Importance of Muslim Brotherhood in Quran and Sunnah

Islam is the religion of love, peace, and affection. Islam teaches the lesson of brotherhood between Muslims which we can say Muslim Brotherhood. This entire world is a brotherhood of Allah’s people whom His created. Muslim Brotherhood has great importance in Quran and Sunnah as our beloved Prophet (SAW) preached and practiced the lesson of Muslim Brotherhood. Islam establishes brotherhood on basis of faith. The Prophet (SAW) said about brotherhood, “If a person loves his brother, he should inform him of this fact.” (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)

Muslim Brotherhood is the basis for a good Muslim society and making friends among Muslims opens the way toward better understanding and building a better Muslim Community. Muslim Brotherhood is not based on economic interests, race, or color. It is based on something infinitely superior that is Rejection of falsehood and acceptance of the Truth as revealed by the One True Lord Almighty Allah.

Brotherhood is not only based on faith, but it is also a part of that faith. The Prophet (SAW) said: “You cannot enter paradise unless you become a total believer and you won’t become a total believer unless you love each other.” Faith and community are inseparable in the faith community produced by Islam.

Even an occasional reader of Quran would note that it always addresses the Believers, not the Believer. All acts of worship that are declared pillars of Islam have a collective form shows the importance of Muslim Brotherhood that one should get the benefit while doing with other Muslim brothers.

Those people who join in the worship of Allah produce a Muslim Brotherhood that demonstrates the best moral values of the faith. The believers are brothers in Religion just as Allah has described them in the Quran:  “The believers are nothing else than brothers. So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy” (Al-Hujurat, 10). The reason for their being described in this way is that they all share the same beliefs, work towards the same goals, and share the same code of behavior.

We will discuss in this article the importance of Muslim Brotherhood in light of Quran and Sunnah from which we can show how Muslims depends on each other and what Allah say in Quran about Muslim brotherhood and how Prophet (SAW) proved it practically.

Muslim Brotherhood in Quran

Islam also teaches about brotherhood regarding the original parentage that is concerning to earthly origin all are descendants of the same pair of human being those are Adam and Eve. Allah Almighty says in Quran: “O, mankind! Surely we have created you of a male and female and make you tribes and families that you know each other, surely the noblest among you unto Allah is one who fears him Behold! Allah is Knower Aware” [Quran, Al-Hujurat (49.13)]

Islam teaches that all mankind is but one family, as such all man and women are brothers and sisters. This verse also clarifies that the criteria for judgment in the eyes of Allah do not depend on caste, color, profession, gender or wealth, but on Taqwa, piety, and righteousness. Anyone who is righteous and pious is honored in the eyes of Allah.

Allah said in another verse of Holy Quran: “Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. Remember the favor of Allah upon you, when you were enemies and he brought your hearts together and you became brothers by his favor.” (Quran, 3:103). This verse clearly states that we should stay united as Allah commanded in Quran because He made us brothers by creating love in our hearts.

The level of brotherhood involves purifying the heart of all enmity, hatred, and grudge for those who have faith, including for the righteous predecessors of Islam, those who believed in the previous prophets, and the general masses of believers throughout all of history. Allah says in Quran: “They say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts any resentment toward those who have faith. Our Lord, you are kind and merciful.” (Quran, 59:10)

In another Verse of Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says: “And among His signs is the creation of heavens and earth, and the variations in your languages, and your colors, verily in that are the signs for those who know” (Quran, 30:22). No one is superior from another on the basis of language and color in the sight of Allah all men and women are equal and we also should consider all of Muslims as our brothers and sisters.

Muslim Brotherhood in the light of Sunnah

There are many hadiths relating to the fact that Muslim society is like a building, which bricks support each other. We can say that Muslim Brotherhood is very necessary for strong Muslim community if we united we can face and stand our enemies those who are against our religion Islam. We can save our Muslim brothers from enemies by helping them only if we establish untidiness and brotherhood. Our beloved Prophet (SAW) practically proved that brotherhood is very important for us (Muslim). The Ahadith confirm and extend the Quranic teachings on Islamic brotherhood.

Prophet (SAW) said: “The Muslims are like a single man. If the eye is afflicted, then the whole body is afflicted. If the head is afflicted, then the whole body is afflicted.”(Sahih Muslim) This means the believers should love for each other what they love for themselves. They avoid harming one another; they should generous with one another, and should behave in the best manner with each other.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “He who relieves the hardship of a believer in this world, Allah will relieve his hardship on the Day of Judgment. He who makes easy what is difficult; Allah will make it easy for him in the world and the Hereafter. He who conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in the world and the Hereafter, for Allah helps the servant as long as he helps his brother.” 

 From this hadith we can conclude that by helping Muslim brother Allah will help the one who is helping in this world and the Hereafter. We should try to do behave in a way that mentioned above so that we can take blessings from Almighty Allah in this world and the Hereafter.

Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Verily, the believers with the most complete faith are those with the most excellent character and who are most kind to their families.” (Sunan Al Tirmidhi) from this hadith, we can conclude that If our families are Muslims, then they must also be afforded the rights of religious brotherhood.

In short, every person we meet will fall into one or more categories of brotherhood in Islam. As a Muslim, it is our duty to treat them well according to the rights for which they are entitled, whether they are family members or fellow human beings.

We should promote brotherhood so that we can portray the true and best picture of the Islamic religion to the world so that non-Muslims would adopt this faith much more readily because they would see the fruits of this faith in its enthusiast. The feeling of brotherhood is mandatory for unity. May Allah help us to establish the true spirit of brotherhood by forgetting our so-called differences. And it is only possible if we act upon the teachings of the Holy Quran and Holy Prophet (SAW) especially in this regard.