Six Rights of a Muslim on a Muslim

by: Shamsul Huda Qasmi

Hazrat Abuhurairah (RA) reports that the prophet (SAW) said: A Muslim has six rights upon a Muslim. The companions asked, “What are those?” The prophet (saw) replied: 1) Greet Muslim when you meet him 2) Accept the invitation when he invites you 3) Offer your well-wishing when he requires it 4) Recite Al-hamdulillah when he sneezes 5) Pay a visit when he falls ill 6) Participate in his funeral ceremonies when he dies The first right of a Muslim in the hadith stated by the prophet (SAW) is to greet Muslim when you meet him. Greeting does not mean only uttering few words from the mouth but implies the assurance of the safety and security of his life and wealth from his side. It is a commitment of not harming his Muslim brother. The greeting words also contain the prayer (Dua) of the protection of his religion and faith by Allah (SWT) for his brother and asking for the mercy of the supreme Lord. The second right is accepting the invitation as it extends love and harmony among the community whereas rejecting his invitation may create malice among the hearts. The third one is to be ready to render your service to him if he requires it. It means Islam urges the people to extend mutual cooperation and sacrifice among the community. We are also asked to pray for our brother when he sneezes by asking the mercy of Allah if he says Al-Hamdulillha after the sneeze. How Islam teaches us to propagate love and peace for one another is clearly seen in this brief hadith. We are also rewarded while praying for our brother. But we seem to be much careless when it comes to practice. Again the prophet taught we should visit our ailing brother. Our few words of sympathy and prayers may help him to summon up the courage in the critical situation of his health. And lastly we are advised we should join the funeral rites of our Muslims brother as the death is the reminder for every living being. We should not take these practices lightly but be determined to follow them in spirit and letters. These few practices will help improve the unity, love and affection, the most needed thing for the community especially in the present day. The prophet (SAW) says, “Love for your brother what you love for yourself.” Believer, A Mirror For Another Believer On the authority of Hazrat Abu-Hurairah (RA), the prophet (SAW) is reported to have said: “A believer is a mirror for another believer and is brother of another Muslim believer. He protects him from harm and safeguards him; he is well-wisher in his absence.” When we look at mirror it reflects the spots on our faces and shows them confidentially, similarly when we find any shortcomings in our brother, we should try to purify him from the same secretly. We should not propagate it. The mirror does not reveal our faults to others but to us alone. The prophet (saw) taught us we should co-operate our brother in all his troubles. We should treat him as our own brother. May Allah enable us to follow the beautiful teachings of the prophet (saw) which alone can lead us to the success here and specially hereafter! Right Of A Pious Muslim ManHazrat Ayesha (RA) says that the Prophet (saw) said: “Wink at the shortcomings of the virtuous people excepting the penal ordinances of Islam.” As the saying goes, to err is human, we should not propagate the faults of our elders when they make a mistake but should try to conceal them until they transgress the penal ordinances of Islam such as committing adultery, theft, drinking etc.