The Duties of Brotherhood in Islam (Part 3)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

7th Duty: Loyalty and Sincerity

• The meaning of loyalty is steadfastness in love and maintaining it to the death with your brother, and after his death with his children and his fellows. ( what is fellows)
• For love is for the sake of the Other Life. If its severed before death the work is in vain and the effort wasted.
• The Prophet Saw said “ Among the 7 whom God keeps in His Shadow (shelter) are also 2 men who love each other for Gods sake, constant whether together or apart”
• Loyalty to the brother includes consideration towards all his fellows, relatives and dependants.
• Nothing proves! The strength of the compassion and love so much as when these carried over from loved ones to all his dependants.
• Even the dog at his gate should be distinguished from other dogs!
• It is said that if a rupture falls between two who have become brothers in God, this can only be through a sin committed by one of them.
• One fruit of affection for God’s sake is that envy cannot co exist with it whether in religion or worldly.
• To prefer ones brother over oneself and finding no need for what has been given to them. For finding need there would be envy..
• Know that loyalty does not extend to agree with a brother in what is contrary to the Truth in a matter of religion. Indeed loyalty then calls for opposition to him.
• The point is that part of the fullness of loyalty and love is Sincerity towards God.
• A pious said” brotherhood is subtle essence. If you do not guard it, it exposed to misfortunes. So guard it by self-control, even to the point of apologising to the on who has wronged you, and by contentment, so that you do not overrate your own virtues or your brothers failing”
• One of the marks of sincerity and perfect loyalty is to extremely wary of separation.
• Loyalty includes not listening to gossip about your friend.
• It includes also not befriending your friends enemy.

8th duty: Relief from discomfort & inconvenience.

• You should not discomfort your brother with things that are difficult for him. Rather should you ease his heart of its cares and needs and spare him having to assume any of your burden.
• You should not ask him for help with money or influence.
• Nor discomfort him with having to be polite, to go into your situation and attend to your rights.
• The sole object of your love should be God;-being blessed by your brothers prayer, enjoying his company, receiving assistance from him in your religion, drawing near to God-; is through attending to his rights and bearing his provision.
• Jaafar ibn Muhammad Al Sadiq RA said : the heaviest of my brothers upon me is the one who discomforts me and with whom i must observe formality. The lightest on my heart is he whom i can be as i would on my own.
• Relief and freedom from discomfort includes not objecting to optional devotions(sunnah). The brother doesnt add or subtract the fellows Sunnah acts.
• Relief and lack of fuss is only complete when you consider yourself beneath your brothers and think highly of them but poorly of yourself.
• This is the least of the degrees; is to look with the eye of equality.
• Whenever you see yourself superior to your brother, you belittle him. The Prophet saw said: the believer can do no worse than belittle his brother.
• The completion of comfort and freedom from embarrassment includes consulting your brothers in all you plan and in accepting their suggestions.

Such then are the duties of fellowship. We have described them now in general, now in detail. But the matter it not complete unless they are taken to lie upon yourself and in your brothers favour. Therefore you must bind all your faculties to their service.

• As for Sight: by looking on them with affection, so that they will know it from you, and by looking on their good points and turning a blind eye to their faults. Do not distract your attention from them when they approach you, or as long as they are with you. Each of the Sahabas thought that the Prophet Saw was the closest to him due to his kind attention. His Saw company was a place of modesty, humility and confidence. He Saw was the most given to smiling and laughing with his companions, and to marvelling at their tales.
• Hearing: by listening to your brother’s words with pleasure and by confirming them, showing them to be well received. Do not interrupt their speech wilfully or contentiously, or intrusively or contradictingly. If a distraction befalls you, apologise to them. Guard your hearing from what is distasteful to them.
• Tongue: we have mentioned its duties already. One thing is not to raise your voice against them, and not to address them with things they dont understand.
• Hands: by not withdrawing them from assisting your brothers in all the the hand can do.
• Feet: by using them to walk behind like a follower, not striding out and not walking ahead unless they send you on in front. Strand for them when they approach you, and sit only when they are seated.
• When union is complete the burden of some of these duties is lifted (standing up, apologies, praise etc) for they are duties of fellowship and contain an element of remoteness and formality. When union is complete the carpet of formality is rolled up entirely and you can behave with your brother as with yourself. For these manners of the Outer are only the title page of the Inner and of Purity of Heart. When hearts are purified there is no need of formality to display their content.
• He who looks to the fellowship of creatures will sometimes be crooked and sometimes straight. But he who looks to the Creator is bound to the Straight Path both inwardly and outwardly. His Inner is adorned by love of God and His creatures. His Outer is beautified by worship of God and service to His Servants. These are highest kinds of service to God since there is no way to them except by good character. The slave through this goodness of his character can attain the degree and level of the upright & pious keeper of fasts – and beyond.