Sharing Your Brothers
Concerns
The pious predecessors had an adab (mannerisms) which truly reflected their deep iman. In the book, "From the Characteristics of the Salaf" by Sheikh Ahmed Fareed, he talks about how the pious predecessors used to inquire about each others concerns making sure that they had enough food, clothes, and money.
In today's society people say, 'how are you' and barely wait for a response, as if they don't care what the response is and go on to the next question. Sheikh Fareed states in his book that today someone may ask his friend, 'How are you' and the friend would reply, 'Good, all right, etc. concealing his real situation knowing that his friend is not really concerned with his problems, nor does his friend even know about them.
The mannerisms of the Muslim ummah have deteriorated. Today, the telephone answering machine and the caller display box have further caused the mannerisms of the Muslim ummah to deteriorate. When someone calls with a need, we don't even consider that their needs may be of an emergency nature or not. We put our rights to our own time over our brother's rights as a Muslim. One of the Salaf said,
If one of you do not wish to fulfill his
brother's needs by sharing his worries or by making prayers (Du'ah) then do not
ask - How are things- because it is considered HYPOCRISY.