Q 8: How should a Muslim treat his Muslim brother?

A: The Muslim has many rights over his Muslim brother, which are mentioned in the Book of Allah (Exalted be He) and the Sunnah of his Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). This pertains to co-operating with him in righteousness and piety, but not in sin and transgression, as Allah (Exalted be He) states: Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwâ (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also stated: Six are the rights of a Muslim over another Muslim. When you meet him, offer him greetings; when he invites you to a feast accept it, when he seeks your council give it to him, and when he sneezes and says:" All praise is due to Allah," you say Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah show mercy to you) ; and when he falls ill visit him; and when he dies follow his bier. Related by Muslim. The Prophet also said: If you are three, two amongst you should not converse secretly between yourselves to the exclusion of the other (third one), until some other people join him (and dispel his loneliness), for it may hurt his feelings. Related Al-Bukhari and Muslim. And he stated A man should not make another man get up from his (the latter's) seat (in a gathering) in order to sit there, (Part No. 26; Page No. 98) but give space and room for one another. Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. And also: By Him in whose Hand my soul is, none of you truly believes until he likes for his brother whatever he likes for himself. Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. And “It is not lawful for a Muslim to desert (stop talking to) his brother for more than three nights. They meet, so this turns away and that turns away, and the better of the two is he who initiates the greeting.” Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. He also said: Do not disdain a good deed, (no matter how small it may seem) even if it is your meeting with your (Muslim) brother with a cheerful face And his statement: Whenever you prepare a broth, put plenty of water in it, and give some of it to your neighbors. Related by Muslim. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Don't nurse envy against one another, don't deceivingly raise prices of goods over one another (without an intention to buy them), do not nurse aversion against one another, do not desert one another and do not outbid one another (with a view to raising the price) and (Part No. 26; Page No. 99) be fellow-brothers and servants of Allah. A Muslim is a brother to a Muslim. He should neither oppress him, nor let him down or look down upon him. Piety is here (and he pointed out to his chest thrice). It is enough for a Muslim to commit evil by despising his Muslim brother. Everything belonging to a Muslim is inviolable for a Muslim; his blood, his property and honor. Related by Muslim. This in addition to many other Islamic texts which focus on how Muslims should deal with each other.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.