours overwhelm us too.
The second is that divine love requires performing some social duties such as obedience to the parents, obtaining their satisfaction, maintaining blood ties, and showing goodness and kindness to the neighbours, the needy, and the poor, in addition to dissociation from the enemies of God. The noble Qur’an specifies the starting point as regards the relations with the enemies. The Most High says: “O you who have faith! Do not take the faithless for friends instead of the faithful[7].” Similarly, the Mighty also says: “O you who have faith! Do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends[8].”
Thus, the covenant of Islamic brotherhood is nothing but an affection out of the love of God between the believers. According to the noble Qur’an, the covenant of brotherhood relies upon faith in God as well as His obedience, while the other materialistic considerations are thoroughly worthless and unimportant. It, therefore, transcends all materialistic considerations such as colour, race, position, and so on.
In light of this, the early period of Islam witnessed this kind of brotherly bond wherein the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) was usually sitting with the slaves at a single table. While the tribes in the Arabian Peninsula were boasting about the number of camels, children, and properties, and while they preferred the Arabs to others and the white persons to the black ones, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) cancelled those empty considerations. The only criterion of superiority in Islam is nothing but piety. Thus, it can be observed that among his companions were Bilal who was from Abyssinia, Suheib who was from Rome and Salman who came from Persia. Likewise, we find that Zaid ibn Haritha married a lady from Quraysh whose name is Zaynab, the Prophet’s cousin and that Juweybir, who was a poor African man married al-Zelfa, a daughter of a very notable rich person because the Qur’an says “The faithful are indeed brothers” and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) says: “The believer is equal to the (other) believer.”
In view of this, it can be said that Islamic brotherhood is a fundamental covenant that stems from the very creed of Islam, or rather, it is the essence and slogan of the Islamic creed. It signifies a bond of solidarity and mutual support among Muslims. The closest relationship and bond that can take place between two people during the course of their lifetime is that of brotherhood. The only relationship that is a complete manifestation of strong unity, love and affection is the one that exists between two people who are living on an equal plane in life and this is the relationship of brotherhood and sisterhood[9].
Conclusion
Islam has cancelled all considerations of excellence and discrimination based on race, tribe, colour, and standards of living. Every individual in Islamic society is equal in terms of rights and duties, while the criterion for superiority is piety and righteousness.
God the Mighty makes piety a principal criterion for man’s excellence and specifies the social relations based on love and hate out of the love of Him. Similarly, the aforementioned love and hate can be achieved through establishing social duties with the friends of God as well as breaking off all sorts of friendly relationships with His enemies.
The first step taken by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) on his arrival to Medina was the formation of the covenant of brotherhood between the Immigrants and the Helpers. Consequently, the relations among individuals in Islamic society turn out to be extremely deep-rooted and grounded on friendship and love.
Islamic brotherhood is considered the closest relationship and bond that can take place between two people during the course of their lifetime and it signifies a bond of solidarity and mutual support among Muslims.
References
[1] . Ayatullah Ja’far Subhani, The Islamic Moral System, p. 169.
[2] . Ayatullah Sayyed Kamal Faqhih Imani, An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur’an vol. 17, p. 185.
[3] . Ayatullah Sayyed Kamal Faqhih Imani, An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur’an vol. 17, pp. 174- 175.
[4] . Al-Haqa’iq, p. 318 (Quoted from the book titled “Islamic Manners, vol. 1, p. 31)
[5] . Majlisi, Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 71, p. 268.
[6] . Qur’an 48: 29.
[7] . Qur’an 4: 144.
[8] . Qur’an 60: 1.
[9] . Ayatullah Ja’far Subhani, The Islamic Moral System, p. 95.
