Mending Ties of Brotherhood

The Prophet is reported to have said:

"When one offers an apology to his fellow brother and he (the latter) does not accept it, it is like the sin of one who imposes tax."
[Sunan Ibn Majah, 3718; Abi Dawud 'Al-Maraseel', 521; Tabarani, 'Mu'jam al-Kabeer', 2/275; Bayhaqi, 'Shu'b al-Imaan', 6/321; Ibn Hibban 'Rawdat al-Uqlaa', 182 - graded as da'eef by Al-Albani in 'Da'eef al-Jaami', 544 due to it being mursal (see also 'Silsilat ad-Da'eefah', 1907) and 'Al-Maraseel Ibn Abi Hatim', 24]

1. This hadeeth imparts a command and a consequence: i) If we are given an apology or excuse by a fellow-Muslim, we should accept it. If the person is deceiving or lying, then the sin thereof will be upon him. If one decides not to accept his brothers excuse and suspects or questions its genuineness without evidence, then the likely sin will be placed upon him. ii) The severity of the crime of imposing tax on the people. Tax is defined as revenue other than those which are accept able by the Shariah, such as zakat or jizyah etc. see here 2. In his 'Awn al-Mabood', Al-Adheemabadi brought a definition and said: "Tax is the decrease (in wealth) and the (increase in) oppression; money that used to be taken from vendors in the markets in the days of ignorance. Or the amount that authorities take after payment of sadaqah (i.e. Zakat) has already been paid." 3. Al-Sundi commented on this hadeeth in his 'Hashiyah' (Sharh of Ibn Majah) that the sin applies in cases where "the apology does not involve lying or betrayal (on part of the excusegiver)" and as for the tax, he said: 4. The sanad of the hadeeth may be declared weak by some, but the meaning remains correct and is corroborated by other ahadeeth that speak of "imposing taxes". Commenting on a similar hadeeth found in Al-Bayhaqis 'Shub al-Imaan', Mulla Ali-Qari said in his 'Mirqat alMafatih': "It is like the example of imposing taxes, which is injustice and (arises due to) lack of knowledge, characterised by insult or abuse (that is) intended to take the wealth of people unjustly (and by) oppression. 5. Speaking about the severity of imposing taxes, 'Abd Al-Muhsin al-Abaad said in his Sharh of Sunan Abi Dawud that the one who imposes taxes will be counted among the 'muflis' - the who comes on the Day of Judgement with salaat and zakaat and siyaam and hajj but (he will find himself bankrupt having exhausted his good deeds) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his victim's sins will be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire. (see Saheeh Muslim, 6251)

And regarding the hadeeth:

"The one who imposes tax will not enter Paradise."

[Abu Da'wud, 2937 - graded as saheeh by al-Ishbeeli, Zarqani and others; graded hasan by Ibn Hajar]

He commented: . : : : ::

6.The Prophet said "Verily the companion of tax (i.e. the oppressive imposer of tax) is in the Fire."
[Saheeh Targheeb, 787 - see also 'Silsilat as-Saheehah', 3405]

Further examples of the enormity of the crime of imposing taxes can be judged from the hadeeth of the adulteress who purified herself by insisting on being stoned to death. On this the Prophet remarked

"She has made a repentance so sincere, (that even) if a companion of tax repented with the like of it, he would be forgiven."
[Saheeh Muslim, 1695]

Imam An-Nawawi commented on this narration and said: "This shows that imposing taxes is from the worst of sins that doom a person. For many people claim grievances for the repeat violation of taking their money without right and disbursing it for other (people and reasons)." Adultery is from the kaba'ir and yet it has been associated with imposing taxes. Not forgiving your brother when he asks for forgiveness is equally sinful, so we need to be very careful not to allow our emotions and bad history cloud the chance of mending ties and building better relationships. Muslim Brotherhood should be dominated by husn dhann, genuine love and mercy and forgiveness and cooperation. On the matter of brotherhood, the Prophet said

"It is not lawful for a Muslim to abandon another Muslim for more than three nights"
[Saheeh Muslim, 2560]

In Adab al-Mufrad, we read: "As long as they are cut off from each other, they are turning away from the Truth. The first of them to return to a proper state has his expiation for that inasmuch as he was the first to return to a proper state. If they die while they are cut off from one another, neither of them will ever enter the Garden." He also said

"Whoever forsakes (neglects) his brother for a year has spilt his blood."
[Abu Da'wud, 4915 - authenticated by Ibn Hajar, An-Nawawi, and Al-Albani in 'Silsilat as-Saheehah', 928]

A sobering piece of advice May Allah strengthen our brotherhood and rectify our affairs and guide us to the best of examples from our Salafus Saalih.