ISCIS2023: INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR AND CONFERENCE ON ISLAMIC STUDIES

Vol.2, Oktober 2023.

The Believer is Like a Building (Sarah's Study and Hadith Criticism)

Ismail Nasution
PhD Student at UIN North Sumatra; [email protected]

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

This research deals with the hadith of Islamic
Keywords:
brotherhood. Hadiths about ukhuwah islamiyah are
Hadith; scattered in many books of hadith, one of which is the
Brotherhood; hadith that compares believers to a building that
Islamiyah. strengthens each other. Through this Hadith, it can be
understood that the bond of faith is regardless of ethnicity
and race because the essence of the believers is one unit,
Article history: bound by the same creed, namely belief in the six pillars
Received 2023-09-30 of Faith, believers will be strong if they believe and apply
Revised 2023-09-30 this ukhuwah in relationships, whether regional, national
Accepted 2023-09-30
or international relationships. However. If this ukhuwah
is not preserved, then the ummah is scattered, the
enemies will feel strong.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-SA
license.

Corresponding Author:
Ismail Nasution
PhD Student at UIN North Sumatra; [email protected]

1. INTRODUCTION
Islam is a universal religion, regulating all aspects of life, regulating individual,

family and social relationships, regulating human life patterns from childhood to

adulthood to old age. Islam also regulates eating, drinking, and even rest. Humans, as

social creatures, cannot live alone without associating with others. Basically, humanity

in general has a relationship, either as one family, one tribe, one nation, one belief or

at least both descendants of the Prophet Adam as, namely fellow humans. By some

436

http://jurnal.uinsu.ac.id/index.php/ISCIS/inde
ISCIS2023: International Seminar and Conference on Islamic Studies

scholars discuss it with ukhuwah, there is ukhuwah Islamiyah (brotherhood as fellow

Muslims), ukhuwah wathaniyah (brotherhood as a nation and homeland) and

ukhuwah basyariyah (brotherhood among humans).

In this paper, we will discuss and explain the traditions of the Prophet

Muhammad Saw which are related to ukhuwah imaniyah, namely ukhuwah because

they have the same beliefs. In various traditions, the Prophet often conveyed the

parable of the believers, also emphasized the relationship between one Muslim and

another Muslim, the rights of one Muslim and another Muslim and there was also a

parable of the relationship between one Muslim and another Muslim. In this paper,

we will focus on the hadith that mentions that believers are like buildings. Namely:
)‫عن أبي موسى قال قال رسول هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم * المؤمن للمؤمن كالبنيان يشد بعضه بعضا (رواه مسلم‬
Abu Musa reported: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: One believer and another

believer are like a building, one part of which strengthens the other. (HR. Muslim)

Before getting to the core material, of course, the takhirj of the hadith and the asbabaul

wurud will be presented, then the hadith commentary will be presented which aims

to explore more in-depth information related to the hadith that is the object of

discussion, this article is also expected to be a lesson for readers to always remember

that the unity of Muslims is needed. The Muslim Ummah is always in disgrace if unity

is not realized. The enemies of Islam are rampant, intimidating, trampling Muslims in

various parts of the world, because of the lack of a sense of ukhuwah imaniyah and

islamiyah.

2. METHODS

This research is a literature research with the main references are the books of

Syarah Kutubussittah

3. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

a. Takhrij Hadith on Muslim Unity.

437

Ismail Nasution; The Believer is Like a Building (Sarah's Study and Hadith Criticism)
ISCIS2023: International Seminar and Conference on Islamic Studies

Sheikh Abdul Muhdi Abdul Qadir Abdul Hadi in his book Turuq at-Takhrij al-Hadis

explains that according to his search, takhrij hadith can be done by 5 (five) methods:

1). Takhrij based on the first memorization of the hadith

2). Takhrij based on the pronunciation of one of the mufradat (vocabulary words)

of the hadith

3). Takhrij based on rawi al-'ala (among the companions)

4). Takhrij based on the theme of the hadith

5). Takhrij based on the type/character (qudsi, mursal, masyhur) of the hadith.

In this paper, since the author already knows the hadith that will be the topic of

discussion, namely the unity of the Ummah, the first method of takhrij is the

appropriate bag to apply, the author traces from the initial wording of the hadith,

‫المؤمن للمؤمن كالبنيان‬. In our tuhfatul asyraf bi ma'rifatil athraf. The result is as follows:

‫) عن خالد بن يحيى ؛ وفي األدب‬88 : 2( ‫ (خ) في الصالة‬.‫[خ م ت س] حديث المؤمن للمؤمن كالبنيان يشد بعضه بعضًا‬

‫ م في‬- ‫ عن أبي أسامة‬،‫) عن أبي كريب‬5 : 2( ‫ وفي المظالم‬- ‫) عن محمد بن يوسف ؛ كالهما عن سفيان الثوري‬36(

،‫) عن أبي كريب‬1 : 17( ‫ و‬- ‫ وأبي أسامة‬- ‫ كالهما عن عبد هللا بن إدريس‬،‫) عن أبي بكر وعبد هللا بن براد‬17 : 1( ‫األدب‬

‫) عن الحسن‬2:18 ‫ ت فِي البر (والصلة‬.ِ‫ وثالثتهم (بل أربعتهم) عنه بِه‬- ‫ وأبي أسامة‬- ‫ وابن المبارك‬- ‫عن ابن إدريس‬

،‫) عن عبد هللا بن الهيثم بن عثمان‬67( ‫ س في الزكاة‬.‫ صحيح‬: ‫ وقال‬،ِ‫ كلهم عن أبي أسامة بِه‬،‫بن على الخالل وغير واحد‬

. ‫ عن سفيان بِ ِه‬،‫عن عبد الرحمن بن مهدي‬

From the above hadith search through the book Tuhfatul Asyraf, we can understand

from the code listed that the hadith about the unity of the believers is found in a

number of hadith master books namely Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan at-

Tirmidhi and Sunan an-Nasa'i.

b. Sanad Criticism

In determining whether a hadith is authentic or not, there are two important

components that must be considered, one relating to the sanad and the other relating

438

Ismail Nasution; The Believer is Like a Building (Sarah's Study and Hadith Criticism)
ISCIS2023: International Seminar and Conference on Islamic Studies

to the matan. In terms of the sanad there are 5 (five) conditions that must be met so

that a hadith can be said to be valid, namely:

1) The sanad is connected. That is, the connection of the Hadith sanad starting from

the beginning of the Hadith to the end of the Hadith, which in its narration reaches

the first narrator who had direct contact with the Prophet.

2) The narrator has a fair character. This means that the narrator can fulfill the

requirements including the narrator is a Muslim, can distinguish between right and

wrong, is healthy in reason and carries out the recommendations of Allah SWT and

strictly avoids what he forbids.

3) The narrator is required to be dabit. This means that someone who narrates the

Hadith must have a strong and even perfect memorization.

4) It is not allowed to suffer from syadz (confusion) and

5) Must be free from an illat (defect). That is, the Hadith narrated must be free from

oddities and defects in a Hadith that can damage it.

Furthermore, When viewed from the description of the above Hadith, the first and

second numbers are found in the Sahih books of Bukhari and Muslim, which are

certainly guaranteed to be sanadically valid, because the majority of scholars are of

the opinion that the most valid Hadith is the Hadith that has the most valid sanad,

such as the Hadith that comes from Imam Malik from Nafi' from Ibn Umar. Then the

Hadith that is agreed upon by Imam Bukhari and Muslim, then by Imam Bukhari

alone, then by Imam Muslim alone.

c. Matan Criticism

The matan is the most important component in the structure of the hadith. The matan

is the redaction or lapaz of the hadith, from which the ruling, the lesson of the hadith

will be taken. A valid Hadith text will not contradict another valid Hadith, let alone

439

Ismail Nasution; The Believer is Like a Building (Sarah's Study and Hadith Criticism)
ISCIS2023: International Seminar and Conference on Islamic Studies

the Qur'an. This is because both the Hadith and the Qur'an were delivered by the same

person, the Prophet Muhammad.

The classical scholars of hadith although they paid attention to the matan of the

hadith, they did not pay as much attention to the sanad of the hadith. However,

according to the development of hadith studies and the many western criticisms of

the authenticity of the hadith, the scholars have developed a method of criticizing the

matan that can determine whether the hadith is authentic or not.

Compiled from various primary and secondary books in hadith literature, the main

principles that the majority of scholars adhere to in hadith research are:

1) Not contradicting the Qur'an

2) It does not contradict the stronger mutawatir tradition or the more popular

sunnah or ahad tradition.

3) Does not contradict the main teachings of Islam

4) Does not contradict the sunnatullah

5) Does not contradict historical facts or sahih nabawiyah sirah

6) Does not contradict the senses, reason, scientific truth or is very difficult to

interpret rationally.

The Hadith on the parable of believers above is essentially a description of the unity

and brotherhood of the ummah, where it is mentioned that believers are like a

building that strengthens one another, one feeling, one feeling, one in common, if one

is afflicted with a disaster then the others should feel pain, if one part is disturbed then

the other part will be disturbed. Surely such material does not contradict common

sense, history, the five senses, let alone the verses of the Quran.

In the early period of Islam, the Prophet has succeeded in providing an example, how

the heart bonds of the companions who share the same fate, it can be read from a

number of verses of the Koran and several traditions of the Prophet, among others:

440

Ismail Nasution; The Believer is Like a Building (Sarah's Study and Hadith Criticism)
ISCIS2023: International Seminar and Conference on Islamic Studies

)4 :‫صفًّا َكأَنَّ ُه ْم بُ ْنيَا ٌن َم ْرصُوصٌ (الصف‬ َ ‫ب الَّ ِذينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي‬

َ ‫سبِي ِل ِه‬ َّ َّ‫إِن‬
ُّ ِ‫َّللاَ يُح‬ 1.

Meaning: Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in orderly ranks, as if they

were a firmly constructed building.

َ َّ ‫ص ِل ُحوا بَ ْينَ أ َ َخ َو ْي ُك ْم َواتَّقُوا‬

)10 :‫َّللا لَعَلَّ ُك ْم ت ُْر َح ُمونَ (الحجرات‬ ْ َ ‫إِنَّ َما ا ْل ُمؤْ مِ نُونَ إِ ْخ َوةٌ َفأ‬ 2.

Meaning: Verily, the believers are brothers, so reconcile between your two brothers

(who are in dispute) and fear Allah that you may find mercy.

d. Hadith Synopsis

Imaniah brotherhood is a bond that will last forever, starting from this world to

the hereafter. The hadith that is the subject of discussion in this paper reads:

)‫عن أبي موسى قال قال رسول هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم * المؤمن للمؤمن كالبنيان يشد بعضه بعضا (رواه مسلم‬

Abu Musa reported: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: One believer and another

believer are like a building, one part of which strengthens the other. (HR. Muslim)

The above Hadith is in line with other Hadiths including the Hadith from Nukman

bin Bashir:

‫ إذا اشتكى منه عضو تداعى سائره بالحمى والسهر)متفق‬، ‫مثل المؤمنين في توادهم وتعاطفهم وتراحمهم مثل الجسد‬
)‫عليه‬

Meaning: The example of the believers in terms of love, gentleness and compassion is

like a torso, if one member of the body complains, the whole body is hot and keeps

watch at night (HR. Bukhari & Muslim)

The text of the above hadith is taken from Sahih Muslim, while the text in Sahih al-

Bukhari states that the Prophet ‫ شبك أصابعه‬means that the Prophet grasped his fingers.

In fact, there is a hadith report that prohibits tashbik. Al-Muglathoi in Syarah Sunan

441

Ismail Nasution; The Believer is Like a Building (Sarah's Study and Hadith Criticism)
ISCIS2023: International Seminar and Conference on Islamic Studies

Ibn Majah explains the above hadith, that regarding tashbik in the hadith, actually

scholars differ in opinion about tashbik in prayer, however, even if it is forbidden, the

law is only makruh even some of the companions and tabi'in scholars do it, Ibn Umar

and Salim tolerate tashbik, as well as Hasan, even Malik said that they had actually

tashbik in the mosque, and there was no problem, the problem was when it was done

in prayer, even then the legal status was only makruh.

Ibn Rajab in Sahih al-Bukhari explains that when the Prophet performed tashbik as in

this hadith, there is no evidence that the Prophet was in the mosque, because tashbik

is prohibited when done in the mosque. From the explanation of a number of scholars

above, it can be concluded that tashbik is not absolutely forbidden, although it is

prohibited, the prohibition does not reach the level of haram. The Prophet did tashbik

to bring understanding closer, how ukhuwah imaniyah should be firmly knit.

Ibn Rajab also explained that this hadith is very serious because the Prophet after

likening ukhuwah imaniyah with words, then he also explained with actions, namely

the grip of his fingers, so that the meaning of this hadith becomes very clear and real.

When the Prophet likens the brotherhood of faith to fingers, it means that even though

there are several fingers in quantity, they lead to one source, namely the palm of the

hand, so do the believers, different and many personnel, but united to the same source,

namely as children of Adam and as one faith (ukhuwah imaniyah).

Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari explains that this hadith by quoting Ibn Bathol that

mu'awanah (mutual help) is in the affairs of the hereafter as well as the affairs of the

world, in accordance with the tradition of Abu Huraiarah which reads

‫حديث أبي هريرة وهللا في عون العبد ما دام العبد في عون أخيه‬

'Allah will always help his servant, as long as he helps his brother'.

442

Ismail Nasution; The Believer is Like a Building (Sarah's Study and Hadith Criticism)
ISCIS2023: International Seminar and Conference on Islamic Studies

Ibn Hajar explains the meaning of the Prophet's statement in Sahih Bukhari regarding

this hadith as:

‫اشفعوا فلتأجروا وليقض هللا على لسان نبيه ما شاء‬

The meaning of this expression is that the Prophet informed his companions that if

you see anyone asking for help / need to me then you help, whether I accept your offer

of help or not you will still get a reward from Allah Swt if you have done it, whatever

the Prophet's actions are in accordance with the destiny of Allah Swt, either helping

or not being able to help the person in need. Imam Nawawi on the above Hadith said

'the above Hadith explains how great the rights of Muslims are between one another,

the Hadith above recommends mutual love, gentleness, and mutual assistance except

in sin and something hated.

Muhammad bin Ismail as-Shan'ani al-Kahlani elaborated on the above Hadith by

saying that Ahlul Faith is actually supporting and strengthening each other in terms

of goodness, and if one believer with another believer has supported / supported each

other in terms of spreading good and rejecting evil, then the believers will be strong,

just as building stones strengthen each other, so that a building can stand upright, the

walls can be solid. And if just one stone is removed from a building then the building

can be shaky and even the walls can collapse, so is the believers if they do not help

each other some of them to some others, they do not strengthen and support each

other then perish religion, the destroyers of religion become strong, faith becomes

neglected because the foundation has collapsed.

4. CONCLUSION

Hadiths about ukhuwah islamiyah are scattered in the books of hadith, one of which

is the hadith that compares believers to a building that strengthens each other.

Through this Hadith, it can be understood that the bond of faith is regardless of

443

Ismail Nasution; The Believer is Like a Building (Sarah's Study and Hadith Criticism)
ISCIS2023: International Seminar and Conference on Islamic Studies

ethnicity and race because the essence of the believers is one unit, bound by the same

creed, namely belief in the six pillars of faith, believers will be strong if they believe

and apply this ukhuwah in relationships, whether regional, national or international

relationships. However. If this ukhuwah is not preserved, then the ummah is

scattered, the enemies will feel strong.

REFERENCES

Abu Isa at-Tirmidhi, Muhammad, (tt), Jami' as-Sahih, Dar Ihya at-Turats al-Arabi,
Al-Bukhari, Imam, (1987), Al-Jami as-Sahih, Beirut: Dar Ibn Kathir.
Al-Mizi, Yusuf, (1983), Tuhfatul Asyraf bi Ma'rifatil Atraf, Maktab al-Isilamiyah.
Al-Muglathoi, (1991) Sharh Sunan Ibn Majah, Saudi: Nazzar Musthafa al-Baz
Al-Qattan, Manna', (2007),Mabahis fi Ulum al-Hadis. Cairo: Maktabah Wahbah
An-Nasa'i, Abu Abdurrahman, (1986),Sunan Nasa'i, Halab: Maktab al-Matbuat al-
Islamiyah
As-Shan'ani, Muhammad bin Ismail,(2012) At-tahbir Li Idohi Ma'ani at-Taisir, Saudi:
Maktabah al-Rusydi.
Hajar, Ibn, (1379 H), Fath al-Bari, Beirut: Darul Ma'rifah
Humaid, Sa'ad bin Abdillah Ali, (1999), Manâhij al Muhaddisîn, Riyadh; Dâr al Ulum
al Sunnah
Muhdi, Abdul, (1987)Turuq Takhrij al-Hadis, Cairo: Maktabah al-Iman
Muslim, Imam, (1999), Sahih Muslim, Beirut: Dar Ihya at-Turats al-Arabi, tt. Volume.
5. h.
Nawawi, Imam,(1392), Sharh Sahih Muslim, Beirut: Dar Ihya at-Turats
Rajab, Ibn, (1422 H), Fath al-Bari, Saudi: Dar Ibn al-Jauzi
Shalah, Ibn, (1326 H) Muqaddimah Ibn Shalah, Egypt: n.d.
Suryadi & M. Alfatih Suryadilaga,(2009), Hadith Research Methodology, Yogyakarta:
Success Offset.

444

Ismail Nasution; The Believer is Like a Building (Sarah's Study and Hadith Criticism)