The Believers are all brothers

After migrating to al-Madinah the Muhajirūn (the Migrants) and the Ansar (The Local Helpers) became so friendly with one another as if there was no difference of the tribe or the place of origin between them. It appeared that all of them belonged to one large family. They treated their properties as common, their honor and respect as common, and shared their happiness and sorrows together. This was a true example of unity and integrity. To make these bonds stronger, the Prophet (a.s) repeated the establishment of brotherhood between individuals of the two groups as he had done with the persons at Makkah. This created closer bonds between individuals and they forgot the difference of origin and the tribal affiliations.

In the view of experts, brotherhood can be strong only between individuals of the same nature. If the natures are different, and the individuals come together for whatever reason, the togetherness will be temporary. The Prophet (a.s) kept this factor in mind when he established brotherhood between individuals from the two groups. He closely studied the natures of the individuals before declaring them brothers. When he saw that any two persons had a lot in common, he named them brothers. Therefore, in Makkah, Abū-Bakr and `Umar were named brothers, `Uthman and `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf, Talhah and al-Zubayr ibn al-`Awwam were made brothers. Their brotherhood is evident from the events of the caliphate, Shūra and the Battle of the Camel! Similarly in al-Madinah keeping in mind the natures of the individuals Abū-Bakr was created the brother of Kharijah ibn Zayd, `Umar of `Utban ibn Malik, `Uthman of Aws ibn Thabit, Abū-`Ubaydah of Sa`d ibn Mu`adh, `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf of Sa`d ibn Rabi`ah, al-Zubayr of Salamah ibn Salamah, Talhah of Ka`b ibn Malik, `Ammar ibn Yasir of Qays ibn Thabit, Salman al-Farisi the brother of Abul-Darda’. Thus, whoever appeared of a similar nature to that of another person was declared brothers. It was also borne in the mind that the two persons were of the same level of capability and intelligence. On this occasion the Prophet (a.s) named about forty-five or fifty Muhajirūn and an equal number of Ansar as brothers and tied them in the bonds of brotherhood. But he did not find any one who could be declared a brother to `Ali (a.s). Perhaps it was not possible too, because at the Feast of al-`Ashirah, It was already declared that `Ali (a.s) was the brother of the Prophet (a.s). But to renew the bond, in al-Madinah too, the Prophet (a.s) declared `Ali (a.s) his

brother! Therefore, Ibn `Abd al-Barr writes:

“Once the prophet (a.s) established brotherhood between the Muhajirūn, and at another time between the Muhajirūn and the Ansar. On both these occasions he told `Ali (a.s) he was his brother in this world and in the Hereafter!”[1]

This brotherhood does not mean the common Islamic brotherhood that, according to the Verse,

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ.

“The Believers are all brothers, (49:10)”

This brotherhood is of a higher level and a reflection of nearness and attachment between the two persons. If this was the common bond of friendship, then `Ali (a.s) already enjoyed it because of being a Muslim and of the same descent as the Prophet (a.s).Then what was the need of public declaration of their brotherhood? Then there was no reason that when he was not included in the roster of brotherhood at the beginning for him to complain about it! When the Prophet (a.s) created the companions as brothers and did not mention `Ali (a.s) at that time, he approached the Prophet (a.s) with tears in his eyes and said, “O Prophet (a.s)! You have named the Muhajirūn and Ansar as brothers, but you did not think me deserving of this honor!” The Prophet (a.s) embraced `Ali (a.s) and said:

“O `Ali! You are my brother in this world and in the Hereafter.”[2]

This brotherhood not only brightened the ancestral brotherhood between the two, but also proved the superiority of `Ali (a.s) over the Muhajirūn and Ansar. It also highlighted the similarity between the superior character and nature of `Ali (a.s) as that of the Prophet (a.s). When `Ali (a.s) has been declared by the Prophet (a.s) as his brother, it proved that he was the only person amongst the Muslims deserving of that position! This choice is not because of the ancestral affinity but it is on the basis of identical qualities of the two persons. `Ali therefore considered this brotherhood with the Prophet (a.s) as a great privilege and when he was holding the reins of government, he once went up the pulpit and said:

“I am Allah’s creature and the brother of His Prophet (a.s)”[3]

[1] Al-Istī`āb, Vol 2, Page 273

[2] Al-Tirmidhī, Vol 2, Page 143

[3] Tārīkh Abul-Fidā, Vol 1, Page 127