On the authority of Abu Humzah Anas ibn Maalik, RadhiAllahu Anhu, the servant of the Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, from the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) who said:
“None of you [truly] believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”
[Recorded in Bukhari and Muslim]
“None of you [truly] believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”
For a person to have true and complete faith, the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) instructed us that we should love for our brother, that is for all our fellow Muslims, what we love for ourselves. If we are unable to realise this sentiment, then our faith is incomplete. This is further illustrated in another hadith of the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) in which he (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
“Whoever loves to be saved from the Fire and entered into Paradise should die with belief in Allah and the Last Day, and should treat people in the way that he wished to be treated by them.”
[Recorded in Muslim]
If we reflect on this, we realise that it is only truly possible to realise this state when one is free from envy and jealousy. If one is envious and jealous, they are never happy when someone has something that they don’t have. This type of selfishness and self-centredness cannot co-exist with true Imaan or faith. When the believer realises that everything is from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala), there is no room to be ungrateful about what you or anyone else has been given. The only type of jealousy that is permitted is for the sake of the Deen, as the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
“There is no jealousy except with respect to two people: A man whom Allah had given wealth and he uses it up for the sake of the Truth and a man whom Allah has given wisdom and he decides by it and uses it accordingly.”
[Recorded in al-Bukhari]
The type of society built on love and compassion, in which the believers truly love for one another what they love for themselves, was the society built by the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) and his Companions. They sacrificed for each other, gave of their wealth and sustenance, and in some cases, even gave their loved ones.
If we were able to find this level sacrifice amongst ourselves, imagine what type of community we could build. A society based on these principles would be the true Islamic society, the society of true believers. Let’s remember, this cannot be realised through sentiment or word alone, it must be realised through action. May Allah help us to purify our intentions and actions and make us of those who realise this level of faith.
Ameen!