Lesson 11 : Respecting the Muslim

Allah created the human being in the best of forms. He made him benefit from what is in the sky and Earth. He endowed upon him a mind, tongue, lips, eyes and ears so that one uses these organs in the accepted way to please Allah, i.e., to obey him and perform obedience to Him.

Allah, ta^ala, said in the Qur’an:

وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ

Wa sawwarakum fa’ahsana suwarakum wa ilayhil-masir.

Ayah 3 of Suratut-Taghabun means: {Allah created you having a good shape. To Him is the return.}

Allah gave the Muslim a merit over others, because he has fulfilled the greatest obligation, which is believing in Allah and stating that Allah is clear of having partners. The Muslim has several rights. The Religion has urged us to respect the Muslim and not to demean him. The Religion also made hurting a Muslim a sin for which one deserves to be punished. If one gossips about another without an excuse one commits a sin of the tongue. If one hits him unrightfully, then one commits a sin of the body, and so forth.

Some of the sins that one must avoid:

· Among the sins of the heart: arrogance, enmity, and envy.

· Among the sins of the eye: looking down on a Muslim.

· Among the sins of the tongue: mocking a Muslim. Likewise, every word, action, or sign that causes harm to a Muslim is a sin. Also, laughing at him with the purpose of making fun of him in a way that hurts him is sinful.

The Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said:

بِحَسْبِ امْرِىءٍ مِنَ الشَّرِ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ

Bihasbi-mri’im minash-sharri ay yahqira akhah.

Which means: “Belittling one’s fellow Muslim is an act of great evil.” (Narrated by Muslim.)

· Among the sins of the hand: Hitting a Muslim without a right. Likewise, scaring him, and pointing a weapon at him.

The Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said:

مَنْ أَشَارَ إِلَى أَخِيهِ بِحَدِيدَةٍ فَإِنَّ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ تَلْعَنُهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ أَخَاهُ لأَبِيهِ وَأُمِّهِ

Man ashara ila akhihi bihadidatin fa’innal-mala’ikata tal^anuhu wa in kana akhahu li’abihi wa ummih.

Which means: “The one who points a knife at his brother will be cursed by the angels, even if he was his brother from his mother and father.” (Related by Ibn Hibban.)

· Among the sins of the foot: to walk towards committing a sin, such as walking to the ruler to inflict harm unjustly on a Muslim.

· Among the sins of the body: to imitate the believer mockingly, even if this was by saying, action, or sign.

Allah, ta^ala, said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا يَسْخَرْ قَومٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ

Ya ayyuhal-ladhina amanu la yaskhar qawmum min qawm.

Ayah 11 of Suratul-Hujurat means: {O believers, do not mock one another.}

Mocking a Muslim can be by laughing at him if he makes a mistake while talking, or laughing at his actions or his appearance. The believer should love his Muslim brother and be kind to and help him.

The Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said:

مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى

Mathalul-mu’minina fi tawwaddihim wa tarahumihim wa ta^atufihim mathalul-jasadil-wahid(i), idhashtaka minhu ^udwun tada^a lahu sa’irul-jasadi bis-sahari wal-humma.

Which means: “The Muslims with their mutual love, mercy and care are like the body: when one of its parts is ill, all of the other parts join to share the sleeplessness and fever.” (Narrated by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim.)

Questions:

1. What is the greatest right that Allah has upon the humans?

2. List some of the sins of the heart.

3. List some of the sins of the eye.

4. List some of the sins of the tongue.

5. List some of the sins of the hand.

6. List some of the sins of the foot.

7. List some of the sins of the body.

8. List a hadith that encourages us to treat the believers well.