This is a portion from Ihya’, the major work of Imam Ghazali (may Allah be please with him) translated by Muhtar Holland.
The treaties here presented in English translation comes from the 2nd quarter of the Ihya’. Brotherhood is a relationship of fundamental importance in Islam. The whole Community of Believers is conceived of as a great Brotherhood.
“Surely the believers are but brothers. So set things right between your two brothers, and be aware of God – perhaps you will obtain mercy.” (al- Hujurat 49:10)
Al Ghazali shows how brotherhood can be an aid to spiritual purification and the perfection of one’s worship, as well as a source of help and comfort in this world. (this term brotherhood, by extension is for the female sisterhood too. It applies to the bond between Muslim sisters in exactly the same way. This is only an issue of translation, and the differences between the Arabic and English languages.)
Al Ghazali on the Duties of Brotherhood: KNOW that the contract of brotherhood is a bond between two person, like the contract of marriage between two spouses. For just as marriage gives rise to certain duties which must be fulfilled when it is entered into. In all, comprises eight duties: (for this post i will be mentioning the first 3, and the subsequent ones in 2 more parts insha Allah)
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله
1st Duty: The material one.
- The Prophet Saw said “ 2 brothers are likened to a pair of hands, one of which washes the other”
- Entails a common participation in good fortune and bad. There are 3 degress in Sharing ones property with ones brothers;
- Lowest degree: you place your brother on the same level as your slave or servant, attending to his need from your surplus. Some need befalls him so you give him. But to oblige him to ask is the ultimate shortcoming of brotherhood duty.
- Second Degree: you place your brother on the same footing as yourself. You are content to have him as partner in your property and to treat him like yourself, to the point of letting him share equally.
- Third Degree: you prefer you brother over yourself and set his need before your own. This is the degree of the Siddiq and the final stage of those united in spiritual love. Self sacrifice is one of the fruits of this degree.
- If you do not find yourself at any of these stages in relation to your brother, then you must realize that the contract of brotherhood is not yet concluded in the Inner. All that lies between you is a formal relationship, lacking real force in reason or religion.
- The Prophet Saw said, “ When a comrade accompanies (meets) a comrade, if only one hour of the day, he will be asked to account for his companionship, whether he fulfilled his duty to God therein or wheted he neglected it”
2nd Duty: render aid, attending to them and giving priority over own deeds.
- Lowest degree consists in attending to the need when asked and when in plenty. Though with joy and cheerfulness, showing pleasure and gratitude.
- You should be on the watch for times of need. You should see that he does not have to ask, nor to reveal his need to appeal for help.
- Should not see yourself as having any right by virture of what you have done, rather count it a blessing that he accepts your effort on his behalf.
- You should not confine yourself to satisfying his need, but try from the start to be even more generous to prefer him and put him before relatives and children.
- Part of complete compassion is not to partake in solitude of delicious food, nor enjoy alone an occasion of happiness; rather the brother’s absence be distressing and the separation sad.
3rd Duty: Concern the tongue, which should sometimes be silent and at other times speak out
- For Silence; should not mention a brother’s fault in his absence or his presence. You should feign ignorance.
- Shouldn’t contradict when he talks not argue.
- Shouldn’t pry and quiz him about his affairs and reveal his secrets.
- On seeing him on the street or about some business you do not inform about yourself and ask about his object of going or coming lest it will trouble him to discuss or lie about it.
- Also keep silent from criticism of his love ones or from other people’s, for the hurt comes directly from the informant and only indirectly from the original speaker.
- You should not hide any praise you may hear for the pleasure in it is received directly from the conveyor. Concealment here would mean envy.
- In short keep silent about any speech unpleasant to him in general unless obliged to speak out to promote good and prevent evil, and even then only if you can find no valid excuse for saying nothing.
- As for mentioning his misdeeds and faults, this is slander and unlawful in respect of every Muslim. Know that Humans are made up of flaws and if you were to seek someone free of it you will never find a companion.
- Part of the matter of keeping quiet a secret or Aib is to deny knowledge of it even if this means lying for to speak truth is not incumbent in every circumstance. This is true brotherhood.
- Silence include abstaining from contention and contradictions whatever your brother talks about.
- The only motive for contention (arguing,debate etc) is to display intellectual superiority and to belittle ones opponent by showing up his ignorance. This amounts to arrogance, contempt, hurtfulness.. enmity is precisely in this, so what part can it have in brotherhood and true friendship?
- Contention is incompatible with such goodness of character. Brother should be urging in mutual assistance so much that they frowned questioning altogether. They said: if your brother say ‘come along!’ And he asks ‘where?’ Then do not make him your fellow.
Seedlings 