As I took my seat on another amazing creation of Allah, the giant Emirates Air Bus A380 parked at Heathrow Terminal 3, I instantly felt overwhelmed with the mercy of Allah as I recalled the roller coaster of a weekend I had experienced whilst remembering the following verse:

Allah Almighty says:

وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give charity and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have mercy upon them, for Allah is Almighty and Wise.

(Surat al-Tawbah 9:71)

 

Blessed!

I have been blessed by Allah Almighty to participate in several Islamic and Community Development related programs in a range of different countries and cities. Each program, travel & endeavor brings with it a personal set of positive emotions, unique lessons, priceless relationships and eloquent inspirations. In fact, after Allah Almighty and the purpose of building ignited communities that benefit humanity, it is my excitement to meet my newly found friends, whom I love for the sake of Allah, that actually gets me onto an aircraft again & again! Brotherhood and meeting people who remind you of your Lord, once experienced, is an addiction!

 

www.familybreak.org.uk

This particular weekend, I was blessed to attend the ever popular Family Break initiative run in the U.K. It is a non-profit unprecedented event which aims to bring together families for a four day break in a ‘halal’ environment over a long weekend. The event not only gives all attendees a chance to break away from the daily grind of life, but also instills within them the necessary rejuvenation to return back home with the spiritual, emotional, physical and mental renovation required to truly become the change that each attendee desires to see. If success is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration; then this event in my estimate, makes up all of the one percent required to get us transcending the levels of ascension towards our very own podium of excellence.

Seeds of Mercy + Sincere Brotherhood and Sisterhood = Compounded Mercy!

The theme of the family break weekend was “Seeds Of Mercy” with the Tafseer of Surah Maryam being the epicenter to this theme. Naturally, with an event of this scale; several contemplation and discussion points arose but I would like to touch on the most important take away of all – brotherhood and sisterhood. Why? Because in Islam the discussion of Brotherhood and Sisterhood is intrinsically linked to mercy, and this family-break weekend was all about teaching mercy, learning mercy, and by Allah, feeling mercy!

Islam, which is not just a religion, but a complete way of life, has gone to great lengths in inculcating within the servants of God Almighty the importance of being united upon sublime character, selflessness, and thriving together upon divinely sent values.

After all, we have been created as inter-dependent beings!

Allah Almighty says regarding the topic of interdependence:

أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَتَ رَبِّكَ ۚ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُم مَّعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۚ وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِّيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا ۗ وَرَحْمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ

 Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may make use of one another for service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate.

(AzZukhruf: 32)

For interdependency to function at peak efficiency; unity is a vital ingredient. Unity is indeed a mercy, and it is not strange that we find Allah Almighty teaching us this concept and the correlation between unity and mercy in the final testament – the Qur’an.

 

Allah Almighty says:

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

The believers are but brothers, so make reconciliation between your brothers and fear Allah that you may receive mercy.

(Surat al-Hujurat 49:10)

 

And Allah says:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا

Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. Remember the favor of Allah upon you, when you were enemies and he brought your hearts together and you became brothers by his favor.

(Surat Ali Imran 3:103)

 

And Allah says:

وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give charity and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have mercy upon them, for Allah is Almighty and Wise.

(Surat al-Tawba 9:71)

 

And Allah Almighty says:

يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

They say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts any resentment toward those who have faith. Our Lord, you are kind and merciful.

(Surat al-Hashr 59:10)

Subhanallah, how many lessons of mercy did you count from the cited verses?

The teachings of the Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him) are not void of manifest instruction and practice regarding this topic as well. In fact, one of his first actions after migration to Madeenah was to attach a ‘muhaajir’ to and ‘ansaari’ in true brotherhood. The stories that emanated thereafter were only stories of mercy as we find documented in the books of seerah for all to experience and learn from.

And in terms of prophetic instruction; consider the following lessons;

Anas ibn Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

لَا تَبَاغَضُوا وَلَا تَحَاسَدُوا وَلَا تَدَابَرُوا وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا وَلَا يَحِلُّ لِمُسْلِمٍ أَنْ يَهْجُرَ أَخَاهُ فَوْقَ ثَلَاثٍ

Do not hate each other, do not envy each other, do not turn away from each other, but rather be servants of Allah as brothers. It is not lawful for a Muslim to boycott his brother for more than three days.

(Saheeh al-Bukhaari:  5718)

And in another report, Nu’man ibn Basheer (May Allah be pleased with him) teaches us that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

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

The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.

(Saheeh alBukhaari: 5665)

And in another narration, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)  said:

الْمُسْلِمُونَ كَرَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ إِنْ اشْتَكَى عَيْنُهُ اشْتَكَى كُلُّهُ وَإِنْ اشْتَكَى رَأْسُهُ اشْتَكَى كُلُّهُ

The Muslims are like a single man. If the eye is afflicted, then the whole body is afflicted. If the head is afflicted, then the whole body is afflicted.

Ali ibn Abi Talib reported: The Messenger of Allah, (peace and blessings be upon him), said:

لِلْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ سِتَّةٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ يُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا لَقِيَهُ وَيُجِيبُهُ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيُشَمِّتُهُ إِذَا عَطَسَ وَيَعُودُهُ إِذَا مَرِضَ وَيَتْبَعُ جِنَازَتَهُ إِذَا مَاتَ وَيُحِبُّ لَهُ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ

A Muslim has six rights over another Muslim regarding good conduct: to greet him with peace when he meets him, to respond to his invitation, to respond to his sneeze, to visit him when he is sick, to follow his funeral prayer when he dies, and to love for him what he loves for himself.

(Sunan atTirmithi: 2736)

 

The pillars of Islam Unite us

It is clear from everything discussed thus far how important the concept of brotherhood and sisterhood is in Islam. In fact, if anyone needed any further convincing; it is for them to ponder over the pillars of Islam and consider how every pillar unites us in faith and worship during our day, week, year and lives!

The testimony of faith unites us together upon belief in one God and the acceptance of the final messenger as a prophet and messenger of God Almighty.

The five daily prayers unite us in the houses of God Almighty on earth at least five times a day.

The Zakah unites the rich with the poor.

The Fast unites the believers in worship during a month of the year.

The Hajj unites the entire ummah at a specific place on earth, and during a specific time.

 

Ending off…

The four days I fondly discuss here truly brought forth some of the happiest, most positive emotions I have felt, supercharged by the energy of sharing this amalgamation with others faithful servants of God Almighty.

The masses that we were during the course of the long weekend break, prayed together, learnt together, developed new relationships together, played together, changed the world together and loved each other for the sake of Allah Almighty together.

I said it before, and I will say it again….. True brotherhood and sisterhood is addictive! Once achieved it is just so difficult to depart from.

Closing…

At the end of the long weekend of mercy which I was blessed to live through, each lecturer had to share some parting words. I spoke about some action points to take away and use in order to bring some perspiration to our newly found inspiration and create ignited communities that benefit humanity.

Another respected lecturer (may Allah preserve him in goodness) spoke about how he had just arrived from the blessed lands of Makkah and Madeenah to find similar emotions during the family-break in the U.K due to its unity and atmosphere!

A third respected speaker (may Allah preserve him in goodness) taught everyone an amazing prophetic narration related to mercy and unity, in the form of the following words:

Abdullah ibn Amr reports that The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Those who are merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth and the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you.”

(Sunan atTirmithi: 1924)

And a fourth lecturer (may Allah preserve him in goodness) reminded us all of a verse of unity and mercy from a surah of unity and mercy, Surah alAnfaal. An intriguing lesson which I will leave out for now till I write to you next time in another piece filled with mercy InShaAllah.

This is a message of mercy (unity), stemming from a weekend of mercy (family break – Seeds of Mercy), which was based on a Surah of mercy (Surah Maryam).

I amplify the subject of mercy further by leaving you with the a powerful narration from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and two statements from the pious giants that walked this earth before us for you all to ponder over and create action points from;

• Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) reports in a narration attributed to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) the following narration: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, none of you can be more insistent in asking Allah to restore his rights against his opponent than the believers who will ask Allah, on the Day of Resurrection, (to grant them the power of intercession) for their brothers who are in the Fire. They will say, ‘Our Lord, they used to fast with us and pray and perform Hajj.’ It will be said to them, ‘Bring out those whom you recognize, so the Fire will be forbidden to burn them.’ So they will bring out many people… And Allah will say: ‘The angels have interceded, and the Prophets have interceded, and the believers have interceded. There is none left but the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.’ Then He will seize a handful of the Fire and bring forth from it people who never did anything good.”

(Saheeh Muslim: 269)

 

• Imam alHassan alBasri (may Allah shower His mercy upon him) said: “Increase the number of believing friends; for they will be able to intercede for you on the day of qiyaamah”

 

• Imam ibn alJawzi (may Allah shower His mercy upon him) said: “If you do not find me with you in Jannah; then ask Allah about me. Say: ‘ O our Lord, so and so slave of yours used to remind us about you”.

Laa ilaaha illallah! I felt a shiver through my spine writing that!

My dear reader, I love you for the sake of Allah, and implore you remain united upon goodness and to make newly found relationships for the sake of Allah.

May Allah Almighty protect our relationships. May He make us a people who are merciful to each other. May He unite us upon goodness always. May He grant us the highest paradise together.

Ameen.