'Help Your Brother Whether He Is An Oppressor Or Oppressed'
Darussalam · Volume 4
31. Chapters On Al-Fitan From The Messenger Of Allāh ﷺJami at-Tirmidhi Darussalam English translation
الجزء: 4 ¦ الصفحة: 106
Source no. 2255 · Volume 5 · Page 255
Sahih
صحيح، الإرواء (٢٤٤٩) ، الروض النضير (٣٢)
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2255. It was narrated from Anas bin Mālik, that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or oppressed.” It was said: “O Messenger of Allāh! I help him when he is oppressed. But how can I help him when he oppresses?” He said: “Prevent him from oppression, that is your help for him.” (Ṣaḥīḥ) [He said:] There is something on this topic from ‘Aishah. [Abū ‘Eisā said:] This Hadīth is Hasan Ṣaḥīḥ.
٢٢٥٥ - حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ الطَّوِيلُ ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «انْصُرْ أَخَاكَ ظَالِمًا أَوْ مَظْلُومًا». قُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، نَصَرْتُهُ مَظْلُومًا، فَكَيْفَ أَنْصُرُهُ ظَالِمًا؟ قَالَ: تَكُفُّهُ عَنِ الظُّلْمِ، فَذَاكَ نَصْرُكَ إِيَّاهُ. وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ. هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ. .
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[1] There are numerous chains of narration for it, one of which Al-'Irāqī called: "Jayyid," (see Musnad Ahmad 5:405; Ar-Risālah) and Aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥah no. 613 where Shaikh Al-Albānī graded it Hasan. The meaning of this Hadīth, is that it is part of faith to recognize one's worth and abilities and lack there of, and that taking a burden one can not bear is a form of injustice and oppression, and Allāh does not oppress His creatures, but they oppress themselves, with the exception of the believer. And it is a fitting prelude and comment on the following Hadīth.
It was part of the pre-Islamic tradition to help and support one's brother even when he was plainly wrong, but Islam rejects the idea of helping a wrongdoer. The Companions were understandably surprised to hear the Prophet's advice. As such they asked the real meaning of the admonition but were satisfied when the Prophet ﷺ explained its real purport.