Islam has always protected and encouraged the sacred act of brotherhood and solidarity, which means that we must strive for unity and kinship not only among those in the ummah but also to instill love and respect in all those around us.
In the face of apartheid, fascism, racism, sectarianism, and intolerance, we must strive to be better Muslims not only for ourselves and others but also for Allah. We must remember that the sole purpose of all of our efforts to make our world a better place for all who live in it is to serve and worship Allah on a higher level. So, in the spirit of kinship and solidarity, here are 5 verses and hadith that you will acknowledge when you learn the Quran, that remind us the importance of comradeship:
1. Believers are spiritual brothers.
"The believers are but brethren, therefore make peace between your brethren and be careful of (your duty to) Allah that mercy may be had on you" [Quran, 49:10]
The Quran reminds us here that all who believe in the Oneness of God are spiritual brothers and sisters, and that it is our responsibility to keep the bonds of kinship alive to better serve Allah as a whole.
2. Allah Himself has brought us together as brothers and sisters.
"And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favor of Allah on you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts so by His favor you became brethren, and you were on the brink of a pit of fire…" [Quran, 3:103]
The Quran explains here that by remaining true to our religion and faith, we can remain a community. It was Allah who brought us together, and to sever these bonds of kinship would be to sever one's faith in Allah.
3. We practice only one religion.
"Indeed this, your religion (ummah), is one religion (ummah), and I am your Lord, so worship Me" [Quran, 21:92]
Allah reminds us in this verse that Tawheed, the understanding of Allah's Oneness, is the sole religion of all of us. This means that as a community, we must remain united in our pursuit of worship and faith that truly encompasses this understanding.
4. The purpose of unity is to serve Allah.
It is said that the Prophet Muhammad said: "Three things are the best acts; first, to treat people with equity and justice; second to assist your co-religionist brethren as fellows and aid them financially; and third, to remember God under all conditions" [Bihar-al-Anwar, volume 74, page 392]
The Prophet explains three important characteristics of a faithful Muslim and expresses the underlying connection between forging brotherly bonds and serving Allah. We cannot serve Allah unless we help to maintain a faithful ummah.
5. Being a Muslim and assisting other Muslims
"He who begins his day without endeavoring to improve the affairs of Muslims is no Muslim," the Holy Prophet is said to have said. [Kafi, p.146, vol.2]
Here, the Prophet reminds us that we cannot be selfish in our pursuit of becoming better Muslims; in fact, helping to improve the lives of our Muslim brothers and sisters is a holy act of worship in and of itself, and should not be overlooked in our journey of serving Allah.