On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may God be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of God (PBUH) SAID, “A believer is the mirror of his fellow brother.” Such a hadith has been analyzed by some scholars, and it is said to carry a great deal of meanings as the rhetoric in such a hadith has a great deal of effect. Indeed, a phrase said by the Prophet (PBUH) needs a number of writings and articles of analysis, but they still cannot cover all wisdom and advice in such a phrase. This is similar to a number of hadiths, such as the one that says, “O Abu Omair! What did El-Nagheer do?” where some scholars deal with sixty pieces of advice whereas some others deal with more.
As for the phrase of the prophet (PBUH), “A believer is the mirror of his fellow brother” is a piece of advice disguised in a saying. This is because a saying is more effective and more everlasting than mere words, and so this technique is widely used in the Quran.
In accordance to rhetoric, the phrase is a simile in which a Muslim is compared the mirror of his friend. What does a mirror do in this sense? How does it work? A mirror reveals our body defects. The same applies to a Muslim who reveals his fellow brother’s defects through advice. A mirror reveals defects in a tender manner, holding no hard sticks. Similarly, a Muslim deals with his fellow brother using tender manners and sweet words because he believes that he has to do so. A mirror does not publicly reveal such defects, and so does a Muslim as he does not reveal his fellow brother’s defects in public; he advises the latter in secrecy. In this respect, imam Shafey says:
Advise me individually
Advise me not in public
As advice in public is scolding
To which I do not want to listen.
A mirror does not go away after detecting defects and so does a Muslim. A Muslim keeps by his fellow’s aside helping him overcoming such defects. A Muslim does not criticize his fellow brother just for the sake of criticism. A mirror does not also reveal your secrets to others, and so a Muslim has to do. A mirror does not memories your old picture. The same has to apply on a Muslim who has to forget his fellow brother’s defects as soon as the latter gets rid of them. A Muslim has only to see his fellow brother then free from any defects after managing to overcome them.
The purer a mirror is, the clearer it can detect defects. Concerning a Muslim, the purer his self is and the more pious he is, the better he can detect mistakes and defects. Accordingly, a Muslim has to accompany a pious person who can show his fellow brother all his defects and mistakes. Indeed, Omar (may God be pleased with him) says, “God gives mercy to a fellow who offers me my defects.”
Finally, certain people sometimes stand before a mirror whenever a change occurs in relation to their statues. Similarly, a rational person has to ask righteous people advice whenever something happens to his life. He has to make such pious people his own mirror. Last but not least it is then fair to say that God is responsible for reforming our matters and that of all Muslims.
As for the phrase of the prophet (PBUH), “A believer is the mirror of his fellow brother” is a piece of advice disguised in a saying. This is because a saying is more effective and more everlasting than mere words, and so this technique is widely used in the Quran.
In accordance to rhetoric, the phrase is a simile in which a Muslim is compared the mirror of his friend. What does a mirror do in this sense? How does it work? A mirror reveals our body defects. The same applies to a Muslim who reveals his fellow brother’s defects through advice. A mirror reveals defects in a tender manner, holding no hard sticks. Similarly, a Muslim deals with his fellow brother using tender manners and sweet words because he believes that he has to do so. A mirror does not publicly reveal such defects, and so does a Muslim as he does not reveal his fellow brother’s defects in public; he advises the latter in secrecy. In this respect, imam Shafey says:
Advise me individually
Advise me not in public
As advice in public is scolding
To which I do not want to listen.
A mirror does not go away after detecting defects and so does a Muslim. A Muslim keeps by his fellow’s aside helping him overcoming such defects. A Muslim does not criticize his fellow brother just for the sake of criticism. A mirror does not also reveal your secrets to others, and so a Muslim has to do. A mirror does not memories your old picture. The same has to apply on a Muslim who has to forget his fellow brother’s defects as soon as the latter gets rid of them. A Muslim has only to see his fellow brother then free from any defects after managing to overcome them.
The purer a mirror is, the clearer it can detect defects. Concerning a Muslim, the purer his self is and the more pious he is, the better he can detect mistakes and defects. Accordingly, a Muslim has to accompany a pious person who can show his fellow brother all his defects and mistakes. Indeed, Omar (may God be pleased with him) says, “God gives mercy to a fellow who offers me my defects.”
Finally, certain people sometimes stand before a mirror whenever a change occurs in relation to their statues. Similarly, a rational person has to ask righteous people advice whenever something happens to his life. He has to make such pious people his own mirror. Last but not least it is then fair to say that God is responsible for reforming our matters and that of all Muslims.
Hijri Date Correction:
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