Should a Muslim Reconcile Two Quarrelling Believers?
من وجد اثنين من المؤمنين قد اختلفا فهل له التدخل للإصلاح بينهما؟ وما ثواب ذلك عند الله؟
The answer says it is recommended to reconcile two quarrelling believers, and that this is noble care, not interference: by it the brotherhood of faith is realized and mercy is hoped for (Al-Hujurat 49:10); it is better than the rank of prayer, fasting, and charity, and it is a daily charity, covering every kind of dispute.
If someone finds that two believers are arguing about something, should he interfere and try to settle the dispute? The Islamic answer is a resounding yes. Healing broken relationships is a core pillar of maintaining a healthy, unified society.
The reward for settling a dispute among believers
1. Spiritual Brotherhood and Mercy
It is highly commendable for someone to try and resolve a dispute between two Muslims. That is not considered interference in others' business, but rather an act of profound care. By making peace among believers, spiritual brotherhood is fully realized, and by making peace one hopes that Allah's Blessings and Mercy will descend upon the community.
Allah Almighty says: (The believers are but one brotherhood, so make peace between your brothers. And be mindful of Allah so you may be shown mercy.) Surah Al Hujurat 49: 10.
2. Better Than Fasting and Charity
The reward for settling differences is astonishingly high. Abu Ad Darda may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the Messenger of Allah pbuh said: "Shall I not inform you of what is more virtuous than the rank of fasting, Salat, and charity?" They said: "But of course!" He said: "Making peace between each other. For indeed spoiling relations with each other is the Haliqah." In another narration, he clarified that it does not shave the hair, but it shaves the religion.
3. A Daily Act of Charity
Making peace is considered a required daily charity for the human body. Abu Hurayrah may Allah be pleased with him reported that the Prophet pbuh said: "On each joint of humans there is a charity every day on which the sun rises: doing justice between two persons is a charity; helping someone with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting his belongings onto it, is a charity; and a good word is a charity, and every step you take towards the congregation prayer is a charity, and removing harmful objects from the way is a charity." Agreed upon.
4. The Comprehensive Scope of Making Peace
Doing justice in this context fundamentally means making peace between two people. This includes resolving disputes among tribes, relatives, neighbors, spouses, workers and their employers, and fathers and sons. This applies comprehensively whether the difference is about money, blood and lives, actions, or words uttered.
ثواب الإصلاح وتسوية النزاعات بين المؤمنين
يبين الجواب أنه يستحب لمن وجد متخاصمين أن يصلح بينهما، وليس ذلك تدخلا في شؤون الآخرين، فبه تتحقق الأخوة الإيمانية وترجى الرحمة (الحجرات 49:10)، وهو أفضل من درجة الصلاة والصيام والصدقة، وصدقة كل يوم، ويشمل كل أنواع الخلاف.
من وجد اثنين من المؤمنين قد اختلفا، فهل له التدخل للإصلاح بينهما؟ الإجابة الإسلامية هي نعم بكل تأكيد. إن معالجة العلاقات المكسورة هي ركيزة أساسية للحفاظ على مجتمع سليم وموحد.
الأخوة الإيمانية ونزول الرحمات
يستحب لمن وجد متخاصمين أن يصلح بينهما، وليس في ذلك تدخل في شؤون الآخرين بل هو اهتمام نبيل. لأن بالإصلاح بين المؤمنين تتحقق الأخوة الإيمانية العظيمة، وبالإصلاح بين المؤمنين يرجى نزول الرحمات من الله الواحد القهار.
قال تعالى: (إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ) الحجرات 49: 10.
أفضل من درجة الصيام والصدقة
وفي فضيلة ذلك وعظم أجره، روى الإمام أحمد في المسند من حديث أبي الدرداء رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (أَلَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَفْضَلَ مِنْ دَرَجَةِ الصَّلَاةِ وَالصِّيَامِ وَالصَّدَقَةِ؟) قَالُوا: بَلَى، قَالَ: (إِصْلَاحُ ذَاتِ الْبَيْنِ، فَإِنَّ فَسَادَ ذَاتِ الْبَيْنِ هِيَ الْحَالِقَةُ). وفي رواية: (لَا أَقُولُ تَحْلِقُ الشَّعَرَ، وَلَكِنْ تَحْلِقُ الدِّينَ).
صدقة يومية على كل مفصل
وما يدل على فضيلة الإصلاح وأنه صدقة، ما رواه أبو هريرة رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: (كُلُّ سُلَامَى مِنَ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ صَدَقَةٌ، كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَطْلُعُ فِيهِ الشَّمْسُ؛ تَعْدِلُ بَيْنَ الِاثْنَيْنِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَتُعِينُ الرَّجُلَ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ فَتَحْمِلُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ تَرْفَعُ لَهُ عَلَيْهَا مَتَاعَهُ صَدَقَةٌ، وَالْكَلِمَةُ الطَّيِّبَةُ صَدَقَةٌ، وَكُلُّ خُطْوَةٍ تَمْشِيهَا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَتُمِيطُ الْأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ صَدَقَةٌ) متفق عليه.
الشمولية في الإصلاح
ومعنى تعدل بين الاثنين أي تصلح بين الاثنين، والإصلاح يشمل الصلح بين القبائل والأقارب والجيران والأزواج والعمال ومكفوليهم والآباء وأبنائهم، سواء كان ذلك الخلاف في الأموال، أو الدماء، أو الأقوال، أو الأفعال أو غير ذلك.
1. Not a Liar Who Reconciles People | ليس الكذاب الذي يصلح بين الناس
Umm Kulthum bint Uqbah heard the Messenger of Allah say: He is not a liar who makes peace between people, conveying good or saying good (Sahih al-Bukhari 2692). Reconciliation is so valued that conveying only good words between two quarrelling people is not counted as lying.
سمعت أم كلثوم بنت عقبة رسول الله ﷺ يقول: "ليس الكذاب الذي يصلح بين الناس، فينمي خيرا، أو يقول خيرا" (صحيح البخاري 2692).
2. Let Us Go and Make Peace Between Them | اذهبوا بنا نصلح بينهم
When the people of Quba fought until they threw stones at each other, the Messenger of Allah was told, and he said: Let us go and make peace between them (Sahih al-Bukhari 2693). Stepping in to reconcile, as the answer says, is the Prophet's own practice, not interference.
لما اقتتل أهل قباء حتى تراموا بالحجارة، أخبر رسول الله ﷺ بذلك فقال: "اذهبوا بنا نصلح بينهم" (صحيح البخاري 2693). فالتدخل للإصلاح سنة النبي ﷺ لا تدخل في شؤون الآخرين، كما قال الجواب.
3. It Shaves the Religion | تحلق الدين
The hadith of Abu al-Darda in the answer is also in Sunan Abi Dawud 4919 and Jami at-Tirmidhi 2509, both graded sahih by al-Albani; al-Tirmidhi called it sahih and added that it is narrated from the Prophet: it is the shaver; I do not say it shaves hair, but it shaves the religion, which is the second narration the answer quotes.
حديث أبي الدرداء في الجواب رواه أيضا أبو داود (4919) والترمذي (2509)، وصححه الألباني، وقال الترمذي: "هذا حديث صحيح. ويروى عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: هي الحالقة لا أقول تحلق الشعر ولكن تحلق الدين"، وهي الرواية الثانية التي ذكرها الجواب.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Should I intervene to reconcile two quarrelling Muslims?
Yes. The answer says it is recommended and is not interference; Allah says: the believers are brothers, so make peace between your brothers (Al-Hujurat 49:10).
What is better than the rank of prayer, fasting, and charity?
The Prophet said: reconciling between people, for corrupt relations are the shaver (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2509; Sunan Abi Dawud 4919).
Is it lying to say only good things to reconcile people?
No. The Prophet said: he is not a liar who makes peace between people, conveying good or saying good (Sahih al-Bukhari 2692).
Is reconciliation counted as charity?
Yes. The Prophet said that judging justly between two people is a charity due on every joint each day (Sahih Muslim 1009).