The Prophet Said About Brotherhood Among Muslims
لاَ تَقَاطَعُوا وَلاَ تَدَابَرُوا وَلاَ تَبَاغَضُوا وَلاَ تَحَاسَدُوا وَكُونُوا إِخْوَانًا كَمَا أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ
“Do not cut ties with one another, do not turn your backs on one another, do not hate one another, and do not envy one another. Be brothers as Allah has commanded you.”
The Prophet (pbuh) identified in this hadith the behaviours that pose the greatest threat to the brotherhood that Islam commands between Muslims. Cutting ties, turning away, harbouring hatred, and envying one another are four actions that, if left unchecked, can quietly dismantle even the strongest communities from within. He then gave a direct and clear instruction: be brothers as Allah has commanded you. This hadith is a reminder that brotherhood in Islam is not a vague ideal or a feel-good concept; it is a commandment from Allah that requires effort, self-discipline, and constant vigilance over the heart. For anyone looking to understand what Islam teaches about maintaining strong bonds between Muslims, this hadith addresses the issue with remarkable directness and depth.
What stands out in this teaching is that the Prophet (pbuh) did not focus on what Muslims should do for each other, but on what they should stop doing to each other. This is significant because most damage within communities does not come from a lack of grand gestures, but from small, toxic behaviours that build up over time. A grudge that is never resolved, a feeling of jealousy that is never addressed, a cold shoulder that becomes permanent, these are the silent killers of relationships. The Prophet (pbuh) understood that protecting brotherhood means removing the poisons before they spread. It requires a believer to swallow their pride, to forgive even when it is hard, to be genuinely happy when others are blessed, and to always be the one who reaches out rather than the one who pulls away. This level of emotional and spiritual maturity is not easy, but it is exactly what Allah asks of those who call themselves believers.
Allah says in Surah Al-Hujuraat of the Quran, “The believers are but brothers, so make reconciliation between your brothers” (Quran 49:10), confirming that this bond is a fundamental part of what it means to be a Muslim. As As-Salam, Allah is the Source of all peace, and He loves to see that peace reflected in how believers treat one another. When a Muslim actively works to remove hatred, envy, and division from their heart, they build the kind of brotherhood that Allah intended for this entire community.
