Question
What is the meaning of the ḥadīth: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself”?
Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd!
The ḥadīth is recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī:
{لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ}
“None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”
✿ In some narrations, the phrase “مِنَ الْخَيْرِ” (of goodness) is also added.
✿ The word “khayr (goodness)” encompasses both worldly and religious benefits.
Thus, this ḥadīth is not limited only to wealth or business success, but rather it includes:
- Religious well-being: wanting for your brother faith, guidance, and righteous deeds.
- Worldly well-being: wishing for your brother what is beneficial and wholesome, without envy or malice.
Conclusion:The meaning of the ḥadīth is comprehensive: a believer’s īmān is not complete until he loves all forms of good — both in dīn and dunya — for his Muslim brother, just as he loves them for himself.
