What is the degree of authenticity of the hadith: “Whoever does not care about the affairs of the Muslims is not one of them”?

The questioner : What is the degree of authenticity of the hadith ? And how do we, the general public, care about the affairs of the Muslims, when you see, as you do in these days, the state of the Muslims in various parts of the world?

The Shaykh : First, this hadith is weak and is not authentic in terms of its chain of narration. As for its meaning, I say that every Muslim—every Muslim—must care about the affairs of the Muslims. However, this care varies among people according to their abilities, capacities, and attributes, and so on. For example, our Lord says in the clear text of the Noble Qur'an: They are not equal. Therefore, every Muslim should care about the affairs of the Muslims, each according to his capacity. Look, for example, at the authentic hadith: This love, which is a matter of the heart, does not differ between an ordinary Muslim, an intellectual, a scholar, and a student of knowledge. Therefore, it is obligatory for every Muslim to love for other Muslims what he loves for himself. Today, Muslims are being harmed in many lands of Islam, such as the Bosniaks and Herzegovinians. Do you love what is happening to them to happen to you? Far be it from Allah. Therefore, you must love for them that Allah protects them from the aggression of the disbelievers; this is the least that is possible. But there is, for example, a man who is a scholar, yet this scholar possesses nothing of politics or state administration, but he possesses what? His tongue. So he must support these people with his tongue, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: To whom is this directed? To the one who is able to prevent the oppressor from his oppression. This current battle between the Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Christian Serbs—words do not benefit in this; only the cannon and modern means of warfare benefit today. This is the duty of Islamic governments, not the duty of individual Muslims with their varying cultures, as we mentioned earlier. But unfortunately, Islamic governments today, very unfortunately, do not move a finger to support the Muslims in all the lands where Muslims are oppressed. I have hopefully answered your question in terms of narration and understanding. The hadith is weak in narration, but its meaning is correct in understanding, with the details mentioned previously: each according to his capacity. Now, move on to the next question.