Reconciling the Hearts

Allaah – the One free from all imperfections – said:

“So have taqwaa (fear and obedience) of Allaah and reconcile the differences between yourselves.” [Soorah al-Anfaal 8:1]

“Indeed the believers are but Brothers. Therefore reconcile the differences between your brothers, and fear Allaah so that you may receive mercy.” [Soorah al-Hujuraat 49:10].

“So this is a knot which Allaah has bound the Believers together with, such that whenever a person is found possessing eemaan (faith) in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Last Day – whether in the eastern or western part of the world – then such a person becomes the brother of the Believers. This brotherhood obligates that the Believers should love for that person that which they love for themselves, and hate for that person that which they hate for themselves. Therefore, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi we sallam said – whilst ordering the brotherhood of eemaan (faith):

“Do not envy one another. Do not forsake one another. Do not under-cut one another. But be worshippers of Allaah and brothers. The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim; he neither oppresses him nor humiliates him, nor lies to him, nor holds him in contempt. And piety is right here – and he pointed to his chest three times. It is enough evil for a person to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. The whole of a Muslim for another Muslim is sacred; his blood, his property and his honour.”[1]

And he sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

“The Believer to the Believer is like a solid structure, one part supporting the other.”

And he interlaced his fingers to demonstrate this.[2]

Thus Allaah and his Messenger sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam ordered that the right of the Believers be fulfilled by each other, and that those matters which will bring about harmony, love and togetherness be carried out. All of this is to be done in order to further the rights that they have over one another. So from such rights is that when fighting occurs between them – thereby causing their hearts to separate and to have hatred and to cut-off from one another – then the Believers should bring about reconciliation between their brothers and do that which will remove the enmity. Then Allaah ordered taqwaa in general and made the bestowal of His Mercy the consequence of their having taqwaa and their fulfilling the rights of the Believers. So He said:

“And have taqwaa of Allaah in order that you may receive mercy.”

Thus, if Allaah’s mercy is attained, then the good of this world and the Hereafter will also be attained.”[3]

‘Aaishah radiallahu ‘anhaa used to say: that when people abandoned acting upon this Aayah (verse):

“When two parties of the Believers fight each other, then make reconciliation between them.” [Soorah al-Hujuraat 49:9].

So when the Muslims began fighting each other, it was obligatory to reconcile them, as Allaah – the Most High – ordered. However, when they did not do this, then fitnah (trials and tribulations) spread, as did ignorance, and this is what caused the differences to continue.[4]

Allaah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

“Shall I not inform you of something that is greater in degree than (optional) fasting, charity and Prayer?”

They said: “Indeed inform us.” So he said:

“It is reconciling the people. For indeed causing corruption between them is the shaver!”[5]

And he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam explained this shaving in another saying:

“The disease of the people before you has overcome you: namely envy and hatred, and it is the shaver, I do not say that it shaves-off the hair. Rather, it shaves off the religion!”[6]

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[1] Related by Muslim (no.2564), from Abu Hurayra radiallaahu ‘anhu

[2] Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.481) and Muslim (no.2585), from Abu Hurayrah radiallahu ‘anhu.

[3] Tayseerul-Kareemur-Rehmaan (7/133-134) of Shaykh as-Sa’dee.

[4] Related by Ibn Abil-‘Izz in Sharhul-‘Aqeedatit-Tahaawiyya (2/777). Al-Bayhaqee related something similar to this in his Sunanul-Kubraa (8/172).

[5] Saheeh: Related by at-Tirmidhee (no.2640) and Abu Daawood (no.4919), from Abud-Dardaa radiallhu ‘anhu. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Ghaayatul-Maraam (no.2038).

[6] Hasan: Related by at-Tirmidhee (no.2641), from as-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwaam radiallaahu ‘anhu. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunanit-Tirmidhee (no.2038).