Support your brother whether he is an oppressor or oppressed

Support your brother whether he is an oppressor or oppressed

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Support your brother whether he is an oppressor or oppressed." A man said: O Messenger of Allah, I support him if he is oppressed, but how should I support him if he is an oppressor? He said: "Stop—or prevent—him from oppression. This is indeed supporting him."

[Authentic hadith] [Narrated by Bukhari]

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded the Muslim to support his fellow Muslim, whether he is an oppressor or oppressed. A man then said: O Messenger of Allah, I support him if he is oppressed by removing the injustice from him, but what if he is the oppressor? How can I support him then? He said: Stop him, restrain him, and prevent him from committing injustice, for it is indeed supporting him against his devil and his own soul that commands evil.

Benefits

A reminder of one of the rights of faith-based brotherhood among Muslims.

Restraining the oppressor and preventing him from committing injustice.

Islam stands in opposition to the concepts of the pre-Islamic era, where people would support one another whether they were oppressed or oppressors.

Categories

Muslim Society