In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
"None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." [Tirmidhi]
One of the salient points in reading about the life of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is the way he strengthened the Madinan society by building bonds between people from the very start. He encouraged the rich to give to the poor without feeling superior, and he discouraged racism and snobbishness of every kind.
Allah Almighty says,
يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَٰتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا ۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ﴿٢٦[Qur'an, Al-A'raf 7:26]
O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of Taqwa (righteousness, Godfearingness) - that is best. That is from the signs of Allah that perhaps they will remember.
In a Hadith Qudsi, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that Allah, Exalted is He, said:
"Those who love each other for the sake of My Majesty shall be upon podiums of light, and they will be admired by the Prophets and the martyrs." [Tirmidhi]
The first things that comes in our minds after reading about the goodness of the Companions, and the solid bond between them, are probably: How great were they; How pathetic we are and it can't happen in our times.
The first thought is absolutely true but why can’t it happen in our times? Granted, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is not with us in person, but his teachings have reached us, and the foundation of his mission – the Qur'an and Sunnah – has reached us intact, along with its explanations.
Yes, most people don’t know Qur'an and don't follow the Sunnah, so how is it going to happen? It will happen if Allah wills.
لَهُۥ مُعَقِّبَـٰتٌ مِّنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ يَحْفَظُونَهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۗ وَإِذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوٓءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَالٍ ﴿١١
For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron. (11)[Qur'an, Ar-Ra'd 13:11]
So why don’t you and I make a start? Let us learn about the things that held the Madinan society together, the ayat of the Qur'an that joined the hearts, the teachings of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) that cemented their stronghold, the epicenter of Islam, from where it spread to all parts of the world. If none of the people around us want to move forward, why don’t we take the first steps and break the ice, showing them how beautiful this religion is? There are many, many ways one could do this: One example, give your neighbor a smile and ask if they need any help, because the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
"The neighbor that is the best to Allah is the one that is best to his neighbor." [Tirmidhi]
Call your family, relatives and friends who you haven't talked to for a long time, or send them a special gift by mail, because the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
"Neither nurse mutual hatred, nor jealousy, nor enmity, and become as fellow brothers and servants of Allah. It is not lawful for a Muslim that he should keep his relations estranged with his brother beyond three days." [Muslim]
And he (Allah bless him and grant him peace) also said: "Give gifts and you will love one another." [Al-Adab al-Mufrad]
And, perhaps most important, attend prayers in congregation and encourage others to attend with you, because the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
"If there are three men in a village or in the desert among whom prayer is not offered (in congregation), the devil has got the mastery over them. So observe (prayer) in congregation), for the wolf eats only the straggling animal." [Abu Dawud]
May Allah enable us to follow the footsteps of His beloved Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and his righteous companions. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.
Wassalaam
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