1307 – Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared, “Do not dispute with your brother, do not jest with him, and do not promise him something only to break it.” Al-Tirmidhī transmitted it with a weak chain of transmission. (1)

Hadith grading:
Its chain is weak.

The author comments: Al-Tirmidhī recorded the report with a chain that contains weakness, yet other narrations support its purport. Al-Ṭabarānī relates that a group of Companions said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out to us while we were arguing …,” and he mentioned a lengthy hadith. Allah the Exalted also says, “And do not argue with the People of the Book except in the best manner” (al-ʿAnkabūt 29:46). The authenticity of the meaning is further reinforced by the wording collected by the Two Shaykhs, traced back to the Prophet: “The most detested of men to Allah is the stubborn disputant.”

Vocabulary:
• “Do not dispute with your brother”: with the initial tāʾ pronounced with ḍammah. Al-mumārāh is arguing without right, or attacking your brother’s words to belittle him and expose their flaws and shortcomings.
• “Do not jest with him”: Al-mumāzaḥah is playful banter intended to create friendliness and ease. What is meant here, however, is the kind of joking that breeds hatred, alienation, and unsettles the soul.

Points derived from the hadith:
1 – Through its sound guidance and wise teachings, Islam promotes harmony and faith-based brotherhood that joins hearts, unites souls, and legislates the causes that bring about fraternity. Love and affection for the sake of Allah form the foundation for coming together and cooperating on