The Rights of Brotherhood in Tariqah ( 11 rights )
Notes from Tanwir al-Qulub from Shaykh Muhammad Amin an-Naqshbandi

The Messenger (saw) said, “The illustration of brotherhood is like two hands when one washes the other.”

And he said, “A believer to a believer is like a mirror that sharpens one another. The people of knowledge say, “A person doesn’t accompany someone even for a short time of a day except that he is questioned on his association, ‘did he act with the rights of Allah or did he forfeit it? So when you frequent the association, these are the rights which are to be considered.”

Among the rights of brotherhood and not limited to just these are:

1.That you love for him what you love for yourself. That you don’t favour yourself with anything besides them.

2. That you initially greet them with peace, handshake and sweet speech. The Messenger (saw) said, “When two Muslims shake hands they do not part their hands until they are forgiven.”

3. To deal with them in excellent manner how you would love those to treat you with love and compassion.

The Messenger (saw) said, “The most perfect of believers in belief are those who have the most excellent manners.” Some say, ‘one is not raised from the multitudes of prayers, fasting or strife. Rather he is raised by excellent character.

Al-Junayd (ra) said, ‘four things raise a servant to the highest of levels even if his action and knowledge is small;
1. Forbearance,
2. Humbleness,
3. Generosity
4. Excellent manners.

4. To be humble towards you brothers when Allah says, “Lower your wings for the believers.” And the Messenger (saw) said, “The one who is humble for the sake of Allah he raises him which something to himself small but in the eyes of others something grand.

But the one who is arrogant Allah humiliates him which he will be in the eyes of others small but to himself something grand. Until they make no importance to him like a dog or swine.”

Imam Shafi (ra) said, “Humbleness is among the manners generosity and pride is among the manners of blame. The highest of people in degrees is the one who doesn’t look at his level or status. The Messenger of Allah said, “Allah has revealed to me to remind you to be humble until no one prides himself over another and no one is to wrong another.

5. Seek to please them, that you see them better than yourself, so assist them in righteousness and God-Consciousness and the love of Allah.

o stir them towards something that Allah is pleased with. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “When Allah wishes good for Amir, he gives him a truthful visor who. So when he forgets he reminds him and when he remembers he assists him. But if Allah desires something other than that he appoints to him a corrupt visor and when he forget he doesn’t remind him and he remembers he doesn’t assist him.”

6. That you are merciful to all your brethren in that you honour the elders and show kindness to the youth from the words of the Messenger (saw), “He is not from us who doesn’t honour our elders and has no mercy to our youth.”

“Those who are merciful, the Merciful show mercy to them”, Show mercy to those on earth and the one in heaven will show mercy to you.” It also says on a hadith qudsi, “If you desire my mercy, be merciful to my creation.” The Messenger (saw) also says, “The one who is not merciful to man then Allah is not mercy to him.”

7. That you show subtlety (delicateness) in advising your brother when you see conflict with him.

Ash-Shafi’ said, “The one who admonishes his brother secretly, he has advised sincerely and has honoured him. If he does it outwardly (among others) then he has dishonoured and shamed him.

Ash-Sh’arani said, “The one who doesn’t cover his brothers when he sees their errors, then he has opened the way of exposing his defects by exposing his errors. The Messenger (saw) said, “The one who covers the defects of his brother, Allah will cover his. But the one who exposes the defects of his brother Allah will expose his and his own household will dishonour him.”

A man use to sit in the association of Ibrahim bin Adham and when he wished to depart he said to him, “O master tell me the faults that exist with me.” And he said, “My brother, I don’t see any fault because I observe you with the eye of tenderness. So ask someone else about your faults.” In this part you are concerned with protecting your brother from what you see in him and you are not to drive him away.

8. To hold a favourable opinion and when you see in anyone a fault you are to say to yourself, “surely that fault exists within me because a Muslim is the mirror to a Muslim and man doesn’t look in a mirror except that he sees himself.

9. That you accept the apology or excuse of your brother when he seeks pardon from you even if he was not truthful because if outwardly he is pleases you but he is angry with you inwardly, he has (at least) honoured you in light of he didn’t profess his offence to you.

The Messenger (saw) said, “He who when a brother comes to him renouncing an offence, let him accept it is he is truthful or not. For the person who doest do it will not meet me at the pond of paradise .

10. That you mend the relationship between your brothers when controversy emerges between them. In this case you do not assist one against the other. Rather you attempt to correct them with tenderness and understanding without claiming one is correct over the other.

For Allah says, “Surely the believers are a brotherhood, therefore make peace between your brothers.” The Messenger (saw) said, “The best charity is to make peace between two brothers” and “it is not lying when it is use to make peace between people…

11. To be truthful to them in every situation and not to forget to mention them in prayers of forgiveness when not in their presence.

Peace and Blessing on Muhammad and his family and companions forever. Amin.

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