The content in this article consists of translated excerpts from the book, Kitāb al Walāʾ wa al Barāʾ fi al Islām (The Book of Loyalty and Disavowal in Islam) by Muḥammad ibn Saʿīd al Qaḥṭānī.

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The Meaning of Loyalty and Disavowal

Its Definition and Its Importance in the Qur’an and the Sunnah

The Definition of Disavowal in the Arabic Language

The Technical Meaning of Loyalty

The Technical Meaning of Disavowal

Explanation of the Definition of Loyalty and Disavowal

The Allies of the Most Merciful and the Allies of Satan

The Nature of Enmity Between Them

The Nature of Enmity Between the Two Parties

The Belief of the People of the Sunnah and the Main Body Concerning Loyalty and Disavowal

Heart Based Loyalty and Disavowal

The Position of the People of the Sunnah and the Main Body Towards the People of Bidʿah and Desires

A Good Example in Loyalty and Disavowal From Earlier Nations

Ibrahim the Close Friend, Peace Be Upon Him

Other Examples Upon the Path of Truth and Guidance

Loyalty and Disavowal During the Makkan Period

Truthfulness in Bearing Hardship

The Traits of the Relationship Between the Muslims and Their Enemies During the Makkan Period

The Chapter on Striving in the Path of Allah

Good Treatment of Polytheist Relatives

The Form of Disavowal During the Makkan Period

Loyalty and Disavowal in the Madinan Period

A Pause at the Brotherhood Between the Migrants and the Helpers

The Features of Loyalty and Disavowal in the Madinan Period

The Plotting of the People of the Book Against Islam and Warning the Muslims Against Loyalty to Them

Disavowal in the Madinan Period, Meaning Complete Separation Between the Muslims and All Their Enemies

Forms of Disavowal from the Polytheists

Preventing Them from Entering the Sacred Masjid

Preventing Marriage to Polytheist Women

Preventing a Muslim from Residing in the Land of Shirk

Disavowal from the People of the Book

Turning Away from Them and Being Firm with Them

The Prohibition of Praying Over Them or Standing at Their Graves

Their Excuse for Staying Back from Fighting Is Not Accepted

Not Seeking Forgiveness for Them

Cutting Loyalty with Relatives When They Oppose Allah and His Messenger

The Forms and Manifestations of Loyalty

Being Pleased with the Disbelief of the Disbelievers

Believing in Some of What They Are Upon of Disbelief

Compromising with Them at the Expense of Religion

Taking Them as Close Confidants Instead of the Believers

Obeying Them in What They Command and Advise

Sitting with Them When They Mock the Verses of Allah

Appointing Them Over an Affair of the Muslims

Entrusting Them While Allah Has Declared Them Treacherous

Advising Them, Praising Them, and Spreading Their Merits

Venerating Them and Giving Them Lofty Titles

Living with Them in Their Lands and Increasing Their Numbers

Plotting with Them and Carrying Out Their Plans

Fleeing from the Land of Islam to the Land of War

Joining Secular or Heretical Parties

Excuses That Are Accepted and Excuses That Are Not Accepted in These Forms

The Muslim’s Position Towards These Forms

Refuting the Khawarij and the Rafidah Regarding the Creed of Loyalty and Disavowal

The Creed of the Khawarij on This Matter

The Creed of the Rafidah Regarding Loyalty and Disavowal

From the Requirements of Loyalty and Disavowal

Love is divided into four types:

Loving Falsehood and Its People

Loving the People of Tawhid and Hating the People of Shirk

The Difference between Loyalty and Good Treatment

The Dealings with the Disbelievers: Buying and Selling

Endowments for Them and Their Endowments for Muslims

Visiting Them When They Are Ill and Congratulating Them

The Ruling on Greeting Them with Salam

Benefiting from the Disbelievers and from What They Possess

How the Salaf Applied Loyalty and Disavowal

Navigation Menu For The Summary

The Meaning of al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ

The Technical Meaning of al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ

Love and Hatred for Allah’s Sake

Allah Is the Protector and the Meaning of Following the Messenger ﷺ

The Allies of the Most Merciful and the Allies of Satan

The Causes of Enmity Against the People of Faith

A Models of al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ from Earlier Nations

al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ in the Makkan Period

al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ in the Madinan Period

Disavowal from the People of the Book

Disavowal from Polytheists and the Separation of the Islamic Land

The Forms and Manifestations of Loyalty to Disbelievers

The Difference between Loyalty and Good Treatment

Benefiting from Non Muslims without Taking Religion from Them

How the Salaf Applied al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ

Summary

The Meaning of al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ

Al walaʾ (loyalty) in the Arabic language returns to closeness, love, help, and following, and its meanings revolve around support and affection. (Lisan al ʿArab by Ibn Manzur, 3/985–986; see al Qamus al Muhit, 294, fourth edition, and the third edition.) Mutual loyalty includes supporting one side in a dispute, or loving and siding with a person. (Lisan al ʿArab, 3/986.)

A wali (ally, patron) can carry many usages, but the shared root is help and love, and the Qurʾan uses this meaning for Allah as the Protector of the believers, and for false loyalties that place a person under Satan’s patronage. (Surah Muhammad: 11) (Surah Maryam: 45) (Surah al Baqarah: 257)

Turning away can mean abandoning Islam, and it can also mean following and supporting a party, so taking others as awliyaʾ (allies) becomes a matter of following, supporting, and belonging. (Surah Muhammad: 38) (Surah al Maidah: 51) (Lisan al ʿArab, 3/988.)

Al Misbah al Munir connects wali to taking charge of an affair, so Allah is the Wali of the believers, and the believer becomes a wali of Allah through obedience, meaning following Him. (al Misbah al Munir by al Fayyumi, 2/841.)

The Meaning of Baraʾah

Baraʾah (disavowal) in Arabic carries removal, distance, purity from something, and declaring excuse and warning. (Surah al Tawbah: 1) A report about Abu Hurayrah (d. 59AH) and ʿUmar (d. 23AH) uses “free of” to mean not claiming equality with Yusuf عليه السلام, while keeping belief and love intact, so baraʾah can be used in a limited sense that does not mean rejection of faith. (This report was mentioned by Ibn al Athir in al Nihayah fi Gharib al Hadith, edited by al Zawi and al Tanahi, 1/112.)

Disavowal and being innocent of something share one meaning, and some lexical usage connects it to the first night of the month. (Lisan al ʿArab, 1/183; al Qamus al Muhit, 1/8.)

The Technical Meaning of al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ

In technical usage, al walaʾ (loyalty) is help, love, honouring, and standing outwardly with the people who are loved for Allah’s sake. (Surah al Baqarah: 257) (Sharh al Tahawiyyah, 403; Taysir al ʿAziz al Hamid, 422.) Loyalty to disbelievers becomes closeness and affection through words, actions, and intentions. (Kitab al Iman by Nuʿaym Yasin, 145.)

Al baraʾ (disavowal) is distance, separation, and enmity after excuse and warning, meaning a clear break from falsehood and its people.

Love and Hatred for Allah’s Sake

The root of al walaʾ is love and closeness, and the root of enmity is hatred and distance, so al walaʾ wal baraʾ follows love and hatred. “Loyalty is the opposite of enmity” and “the root of loyalty is love and closeness.” (al Bukhari, 12/11, hadith 6732; Muslim, 3/1233, hadith 1615.)

Allah ties brotherhood, love, loyalty, and help between the believers and forbids loyalty to disbelievers, so love for Allah’s sake and hatred for Allah’s sake becomes a foundation of iman (faith). A believer loves the prophets and the people who follow them, and hates the enemies of Allah and the enemies of the Messengers. (See al Fatawa al Saʿdiyyah by ʿAbd al Rahman ibn Saʿdi, 1/98.)

A report from Ibn ʿAbbas (d. 68AH) connects tasting iman to loving, hating, loyalty, and enmity “for Allah’s sake,” and warns that brotherhood built on worldly benefit collapses when benefit ends. (Its referencing has already preceded.)

Allah Is the Protector and the Meaning of Following the Messenger ﷺ

Allah is the Protector of the believers, and the necessary outcome of loving Allah is following the Messenger ﷺ, because love is not a claim without obedience. (Surah Aal ʿImran: 150) (Surah al Hajj: 78) (Surah Aal ʿImran: 31)

Following the Sunnah and Sharia of the Messenger ﷺ inwardly and outwardly is what Allah’s love requires, and the reality of this love includes loyalty to Allah’s allies and enmity to His enemies. (al Tuhfah al ʿIraqiyyah, 76.)

Al Hasan al Basri (d. 110AH) explained that a person’s claim to love Allah is proven through obedience. He connected this to the Qur’an verse that commands following the Messenger ﷺ, showing that true love is tested by following and acting upon what he brought. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 2/25.)

The Allies of the Most Merciful and the Allies of Satan

Two parties exist from the beginning of Adam عليه السلام and Iblis: a party that answers the Messengers and becomes the allies of the Most Merciful, and a party that turns away and becomes the allies of Satan. (Surah al Baqarah: 34–38) (Surah al Aʿraf: 12) (Surah al Taghabun: 2.)

Satan’s enmity is made clear through repeated Qurʾan warnings, the command not to follow Satan’s footsteps, and the description of his promises as deception. (Surah al Baqarah: 208) (Surah al Aʿraf: 27) (Surah al Nisa: 118–120.)

The Day of Resurrection brings open separation: the criminals are commanded to separate, and Satan disowns his followers, leaving blame upon the self. (Surah Ya Sin: 59–61) (Surah Ibrahim: 22.)

Enmity between the two sides remains ongoing and continuous. Mockery, rejection, and open hostility from disbelievers toward the believers is a recurring pattern mentioned in the Qur’an. (Surah al Baqarah: 212) (Surah al Aʿraf: 66) (Surah al Mutaffifin: 29–32) (Surah al Hajj: 72.)

The Causes of Enmity Against the People of Faith

The causes are gathered into arrogance against truth, preferring the life of this universe over the Hereafter, envy, and fear of losing authority when Sharia frees people from servitude to creation. (Surah Ghafir: 56) (Surah al Baqarah: 87) (Surah Luqman: 7) (Surah al Nahl: 107) (Surah Ibrahim: 3) (Surah al Nisa: 89) (Surah al Baqarah: 109) (Surah al Tawbah: 8) (Surah al Buruj: 8.)

This pattern explains why tyrants oppose the call to Allah when it removes their control, and why they punish believers for “nothing except that they believed.” (Surah al Buruj: 8.)

A Models of al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ from Earlier Nations

Ibrahim عليه السلام stands as a clear example of true loyalty to Allah and complete disavowal from shirk and its people. This included distancing himself even from the closest family ties when they stood against tawhid and obedience to Allah. (Surah Maryam: 41–49) (Surah al Shuʿara: 69–77)

The statement, “They are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds,” gives the meaning that loyalty to Allah is not sound without disavowal from the false gods, and this is tied to the core of “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.” (Surah al Shuʿara: 77)

The lasting word in Ibrahim’s descendants is disavowal from all worship besides Allah and loyalty to the One who created. (Surah al Zukhruf: 26–28.) Tafsir al Tabari explains the “good example” of separation from disbelievers, while excluding Ibrahim’s promise of seeking forgiveness for his father because it was tied to a prior promise, then ended when enmity to Allah became clear. (Tafsir al Tabari, 28/62.)

Nuh عليه السلام gives another clear meaning: the bond that holds is the bond of creed, not the bond of blood, because a son who rejects faith is not counted among the people of iman. (Surah Hud: 42–47.)

The wife of Nuh عليه السلام and the wife of Lut عليه السلام show betrayal in religion, not indecency, while the wife of Pharaoh shows loyalty to iman inside the palace of kufr (disbelief), asking salvation from Pharaoh and his deeds. (Surah al Tahrim: 10–11.)

The people of the cave show flight with creed when open declaration brings danger, choosing hardship over compromise with shirk. (Surah al Kahf: 13–16.)

al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ in the Makkan Period

The early Makkan period is marked by planting “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” building love for Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, loyalty among believers, and hatred of shirk and its people.

Patience over harm and “beautiful leaving” is commanded, with restraint from fighting. (Surah al Muzzammil: 10–11.)

The separation begins as a clear inner break from jahiliyyah (ignorance) bonds and a joining to the new gathering under the leadership of the Messenger ﷺ. The Qurʾan commands turning away from those who seek only the life of this universe. (Surah al Najm: 29–30.)

The clearest declaration comes in Surah al Kafirun: no compromise in worship, and full disavowal from their religion, without implying approval of kufr. (Surah al Kafirun: 1–6.) Ibn al Qayyim and Ibn Taymiyyah connect “For you is your religion, and for me is my religion” to disavowal, not acceptance, and reject claims of abrogation or approval. (Bada’iʿ al Fawa’id, 1/138–141.) (al Jawab al Sahih li Man Baddala Din al Masih by Ibn Taymiyyah, 2/30–32.)

Good conduct toward polytheist parents remains obligatory, while obedience in shirk is rejected, so birr (kindness) remains, without walaʾ (loyal loyalty). (Surah al ʿAnkabut: 8) (Surah Luqman: 15.)

The pledge of al ʿAqabah shows loyalty as mutual protection and shared struggle, “blood is blood,” and fighting those fought by the believers. (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 2/84–85.)

The Makkan restraint from fighting is tied to training, protecting the call from turning into tribal blood feuds, preventing killing inside households, and allowing later leaders of Islam to emerge from former enemies, while the Messenger ﷺ remains able to deliver the call openly. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 5/431.) (al Itqan fi ʿUlum al Qur’an by al Suyuti, 1/37.)

al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ in the Madinan Period

Hijrah (migration) becomes a dividing line, and Allah’s promise of establishment is tied to worshipping Allah alone without shirk. (Surah al Nur: 55) (Surah al Anfal: 26.)

Building the masjid, then the brotherhood between the Muhajirun (migrants) and the Ansar (helpers), forms the Ummah on creed, with mutual support that reaches sacrifice of wealth and comfort, and even temporary inheritance by brotherhood until it returns to blood ties. (Surah al Ahzab: 6.)

Love of the Ansar becomes a sign of iman, and hatred of them becomes a sign of nifaq (hypocrisy). (al Bukhari, 1/62, hadith 17; Muslim, 1/85, hadith 74.)

The document of Madinah makes believers one Ummah apart from others, prohibits killing a believer for a disbeliever, prohibits supporting a disbeliever against a believer, and sets loyalty among believers as a public bond, while granting the Jews support and fairness so long as they remain upright in the covenant. (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 2/147–149.)

Disavowal from the People of the Book

The People of the Book are known by envy, attempts to turn believers back to disbelief, and the call to mislead through staged belief and disbelief, so warnings come against taking close confidants and obeying them. (Surah al Baqarah: 105) (Surah al Baqarah: 109) (Surah Aal ʿImran: 72) (Surah Aal ʿImran: 118.)

The rule is that they will not be pleased until following their religion, and obedience to them risks turning back from iman. (Surah al Baqarah: 120) (Surah Aal ʿImran: 149–150) (Surah Aal ʿImran: 100–101.)

The prohibition is explicit: not taking Jews and Christians as awliyaʾ (allies), and whoever takes them as allies becomes “from them,” meaning loyalty that becomes belonging. (Surah al Maidah: 51.)

Further separation includes the command to say that the People of the Book are “upon nothing” until they uphold their own revelation and what Allah sent down, and the history of fighting Banu Qaynuqaʿ, Banu al Nadir, and Banu Qurayzah becomes a visible separation when covenants are broken. (Surah al Maidah: 68.)

Disavowal from the Hypocrites

Hypocrisy appears in Madinah because Islamic authority exists, so some display Islam outwardly while hiding kufr, and Allah places them in the lowest depth of the Fire. (Surah al Nisa: 145.)

Their traits include loyalty to the People of the Book against believers, staying back from jihad (striving), weakening believers, seeking judgement from taghut (false authority), and swearing lies to protect status. (Surah al Hashr: 11–12) (Surah al Nisa: 60–63) (Surah al Nur: 47–51) (Surah al Tawbah: 45–50.)

The guidance with them is accepting outward claims while leaving inward reality to Allah, striving against them with proof and firm speech, turning away from them, forbidding prayer over them, forbidding standing at their graves, and rejecting their later participation after they stayed back. (Surah al Tawbah: 73) (Surah al Tawbah: 80) (Surah al Tawbah: 83–84) (Surah al Tawbah: 94–96.)

Disavowal from Polytheists and the Separation of the Islamic Land

Surah al Tawbah announces baraʾah and sets terms: completing covenants for those who remain upright, and fighting those who break covenants after the safe months end, while granting safety to a polytheist seeking to hear the word of Allah, then delivering him to safety. (Surah al Tawbah: 1–15.)

Further separation includes barring polytheists from the Sacred Masjid after that year, to remove shirk from the heart of Islam. (Surah al Tawbah: 28.)

Believing women are not returned to disbelievers, and marriage ties with disbelieving women are not kept. (Surah al Mumtahanah: 10.)

Residence among polytheists after establishment is condemned, and a clear declaration of being free from living among them is reported, with the imagery of fires not being visible to one another. (Abu Dawud, 3/105, hadith 2645; al Tirmidhi, 5/329, hadith 1604.)

The Forms and Manifestations of Loyalty to Disbelievers

Loyalty takes levels: some lead to riddah (apostasy), some remain major sins and forbidden matters. (al Rasa’il al Mufidah by ʿAbd al Latif ibn ʿAbd al Rahman ibn Hasan Aal al Shaykh, 43.)

The most serious forms include being pleased with their disbelief, doubting their disbelief, or approving any disbelief doctrine. (See Nawaqid al Islam in Majmuʿat al Tawhid, 129.)

General loyalty includes taking them as helpers, protectors, and allies against believers, and the Qurʾan warns that such a person “has nothing to do with Allah,” except outward precaution under coercion while the heart remains firm on iman. (Surah Aal ʿImran: 28.)

Other forms include affection and heart love for them, leaning toward them, compromising at the expense of religion, taking them as close confidants, obeying them in what contradicts Sharia, sitting with them when Allah’s verses are mocked, appointing them over Muslim affairs, entrusting them while Allah calls many treacherous, praising them and spreading their merits, venerating them with loft titles, increasing their numbers by living in their lands, plotting with them, fleeing from the land of Islam out of love for them, and joining heretical parties that oppose Islam. (Surah al Mujadilah: 22) (Surah al Mumtahanah: 1) (Surah Hud: 113) (Surah Aal ʿImran: 118) (Surah al Anʿam: 121) (Surah al Nisa: 140.)

The only recognised excuse for outward conformity is coercion, while the heart remains calm with iman, because inner pleasure with kufr is never permissible. (Surah al Nahl: 106–107.)

The Difference between Loyalty and Good Treatment

Birr (kindness) and qist (justice) toward those who do not fight because of religion and do not expel from homes remains permissible, and this does not equal walaʾ. (Surah al Mumtahanah: 8.)

Asmaʾ bint Abi Bakr رضي الله عنها asked about maintaining ties with a polytheist mother, and maintaining ties was commanded, showing that kindness and family connection do not require the forbidden affection that belongs to walaʾ. (al Bukhari, 5/233, hadith 2620; Muslim, 2/696, hadith 1003.)

Buying and selling with disbelievers is permissible in principle, except what directly helps aggression against Muslims, such as weapons for forbidden fighting. (Surah al Maidah: 2.)

Visiting a non Muslim who is ill is permissible when hope exists for guidance, and congratulating them for religious symbols of kufr is forbidden, because it contains approval of disbelief. (Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah by Ibn al Qayyim, 1/205–206.)

Greeting them first with salam is an area of differing views in scholarship, with evidence for avoidance of beginning, and evidence for greeting when a mixed gathering includes Muslims, and the reply to their greeting is maintained as “and upon you.” (Muslim, 4/1707, hadith 2167.) (al Bukhari, 11/38, hadith 6254; Muslim, 3/1422, hadith 1798.) (al Bukhari, 11/42, hadith 6258; Muslim, 4/1705, hadith 2163.)

Benefiting from Non Muslims without Taking Religion from Them

Benefiting from non Muslims in worldly crafts and sciences, or guidance on the road, remains permissible when need exists, while the foundations of creed, Sharia, tafsir, and the system of life are not taken from those who do not believe in Islam.

During the Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ employed a skilled guide who was still upon the religion of Quraysh. This shows that it is permissible to make use of a non Muslim’s expertise in practical matters, so long as he is not placed in a position of authority over Muslims. (al Bukhari, 4/442, hadith 2263.)

Seeking help from a polytheist in battle is disputed, with evidence for refusal in one case, and evidence for permissibility tied to need and trust in other cases, under the judgement of the imam. (Muslim, 3/1499, hadith 1817.)

Placing disbelievers in authority over Muslims is rejected, and statements from ʿUmar and ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al ʿAziz condemn relying on Christian scribes for Muslim affairs, because honour belongs to iman and humiliation belongs to kufr. (Iqtida’ al Sirat al Mustaqim, 50.) (Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah, 1/212.) (Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah, 1/214.)

How the Salaf Applied al Walaʾ wal Baraʾ

The Salaf gave priority to faith over family ties, homeland, race, and tribe, and they carried a call that freed people from servitude to creation and directed them to worship Allah alone.

Kaʿb ibn Malik رضي الله عنه burned the letter of the king of Ghassan when it offered honour and protection during the boycott of the three who stayed back, seeing it as fitnah (trial), and giving preference to remaining with iman over worldly rank. (al Bukhari, 8/113, hadith 4418.)

ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy showed loyalty to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ above the bond of fatherhood by refusing to allow his hypocrite father to enter Madinah without permission. (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 2/292.)

Zayd ibn al Dathinah رضي الله عنه refused to accept safety at the cost of harm to the Messenger ﷺ, showing love for Allah’s Messenger ﷺ above life itself. (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 3/181.)

Anas ibn al Nadr رضي الله عنه entered Uhud with clear disavowal from the polytheists and full loyalty to Allah, until he was found with many wounds, and this matched the Qurʾan meaning of truthfulness in covenant. (Surah al Ahzab: 23.) (Musnad Ahmad, 3/301.)

Ribʿi ibn ʿAmir expressed the goal of Islam as freedom from servitude to creation and establishing justice through Islam, showing that walaʾ is for Allah and His religion, not for tribal glory. (Tarikh al Tabari, 3/519–520.)

This practical application also includes distancing from those within the Muslim community who require discipline when loyalty to the Sharia is breached, such as the boycott of the three who stayed back from Tabuk, while still affirming their iman and preserving their place within the fold of belief.

Full Article

The Meaning of Loyalty and Disavowal

Its Definition and Its Importance in the Qur’an and the Sunnah

Loyalty, in the Arabic language, is mentioned in Lisan al ʿArab. Ibn al Aʿrabi (d. 231AH) said: mutual loyalty is when two people quarrel, then a third person enters between them to bring peace, while having an inclination towards one of them, so he supports him or shows him favour. It is also said that a person showed loyalty to another person when he loved him.

The word translated as ally, master, or patron is a name applied to many meanings. It may mean the Lord, the owner, the master, the one who gives favour, the one who frees a slave, the helper, the one who loves, the follower, the neighbour, the cousin, the ally, the contracted associate, the in law, the slave, the freed slave, and the one upon whom favour is given. It may be observed that these meanings are built upon help and love. (Lisan al ʿArab by Ibn Manzur, 3/985–986; see al Qamus al Muhit, 294, fourth edition, and the third edition.)

It may also refer to kinship, help, and manumission.

Mutual loyalty also comes from being loyal to a people. Al Shafiʿi (d. 204AH) said regarding the statement of the Prophet ﷺ, “Whoever has me as his patron, then ʿAli is his patron,” that what is meant by it is the loyalty of Islam, like the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

ذلك بأن الله مولى الذين آمنوا وأن الكافرين لا مولى لهم

“That is because Allah is the Protector of those who believe, while the disbelievers have no protector.” (Muhammad: 11)

(Reported by Ahmad from al Bara’, 4/281; also from Zayd ibn Arqam, 4/368, 4/370, 4/372; al Tirmidhi, 9/300, hadith 3714. He said: “Hasan sahih gharib.” Al Albani graded it sahih. See Sahih al Jamiʿ al Saghir, 6/353, hadith 6399.)

Loyalty is the opposite of enmity, and an ally is the opposite of an enemy. Allah, the Exalted, said:

يا أبت إني أخاف أن يمسك عذاب من الرحمن فتكون للشيطان وليا

“My father, I fear that a punishment from the Most Merciful may touch you, so you would become an ally of Satan.” (Maryam: 45)

Thaʿlab (d. 291AH) said: “Whoever worships anything besides Allah has taken it as an ally.” Allah, the Exalted, said:

الله ولي الذين آمنوا

“Allah is the Protector of those who believe.” (al Baqarah: 257)

Meaning, He is their ally in helping them against their enemy and making their religion prevail over the religion of those who oppose them.

It was also said: He is their ally, meaning that He takes charge of their reward and recompense for their good deeds.

Loyalty also means nearness and closeness. Mutual loyalty means following. (Lisan al ʿArab, 3/986.)

Turning away may mean abandoning, and it may also mean following. Allah, the Exalted, said:

وإن تتولوا يستبدل قوما غيركم

“If you turn away, He will replace you with another people.” (Muhammad: 38)

Meaning: if you turn away from Islam.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ومن يتولهم منكم فإنه منهم إن الله لا يهدي القوم الظالمين

“Whoever among you takes them as allies is surely from them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.” (al Maidah: 51)

Its meaning is: whoever follows them and supports them. (Lisan al ʿArab, 3/988.)

The author of al Misbah al Munir said: an ally may refer to the doer of the action, from the meaning of taking charge of something, and from this is the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

الله ولي الذين آمنوا

“Allah is the Protector of those who believe.” (al Baqarah: 257)

It may also be used in relation to the obedient one, so it is said: the believer is an ally of Allah. To show loyalty to him means to follow him. (al Misbah al Munir by al Fayyumi, 2/841.)

The Definition of Disavowal in the Arabic Language

Ibn al Aʿrabi said: a person is described as free of something when he is rid of it; when he is pure of it and far from it; and when he has given excuse and warning. From this is the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

براءة من الله ورسوله

“A declaration of disavowal from Allah and His Messenger.” (al Tawbah: 1)

Meaning: an excuse and a warning.

In the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (d. 59AH), may Allah be pleased with him, when ʿUmar (d. 23AH), may Allah be pleased with him, called him to take a position of work and he refused, ʿUmar said: “Yusuf عليه السلام asked for work.” Abu Hurayrah replied: “Yusuf is free of me, and I am free of him.” Meaning, he is free from being equal to him in the ruling, even if he is compared to him. He did not mean disavowal from loyalty and love, because he is commanded to believe in him. This is the end of what is taken from al Nihayah. (This report was mentioned by Ibn al Athir in al Nihayah fi Gharib al Hadith, edited by al Zawi and al Tanahi, 1/112.)

The words meaning disavowal and innocent of something carry the same meaning.

The night of disavowal is the night when the moon separates from the sun, and it is the first night of the month. (Lisan al ʿArab, 1/183; al Qamus al Muhit, 1/8.)

The Technical Meaning of Loyalty

Loyalty means help, love, honouring, respect, and being outwardly with those who are loved. Allah, the Exalted, said:

الله ولي الذين آمنوا يخرجهم من الظلمات إلى النور والذين كفروا أولياؤهم الطاغوت يخرجونهم من النور إلى الظلمات

“Allah is the Protector of those who believe. He brings them out of darkness into light. As for those who disbelieve, their protectors are false objects of worship. They bring them out of light into darkness.” (al Baqarah: 257)

(Sharh al Tahawiyyah, 403; Taysir al ʿAziz al Hamid, 422.)

Loyalty to the disbelievers means drawing close to them and showing affection to them through statements, actions, and intentions. (Kitab al Iman by Nuʿaym Yasin, 145.)

The Technical Meaning of Disavowal

Disavowal means distance, separation, and enmity after excuse has been given and warning has been made.

Explanation of the Definition of Loyalty and Disavowal

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728AH) said: “Loyalty is the opposite of enmity. The root of loyalty is love and closeness, and the root of enmity is hatred and distance.” An ally is someone near. It is said: this comes next to this, meaning it is near it. From this is the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: “Give the fixed shares to those entitled to them, and whatever remains is for the nearest male man.” Meaning, the man nearest to the deceased. (This hadith was reported by al Bukhari, 12/11, hadith 6732; and Muslim, 3/1233, hadith 1615.)

So if the ally of Allah is the one who agrees with Him and follows Him in what He loves and is pleased with, and in what He hates and is displeased with, and in what He commands and forbids, then whoever shows enmity to His ally has shown enmity to Him. Allah, the Exalted, said:

لا تتخذوا عدوي وعدوكم أولياء تلقون إليهم بالمودة

“Do not take My enemy and your enemy as allies, offering them affection.” (al Mumtahanah: 1)

Whoever shows enmity to the allies of Allah has shown enmity to Him, and whoever shows enmity to Him has fought against Him. This is why it came in the hadith: “Whoever shows enmity to an ally of Mine has openly challenged Me to war.” (al Furqan by Ibn Taymiyyah, 7. The hadith was reported by al Bukhari, 11/341, hadith 6502.)

The name of loyalty to the enemies of Allah applies to different branches. Some of them require apostasy and the loss of Islam entirely, and some of them are below that, being major sins and forbidden matters. (See al Rasa’il al Mufidah by ʿAbd al Latif ibn ʿAbd al Rahman ibn Hasan Aal al Shaykh, 43.)

Since Allah tied brotherhood, love, loyalty, and help between the believers, and forbade loyalty to all the disbelievers, including Jews, Christians, atheists, polytheists, and others, it is one of the agreed foundations among Muslims that every believing person who singles Allah out in worship and leaves all matters that legally expel from Islam must be loved, shown loyalty, and helped. Whoever is contrary to that, then a person must draw close to Allah by hating him, showing enmity to him, and striving against him with the tongue and hand according to ability and possibility.

Since loyalty and disavowal follow love and hatred, the foundation of faith is that one loves for Allah’s sake His prophets and their followers, and hates for Allah’s sake His enemies and the enemies of His Messengers. (See al Fatawa al Saʿdiyyah by ʿAbd al Rahman ibn Saʿdi, 1/98.)

It was reported from Ibn ʿAbbas (d. 68AH), may Allah be pleased with them both, that he said: “Whoever loves for Allah’s sake, hates for Allah’s sake, shows loyalty for Allah’s sake, and shows enmity for Allah’s sake, then the loyalty of Allah is only attained by that. A slave will not find the taste of faith, even if his prayers and fasting are many, until he is like this. Most of the brotherhood of people has become based on worldly matters, and that does not benefit its people at all.” (Its referencing has already preceded.)

If the great scholar of this ummah said that people’s brotherhood in his time had become based on worldly matters, and that this would not benefit its people at all, even though this was in the generation that was the best of generations, then the believer is truly in need of knowing whom he loves and whom he hates, whom he shows loyalty to and whom he shows enmity to. He must then measure himself by the scale of the Book and the Sunnah, to see whether he stands in the ranks of Satan and his party, or in the ranks of the slaves of the Most Merciful and the party of Allah, who are the successful. As for all besides them, they are those who have lost this life and the Hereafter.

When brotherhood and love become based on worldly matters, as the noble Companion ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbbas said, that love and brotherhood soon disappear when the passing worldly benefit disappears. At that point, the ummah will have no strength or protection before its enemies.

In our present age, the age of material things and worldly life, the love of people is mostly based on worldly matters, and that does not benefit its people at all. The Islamic ummah will not stand again except by returning to Allah, gathering upon love for His sake, hatred for His sake, loyalty to Him, and disavowal from those whom Allah commanded us to disavow. Then the believers will rejoice in the help of Allah.

Allah Is Your Protector

بل الله مولاكم وهو خير الناصرين

“No. Allah is your Protector, and He is the best of helpers.” (Aal ʿImran: 150)

واعتصموا بالله هو مولاكم فنعم المولى ونعم النصير

“Hold firmly to Allah. He is your Protector. What an excellent Protector, and what an excellent Helper.” (al Hajj: 78)

From the necessary results of loving Allah is following the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

قل إن كنتم تحبون الله فاتبعوني يحببكم الله ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم والله غفور رحيم

“Say: if you love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Aal ʿImran: 31)

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728AH) said:

“Following the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ and following his Sharia, inwardly and outwardly, is what Allah’s love requires, just as striving in the path of Allah, loyalty to His allies, and enmity to His enemies is its reality.” (al Tuhfah al ʿIraqiyyah, 76.)

Al Hasan al Basri (d. 110AH), may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“A people claimed that they loved Allah, so Allah tested them with this verse: ‘Say: if you love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you.’” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 2/25.)

The Book and the Sunnah raised the ummah upon love for Allah’s sake, hatred for Allah’s sake, loyalty for Allah’s sake, and disavowal for Allah’s sake, until it reached the point where being thrown into the Fire would be more beloved to it than returning to disbelief after Allah had saved it from it.

Even though loyalty and disavowal have disappeared today from the lived reality of the Muslims, except for those upon whom your Lord has mercy, this disappearance does not change anything from the clear and radiant truth. This great matter, as Shaykh Hamad ibn ʿAtiq (d. 1301AH) said:

“There is no ruling in the Book of Allah, after the obligation of singling Allah out in worship and the prohibition of its opposite, that has more proofs or clearer proofs than this ruling.” (His biography will come shortly.) (al Najah wal Fakak, 14.)

The importation of the atheistic madhhabs of human beings and their limited thoughts is nothing but an inevitable result of the absence of their loyalty to Allah and His Messenger, and their lack of disavowal from false objects of worship dressed in the glitter of falsehood and the falsification of truth.

The Allies of the Most Merciful and the Allies of Satan

The Nature of Enmity Between Them

The existence of the allies of the Most Merciful and the allies of Satan is an old matter. It began from the creation of Adam, peace be upon him, and from the command of Allah to the angels to prostrate to him. They prostrated, except Iblis. He refused and acted with arrogance.

The Noble Qur’an spoke about the story of this enmity between Adam and Iblis in several Surahs, the clearest of which are Surat al Baqarah, Surat al Aʿraf, Surat Taha, and others.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

وإذ قلنا للملائكة اسجدوا لآدم فسجدوا إلا إبليس أبى واستكبر وكان من الكافرين ۝ وقلنا يا آدم اسكن أنت وزوجك الجنة وكلا منها رغدا حيث شئتما ولا تقربا هذه الشجرة فتكونا من الظالمين ۝ فأزلهما الشيطان عنها فأخرجهما مما كانا فيه وقلنا اهبطوا بعضكم لبعض عدو ولكم في الأرض مستقر ومتاع إلى حين ۝ فتلقى آدم من ربه كلمات فتاب عليه إنه هو التواب الرحيم ۝ قلنا اهبطوا منها جميعا فإما يأتينكم مني هدى فمن تبع هداي فلا خوف عليهم ولا هم يحزنون

“When We said to the angels: prostrate to Adam, they prostrated, except Iblis. He refused, acted with arrogance, and was one of the disbelievers. We said: Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise, and eat freely from it wherever you wish, but do not approach this tree, lest you become wrongdoers. Then Satan caused them to slip from it and brought them out of what they were in. We said: descend, some of you as enemies to others, and for you on earth there will be a place of settlement and enjoyment for a time. Then Adam received words from his Lord, so He accepted his repentance. Indeed, He is the One who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful. We said: descend from it, all of you. Then, whenever guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance, there will be no fear upon them, nor will they grieve.” (al Baqarah: 34–38)

In Surat al Aʿraf comes the explanation of Iblis not prostrating:

قال ما منعك ألا تسجد إذ أمرتك قال أنا خير منه خلقتني من نار وخلقته من طين

“He said: what prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you? He said: I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.” (al Aʿraf: 12)

Allah’s command to Iblis was to prostrate, but his reply, may Allah curse him, was refusal and arrogance, using his corrupt analogy: that fire is nobler than clay. By this, he set himself up as a rival to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Allah said one thing, and Iblis said: I see something else. For that reason, he deserved the curse and expulsion from Allah’s mercy.

The division of people into the party of guidance and the party of misguidance began with this beginning, as the Master, Glorified is He, mentioned:

هو الذي خلقكم فمنكم كافر ومنكم مؤمن والله بما تعملون بصير

“He is the One who created you. Some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers, and Allah sees well what you do.” (al Taghabun: 2)

As for the party that answered the call of the Messengers and believed in Allah’s revealed Books and His sent Messengers, as a mercy to people, they are the allies of the Most Merciful.

As for the party that turned away and acted with arrogance, they are the allies of Satan.

Before speaking about the two parties, it must be known that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has established the proof against His slaves. He made clear to them the enmity of Satan, even after his story with Adam.

So He, Glorified is He, did not merely mention the story of Adam and the enmity of Iblis towards him several times in the Qur’an. Rather, He made the matter clearer and warned the children of Adam in many places in the Qur’an not to listen to Satan’s misguidance and turn away from the straight path of Allah. Allah, the Exalted, said:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا ادخلوا في السلم كافة ولا تتبعوا خطوات الشيطان إنه لكم عدو مبين

“O you who believe, enter into Islam completely, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is a clear enemy to you.” (al Baqarah: 208)

Then comes the reminder together with the warning in the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

يا بني آدم لا يفتننكم الشيطان كما أخرج أبويكم من الجنة ينزع عنهما لباسهما ليريهما سوءاتهما إنه يراكم هو وقبيله من حيث لا ترونهم إنا جعلنا الشياطين أولياء للذين لا يؤمنون

“Children of Adam, do not let Satan tempt you as he brought your parents out of Paradise, stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts. He and his tribe see you from where you do not see them. We have made the devils allies of those who do not believe.” (al Aʿraf: 27)

The noble Qur’an did not stop with this clarification. Rather, it uncovered the satanic plan for people, so that every seeing person may see, and those of sound minds may reflect. Allah, the Exalted, said concerning Iblis:

وقال لأتخذن من عبادك نصيبا مفروضا ۝ ولأضلنهم ولأمنينهم ولآمرنهم فليبتكن آذان الأنعام ولآمرنهم فليغيرن خلق الله ومن يتخذ الشيطان وليا من دون الله فقد خسر خسرانا مبينا ۝ يعدهم ويمنيهم وما يعدهم الشيطان إلا غرورا

“He said: I will surely take from Your slaves an appointed share. I will surely misguide them, fill them with false hopes, command them so that they will slit the ears of cattle, and command them so that they will change Allah’s creation. Whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly lost a clear loss. He promises them and fills them with false hopes, but Satan promises them nothing except deception.” (al Nisa: 118–120)

Then Allah mentions to people a scene from the scenes of the Day of Resurrection, when the allies of Satan will regret, but it will no longer be a time for regret. He, Glorified is He, says:

وامتازوا اليوم أيها المجرمون ۝ ألم أعهد إليكم يا بني آدم أن لا تعبدوا الشيطان إنه لكم عدو مبين ۝ وأن اعبدوني هذا صراط مستقيم

“Separate yourselves today, you criminals. Did I not command you, children of Adam, not to worship Satan, for he is a clear enemy to you, and to worship Me? This is a straight path.” (Ya Sin: 59–61)

And another scene of Iblis, when he disowns his followers:

وقال الشيطان لما قضي الأمر إن الله وعدكم وعد الحق ووعدتكم فأخلفتكم وما كان لي عليكم من سلطان إلا أن دعوتكم فاستجبتم لي فلا تلوموني ولوموا أنفسكم ما أنا بمصرخكم وما أنتم بمصرخي إني كفرت بما أشركتمون من قبل إن الظالمين لهم عذاب أليم

“Satan will say, when the matter has been decided: indeed, Allah promised you the promise of truth, and I promised you, but I failed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you and you answered me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot save you, and you cannot save me. I reject what you associated me with before. Indeed, the wrongdoers will have a painful punishment.” (Ibrahim: 22)

After the clarification of Allah, there is no further clarification. Things return to their origins, as they say. Since Iblis is an enemy to Adam, there is no doubt that the followers of Iblis and his party are enemies to the allies of the Most Merciful and the followers of the Messengers. Therefore, there can be no meeting between the two parties and no truce between them.

It is war, enmity, envy, mockery, ridicule, plotting, deception, and every matter that Iblis inspires to his followers. That is the weapon of the party of Satan.

The party of Satan are people who lie in wait for the believers. They try, as much as they can, to turn them away from the remembrance of Allah. Allah, Majestic is His Majesty, has informed us of that in several places in His Noble Book. He, Glorified is He, said about the mockery of the enemies of Allah towards the party of Allah:

زين للذين كفروا الحياة الدنيا ويسخرون من الذين آمنوا والذين اتقوا فوقهم يوم القيامة والله يرزق من يشاء بغير حساب

“The life of this world has been made beautiful for those who disbelieve, and they mock those who believe. But those who had God fearing restraint will be above them on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah provides for whom He wills without measure.” (al Baqarah: 212)

قال الملأ الذين كفروا من قومه إنا لنراك في سفاهة وإنا لنظنك من الكاذبين

“The chiefs who disbelieved among his people said: we surely see you in foolishness, and we surely think you are one of the liars.” (al Aʿraf: 66)

إن الذين أجرموا كانوا من الذين آمنوا يضحكون ۝ وإذا مروا بهم يتغامزون ۝ وإذا انقلبوا إلى أهلهم انقلبوا فكهين ۝ وإذا رأوهم قالوا إن هؤلاء لضالون

“Indeed, those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed. When they passed by them, they would wink at one another. When they returned to their own people, they returned joking. And when they saw them, they said: these people are surely misguided.” (al Mutaffifin: 29–32)

Look at how the Qur’an portrays the enmity of the party of Satan and what their souls contain against the believers in the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

وإذا تتلى عليهم آياتنا بينات تعرف في وجوه الذين كفروا المنكر يكادون يسطون بالذين يتلون عليهم آياتنا قل أفأنبئكم بشر من ذلكم النار وعدها الله الذين كفروا وبئس المصير

“When Our clear verses are recited to them, you recognise denial on the faces of those who disbelieve. They almost attack those who recite Our verses to them. Say: shall I inform you of something worse than that? The Fire, which Allah has promised to those who disbelieve. What a terrible destination.” (al Hajj: 72)

Here there is an important truth: the enmity that occurred between Adam, peace be upon him, and Iblis is an enmity that remains between Iblis and the children of Adam until Allah inherits the earth and all who are upon it. The whole history of humanity is nothing but a confirmation of the truth that people are divided into the party of guidance and uprightness, and the party of desire, appetite, and Satan.

هو الذي خلقكم فمنكم كافر ومنكم مؤمن والله بما تعملون بصير

“He is the One who created you. Some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers, and Allah sees well what you do.” (al Taghabun: 2)

Based on this, there is no meeting between the two parties in this life or in the Hereafter. For that reason, Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“From the way of Allah is that when He wills to make His religion manifest, He raises someone to oppose it, so He establishes the truth through His words and casts the truth against falsehood, so it crushes it, and then it vanishes.” (Majmuʿ al Fatawa, 28/57.)

Look at the enmity of the people of Noah, peace be upon him, towards him, and the people of ʿAd, the people of Salih, Shuʿayb, Ibrahim, Musa, ʿIsa, and then Muhammad ﷺ, and then the enmity with which ignorance faces the people of faith until Allah inherits the earth and all who are upon it.

If the allies of the Most Merciful insist upon following the guidance of their Lord, then the allies of Satan also insist upon sinking into the mire of ignorance and misguidance, worshipping false objects of worship, whether this false object is a rival worshipped, an appetite intended to be satisfied, a race, a language, an authority, a land, or the religion of the early fathers. Allah, the Great, spoke the truth when He said:

الله ولي الذين آمنوا يخرجهم من الظلمات إلى النور والذين كفروا أولياؤهم الطاغوت يخرجونهم من النور إلى الظلمات أولئك أصحاب النار هم فيها خالدون

As for the party of the Most Merciful, they are those who belong to Him, Glorified is He, take shelter beneath His banner, take Him as their ally, and do not take anyone else as an ally. They are one family and one ummah beyond generations and centuries, beyond place and homelands, beyond nationalities and races, and beyond lineages and houses.

The religion of Islam came with the decisive separator between truth and falsehood, and between Islam and ignorance. It did not make the gathering of people rest upon race, colour, ethnicity, or soil, as old and modern forms of ignorance do alike. Rather, it made the gathering of people rest upon belief in Allah, and made virtue between them rest upon righteous deeds. Allah, the Exalted, said:

يا أيها الناس إنا خلقناكم من ذكر وأنثى وجعلناكم شعوبا وقبائل لتعارفوا إن أكرمكم عند الله أتقاكم إن الله عليم خبير

“O mankind, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you before Allah is the one with the most God fearing restraint. Indeed, Allah is All Knowing, All Aware.” (al Hujurat: 13)

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“There is no virtue for an Arab over a non Arab, nor for a non Arab over an Arab, nor for a black person over a white person, nor for a white person over a black person, except through God fearing restraint. All of you are from Adam, and Adam is from dust.” (Reported by Ahmad, 5/411, from Abu Nadrah. Its chain is authentic, except that it is mursal, because Abu Nadrah is not a Companion.)

He ﷺ also said:

“Allah has removed from you the arrogance of the days of ignorance and its boasting in fathers. One is either a God fearing believer or a wretched sinner.” (Its referencing has already preceded.)

The Chosen One ﷺ disavowed close relatives of his who were not upon his religion, so that he would place himself as an example for the believers. ʿAmr ibn al ʿAs (d. 43AH), may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:

“I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying openly, not secretly: ‘The family of so and so, people from among his relatives, are not my allies. Rather, my ally is Allah and the righteous believers.’” (al Bukhari, 10/419, hadith 5990; Muslim, 1/197, hadith 215.)

He ﷺ also said:

“The closest people to me are the people of God fearing restraint, whoever they are and wherever they are.” (Reported by Ahmad, 5/235. It is an authentic hadith. See Takhrij Kitab Fiqh al Sirah by al Ghazali, 485; Sahih al Jamiʿ al Saghir, 2/181, hadith 2008.)

This agrees with the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

إن الله هو مولاه وجبريل وصالح المؤمنين

“Indeed, Allah is his Protector, and Jibril and the righteous believers.” (al Tahrim: 4)

From here, the believers are the allies of Allah because they answered what Allah wanted. They received from Him alone, worshipped Him alone, and feared Him alone. This is unlike the second party. Whenever a Messenger from the Messengers of Allah called them, they said:

بل نتبع ما ألفينا عليه آباءنا أولو كان آباؤهم لا يعقلون شيئا ولا يهتدون

“Rather, we follow what we found our fathers upon. Even if their fathers understood nothing and were not guided?” (al Baqarah: 170)

وإذا قيل لهم تعالوا إلى ما أنزل الله وإلى الرسول قالوا حسبنا ما وجدنا عليه آباءنا أولو كان آباؤهم لا يعلمون شيئا ولا يهتدون

“When it is said to them: come to what Allah has sent down and to the Messenger, they say: enough for us is what we found our fathers upon. Even if their fathers knew nothing and were not guided?” (al Maidah: 104)

From the qualities of the allies of the Most Merciful is response and submission to the judgement of Allah and His Sharia, and following His command. Allah, the Exalted, said:

إنما كان قول المؤمنين إذا دعوا إلى الله ورسوله ليحكم بينهم أن يقولوا سمعنا وأطعنا وأولئك هم المفلحون

“The only statement of the believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, is that they say: we hear and obey. Those are the successful.” (al Nur: 51)

As for the allies of Satan, among their traits is turning away from the judgement of Allah and His Sharia, and following desire and Satan. Allah, the Exalted, said:

ويقولون سمعنا وعصينا واسمع غير مسمع ورعنا ليا بألسنتهم وطعنا في الدين

“They say: we hear and disobey, and hear without being made to hear, and ‘look after us,’ twisting their tongues and attacking the religion.” (al Nisa: 46)

And He said:

ومن أظلم ممن ذكر بآيات ربه ثم أعرض عنها إنا من المجرمين منتقمون

“Who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord, then turns away from them? Indeed, We will take revenge upon the criminals.” (al Sajdah: 22)

The great scholar Ibn al Qayyim (d. 751AH) said:

“Everyone who declares the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to be a liar, turns away from following him, deviates from his Sharia, turns away from his religion, follows other than his Sunnah, does not hold firmly to his covenant, enables ignorance within himself, desire and corruption within his heart, denial and disbelief within his chest, and disobedience and opposition within his limbs, is an ally of Satan.” (Hidayat al Hayara, 7.)

Among the traits of the allies of Satan is that:

“When the truth comes opposing them in the path of their leadership, they crush it and trample it under their feet. If they are unable to do that, they repel it as one repels an attacker. If they are unable to do that, they hold it back on the road and turn away from it to another road. They are ready to repel it according to what is possible. If they find no way around it, they give it the coinage and the sermon, but remove it from authority, judgement, and implementation. If the truth comes supporting them and is in their favour, they roam and advance with it, and they come to it submissively, not because it is truth, but because it agrees with their aim and desires.”

وإذا دعوا إلى الله ورسوله ليحكم بينهم إذا فريق منهم معرضون ۝ وإن يكن لهم الحق يأتوا إليه مذعنين ۝ أفي قلوبهم مرض أم ارتابوا أم يخافون أن يحيف الله عليهم ورسوله بل أولئك هم الظالمون

“When they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, suddenly a group of them turn away. But if the right is in their favour, they come to him submissively. Is there disease in their hearts, or have they doubted, or do they fear that Allah and His Messenger will wrong them? Rather, they are the wrongdoers.” (al Nur: 48–50)

(Madarij al Salikin, 1/53.)

The Nature of Enmity Between the Two Parties

After explaining the traits of the two parties, we now speak about the enmity between them. Knowing this enmity is necessary in order to distinguish the corrupt from the pure.

ما كان الله ليذر المؤمنين على ما أنتم عليه حتى يميز الخبيث من الطيب

“Allah would not leave the believers in the state you are in until He separates the corrupt from the pure.” (Aal ʿImran: 179)

Knowing the enmity between the two parties is an important matter. It uncovers the game of some who take Islamic names while they strive to dissolve the Muslim into the mass of the modern ignorant atmosphere, weaken his loyalty to his Lord, his religion, and his Muslim brothers, and weaken the trust of his disavowal and enmity towards every enemy of this religion.

Our enemies try to falsify this important and radiant truth by saying that the disbelievers are loyal and honourable friends, who must receive love, appreciation, reverence, honouring, and magnifying. They say that we are backward and that those people are advanced, so we must follow their path and adopt their way. We must follow their traces in every condition and circumstance, taking their civilisation in full, its sweet and bitter, its truth and falsehood. Rather, they say there is no falsehood in it. (Among those who led this direction were Taha Hussein and his likes. See, if you wish, his book Mustaqbal al Thaqafah fi Misr.)

But impossible. They have failed and lost. The party of Allah are higher in rank before Allah, and they are higher even if they are fewer in number. The party of Satan are the losers, even if they are as many as pebbles.

Before speaking about the enmity between the two parties, there must be a brief account of the enmity of Iblis towards man, so that we may know the entrances of Satan into this human self, and the extent to which he dresses truth with falsehood for his allies. Then the truth becomes clear to the believer, so he takes caution for himself and those with him, and worships Allah upon insight from Him and light from His Sharia.

Ibn al Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned that the enmity of Satan towards man appears in seven levels. I mention them here in summary.

First: disbelief, associating partners with Allah, and showing enmity to Allah and His Messenger. If Satan achieves this from the son of Adam, his groaning rests and he is relieved of his effort with him. This is the first thing he wants from the slave. If he achieves it, he turns him into one of his troops and deputies, so he becomes one of the callers of Iblis. If he loses hope of this, he moves him to the second level of evil.

Second: bidʿah. It is more beloved to him than sinful rebellion and disobedience, because its harm is in the religion itself and its harm spreads to others. It is opposition to the call of the Messengers. If the person is someone who opposes the people of bidʿah and misguidance, he moves him to the third level.

Third: major sins of their different types. He is eager to make him fall into them, especially if he is an followed scholar, so that he can turn people away from him. It is known that those who love indecency to spread among the believers have a painful punishment. This is when they love its spread, so what about when they themselves take charge of spreading it? If he is unable to do this, he moves him to what comes after it.

Fourth: minor sins which, when gathered together, may destroy the one who commits them, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “Beware of sins that are thought little of, for their likeness is that of a people who stopped in an open land.” He mentioned a hadith whose meaning is that each one of them brought a stick of firewood until they lit a great fire, then they cooked and roasted. Satan continues to make the matter of minor sins easy for him until he takes them lightly. So the one who commits a major sin while fearing it may be in a better state than him. If the slave defeats him in this, he moves him to the fifth.

(The hadith is in Musnad Ahmad, 5/331, and it is authentic. See Silsilat al Ahadith al Sahihah, hadith 389; Sahih al Jamiʿ, 2/386, hadith 2683 and 2684.)

Fifth: occupying him with permissible matters that have no reward and no punishment. Their outcome is that he misses the reward that was lost due to being occupied with them. If the slave defeats him in this, by preserving his time and being careful with it, knowing the value of his breaths and what they lead to of bliss or punishment, he moves him to what comes after it.

Sixth: occupying him with the lesser deed instead of the better deed, so that he removes virtue from him and makes him miss the reward of the better deed. He opens for him many doors of good, as it has been mentioned that he commands seventy doors from the doors of good, either to reach one door of evil through them, or to cause him to miss a good greater than those seventy, more honoured, and better.

This is a matter that cannot be known except by light from Allah, which He casts into the heart of the slave, whose cause is pure following of the Messenger ﷺ and strong concern for the ranks of deeds before Allah, what is most beloved to Him, and what is most pleasing to Him. None knows this except those who are among the heirs of the Messenger ﷺ, his deputies in the ummah, and his successors in the earth. Allah grants His favour to whom He wills from His slaves. (Bada’iʿ al Fawa’id, 2/260–262, with wording changes.)

Seventh: if the slave defeats him in these six levels, he sets his party from humans and jinn against him with different kinds of harm, declaring him a disbeliever, declaring him misguided, declaring him an innovator, warning against him, and intending to bury him and extinguish him, so that they disturb his heart and prevent people from benefiting from him. His effort then remains in setting the false people from the devils of humans and jinn against him without pause or weakness. At that point, the believer wears the armour of war and does not put it down until death. Whenever he puts it down, he is captured or struck. So he remains in striving until he meets Allah.

Since this is the plot of Satan against man, what then is the cause and trigger of enmity between the allies of the Most Merciful and the allies of Satan?

The answer to that is one of four matters, or all four together.

First: arrogance. The allies of Satan acted arrogantly towards the truth, the Messenger, and the message.

Allah, the Exalted, said about them:

إن الذين يجادلون في آيات الله بغير سلطان أتاهم إن في صدورهم إلا كبر ما هم ببالغيه فاستعذ بالله إنه هو السميع البصير

“Indeed, those who argue about the verses of Allah without any authority having come to them, there is nothing in their chests except arrogance which they will not reach. So seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the All Hearing, the All Seeing.” (Ghafir: 56)

Allah, the Exalted, said:

أفكلما جاءكم رسول بما لا تهوى أنفسكم استكبرتم ففريقا كذبتم وفريقا تقتلون

“Is it that whenever a Messenger came to you with what your souls did not desire, you acted with arrogance, so some you denied and some you killed?” (al Baqarah: 87)

Allah, the Exalted, said:

وإذا تتلى عليه آياتنا ولى مستكبرا كأن لم يسمعها كأن في أذنيه وقرا فبشره بعذاب أليم

“When Our verses are recited to him, he turns away arrogantly, as though he did not hear them, as though there is deafness in his ears. So give him news of a painful punishment.” (Luqman: 7)

Second: preferring the life of this world over the Hereafter and clinging to desires and pleasures. Allah, the Exalted, said:

ذلك بأنهم استحبوا الحياة الدنيا على الآخرة وأن الله لا يهدي القوم الكافرين

“That is because they preferred the life of this world over the Hereafter, and because Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.” (al Nahl: 107)

الذين يستحبون الحياة الدنيا على الآخرة ويصدون عن سبيل الله ويبغونها عوجا أولئك في ضلال بعيد

“Those who prefer the life of this world over the Hereafter, turn others away from the path of Allah, and seek to make it crooked. Those are in far misguidance.” (Ibrahim: 3)

When arrogance and love of this world over the Hereafter are found, or either one of them, then the people of such traits become disturbed by the existence of the sincere slaves of Allah, even if no direct contact from them appears. Their existence with this purity, this cleanliness, and this elevation is something that enrages the enemies of Allah. Allah, the Exalted, said:

ودوا لو تكفرون كما كفروا فتكونون سواء

“They wish that you would disbelieve as they disbelieved, so that you would become equal.” (al Nisa: 89)

That is because the existence of the pure party makes the filthy party feel the wickedness of its inner state and the ugliness of its action. From here begins the plotting of the enemies of Allah against the allies of Allah, with everything contained in the word plotting, whether that is through mockery, ridicule, punishment, persecution, or lying in wait for the believers with everything that harms them.

Third: envy. The rage of the allies of Satan does not calm down. For that reason, they harbour envy and hatred towards the believers. Allah made this clear in His Mighty Book with His statement:

ود كثير من أهل الكتاب لو يردونكم من بعد إيمانكم كفارا حسدا من عند أنفسهم من بعد ما تبين لهم الحق فاعفوا واصفحوا حتى يأتي الله بأمره إن الله على كل شيء قدير

“Many of the People of the Book wish that they could turn you back into disbelievers after your faith, out of envy from themselves after the truth has become clear to them. So pardon and overlook until Allah brings His command. Indeed, Allah has power over all things.” (al Baqarah: 109)

Yes, this is their wish: that the slaves of Allah disbelieve, so that they become equal with them in disbelief and misguidance. Allah has made clear the greatness of their hatred and envy if they gain power over the believers. He, the Exalted, said:

كيف وإن يظهروا عليكم لا يرقبوا فيكم إلا ولا ذمة

“How, when if they gain power over you, they do not observe regarding you any bond or covenant?” (al Tawbah: 8)

Fourth: stripping authority and loyalty. This matter is specific to the chiefs, meaning the leaders and false rulers who enslave people, while people come before them with reverence, glorification, desire, fear, dread, and hope.

When the religion of Allah and His Sharia come, freeing people from the servitude of slaves to the worship of the One, the Irresistible, the chiefs rise and show enmity to the habit of good, because they then feel that their authority has been stripped from them, their honour has disappeared, and people no longer fear them or dread them. This is because the religion of Allah has freed them, honoured them, and made them slaves to Allah. Their fear is of Allah, their love is for Allah, their loyalty is to Allah, and their hatred is for Allah’s sake.

The proof for this is the action of Kisra when the letter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to him, calling him to enter Islam. He acted arrogantly within himself, as if he were saying: this is a strange matter. The Arabs, who used to be our shepherds, now come to me so that I may enter their new religion. He thought that his kingdom would vanish if he entered the new religion.

So he did nothing except tear up the letter. Allah answered the dua of His Prophet, so Allah tore apart the kingdom of Kisra in the worst tearing apart. This is how false rulers who do not submit to Allah in loyalty, authority, and judgement show enmity to the allies of the Most Merciful and pour upon them the severest kinds of punishment, as Allah, the Exalted, said:

وما نقموا منهم إلا أن يؤمنوا بالله العزيز الحميد

“They resented them for nothing except that they believed in Allah, the Almighty, the Praiseworthy.” (al Buruj: 8)

Ignorance does not hate Islam because, deep inside itself, it does not know the truth and good within it, or because between itself and itself it truly believes that its falsehood in which it lives is more correct and more upright than Islam. No. It hates it while knowing the truth and good within it, and that it is the one that straightens what has become crooked in the affairs of life. Rather, it hates it because it is eager for this crookedness and does not want it to be straightened. It wants matters to remain upon their crookedness and not become straight. It hates it because it is ignorance, and he is Islam.

وأما ثمود فهديناهم فاستحبوا العمى على الهدى

“As for Thamud, We guided them, but they preferred blindness over guidance.” (Fussilat: 17)

As for the nature of the enmity of the allies of the Most Merciful towards their enemies, it is part of their creed. I think I have explained this in detail in the introduction when speaking about the necessary results of “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah”: that they hate for Allah’s sake those who oppose Allah and His Messenger. Allah, the Exalted, said:

لا تجد قوما يؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر يوادون من حاد الله ورسوله ولو كانوا آباءهم أو أبناءهم أو إخوانهم أو عشيرتهم أولئك كتب في قلوبهم الإيمان وأيدهم بروح منه ويدخلهم جنات تجري من تحتها الأنهار خالدين فيها رضي الله عنهم ورضوا عنه أولئك حزب الله ألا إن حزب الله هم المفلحون

“You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day showing affection to those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they are their fathers, their sons, their brothers, or their clan. Those are the ones into whose hearts He has written faith and supported them with a spirit from Him. He will admit them into gardens beneath which rivers flow, remaining therein forever. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. Those are the party of Allah. Surely, the party of Allah are the successful.” (al Mujadilah: 22)

They do not meet their enemies halfway. Rather, they say as their imam Ibrahim, peace be upon him, said:

إنا براءؤا منكم ومما تعبدون من دون الله كفرنا بكم وبدا بيننا وبينكم العداوة والبغضاء أبدا حتى تؤمنوا بالله وحده

“We are free from you and from what you worship besides Allah. We reject you, and enmity and hatred have appeared between us and you forever until you believe in Allah alone.” (al Mumtahanah: 4)

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al Wahhab may Allah have mercy on him, said: “A person’s Islam is not upright, even if he singles Allah out in worship and leaves associating partners with Him, except by showing enmity to the polytheists and openly declaring enmity and hatred towards them, as Allah, the Exalted, said:

لا تجد قوما

‘You will not find a people…’” (al Mujadilah: 22)

(Majmuʿat al Tawhid, 19, Sittat Mawadiʿ min al Sirah, Dar al Fikr edition.)

Since we have now known the starting point of enmity and its reality, we must know that this is the common factor between the enemies of Islam in all their different categories: disbelievers, polytheists, hypocrites, and everyone who hates Islam and shows enmity to it.

The nature of the method, which the followers of other methods know well, is a nature of insistence upon establishing the kingdom of Allah on earth, bringing all people out from worshipping slaves to worshipping Allah alone, and breaking the material barriers that stand between all people and true freedom of choice. Then it is also the nature of conflict between two ways of life, with no meeting between them in any small or great matter, and the eagerness of the followers of earthly methods to crush the Lordly method that threatens their existence, their methods, and their conditions before it crushes them. This is an inevitability in reality, with no choice in it for these or those. This phenomenon is affirmed by the Qur’an in His statement:

ولا يزالون يقاتلونكم حتى يردوكم عن دينكم إن استطاعوا

“They will not cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion, if they are able.” (al Baqarah: 217)

We mention some of the enmities of these categories according to what the Noble Qur’an has stated. As for the disbelievers, Allah, the Exalted, said about them:

يريدون ليطفئوا نور الله بأفواههم والله متم نوره ولو كره الكافرون

“They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will complete His light, even if the disbelievers dislike it.” (al Saff: 8)

And He said concerning the polytheists:

ما يود الذين كفروا من أهل الكتاب ولا المشركين أن ينزل عليكم من خير من ربكم

“Neither those who disbelieve from the People of the Book nor the polytheists wish that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord.” (al Baqarah: 105)

هو الذي أرسل رسوله بالهدى ودين الحق ليظهره على الدين كله ولو كره المشركون

“He is the One who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, so that He may make it prevail over all religion, even if the polytheists dislike it.” (al Saff: 9)

As for the enmity of the People of the Book, Allah says about them:

ولن ترضى عنك اليهود ولا النصارى حتى تتبع ملتهم

“The Jews and the Christians will never be pleased with you until you follow their religion.” (al Baqarah: 120)

لتجدن أشد الناس عداوة للذين آمنوا اليهود

“You will surely find the strongest of people in enmity towards those who believe to be the Jews.” (al Maidah: 82)

ألم تر إلى الذين أوتوا نصيبا من الكتاب يشترون الضلالة ويريدون أن تضلوا السبيل

“Have you not seen those who were given a share of the Book? They purchase misguidance and want you to lose the way.” (al Nisa: 44)

وإذا لقوكم قالوا آمنا وإذا خلوا عضوا عليكم الأنامل من الغيظ قل موتوا بغيظكم إن الله عليم بذات الصدور

“When they meet you, they say: we believe. But when they are alone, they bite their fingertips at you out of rage. Say: die in your rage. Indeed, Allah knows what is within the chests.” (Aal ʿImran: 119)

As for the enmity of the hypocrites, the Noble Qur’an warned about that in many places. From that is what came at the beginning of Surat al Baqarah, where He mentioned them in thirteen verses, from verse 8 to verse 20. This is due to their great number, the widespread trial caused by them, and the severity of their temptation against Islam and its people. The trial of Islam through them is extremely severe, because they are ascribed to it, to its support, and to loyalty to it, while in reality they are its enemies. They bring out their enmity in every form, which the ignorant person thinks to be knowledge and reform, while it is the furthest limit of ignorance and corruption.

By Allah, how many strongholds of Islam they have demolished, how many of its forts they have torn out from the foundation and destroyed, and how many raised banners they have lowered. They agreed upon separating from revelation, so they are united upon leaving guidance by it:

فتقطعوا أمرهم بينهم زبرا كل حزب بما لديهم فرحون

“But they divided their affair among themselves into factions, each party rejoicing in what it has.” (al Mu’minun: 53)

Their capital is deception and plotting, and their goods are lies and betrayal. They possess worldly intelligence: both parties are pleased with them, and they are safe between them.

يخادعون الله والذين آمنوا وما يخدعون إلا أنفسهم وما يشعرون

“They try to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive none except themselves, and they do not perceive it.” (al Baqarah: 9)

Whoever the claws of their doubts cling to upon the skin of his faith, they tear it to pieces. Whoever the sparks of their trial attach to in his heart, they cast him into the punishment of burning. They went out seeking failed trade in seas of darkness, so they rode the ships of doubts and uncertainties, moving with them through the waves of imaginations. Then the violent wind played with their ships and cast them among the ships of the destroyed.

أولئك الذين اشتروا الضلالة بالهدى فما ربحت تجارتهم وما كانوا مهتدين

“Those are the ones who purchased misguidance in exchange for guidance, so their trade did not profit, and they were not guided.” (al Baqarah: 16)

(Madarij al Salikin, 1/347–349, with wording changes.)

A complete Surah was revealed specifically concerning them in the Qur’an, which is Surat al Munafiqun. In it, their clear enmity towards the believers was mentioned in the statement of Allah, the Exalted, about them:

هم الذين يقولون لا تنفقوا على من عند رسول الله حتى ينفضوا ولله خزائن السماوات والأرض ولكن المنافقين لا يفقهون ۝ يقولون لئن رجعنا إلى المدينة ليخرجن الأعز منها الأذل ولله العزة ولرسوله وللمؤمنين ولكن المنافقين لا يعلمون

“They are the ones who say: do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they disperse. To Allah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand. They say: if we return to Madinah, the more honoured will surely drive out the more humiliated. But to Allah belongs honour, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.” (al Munafiqun: 7–8)

Since we have now known the enmities of these categories towards Islam, it is proper for us to emphasise the danger of the enmity of the Jews and Christians, because they are the ones who today dominate most parts of the earth. They are the ones who establish their invasion through many different methods, and they are the symbol of glitter and amazement before those deceived from the children of the Muslims.

The reality and nature of the enmity is the difference between the two religions and the separation between the two methods. Either it is the religion of Allah, following His Sharia, and showing loyalty to His believing slaves, or it is the religion of falsehood, following desires and appetites, and joining the party of Satan.

The allies of Allah must take honour in their religion and rise above the pressure of falsehood, for they are the ones who will be given victory. If the enemies of Allah boast about their strength, their great number, and their equipment, then the believers take pride in the help of Allah, His noble being with them, and His aid for them.

It is reported in al Bukhari from Abu Hurayrahرضي الله عنه , may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet ﷺ, who said:

“Allah, the Exalted, says: ‘Whoever shows enmity to an ally of Mine, I have declared war upon him. My slave does not draw near to Me with anything like performing what I have made obligatory upon him.

My slave continues to draw near to Me with extra deeds until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give him, and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely grant him refuge. I do not hesitate over anything I am going to do as I hesitate over taking the soul of My believing slave. He dislikes death, and I dislike harming him, but it is necessary for him.’” (Its referencing has already preceded.)

Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, says:

إن الله مع الذين اتقوا والذين هم محسنون

“Indeed, Allah is with those who have God fearing restraint and those who do good.” (al Nahl: 128)

And He says:

إذ يوحي ربك إلى الملائكة أني معكم فثبتوا الذين آمنوا سألقي في قلوب الذين كفروا الرعب

“When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, so make firm those who believe. I will cast fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve.” (al Anfal: 12)

And He, the Exalted, says:

فلا تهنوا وتدعوا إلى السلم وأنتم الأعلون والله معكم ولن يتركم أعمالكم

“So do not weaken and call for peace while you are the higher ones, and Allah is with you, and He will not deprive you of your deeds.” (Muhammad: 35)

When we turn the pages of history, we find confirmation of this. In the expedition of Badr, Allah gave victory to the small believing group over the disbelieving majority, honoured His religion, and gave victory to His party. The Muslim conquests in the east and west, and the breaking of the thrones of Kisra and Caesar, are not absent from minds.

The victory of Allah and His support for the believers in their battle with the Tatars and with the hateful Crusaders, and hundreds of other events, whether on the level of the individual or the community, are the best witness to what we say.

Victory, help, and support will remain for the allies of Allah, Allah willing, until Allah inherits the earth and all who are upon it. The believers only need truthfulness with Allah, sincerity in action seeking His pleasure alone, and action according to His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet. Allah will not let the reward of those who do good be lost.

The Belief of the People of the Sunnah and the Main Body Concerning Loyalty and Disavowal

It is necessary to mention the belief of the people of the Sunnah and the main body concerning loyalty and disavowal, so that the people of bidʿah and desires, whose claims do not rest upon a strong proof from the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ, are excluded from it.

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728AH), may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“The believer must show enmity for Allah’s sake and loyalty for Allah’s sake. If there is a believer, then he must show loyalty to him, even if he wrongs him, for wrongdoing does not cut off faith based loyalty.”

Allah, the Exalted, said:

وإن طائفتان من المؤمنين اقتتلوا فأصلحوا بينهما

“If two groups of the believers fight one another, then make peace between them.” (al Hujurat: 9)

“So He made them brothers despite the existence of fighting and transgression, and He commanded reconciliation between them. Therefore, let the believer reflect: the believer must be shown loyalty even if he wrongs and transgresses against you, and the disbeliever must be shown enmity even if he gives to you and acts well towards you.

Allah, Glorified is He, sent the Messengers and sent down the Books so that the whole religion would be for Allah, so that love would be for His allies, hatred would be for His enemies, honour and reward would be for His allies, and humiliation and punishment would be for His enemies.

“If good and evil, sinful conduct and obedience, sin and Sunnah, and bidʿah come together in one person, he deserves loyalty and reward according to the good that is in him, and he deserves enmity and punishment according to the evil that is in him. The causes of honour and humiliation may come together in one person, like the thief whose hand is cut off because of his theft, while he is also given from the public treasury what is enough for his need.

This is the foundation agreed upon by the people of the Sunnah and the main body, and the Khawarij, the Muʿtazilah, and those who agreed with them opposed them in it.” (See Majmuʿ al Fatawa, 28/208–209.)

Since loyalty and disavowal are built upon the foundation of love and hatred, as has already been mentioned, then people according to the people of the Sunnah and the main body, with regard to love, hatred, loyalty, and disavowal, are three categories.

The first category is the one who is loved as a whole. This is the one who believes in Allah and His Messenger, fulfils the duties of Islam and its great foundations in knowledge, action, and belief, makes his deeds, actions, and statements sincere for Allah, submits to His commands and stops at what Allah has forbidden, loves for Allah’s sake, shows loyalty for Allah’s sake, hates for Allah’s sake, shows enmity for Allah’s sake, and gives the statement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ precedence over the statement of every person, whoever he may be. (Irshad al Talib by Ibn Sahman, 13.)

The second category is the one who is loved from one way and hated from another way. This is the Muslim who mixes a righteous deed with another evil deed. He is loved and shown loyalty according to the good that he has, and he is hated and shown enmity according to the evil that he has. Whoever’s heart cannot contain this will corrupt more than he reforms.

If proof is desired for this, then here is ʿAbd Allah, nicknamed Himar. He was a man from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he used to drink wine. He was brought to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so a man cursed him and said, “How often he is brought!”

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not curse him, for he loves Allah and His Messenger,” even though he ﷺ cursed wine, the one who drinks it, the one who sells it, the one who presses it, the one for whom it is pressed, the one who carries it, and the one to whom it is carried. (ʿAbd Allah ibn Himar is how Ibn Sahman mentioned him. What is found in al Bukhari, 12/75, is that he was ʿAbd Allah, and he was nicknamed Himar. Ibn Hajar said: he used to give gifts to the Prophet ﷺ and make him laugh through his speech. See al Isabah, 4/275, edited by al Bukhari.) (al Bukhari, 12/75, hadith 6780.) (Abu Dawud, 4/82, hadith 3764; Ibn Majah, 2/122, hadith 3380. Shaykh al Albani graded it sahih. See Sahih al Jamiʿ al Saghir, 5/19, hadith 4967.)

The third category is the one who is hated as a whole. This is the one who disbelieves in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, does not believe in decree, its good and its evil, and that all of it is by Allah’s decree and measure, denies resurrection after death, leaves one of the five pillars of Islam, or associates someone with Allah in His worship from among the prophets, the allies, and the righteous, and directs to them any kind of worship, such as love, supplication, fear, hope, magnification, reliance, seeking help, seeking refuge, seeking rescue, slaughtering, vows, turning, humility, submission, awe, desire, dread, and attachment.

This also includes the one who deviates concerning His names and attributes, follows other than the path of the believers, adopts what the people of bidʿah and misguided desires are upon, and likewise everyone in whom the ten nullifiers of Islam, or one of them, is found. (Irshad al Talib, 19.)

Therefore, the people of the Sunnah and the main body show complete loyalty to the believer who remains upright upon his religion. They love him and support him with complete support. They disavow the disbelievers, atheists, polytheists, and apostates, and show them complete enmity and hatred. As for the one who mixes a righteous deed with another evil deed, they show him loyalty according to the faith he has, and they show him enmity according to the evil he is upon.

The people of the Sunnah and the main body disavow whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger, even if he is the nearest relative. Allah, the Exalted, said:

لا تجد قوما يؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر يوادون من حاد الله ورسوله ولو كانوا آباءهم أو أبناءهم أو إخوانهم أو عشيرتهم

They obey His prohibition in His statement:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا آباءكم وإخوانكم أولياء إن استحبوا الكفر على الإيمان ومن يتولهم منكم فأولئك هم الظالمون ۝ قل إن كان آباؤكم وأبناؤكم وإخوانكم وأزواجكم وعشيرتكم وأموال اقترفتموها وتجارة تخشون كسادها ومساكن ترضونها أحب إليكم من الله ورسوله وجهاد في سبيله فتربصوا حتى يأتي الله بأمره والله لا يهدي القوم الفاسقين

“O you who believe, do not take your fathers and brothers as allies if they prefer disbelief over faith. Whoever among you takes them as allies, then those are the wrongdoers. Say: if your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your clan, wealth you have gained, trade whose decline you fear, and homes you are pleased with, are more beloved to you than Allah, His Messenger, and striving in His path, then wait until Allah brings His command. Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.” (al Tawbah: 23–24)

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah summarised the madhhab of the people of the Sunnah and the main body, saying:

“Praise, blame, love, hatred, loyalty, and enmity are only according to the matters for which Allah has sent down His authority, and His authority is His Book. Whoever is a believer, loyalty to him is obligatory, whatever category he belongs to. Whoever is a disbeliever, enmity to him is obligatory, whatever category he belongs to.”

Allah, the Exalted, said:

إنما وليكم الله ورسوله والذين آمنوا الذين يقيمون الصلاة ويؤتون الزكاة وهم راكعون ۝ ومن يتول الله ورسوله والذين آمنوا فإن حزب الله هم الغالبون

“Your ally is only Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe, those who establish the prayer and give zakah while bowing. Whoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe as allies, then the party of Allah are the victorious.” (al Maidah: 55–56)

And He said:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا اليهود والنصارى أولياء بعضهم أولياء بعض

“O you who believe, do not take the Jews and Christians as allies. They are allies of one another.” (al Maidah: 51)

And He said:

والمؤمنون والمؤمنات بعضهم أولياء بعض

“The believing men and believing women are allies of one another.” (al Tawbah: 71)

Whoever has faith in him and sinful conduct in him is given loyalty according to his faith, and hatred according to his sinful conduct. He is not taken out of faith entirely merely because of sins and acts of disobedience, as the Khawarij and Muʿtazilah say.

The prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs, and the righteous are not placed at the same level as the sinful with regard to faith, religion, love, hatred, loyalty, and enmity.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

وإن طائفتان من المؤمنين اقتتلوا فأصلحوا بينهما ۝ إنما المؤمنون إخوة

“If two groups of the believers fight one another, then make peace between them. The believers are only brothers.” (al Hujurat: 9–10)

So He made them brothers despite the existence of fighting and transgression.

“For this reason, the early imams, despite fighting, would show one another loyalty of religion. They would not show one another enmity like the enmity shown to disbelievers. Some of them would accept the testimony of others, some of them would take knowledge from others, they would inherit from one another, marry one another, and deal with one another as Muslims deal with one another, despite what occurred between them of fighting, mutual cursing, and other matters.” (Majmuʿ al Fatawa by Ibn Taymiyyah, 108–201, first edition, 1349AH, al Manar Press, Egypt.)

Heart Based Loyalty and Disavowal

From the belief of the people of the Sunnah and the main body in this subject is that heart based loyalty, and likewise enmity, must be complete.

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

“As for the heart’s love and hatred, its wanting and disliking, they should be complete and firm. Nothing requires them to be deficient except deficiency in faith. As for the action of the body, then it is according to ability. Whenever the heart’s wanting and disliking are complete and perfect, and the slave’s action along with that is according to his ability, he is given the reward of the complete doer.

“This is because among people are those whose love, hatred, wanting, and disliking are according to what their own selves love and hate, not according to what Allah and His Messenger love, and what Allah and His Messenger hate. This is a kind of desire. If a person follows it, then he has followed his desire.”

ومن أضل ممن اتبع هواه بغير هدى من الله

“Who is more misguided than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah?” (al Qasas: 50)

(Shadharat al Balatin, 1/354; al Amr al Maʿruf by Ibn Taymiyyah.)

The Position of the People of the Sunnah and the Main Body Towards the People of Bidʿah and Desires

Included in the belief of the people of the Sunnah and the main body is disavowal from the people of bidʿah and desires.

Bidʿah is taken from newly inventing, which is to bring something into existence. It is something newly introduced without a previous root, without a followed example, and without anything like it having been known. From this is the statement that Allah originated the creation, meaning He created them at the beginning. From this is the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

بديع السماوات والأرض

“Originator of the heavens and the earth.” (al Baqarah: 117)

And His statement:

قل ما كنت بدعا من الرسل

“Say: I was not something new among the Messengers.” (al Ahqaf: 9)

Meaning: I was not the first Messenger to the people of the earth.

This name enters into what hearts invent, what tongues speak, and what limbs do. (Kitab al Hawadith wal Bidaʿ by al Turtushi, 38–39, edited by Muhammad al Talibi.)

Ibn al Jawzi (d. 597AH) said:

“Bidʿah is an expression for an action that did not previously exist, then it was invented. Most invented matters clash with the Sharia through opposition, and they bring about involvement in it through addition or reduction.” (Talbis Iblis, 26.)

Someone may say: what do we have to do now with the people of bidʿah, especially when you are speaking about loyalty to the disbelievers, disavowal from them, loyalty to the believers, and supporting them?

The answer to that is as follows.

First: the danger of bidʿah is great and serious. The proof for this is that bidʿah is divided into different levels, ranging from clear disbelief to major and minor sins. Imam al Shatibi (d. 790AH) said regarding this:

“Bidʿah is divided into different levels. Among them is what is clear disbelief, such as the bidʿah of ignorance which the Qur’an pointed out in His statement:

وجعلوا لله مما ذرأ من الحرث والأنعام نصيبا فقالوا هذا لله بزعمهم وهذا لشركائنا

“They assigned to Allah a share of the crops and livestock He created, and they said: this is for Allah, according to their claim, and this is for our partners.” (al Anʿam: 136)

And His statement, the Exalted:

وقالوا ما في بطون هذه الأنعام خالصة لذكورنا ومحرم على أزواجنا وإن يكن ميتة فهم فيه شركاء

“They said: what is in the wombs of these livestock is only for our males and forbidden to our wives. But if it is stillborn, then they are all partners in it.” (al Anʿam: 139)

And His statement:

ما جعل الله من بحيرة ولا سائبة ولا وصيلة ولا حام

“Allah has not appointed any bahirah, saibah, wasilah, or ham.” (al Maidah: 103)

Likewise is the bidʿah of the hypocrites, when they took the religion as a means to preserve life and wealth, and what is similar to that from matters in which there is no doubt that they are clear disbelief.” (al Iʿtisam, 2/37.)

The matter of declaring something lawful and unlawful is specific to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Whoever claims the right to declare lawful and unlawful has legislated, and whoever legislates has made himself an object of worship. Just as Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, is the Creator, He is also the One who has command and authority. Allah, the Exalted, said:

ألا له الخلق والأمر

“Surely, to Him belong creation and command.” (al Aʿraf: 54)

And He, Glorified is He, said:

ولا تقولوا لما تصف ألسنتكم الكذب هذا حلال وهذا حرام لتفتروا على الله الكذب إن الذين يفترون على الله الكذب

“Do not say, because of the lies your tongues describe: this is lawful and this is unlawful, so that you invent lies against Allah. Indeed, those who invent lies against Allah…” (al Nahl: 116)

This type of disbelieving bidʿah, and what is similar to it, means that for its people there is enmity, hatred, dislike, and striving against them after excuse and warning. Disavowal from them does not differ from disavowal from the original disbeliever. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever introduces into this matter of ours something that is not from it, then it is rejected.” (Reported by al Bukhari, 5/301, hadith 2697; Muslim, 3/1343, hadith 1718.)

Al Baghawi (d. 516AH) said: “The ulama of the Sunnah have agreed upon showing enmity to the people of bidʿah and keeping away from them.” (Sharh al Sunnah, 1/227.)

We return to the levels of bidʿah as al Shatibi mentioned them. He said:

“Among bidʿah is what belongs to sins that are not disbelief, or concerning which there is disagreement whether it is disbelief or not, such as the bidʿah of the Khawarij, the Qadariyyah, the Murji’ah, and those who resemble them from the misguided sects.

“Among it is what is sin, while there is agreement that it is not disbelief, such as the bidʿah of cutting oneself off from people, fasting while standing in the sun, and castration with the intention of cutting off the desire for intercourse.

“Among it is what is disliked, such as gathering for supplication on the evening of ʿArafah, and mentioning rulers in the Friday sermon, as Ibn ʿAbd al Salam al Shafiʿi (d. 660AH) said, and what is similar to that.” (He is the Sultan of the ulama, ʿAbd al ʿAziz al Sulami al Dimashqi, a Shafiʿi jurist who reached the level of independent reasoning. He was born in 577AH and died in 660AH. Among his works are al Tafsir al Kabir, al Ilmam fi Adillat al Ahkam, Qawaʿid al Sharia, Qawaʿid al Ahkam, and al Fatawa. See al Aʿlam by al Zarkali, 4/21, fourth edition. It also mentions that he has a biography in Fawat al Wafayat, 1/287; Tabaqat al Subki, 5/80; al Nujum al Zahirah, 7/208; Dhayl al Rawdatayn, 216; and Miftah al Saʿadah, 2/212.) (al Iʿtisam, 2/37.)

The people of the Sunnah and the main body disavow the people of these bidʿahs.

Second: because of the danger of bidʿah to the religion, I mention here examples from the statements of the Salaf of this ummah warning against bidʿah and its people. From that is what the noble Companion ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿud said:

“Whoever wants to take an example, let him take as an example those who have died. They are the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ. They were the best of this ummah, the purest in heart, the deepest in knowledge, and the least in affectation. They were a people whom Allah chose for the companionship of His Prophet ﷺ and for carrying His religion. So resemble their character and their ways, for they were upon straight guidance.” (Sharh al Sunnah by al Baghawi, 1/214.)

Sufyan al Thawri (d. 161AH), may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“Bidʿah is more beloved to Iblis than disobedience. Disobedience may be repented from, but bidʿah is not repented from.” (Sharh al Sunnah by al Baghawi, 1/216.)

Imam Malik (d. 179AH), may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“Whoever introduces into this ummah something that its Salaf were not upon has claimed that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ betrayed the religion, because Allah, the Exalted, says:

اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم

“Today I have perfected your religion for you.” (al Maidah: 3)

So whatever was not religion on that day cannot be religion today.” (al Iʿtisam, 2/53.)

Al Shatibi mentioned that the harms of bidʿah are confined to two matters.

First: it opposes the Lawgiver and contends against Him, since the innovator places himself in the position of one who corrects the Sharia, not in the position of one who is satisfied with what has been set for him.

Second: every bidʿah, even if small, is an added legislation, a reduced legislation, or a change to the sound foundation. All of this may occur independently, or it may be attached to what is already legislated, thereby harming the legislated matter. If someone deliberately did the like of this in the Sharia itself, he would disbelieve, because addition to it, reduction from it, or changing it, whether little or much, is disbelief. (al Iʿtisam, 2/61, with slight wording changes.)

This view is supported by the general proofs that condemn bidʿah. Among them is the statement of the Prophet ﷺ:

“Every bidʿah is misguidance.” (Muslim, 2/592, hadith 867.)

And the statement of the Prophet ﷺ:

“Whoever calls to misguidance will have a burden of sin like the burdens of those who follow him, without that reducing anything from their burdens.” (Muslim, 4/2060, hadith 2674.)

One of the ulama of the Salaf said:

“Do not sit with the people of desires,” or he said, “the people of disputes, for I do not feel safe that they may plunge you into their misguidance and confuse you regarding some of what you know.” (Sharh al Sunnah by al Baghawi, 1/227.)

The conclusion is that part of the belief of the people of the Sunnah and the main body is disavowal from the people of bidʿah, especially the people of disbelieving bidʿah. For this reason, more detail on this will come in the second part, Allah willing.

A Good Example in Loyalty and Disavowal From Earlier Nations

Ibrahim the Close Friend, Peace Be Upon Him

The Prophet of Allah, Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was a good example and a fine model in his loyalty to his Lord, his religion, and the believing slaves of Allah, and in his disavowal from the enemies of Allah and his enmity to them, including his father.

The life of the Prophet of Allah Ibrahim, peace be upon him, with his people was like that of any prophet and messenger. He called them in the best way to worship Allah, to single Him out, to devote worship to Him alone, and to disbelieve in every false object of worship worshipped besides Allah.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

واذكر في الكتاب إبراهيم إنه كان صديقا نبيا ۝ إذ قال لأبيه يا أبت لم تعبد ما لا يسمع ولا يبصر ولا يغني عنك شيئا ۝ يا أبت إني قد جاءني من العلم ما لم يأتك فاتبعني أهدك صراطا سويا ۝ يا أبت لا تعبد الشيطان إن الشيطان كان للرحمن عصيا ۝ يا أبت إني أخاف أن يمسك عذاب من الرحمن فتكون للشيطان وليا ۝ قال أراغب أنت عن آلهتي يا إبراهيم لئن لم تنته لأرجمنك واهجرني مليا ۝ قال سلام عليك سأستغفر لك ربي إنه كان بي حفيا ۝ وأعتزلكم وما تدعون من دون الله وأدعو ربي عسى ألا أكون بدعاء ربي شقيا ۝ فلما اعتزلهم وما يعبدون من دون الله وهبنا له إسحاق ويعقوب وكلا جعلنا نبيا

“Mention Ibrahim in the Book. He was a truthful man and a prophet. When he said to his father: my father, why do you worship what neither hears nor sees and cannot benefit you at all?

My father, knowledge has come to me that has not come to you, so follow me and I will guide you to a straight path. My father, do not worship Satan. Satan has always been disobedient to the Most Merciful.

My father, I fear that a punishment from the Most Merciful may touch you, so you would become an ally of Satan. He said: do you reject my gods, Ibrahim? If you do not stop, I will surely stone you, so leave me for a long time. He said: peace be upon you. I will ask my Lord to forgive you.

He has always been gracious to me. I will withdraw from you and from what you call upon besides Allah, and I will call upon my Lord. Perhaps I will not be unhappy in calling upon my Lord.

When he withdrew from them and from what they worshipped besides Allah, We granted him Ishaq and Yaʿqub, and each of them We made a prophet.” (Maryam: 41–49)

This was the starting point in the call of the close friend of the Most Merciful: a call with kindness, beginning with the nearest person to him.

If there is no response to this call, then withdrawal from this falsehood and its people follows, perhaps as a rebuke, restraint, and cause for reflection regarding this new matter, and as a rescue for the caller from sharing in the falsehood of the people of falsehood, if he must mix with them, live among them, and cannot migrate from their land.

Then the Qur’an continues to explain the call of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, making clear that he used every proof and evidence with his people:

واتل عليهم نبأ إبراهيم ۝ إذ قال لأبيه وقومه ما تعبدون ۝ قالوا نعبد أصناما فنظل لها عاكفين ۝ قال هل يسمعونكم إذ تدعون ۝ أو ينفعونكم أو يضرون ۝ قالوا بل وجدنا آباءنا كذلك يفعلون ۝ قال أفرأيتم ما كنتم تعبدون ۝ أنتم وآباؤكم الأقدمون ۝ فإنهم عدو لي إلا رب العالمين

“Recite to them the news of Ibrahim.

When he said to his father and his people: what do you worship?

They said: we worship idols, and we remain devoted to them.

He said: do they hear you when you call? Or do they benefit you or harm you?

They said: rather, we found our fathers doing this.

He said: have you considered what you worship, you and your earlier fathers?

They are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds.” (al Shuʿara’: 69–77)

When they found no proof, and it was only blind following of what the fathers and grandfathers did, Ibrahim, peace be upon him, said to them: I am an enemy to your gods. This is like what Nuh, peace be upon him, said in what Allah informed about him:

فأجمعوا أمركم وشركاءكم ثم لا يكن أمركم عليكم غمة ثم اقضوا إلي ولا تنظرون

“So gather your matter together with your partners, then let not your matter be unclear to you. Then carry out against me and do not give me any delay.” (Yunus: 71)

Hud, peace be upon him, said:

إني أشهد الله واشهدوا أني بريء مما تشركون ۝ من دونه فكيدوني جميعا ثم لا تنظرون ۝ إني توكلت على الله ربي وربكم ما من دابة إلا هو آخذ بناصيتها إن ربي على صراط مستقيم

“I call Allah to witness, and you also witness, that I am free from what you associate with Him besides Him. So plot against me, all of you, and give me no delay. I have placed my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature except that He holds it by its forelock. Indeed, my Lord is upon a straight path.” (Hud: 54–56)

Allah, the Exalted, said:

قد كانت لكم أسوة حسنة في إبراهيم والذين معه إذ قالوا لقومهم إنا براءؤا منكم ومما تعبدون من دون الله كفرنا بكم وبدا بيننا وبينكم العداوة والبغضاء أبدا حتى تؤمنوا بالله وحده

“There has certainly been for you a good example in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people: we are free from you and from what you worship besides Allah. We reject you, and enmity and hatred have appeared between us and you forever until you believe in Allah alone.” (al Mumtahanah: 4)

(See the explanation of the previous verses in Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 6/156.)

This belief of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, is what our noble ulama, the ulama of the Salaf of this ummah, expressed in their saying: there is no loyalty except with enmity. As the great scholar Ibn al Qayyim (d. 751AH), may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“Loyalty is not sound except with enmity, as Allah, the Exalted, said about the imam of the pure monotheists and lovers, that he said to his people:

“‘Have you considered what you worship, you and your earlier fathers?

They are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds.’ So this loyalty and close friendship was not sound for the close friend of Allah except by fulfilling this enmity. There is no loyalty except to Allah, and there is no loyalty except through disavowal from every worshipped one besides Him.”

Allah, the Exalted, said:

وإذ قال إبراهيم لأبيه وقومه إنني براء مما تعبدون ۝ إلا الذي فطرني فإنه سيهدين ۝ وجعلها كلمة باقية في عقبه لعلهم يرجعون

“When Ibrahim said to his father and his people: I am free from what you worship, except the One who created me, for He will guide me. And He made it a lasting word among his descendants, so that they may return.” (al Zukhruf: 26–28)

“Meaning, He made this loyalty to Allah and disavowal from every worshipped one besides Him a lasting word among his descendants, inherited by the prophets and their followers from one another. It is the word, ‘None has the right to be worshipped except Allah,’ and it is the word that the imam of the pure monotheists passed on to his followers until the Day of Resurrection.” (al Jawab al Kafi, 213; see Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 7/212; Majmuʿat al Tawhid, 133.)

Imam al Tabari (d. 310AH) said:

There was for you, ummah of Muhammad, a good example in the action of Ibrahim and those with him in these matters: separating from the disbelievers, showing enmity to them, and leaving loyalty to them, except in the statement of Ibrahim:

لأستغفرن لك

“I will surely ask forgiveness for you.” (al Mumtahanah: 4)

There is no example for you in that, because that came from Ibrahim due to a promise he had made to him, before it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah. When it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he disavowed him. So disavow the enemies of Allah, and do not take them as allies until they believe in Allah alone and disavow the worship of anything besides Him. Show them enmity and hatred. (Tafsir al Tabari, 28/62.)

One of the results of this enmity and this strong disavowal was that the tyrants agreed to kill Ibrahim, as is the case of every tyrant throughout the ages of history in trying to wipe out the callers to Allah, for no reason except that they call them to worship Allah alone.

وما نقموا منهم إلا أن يؤمنوا بالله العزيز الحميد

“They resented them for nothing except that they believed in Allah, the Almighty, the Praiseworthy.” (al Buruj: 8)

They gathered for him a great fire, but the care of Allah and His protection surrounded His truthful close friend, peace and salah be upon him, so the fire became coolness and safety upon him.

قالوا ابنوا له بنيانا فألقوه في الجحيم ۝ فأرادوا به كيدا فجعلناهم الأسفلين

“They said: build for him a structure and throw him into the blazing fire. They intended a plot against him, so We made them the lowest.” (al Saffat: 97–98)

“They turned away from argument and debate when they were cut off and defeated, and no proof or doubt remained for them. They moved to using their power and authority, so that they could support what they were upon of foolishness and tyranny. So the Lord, Majestic is His Majesty, plotted against them, and raised high His word, His religion, and His proof, as Allah, the Exalted, said:

قالوا حرقوه وانصروا آلهتكم إن كنتم فاعلين ۝ قلنا يا نار كوني بردا وسلاما على إبراهيم ۝ وأرادوا به كيدا فجعلناهم الأخسرين

“They said: burn him and support your gods, if you are going to act. We said: fire, be coolness and safety upon Ibrahim. They intended a plot against him, so We made them the greatest losers.” (al Anbiya’: 68–70)

(Qasas al Anbiya’ by Ibn Kathir, 1/181. See the details of the story in the same source.)

The Lordly instructions came to the final prophet, Muhammad ﷺ, to follow the religion of his father Ibrahim, peace be upon him.

ثم أوحينا إليك أن اتبع ملة إبراهيم حنيفا وما كان من المشركين

“Then We revealed to you: follow the religion of Ibrahim, upright, and he was not of the polytheists.” (al Nahl: 123)

قل صدق الله فاتبعوا ملة إبراهيم حنيفا وما كان من المشركين

“Say: Allah has spoken the truth, so follow the religion of Ibrahim, upright, and he was not of the polytheists.” (Aal ʿImran: 95)

وقالوا كونوا هودا أو نصارى تهتدوا قل بل ملة إبراهيم حنيفا وما كان من المشركين

“They said: be Jews or Christians, and you will be guided. Say: rather, the religion of Ibrahim, upright, and he was not of the polytheists.” (al Baqarah: 135)

إن أولى الناس بإبراهيم للذين اتبعوه وهذا النبي والذين آمنوا والله ولي المؤمنين

“Indeed, the people nearest to Ibrahim are those who followed him, this Prophet, and those who believe. Allah is the ally of the believers.” (Aal ʿImran: 68)

ومن أحسن دينا ممن أسلم وجهه لله وهو محسن واتبع ملة إبراهيم حنيفا واتخذ الله إبراهيم خليلا

“Who is better in religion than one who submits his face to Allah while doing good, follows the religion of Ibrahim, upright, and Allah took Ibrahim as a close friend?” (al Nisa’: 125)

وجاهدوا في الله حق جهاده هو اجتباكم وما جعل عليكم في الدين من حرج ملة أبيكم إبراهيم هو سماكم المسلمين من قبل

“Strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any hardship. This is the religion of your father Ibrahim. He named you Muslims before.” (al Hajj: 78)

ومن يرغب عن ملة إبراهيم إلا من سفه نفسه

“Who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim except one who makes a fool of himself?” (al Baqarah: 130)

These reports from Allah to the ummah of Muhammad ﷺ about the action of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, are for the sake of following his example in sincerity, reliance upon Allah alone, worship of Allah alone, disavowal from shirk and its people, and enmity to falsehood and its party.

Other Examples Upon the Path of Truth and Guidance

As has already been mentioned, the call of the prophets is one. It is a call to worship Allah alone, to single Him out in submission, devotion, love, and acceptance of His judgement and Sharia, and to disavow every false object of worship worshipped besides Allah, whether through desire or fear.

ولقد بعثنا في كل أمة رسولا أن اعبدوا الله واجتنبوا الطاغوت

“We certainly sent into every nation a Messenger, saying: worship Allah and avoid false objects of worship.” (al Nahl: 36)

We find bright examples and elevated models of faith upon the path of this radiant creed.

They are the believers, wherever and whenever they were, wherever they settled, and in whichever age and land they lived. Our Lord, Blessed and Exalted is He, mentions them in His decisive revelation, so that they may be a good example for us and a comfort for His noble Messenger ﷺ regarding what he and his excellent Companions faced.

How greatly the Muslim caller, who is eager to love good for all people, needs to reflect on these examples and models of faith. He will find in them comfort and consolation for the hardship and difficulty he faces.

If this is the way of Allah concerning His prophets and righteous slaves, that they are exposed to harm and difficulty, while they are the most honoured of Allah’s creation before Allah, then the callers to guidance and goodness will all the more face many kinds of harm, mockery, ridicule, and punishment. They will find the being with Allah accompanying them and caring for them, and His protection and decree surrounding them. Everything they face is only a trial and test, as Allah, the Exalted, said:

ما كان الله ليذر المؤمنين على ما أنتم عليه حتى يميز الخبيث من الطيب

“Allah would not leave the believers in the state you are in until He separates the corrupt from the pure.” (Aal ʿImran: 179)

When the believers remain firm upon the truth, place their trust in Allah as He deserves, fear Him alone, and fear none but Allah, this will be a great motive for people to enter the religion of Allah, be guided by His guidance, and follow the example of those truthful people who sacrificed everything precious and valuable, and turned away from what people possess, desiring and hoping for what Allah possesses.

Among the examples we want to speak about briefly is Nuh, peace and salah be upon him. He called his people for one thousand years minus fifty, yet only a few believed with him. The stance that we want to speak about from his stances, peace be upon him, is his stance with his son, who disobeyed him and refused to respond to the call of his father.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ونادى نوح ابنه وكان في معزل يا بني اركب معنا ولا تكن مع الكافرين ۝ قال سآوي إلى جبل يعصمني من الماء قال لا عاصم اليوم من أمر الله إلا من رحم وحال بينهما الموج فكان من المغرقين ۝ وقيل يا أرض ابلعي ماءك ويا سماء أقلعي وغيض الماء وقضي الأمر واستوت على الجودي وقيل بعدا للقوم الظالمين ۝ ونادى نوح ربه فقال رب إن ابني من أهلي وإن وعدك الحق وأنت أحكم الحاكمين ۝ قال يا نوح إنه ليس من أهلك إنه عمل غير صالح فلا تسألن ما ليس لك به علم إني أعظك أن تكون من الجاهلين ۝ قال رب إني أعوذ بك أن أسألك ما ليس لي به علم وإلا تغفر لي وترحمني أكن من الخاسرين

“Nuh called to his son, who was apart: my son, ride with us, and do not be with the disbelievers. He said: I will take refuge on a mountain that will protect me from the water.

He said: there is no protector today from Allah’s command except the one He has mercy upon.

Then the wave came between them, so he was among those who drowned. It was said: earth, swallow your water, and sky, stop. The water subsided, the matter was completed, and it settled upon al Judi.

It was said: away with the wrongdoing people. Nuh called upon his Lord and said: my Lord, my son is from my family, Your promise is true, and You are the wisest of judges. He said: Nuh, he is not from your family.

Indeed, he is an unrighteous deed. So do not ask Me about what you have no knowledge of. I advise you lest you be among the ignorant.

He said: my Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking You about what I have no knowledge of. If You do not forgive me and have mercy on me, I will be among the losers.” (Hud: 42–47)

“The bond upon which people gather in this religion is not the bond of blood and lineage, nor the bond of land and homeland, nor the bond of people and clan, nor the bond of colour and language, nor race and ethnicity, nor profession and class. It is the bond of creed.

“As for other bonds, they may exist, then the relationship between one person and another may be cut off.

“Allah makes clear to Nuh why his son is not from his family: ‘Indeed, he is an unrighteous deed.’ The bond of faith has been cut between you both. ‘So do not ask Me about what you have no knowledge of.’ He is not from your family, even if he is your son from your own body.”

Here comes complete submission, fear of Allah, Glorified is He, and seeking His pleasure and mercy. His righteous slave Nuh says:

رب إني أعوذ بك أن أسألك ما ليس لي به علم وإلا تغفر لي وترحمني أكن من الخاسرين

“My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking You about what I have no knowledge of. If You do not forgive me and have mercy on me, I will be among the losers.” (Hud: 47)

The Prophet of Allah rose above emotion and was pleased with Allah’s judgement. There was no persistence, no twisting, no excuse, and no interpretation. Rather, there was absolute submission, following what Allah loves and is pleased with, turning away from what He dislikes and hates, loyalty to those whom Allah loves, and disavowal and enmity towards those who oppose Allah, even if they are the nearest relatives.

The matter of the Prophet of Allah Nuh, peace be upon him, was not limited to this disbelieving son. It was also with his wife. What a great test in a wife and a son.

This wife was spoken about by the Qur’an, along with another woman like her and similar in action to her, the wife of Lut, peace be upon him. These two prophets were tested with two corrupt wives. Allah mentioned them to us as an example in His Mighty Book. He said:

ضرب الله مثلا للذين كفروا امرأة نوح وامرأة لوط كانتا تحت عبدين من عبادنا صالحين فخانتاهما فلم يغنيا عنهما من الله شيئا وقيل ادخلا النار مع الداخلين

“Allah gives an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut. They were under two righteous slaves from Our slaves, but they betrayed them, so they did not benefit them against Allah at all. It was said: enter the Fire with those who enter.” (al Tahrim: 10)

What must be noted here, by way of further clarification, is that this betrayal was in religion, not in indecency, for the wives of the prophets are protected from falling into indecency due to the sanctity of the prophets, peace be upon them.

As for the wife of Nuh, she would reveal his secret. If someone believed with him, she would inform the tyrants from his people. The wife of Lut would inform her people about her husband’s guests so that they could commit the ugly evil act. (See Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 8/198.)

In contrast to this shameful action from these two women, the Qur’an gives us a high example of faith and rising above the disbelievers through a believing woman, the wife of the cursed Pharaoh. Allah, the Exalted, said:

وضرب الله مثلا للذين آمنوا امرأة فرعون إذ قالت رب ابن لي عندك بيتا في الجنة ونجني من فرعون وعمله ونجني من القوم الظالمين

“Allah gives an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said: my Lord, build for me with You a house in Paradise, save me from Pharaoh and his action, and save me from the wrongdoing people.” (al Tahrim: 11)

“The flood of disbelief in which this woman lived, in the palace of Pharaoh, did not stop her from seeking salvation alone. She disavowed Pharaoh’s palace, asking her Lord for a house in Paradise. She disavowed her connection to Pharaoh, asking her Lord for salvation from him. She disavowed his action out of fear that something from his action would attach to her, even though she was the person closest to him: ‘Save me from Pharaoh and his action.’ She disavowed the people of Pharaoh while living among them: ‘And save me from the wrongdoing people.’

“It is an example of rising above the offerings of this worldly life in its most glittering picture. She was the wife of Pharaoh, the greatest king of the earth at that time, in the palace of Pharaoh, the most enjoyable place in which a woman could find whatever she desired. She rose above all of this through faith. She did not merely turn away from it; rather, she considered it evil, filth, and a trial from which she sought refuge with Allah.

“She was one woman in a vast and strong kingdom. She stood alone in the middle of the pressure of society, the pressure of the palace, the pressure of the king, and the pressure of the court, and she raised her head to the sky. This is complete detachment from all these influences and bonds.”

The stance of this woman before that tyrant is of great importance. Perhaps in it there is what repels the discouragement of Satan and his party from some callers to Islam, when they fear that people may touch them with something Allah has not written upon them.

Let us take from our Qur’an a lesson, an admonition, a charge for action, and a method for this life and the Hereafter, so that we may fulfil what Allah has charged us with and honoured us by attributing us to, namely the call to Allah.

Qatadah (d. 117AH) said: Pharaoh was the most tyrannical of the people of the earth and the furthest from Allah. By Allah, the disbelief of her husband did not harm his wife when she obeyed her Lord, so that you may know that Allah is a just judge and does not take anyone to account except for his own sin. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 8/199.)

There is also another model, a banner from the banners of the callers to the straight path of Allah. It is a lofty example of loyalty to Allah, His religion, and His righteous slaves, in support and striving according to ability to raise the word of Allah, and of disavowal from the disbelievers after establishing the proof and evidence against them. It is the believer from the family of Pharaoh.

Let us look at his stance and his loyalty when the tyrant Pharaoh resolved to kill the Messenger of Allah, Musa, upon him and upon our Prophet be the best salah and salam. The believer from the family of Pharaoh said, as the Qur’an narrates about him:

وقال رجل مؤمن من آل فرعون يكتم إيمانه أتقتلون رجلا أن يقول ربي الله وقد جاءكم بالبينات من ربكم وإن يك كاذبا فعليه كذبه وإن يك صادقا يصبكم بعض الذي يعدكم إن الله لا يهدي من هو مسرف كذاب

“A believing man from the family of Pharaoh, who was hiding his faith, said: will you kill a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah,’ while he has brought you clear proofs from your Lord? If he is lying, then his lie is upon him. If he is truthful, then some of what he promises you will strike you. Indeed, Allah does not guide one who is excessive and a liar.” (Ghafir: 28)

The name of this man was Habib al Najjar, and the well known view is that he was a Copt from the family of Pharaoh. He used to hide his faith from his people, the Copts, and he did not reveal it except on that day when Pharaoh said:

ذروني أقتل موسى

“Leave me to kill Musa.” (Ghafir: 26)

The man was seized by anger for Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and “the best striving is a word of justice before an oppressive ruler.” There is no greater word than this word, his saying: “Will you kill a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah’?” (Reported by Abu Dawud, 4/514, hadith 4344; al Tirmidhi, 6/338, hadith 2175, and he said: hasan gharib from this route; Ibn Majah, 2/1329, hadith 4011; Ahmad, 3/19; al Nasa’i, 7/161. Al Albani graded it sahih. See Mishkat al Masabih, 2/1094.) (See Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 7/130.)

Look at the loyalty of this believing man to the Prophet of Allah Musa and his support for him. Reflect also on his disavowal from the tyrant, even while the tyrant was pouring punishment upon him.

Finally, we stand with the righteous young men, the people of the cave, who left family, children, homeland, and clan when they knew that they had no ability to face and confront their people. So they saved themselves by going to that cave in which a mighty sign was manifested, which Allah brings to us as a lesson and admonition regarding His protection of His righteous slaves.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

إنهم فتية آمنوا بربهم وزدناهم هدى ۝ وربطنا على قلوبهم إذ قاموا فقالوا ربنا رب السماوات والأرض لن ندعو من دونه إلها لقد قلنا إذا شططا ۝ هؤلاء قومنا اتخذوا من دونه آلهة لولا يأتون عليهم بسلطان بين فمن أظلم ممن افترى على الله كذبا ۝ وإذ اعتزلتموهم وما يعبدون إلا الله فأووا إلى الكهف ينشر لكم ربكم من رحمته ويهيئ لكم من أمركم مرفقا

“They were young men who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance. We strengthened their hearts when they stood and said: our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth.

We will never call upon any god besides Him. If we did, we would have said something outrageous.

These people of ours have taken gods besides Him. Why do they not bring a clear proof for them? Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah?

When you have withdrawn from them and from what they worship besides Allah, then take refuge in the cave, and your Lord will spread out for you from His mercy and will prepare for you ease in your matter.” (al Kahf: 13–16)

The stance of these young men was open, clear, and decisive. When the two paths separate and the two methods differ, there is no longer any path to meeting or sharing life. Rather, there must be flight with the creed.

They were not Messengers to their people who would face them with the sound creed, call them to it, and receive what the Messengers receive. Rather, they were young men to whom guidance became clear in the middle of an oppressive disbelieving environment, and there was no life for them in that environment if they declared their creed and spoke openly of it. They were also unable to flatter their people and worship their gods by way of precaution while hiding their worship of Allah.

The more likely view is that their affair had been uncovered, so they had no choice but to flee with their religion to Allah. They fled to a rough and narrow cave, preferring it over every adornment from the adornments of this worldly life.

They breathed in the mercy of Allah and felt it as broad and spreading shade. “Your Lord will spread out for you from His mercy.” The wording “spread out” casts the shade of wideness, spaciousness, and openness. Then the cave becomes a wide and broad space, in which mercy spreads and its threads widen.

It is faith. What value do the apparent matters have? What value do the values, conditions, and meanings that people have agreed upon in their earthly life have?

There is another realm in the sides of the heart filled with faith, intimate with the Most Merciful, a realm shaded by mercy, gentleness, reassurance, and pleasure.

Thus, the examples are many in every bond and connection: the bond of fatherhood in the story of Nuh, the bond of sonship and homeland in the story of Ibrahim, the bond of family, clan, and homeland together in the story of the people of the cave, and the bond of marriage in the stories of the two wives of Nuh and Lut, and the wife of Pharaoh.

Thus, the noble procession continues until the middle ummah comes. It finds this store of examples, models, and experiences, so it proceeds upon the Lordly method for the believing ummah. The same clan and the same house separate when creed separates.

This creed gathered Suhayb the Roman, Bilal the Abyssinian, Salman the Persian, and Abu Bakr the Arab Qurashi under the banner of “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Tribal, ethnic, and land based fanaticism disappeared.

The Prophet ﷺ said to them: “Leave it, for it is filthy.” And he said: “He is not from us who calls to fanaticism, he is not from us who fights upon fanaticism, and he is not from us who dies upon fanaticism.” Thus, the matter of this filth ended, the cry of race died, the stain of tribal feeling disappeared, and humanity breathed the fragrance of the highest horizons. From that day, the homeland of the Muslim was no longer the land.

Rather, his homeland became the land of Islam, that land over which creed has authority and in which the Sharia of Allah alone rules. (al Bukhari, 8/648, hadith 4095; Muslim, 4/1999, hadith 2584.) (Muslim, 3/1476, hadith 1848 and hadith 1850; Abu Dawud, 5/342, hadith 5121.) (See Maʿalim fi al Tariq, 143.)

The life of the Chosen One ﷺ and the life of his excellent Companions remain a guiding light and reform for whoever follows that path and is pleased with that upright method.

As for whoever turns away from that and becomes distant, then Allah is not his ally. His ally is the false object of worship.

والذين كفروا أولياؤهم الطاغوت يخرجونهم من النور إلى الظلمات أولئك أصحاب النار هم فيها خالدون

“As for those who disbelieve, their allies are false objects of worship. They bring them out of light into darkness. Those are the companions of the Fire. They will remain in it forever.” (al Baqarah: 257)

Loyalty and Disavowal During the Makkan Period

The previous chapter concerned bright examples and luminous pictures of the loyalty and disavowal of the prophets, the Messengers, and the righteous throughout the long history of humanity.

Here, we speak about loyalty and disavowal through the life of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, deriving this from the two revelations: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ, and from the books of prophetic biography and battles.

In dividing the verses into Makkan and Madinan, we relied upon what the ulama mentioned in the books of tafsir and the sciences of the Qur’an: that the Makkan, according to the more common view, is what was revealed before the Hijrah, and the Madinan is what was revealed after it. (See al Itqan fi ʿUlum al Qur’an by al Suyuti, 1/37, edited by Muhammad Abu al Fadl Ibrahim.)

It has already been said in the introduction that when the Muslim announces the testimony, “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” this means singling Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, out in oneness, worship, and lordship, and removing every loyalty, servitude, obedience, submission, fear, and hope directed to any worshipped one, followed one, or obeyed one besides Allah. It also means restricting this loyalty, love, and magnification to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He.

The Lordly revelation first came down upon the Chosen One ﷺ in the cave of Hira’ with His statement, Glorified is He:

اقرأ باسم ربك الذي خلق ۝ خلق الإنسان من علق ۝ اقرأ وربك الأكرم ۝ الذي علم بالقلم ۝ علم الإنسان ما لم يعلم

“Read in the name of your Lord who created. He created man from a clinging clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous. He who taught by the pen. He taught man what he did not know.” (al ʿAlaq: 1–5)

Then after that came down the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

يا أيها المدثر ۝ قم فأنذر

“O you who is covered. Stand and warn.” (al Muddaththir: 1–2)

The Chosen One ﷺ began calling people secretly to Islam. A small number accepted Islam with him, among them Abu Bakr al Siddiq, ʿAli ibn Abi Talib, and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, his wife, may Allah be pleased with them all.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ began planting in the souls of his Companions love for Allah, love for His Messenger, gathering upon that, sincerity in love, loyalty, and support for the believers, and hatred for disbelief, shirk, and their people. This is the necessary result of the word of oneness: “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

Here the new bond arose in the souls of the believers, the bond of creed. It began to settle in their souls that this was the true bond. It is the bond by which the believer’s soul finds peace. As this new planting grew, the tree of ignorant fanaticism and ignorant bonds began to wither, and the look of suspicion and contempt towards those bonds began to grow day after day in the soul of everyone who believed in Allah and His Messenger.

Truthfulness in Bearing Hardship

What did the believers do before the punishment that the enemies of Allah poured upon them? What was the response of the Muslims to what was done to them generally, and to what was done to Bilal, the family of Yasir, and others from the weak in particular?

It was patience upon harm and beautiful separation. Allah, the Exalted, said:

واصبر على ما يقولون واهجرهم هجرا جميلا ۝ وذرني والمكذبين أولي النعمة ومهلهم قليلا

“Be patient over what they say, and leave them with a beautiful leaving. Leave Me with those who deny, the people of ease, and give them a little time.” (al Muzzammil: 10–11)

The Chosen One ﷺ was patient, and his Lordly upbringing was enough to purify the souls of the believers with him. Every day, they increased greatly in the elevation of the spirit, the purity of the heart, the cleanliness of character, and freedom from the authority of material things and desires.

“He ﷺ would make them hold to patience over harm, beautiful pardon, and conquering the self, even though they were a people in whom love of war had been placed, as if they had been born with the sword. They were from the days of the war of al Basus and Dahis wal Ghabra’. The day of al Fijar was not far away.

“But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ overcame their fighting nature and restrained their Arab pride. They submitted to his command, held back their hands, and bore from Quraysh what souls would spill over from, without cowardice and without inability.” (Madha Khasir al ʿAlam bi Inhitat al Muslimin by Abu al Hasan al Nadwi, 97, with wording changes.)

This was regarding the position of the Muslims towards their enemies.

As for their loyalty among themselves, we say: the Chosen One ﷺ was keen to plant two basic foundations in their souls.

First: faith in Allah, that faith which springs from knowing Him, Glorified is He, bringing His attributes into the conscience, having God fearing restraint before Him, and being watchful of Him, along with alertness and sensitivity that reached in their souls a level not known except in rare cases.

Second: overflowing love and serious, deep mutual support. In this, the Muslim community reached a level that, had it not actually occurred, would have been counted among the dreams of dreamers.

The point of love for Allah’s sake upon which the believers met was also a meeting upon what follows this call of effort or cost, and what follows that of pain or joy. It made human emotion love and hate according to what strikes Islam of good or evil. (See Hadha Dinuna by Shaykh Muhammad al Ghazali, 178.)

So that this speech may have proof to support it, and so that we may know the results of the upbringing of the house of al Arqam, I mention one stance of the truthful one of this ummah, Abu Bakr al Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him.

Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was trampled in Makkah one day after he had accepted Islam. He was beaten severely. ʿUtbah ibn Rabiʿah drew near to him and began beating him with patched sandals, twisting them into his face. Then he leapt upon the stomach of Abu Bakr until his face could not be recognised from his nose.

The children of Taym carried Abu Bakr in a cloth until they brought him into his house, having no doubt that he was dead. Then he spoke at the end of the day and said: “What happened to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” They touched him with their tongues and blamed him.

Then they stood and said to his mother, Umm al Khayr: “Look to feed him something or give him something to drink.” When she was alone with him, she persisted with him, while he kept saying: “What happened to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” She said: “By Allah, I have no knowledge of your companion.” He said: “Go to Umm Jamil bint al Khattab and ask her about him.”

She went out until she came to Umm Jamil and said: “Abu Bakr is asking you about Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah.” She said: “I do not know Abu Bakr or Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah. If you would like me to go with you to your son, I will go.” She said: “Yes.” So she went with her until she found Abu Bakr lying down, severely wounded. Umm Jamil drew near and cried out, saying: “By Allah, a people who have done this to you are people of corruption and disbelief. I hope that Allah will take revenge for you against them.”

He said: “What happened to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” She said: “Your mother is listening.” He said: “There is nothing against you from her.” She said: “He is safe and well.”

He said: “Where is he?” She said: “In the house of Ibn al Arqam.” He said: “Then I owe it to Allah that I will not taste food or drink until I come to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

The two women waited until movement had calmed and people were still, then they went out with him while he leaned upon them, until they brought him in to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. (al Bidayah wal Nihayah by Ibn Kathir, 3/30. See Madha Khasir al ʿAlam by al Nadwi, 113.)

O Allah, what a state. A man beaten and burdened with wounds does not even take a drink of water, while he is in the greatest need of it, until he sees the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Truly, it is an upbringing beyond all upbringing. Truly, we say that the generation raised by the Chosen One ﷺ was a unique generation, with no previous or later equal.

The Traits of the Relationship Between the Muslims and Their Enemies During the Makkan Period

The Makkan stage required that the relationship between the Muslims and the polytheists be a non fighting relationship, a relationship of clarifying the truth, patience upon harm in it, and hoping for reward for everything that the stony grounds of Makkah, its burning heat, al Ta’if, and its paths knew of harm to the Chosen One ﷺ, and punishment and persecution of Bilal, ʿAmmar, Khabbab, the family of Yasir, and others, may Allah be pleased with them all.

This is because the circumstances of that stage required taking peaceful means and presenting the truths of faith in an affecting way, perhaps in this, and in what the patient believers showed of endurance and patience, there would be something that returned people of sound minds to correctness.

How worthy that was of the people responding, were it not for following desire, and the authority of passing interests, such as leadership, status, material gains, and what is similar to that. (See ʿAlaqat al Ummah al Muslimah bil Umam al Ukhra by Ahmad Mahmud Ahmad, 8–9.)

The prophetic upbringing in this period was of great importance. It was an upbringing based upon self control, patience upon harm, preparing the means while restraining the drives of release and holding back the sharpness of bold action, and bearing the ignorance of the ignorant and the transgression of the tyrants.

All of that was without humiliation, begging, despair, or weakness. Rather, their eyes were comforted, their hearts were reassured of Allah’s help, and their souls were raised above the shirk, misguidance, and trial of the polytheists. (Sabil al Daʿwah al Islamiyyah by Dr Muhammad Amin al Misri, 111 and 113, with wording changes.)

One important matter in this subject is to notice the Lordly wisdom in the fact that fighting was not made obligatory in Makkah. It was only legislated in the Madinan period. When the Muslims were in Makkah, the polytheists were greater in number. If the Muslims, while they were less than a tenth, had been commanded to fight the rest, it would have been very difficult upon them.

For this reason, when the people of Yathrib pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the night of al ʿAqabah, and they were more than eighty, they said: “O Messenger of Allah, shall we not attack the people of the valley,” meaning the people of Mina during the nights of Mina, “and kill them?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I have not been commanded to do this.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 5/431. The hadith is in Musnad Ahmad, 3/462. In its chain is Maʿbad ibn Kaʿb ibn Malik. Ibn Hajar said in al Taqrib that he is acceptable. He mentioned in al Tahdhib that he has one hadith in al Bukhari and that Muslim reported from him. Ibn Hibban declared him trustworthy)

The Chapter on Striving in the Path of Allah

First: Holding back from fighting in Makkah may have been because the Makkan period was a period of training and preparation, in a particular environment, for a particular people, amid particular circumstances. One of the aims of training in an environment like this was to train the Arab individual to be patient over what he would not usually be patient over of oppression when it fell upon him or upon those under his protection.

This was so that he would become free from his own person and detached from himself, so that he would not rush at the first cause, nor become stirred at the first stirrer. In this way, balance would be completed in his nature and movement. It was also to train him to follow the order of the new society and bind himself to the commands of the new leadership, so that he would not act except according to what it commanded him, no matter how much that opposed what was familiar to him and his habit. This was the foundation stone in preparing the personality of the Arab Muslim to establish the Muslim society.

Second: It may also have been because the peaceful call was more powerful in effect and reached deeper in an environment like that of Quraysh, with its arrogance and sense of honour. Fighting them during a period like this may have pushed them into greater stubbornness and into the rise of new blood feuds, like the well known Arab feuds, such as Dahis wal Ghabra’ and the war of al Basus. At that point, Islam would have turned from a call into blood feuds, through which its basic thought would be forgotten.

Third: It may also have been to avoid creating a battle and killing inside every house. There was no general organised authority that was torturing the believers. Rather, that was left to the guardians of each person. So, giving permission to fight in an environment like this would mean that battle and killing would occur inside every house, and then it would be said: “This is Islam.”

This was said even while Islam commanded restraint from fighting. The propaganda of Quraysh during the seasons was that Muhammad divided between a father and his son, besides dividing his people and clan. How would it have been if, along with that, he had commanded the son to kill the father, and the dependant to kill the guardian?

Fourth: It may also have been because Allah knew that many of those stubborn people who tempted the Muslims away from their religion and tortured them would themselves become among the sincere soldiers of Islam, and even among its leaders. Was ʿUmar ibn al Khattab not among these?

Fifth: It may also have been because Arab pride, in a tribal environment whose habit was to rise for the oppressed person who endured harm and did not retreat, especially when the harm fell upon noble people among them. Many events occurred proving the soundness of this view in that environment. Ibn al Dughunnah did not accept that Abu Bakr, a noble man, should be left to migrate and leave Makkah. He saw that as a shame upon the Arabs, so he offered him his protection and shelter. The last of these events was the tearing up of the document of the boycott against Banu Hashim in the valley of Abu Talib. (Ibn al Dughunnah was a man from the days of ignorance who gave protection to Abu Bakr when his people drove him out and he wanted to migrate to Abyssinia. See al Isabah, 2/344.)

Sixth: It may also have been because the Muslims were few in number at that time and were confined to Makkah. The call had not reached the rest of the Arabian Peninsula, or it had reached it only in scattered ways. The tribes were standing neutrally before an internal struggle between Quraysh and some of its sons, waiting to see what the outcome would be.

In a situation like this, the limited battle could have ended with the killing of the small Muslim group, even if they killed many times more than would be killed from them. Shirk would remain, no system would stand for Islam on earth, and no real entity would exist for it, though it is a religion that came to be a way of life and a system for this life and the Hereafter.

Seventh: There was no overwhelming and urgent necessity to go beyond all these considerations, command fighting, and repel harm. This was because the basic matter in this call was standing and achieved, namely the existence of the call.

Its existence was in the person of the caller, Muhammad ﷺ, and his person was under the protection of the swords of Banu Hashim, so no hand could reach him except while being threatened with being cut off. For that reason, no one dared to stop him from delivering the call and announcing it in the gatherings of Quraysh around the Kaʿbah, from above Mount al Safa, and in public gatherings.

No one dared to imprison him, kill him, or force upon him specific words to say. Rather, when they asked him to stop speaking against their gods and faulting them, he did not stop. When they asked him to remain silent about speaking against the religion of their fathers and grandfathers, he did not remain silent. When they asked him to be soft with them so that they would be soft with him, meaning to flatter them so that they would flatter him, by following some of their customs so that they would follow some of his worship, he did not soften.

All these considerations, as we think, were among what the wisdom of Allah required. Along with that, He commanded the Muslims to hold back their hands, establish the prayer, and give zakah, so that their training and preparation would be completed, so that the Muslims would stand waiting for the command of the leadership at the suitable time, and so that they would remove themselves from the whole matter. Thus, there would be no share for their own selves in it, and it would be purely for Allah and in the path of Allah. This ends the summary from Fi Zilal al Qur’an.

Whoever looks at the Makkan period, which was thirteen years of training, preparation, and planting the meanings of “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah,” realises the great importance of this creed in not rushing and not trying to overtake time. Creed needs planting that is cared for and looked after by Allah. Those who call to Allah must stand for a long time before the training of the Chosen One ﷺ of his Companions upon this creed, and take from it a lesson and example. Nothing stands before ignorance, whether old, modern, or future, except men whose hearts have mixed with the sweetness of the Lordly creed, and in whose souls the roots of the tree of “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah” have become deep. Then it becomes true of them that they are:

رجال صدقوا ما عاهدوا الله عليه

“Men who were true to what they pledged to Allah.” (al Ahzab: 23)

They are not concerned by the strength of an enemy, and the resolve of the brave is not lacking in them, because Allah is their ally and their helper.

ولينصرن الله من ينصره إن الله لقوي عزيز

“Allah will surely help those who help Him. Indeed, Allah is Strong, Mighty.” (al Hajj: 40)

Ibn Ishaq (d. 150AH) said:

“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw what his Companions were suffering of trial, and that he himself was safe because of his position with Allah and then because of his uncle Abu Talib, and that he was unable to protect them from the trial they were facing, he said to them: ‘If you were to go out to the land of Abyssinia, for there is a king there under whom no one is wronged, and it is a land of truth, until Allah makes for you a way out from what you are in.’ So at that point, the Muslims from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out to the land of Abyssinia, fearing trial and fleeing to Allah with their religion. This was the first Hijrah in Islam.” (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 1/344.)

Then the gentleness and mercy of Allah covered the weak believers through the Islam of ʿUmar ibn al Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, through whom Allah honoured Islam. For that reason, ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Islam of ʿUmar was an opening, his Hijrah was victory, and his leadership was mercy. We were not able to pray at the Kaʿbah until ʿUmar accepted Islam. When he accepted Islam, he fought Quraysh until he prayed at the Kaʿbah, and we prayed with him.” It was a great blessing that appeared in the Islam of ʿUmar, who gave his loyalty and support to the Muslims, and made his hatred, enmity, and disavowal directed against the disbelievers. How could it be otherwise, when he was the one who clashed with the people after his Islam, then said: “Do whatever seems good to you. By Allah, if we had been three hundred men, we would have left it, meaning Makkah, to you, or you would have left it to us.” (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 1/367. In al Bukhari from Ibn Masʿud, may Allah be pleased with him: “We remained honoured from the time ʿUmar accepted Islam.” 7/41, hadith 3684.) (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 1/374.)

The believers heard of the Islam of ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, while they were in Abyssinia, so they rejoiced at that. Some of them returned to Makkah. However, Quraysh poured upon them many kinds of punishment and persecution, but this only increased them in firmness, steadiness upon the truth, and hope in a near relief from Allah.

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and those with him faced another lesson from the lessons of trial, which are from the ways of the call to Allah. That lesson was the death of Abu Talib, the uncle of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who had been supporting and protecting him, and the death of the wife of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, the first woman to accept Islam.

She was an example of a righteous Muslim woman. Here, the enemies of Allah became eager against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, but Allah is greater than everything. Then the Chosen One ﷺ saw that he should turn to other than Quraysh, perhaps he would find someone who would answer and support him. So he went out to al Ta’if, but Thaqif disappointed his hope, harmed him, and mocked him. He turned to his Lord, saying:

“O Allah, to You I complain of the weakness of my strength, the smallness of my means, and my low standing before people. Most Merciful of those who show mercy, You are the Lord of the weak, and You are my Lord. To whom will You entrust me?

To someone distant who will treat me harshly, or to an enemy whom You have given control over my affair? If there is no anger from You upon me, then I do not care.

Yet Your well being is wider for me. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face, by which the darknesses have shone, and by which the affair of this life and the Hereafter has been set right, from Your anger descending upon me, or Your displeasure coming down upon me.

To You belongs all seeking of pardon until You are pleased. There is no power and no strength except through You.” Then he returned to Makkah. (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 2/60. Al Haythami mentioned the hadith in Majmaʿ al Zawa’id, 6/35, and ascribed it to al Tabarani, saying: “In it is Ibn Ishaq, and he is a mudallis but trustworthy, and the rest of its men are trustworthy.” Al Albani graded it weak in Takhrij Fiqh al Sirah by al Ghazali, 132. However, the wording of the hadith shines with the light of the lamp of prophethood.)

Those who call to Allah must pause for a long time at the statement of the Chosen One ﷺ: “If there is no anger from You upon me, then I do not care.” The concern of the Muslim caller is the pleasure of Allah, and that is enough. Then after that, let whatever happens from people happen, for it is not of great account as long as the aim is the pleasure of Allah.

Good Treatment of Polytheist Relatives

Through following the Makkan Qur’an, we find that despite the cutting of loyalty, whether in love or support, between the Muslim and his disbelieving relatives, the Qur’an commanded that connection, good conduct, and kindness towards them should not be cut. Yet there is no loyalty between them.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ووصينا الإنسان بوالديه حسنا وإن جاهداك لتشرك بي ما ليس لك به علم فلا تطعهما إلي مرجعكم فأنبئكم بما كنتم تعملون

“We have commanded man to be good to his parents. But if they strive against you to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them. To Me is your return, and I will inform you of what you used to do.” (al ʿAnkabut: 8)

Al Baghawi (d. 516AH) said that this verse, and verse 15 of Surat Luqman, which is the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

وإن جاهداك على أن تشرك بي ما ليس لك به علم فلا تطعهما وصاحبهما في الدنيا معروفا واتبع سبيل من أناب إلي ثم إلي مرجعكم فأنبئكم بما كنتم تعملون

“But if they strive against you to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them, but accompany them in this life with good conduct, and follow the path of those who turn back to Me. Then to Me is your return, and I will inform you of what you used to do.” (Luqman: 15)

was revealed concerning Saʿd ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, and his mother, Hamnah bint Abi Sufyan. Saʿd was among the first and earliest to accept Islam, and he was dutiful to his mother.

His mother said to him: “What is this religion that you have newly taken up? By Allah, I will not eat or drink until you return to what you were upon, or I die and you are blamed for that forever, and it is said: ‘O killer of his mother.’” She then stayed a day and a night without eating, drinking, or taking shade, until she became exhausted.

Then she stayed another day and night without eating or drinking. Saʿd came to her and said: “Mother, if you had one hundred souls and they came out one by one, I would not leave my religion. So eat if you wish, and if you wish, do not eat.”

When she lost hope in him, she ate and drank. So Allah revealed this verse and commanded him to be dutiful to his parents and act kindly towards them, but not obey them in shirk, because “there is no obedience to a created being in disobedience to the Creator.” (Tafsir al Baghawi, 5/188. See Asbab al Nuzul by al Wahidi, 195, for he mentioned something similar. The hadith “there is no obedience to a created being in disobedience to the Creator” is authentic. See Mishkat al Masabih, 2/1092, hadith 3696.)

Therefore, loyalty to Allah, His religion, and the believers is one matter, in which there is no obedience to a created being in opposing it. Good conduct towards a polytheist relative is another matter. It may be from the ways of softening his heart and encouraging him towards Islam.

The Form of Disavowal During the Makkan Period

First: from the moment the Muslim testified that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, he felt that he had entered a new religion, other than the religion of his fathers and grandfathers. He felt, at the very moment he came to Islam, that he was beginning a new era, completely separate from the life he had lived in ignorance.

He stood towards everything he had known in his ignorance with the stance of one who is suspicious, doubtful, cautious, and fearful, feeling that all of this was filth that was not suitable for Islam. With this feeling, he received the new guidance of Islam.

We may call this “emotional separation”. The Muslim had separated from the ignorant environment, from its ways of knowing, its understanding, its habits, and its bonds. He had separated from the creed of shirk to the creed of oneness, and from the understanding of ignorance to the understanding of Islam concerning life and existence. He joined the new Islamic gathering under its new leadership, and gave this gathering and this leadership all of his loyalty, obedience, love, and following. (Maʿalim fi al Tariq, 16–17, with slight wording changes.)

Second: after that came the command to turn away from the disbelievers.

فأعرض عن من تولى عن ذكرنا ولم يرد إلا الحياة الدنيا ۝ ذلك مبلغهم من العلم إن ربك هو أعلم بمن ضل عن سبيله وهو أعلم بمن اهتدى

“So turn away from whoever turns away from Our reminder and wants nothing except the life of this world. That is the limit of their knowledge. Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best who is guided.” (al Najm: 29–30)

Third: the command also came for patience and beautiful separation. Allah, the Exalted, said:

واصبر على ما يقولون واهجرهم هجرا جميلا

“Be patient over what they say, and leave them with a beautiful leaving.” (al Muzzammil: 10)

فاصبر إن وعد الله حق ولا يستخفنك الذين لا يوقنون

“So be patient. Indeed, the promise of Allah is true, and do not let those who have no certainty make you act lightly.” (al Rum: 60)

Then Allah, Glorified is He, reminds the believers of the action of their father Ibrahim, upon him and upon our Prophet be the best salah and the most complete salam, so that they may take from him an example and model. He, Glorified is He, said:

Fourth: alongside this Lordly reminder, there is also the sensory and tangible example in people’s lives of the one who divides his loyalty between conflicting lords, and the one whose loyalty is to one Lord and one direction.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ضرب الله مثلا رجلا فيه شركاء متشاكسون ورجلا سلما لرجل هل يستويان مثلا الحمد لله بل أكثرهم لا يعلمون

“Allah gives an example: a man belonging to quarrelling partners, and a man belonging wholly to one man. Are they equal as an example? Praise belongs to Allah, but most of them do not know.” (al Zumar: 29)

Allah made clear in this Qur’an example the state of the polytheist who does not believe in Allah and whose loyalty and love are not for Allah and for His sake. His state is like that of a slave owned by a group who share him in his service to them. He cannot please all of them. The state of the monotheist who worships Allah alone and shows loyalty for Allah alone is like that of a slave belonging to one owner. He has submitted to him, knows his aims, and knows the path to pleasing him.

He is at rest from the quarrelling of partners over him. Rather, he belongs safely to his owner without anyone disputing over him, while his owner is kind to him, merciful to him, compassionate towards him, good to him, and takes charge of what benefits him. Are these two slaves equal? No. They are not equal. “Praise belongs to Allah, but most of them do not know.” (Amthal al Qur’an by Ibn al Qayyim, 53, with wording changes, first edition, 1400AH, edited by Dr Nasir al Rashid, Dar Makkah.)

In line with the Qur’an’s concern for the matter of the Last Day, because of its great effect on faith, we find the Noble Qur’an presenting a scene from the scenes of the Day of Resurrection for the one whose loyalty is to other than Allah: how this loyalty turned into enmity and hatred, and how close friendship became enmity and hostility.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

وقال الذين كفروا ربنا أرنا الذين أضلانا من الجن والإنس نجعلهما تحت أقدامنا ليكونا من الأسفلين

“Those who disbelieved will say: our Lord, show us those who led us astray from the jinn and mankind, so that we may place them beneath our feet, that they may be among the lowest.” (Fussilat: 29)

And He said:

الأخلاء يومئذ بعضهم لبعض عدو إلا المتقين

“Close friends on that Day will be enemies to one another, except the people of God fearing restraint.” (al Zukhruf: 67)

And He said:

ويوم يعض الظالم على يديه يقول يا ويلتى ليتني لم أتخذ فلانا خليلا ۝ لقد أضلني عن الذكر بعد إذ جاءني وكان الشيطان للإنسان خذولا

“On the Day the wrongdoer will bite his hands, saying: woe to me, I wish I had not taken so and so as a close friend. He led me away from the reminder after it had come to me, and Satan is ever a betrayer of man.” (al Furqan: 27–29)

Fifth: then came the complete declaration to the enemies of Allah that your religion is false and we do not enter it, and our religion is the truth through which we worship Allah. So we do not worship what you worship, and you do not worship what we worship.

لكم دينكم ولي دين

“For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.” (al Kafirun: 6)

When the polytheists saw the firmness of the Muslims, their rising above through their religion, and the elevation of their souls above every falsehood, and when the lines of despair began in their souls that the Muslims’ return from their religion was impossible, they took another foolish path from their foolish paths, proving the lightness of their minds and their reckless foolishness.

They called the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to worship their idols for a year, and they would worship what he worshipped for a year. So Allah revealed Surat al Kafirun:

قل يا أيها الكافرون ۝ لا أعبد ما تعبدون ۝ ولا أنتم عابدون ما أعبد ۝ ولا أنا عابد ما عبدتم ۝ ولا أنتم عابدون ما أعبد ۝ لكم دينكم ولي دين

“Say: O disbelievers. I do not worship what you worship. Nor do you worship what I worship. Nor will I worship what you have worshipped. Nor will you worship what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.” (al Kafirun: 1–6)

(See Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 8/527.)

Like this Surah are other verses that resemble it in declaring disavowal from disbelief and its people, such as the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

وإن كذبوك فقل لي عملي ولكم عملكم أنتم بريئون مما أعمل وأنا بريء مما تعملون

“If they deny you, then say: for me is my action, and for you is your action. You are free from what I do, and I am free from what you do.” (Yunus: 41)

And His statement, the Exalted:

قل إني نهيت أن أعبد الذين تدعون من دون الله قل لا أتبع أهواءكم قد ضللت إذا وما أنا من المهتدين ۝ قل إني على بينة من ربي وكذبتم به ما عندي ما تستعجلون به إن الحكم إلا لله يقص الحق وهو خير الفاصلين

“Say: I have been forbidden to worship those whom you call upon besides Allah. Say: I do not follow your desires. If I did, I would have gone astray, and I would not be among the guided. Say: I am upon a clear proof from my Lord, but you have denied Him. I do not have what you seek to hasten. Judgement belongs only to Allah. He relates the truth, and He is the best of those who decide.” (al Anʿam: 56–57)

And His statement, the Exalted:

يا أيها الناس إن كنتم في شك من ديني فلا أعبد الذين تعبدون من دون الله ولكن أعبد الله الذي يتوفاكم وأمرت أن أكون من المؤمنين ۝ وأن أقم وجهك للدين حنيفا ولا تكونن من المشركين

“Say: O people, if you are in doubt about my religion, then I do not worship those whom you worship besides Allah. Rather, I worship Allah, who causes you to die, and I have been commanded to be among the believers. And direct your face to the religion, upright, and do not be among the polytheists.” (Yunus: 104–105)

With this clarity and this clearness, these noble verses came to draw the features of the path between the Islamic rank and the disbelieving polytheist rank that does not believe in Allah and His Messenger.

Despite this Qur’an clarity, we find that some who are ascribed to knowledge understood from these verses, especially Surat al Kafirun, that they are an approval from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of the disbelievers upon their false religion. This is a false claim. It opposes the reality of Islam and the call of the Messenger of Islam.

It also opposes the call of all the Messengers.

The great scholar Ibn al Qayyim (d. 751AH), may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“This Surah, Surat al Kafirun, contains pure negation. This is a special quality of this Surah, for it is a Surah of freedom from shirk, as came in its description.” (Abu Dawud, 5/303, hadith 5055; al Tirmidhi, 9/110, hadith 3400; Ahmad, 5/456; al Darimi, 2/458. Al Albani said: hasan. See Sahih al Jamiʿ al Saghir, 1/140, hadith 289.)

“Its greatest purpose is the required disavowal between the monotheists and the polytheists. For this reason, negation came on both sides, establishing the required disavowal, while also containing affirmation that he has a worshipped Lord whom he worships, and that you are free from worshipping Him. This agrees with the statement of the imam of the pure monotheists:

إنني براء مما تعبدون ۝ إلا الذي فطرني

“I am free from what you worship, except the One who created me.” (al Zukhruf: 26–27)

So it gathered the reality of “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.”

“For this reason, the Prophet ﷺ would pair it with Surat al Ikhlas in the Sunnah of Fajr and the Sunnah of Maghrib. When Allah informed that they have their religion and he has his religion, is this an approval, so it would be abrogated or specified? Or is there no abrogation in the verse and no specification?

“This is a noble matter from the most important matters. Many people erred regarding this Surah. They thought it was abrogated by the verse of the sword, because they believed that this verse required affirming them upon their religion. Others thought it was specific to those who are left upon their religion, namely the People of the Book.

“Both statements are purely false. There is no abrogation in the Surah and no specification. Rather, it is firm, and it is from the Surahs in whose content abrogation cannot enter, for the rulings of tawhid upon which the Messengers agreed cannot be entered by abrogation.

“This Surah made tawhid pure. For this reason, it is also called Surat al Ikhlas. The source of the error is that they thought the verse required approving them upon their religion. Then, when they saw that this approval ended by the sword, they said: it is abrogated.

“Another group said: it ended for some disbelievers, those who have no Book, so they said: it is specific. Allah forbid that the verse ever required approving them or affirming them upon their religion.

Rather, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, from the beginning of the matter and at its hardest upon him and his Companions, was the strongest in rejecting them, faulting their religion, declaring it ugly, forbidding it, warning, and threatening in every time and every gathering. So how can it be said that the verse required approving them? Allah forbid this false claim.

“Rather, the verse required pure disavowal, as has already been mentioned, and that what you are upon of religion, we will never agree with you upon it, for it is a false religion. It is specific to you, and we do not join you in it, and you do not join us in our true religion.

“This is the highest limit of disavowal and separation from agreeing with them in their religion. So where is the approval, such that abrogation or specification could be claimed?

“Do you think that when they were fought with the sword, just as they were fought with proof, it was no longer valid to say: ‘For you is your religion, and for me is my religion’?

“Rather, this is a standing, firm, and established verse between the believers and the disbelievers, until Allah purifies His slaves and His lands from them. Likewise, the ruling of this disavowal stands between the followers of the Messenger ﷺ, the people of his Sunnah, and the people of bidʿah who oppose what he came with and call to other than his Sunnah. When the successors of the Messenger and his heirs say to them: ‘For you is your religion, and for us is our religion,’ this does not require approving them upon their bidʿah. Rather, they say to them: this is disavowal from it. Along with this, they stand to refute them and strive against them according to ability.” (Muslim with Sharh al Nawawi, 6/5; Musnad, al Saʿati edition, 4/225.) (Mishkat al Masabih, 1/268. See Bada’iʿ al Fawa’id, 1/138.) (With slight wording changes: Bada’iʿ al Fawa’id, 1/138–141.)

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728AH), may Allah have mercy on him, added further clarification and explanation, saying:

“The statement of Allah, the Exalted, ‘For you is your religion, and for me is my religion,’ means that you are confined to your religion, and I do not share with you in it, while I am confined to my religion, and you do not share with me in it, as Allah, the Exalted, said:

لي عملي ولكم عملكم أنتم بريئون مما أعمل وأنا بريء مما تعملون

“For me is my action, and for you is your action. You are free from what I do, and I am free from what you do.” (Yunus: 41)

There is nothing in this verse showing that he was pleased with the religion of the polytheists or the People of the Book, as some heretics imagine. Nor does it show that he forbade striving against them, as some mistaken people imagined, and for that reason they declared it abrogated.

Rather, it contains his disavowal from their religion and their disavowal from his religion, and that their actions do not harm him, nor are they rewarded by his action and nor does it benefit them. This is a firm matter that does not accept abrogation. The Messenger was never pleased with the religion of the polytheists or the People of the Book for even the blink of an eye.

Whoever claims that he was pleased with the religion of the disbelievers and uses as proof His statement, the Exalted:

then this heretic has imagined that His statement, ‘For you is your religion, and for me is my religion,’ means that he was pleased with the religion of the disbelievers.

Then he said that this verse is abrogated, so according to him he had been pleased with the religion of the disbelievers. This is among the clearest lies and slanders against Muhammad ﷺ. He was never pleased except with the religion of Allah with which He sent His Messengers and sent down His Books. The like of this verse is His statement, the Exalted:

وإن كذبوك فقل لي عملي ولكم عملكم أنتم بريئون مما أعمل وأنا بريء مما تعملون

“If they deny you, then say: for me is my action, and for you is your action. You are free from what I do, and I am free from what you do.” (Yunus: 41)

And His statement, the Exalted:

فلذلك فادع واستقم كما أمرت ولا تتبع أهواءهم وقل آمنت بما أنزل الله من كتاب وأمرت لأعدل بينكم الله ربنا وربكم لنا أعمالنا ولكم أعمالكم

“So call to that and remain upright as you have been commanded, and do not follow their desires. Say: I believe in whatever Book Allah has sent down, and I have been commanded to act justly between you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. For us are our actions, and for you are your actions.” (al Shura: 15)

Since Allah, Glorified is He, said:

واخفض جناحك لمن اتبعك من المؤمنين ۝ فإن عصوك فقل إني بريء مما تعملون

“Lower your wing to those of the believers who follow you. If they disobey you, then say: I am free from what you do.” (al Shuʿara’: 215–216)

He freed him from the disobedience of those who disobeyed him from among his believing followers. So how would He not free him from the disbelief of the disbelievers, who are more severe in disobedience and opposition to him?” (al Jawab al Sahih li Man Baddala Din al Masih by Ibn Taymiyyah, 2/30–32.)

May Allah have mercy on ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbbas, when he said concerning this Surah: “There is nothing in the Qur’an more enraging to Iblis than it, because it is tawhid and disavowal from the polytheist.” Al Asmaʿi (d. 216AH) said: “It used to be said about ‘Say: O disbelievers’ and ‘Say: He is Allah, One’ that they are the two freeing Surahs, meaning that they free one from hypocrisy.” (Tafsir al Qurtubi, 20/225.)

The Wording of the Pledge

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke. He recited the Qur’an, called to Allah, encouraged Islam, and then said: “I take your pledge that you will protect me from what you protect your women and children from.” Al Bara’ ibn Maʿrur, may Allah be pleased with him, took his hand and said: “Yes, by the One who sent you as a Prophet with the truth, we shall protect you from what we protect our waist coverings from. So take our pledge, O Messenger of Allah, for by Allah, we are sons of war and people of weapons. We inherited this, elder from elder.” (Al Bara’ ibn Maʿrur al Khazraji al Ansari was the first to give the pledge, the first to face the direction of prayer, the first to bequeath one third of his wealth, and one of the twelve chiefs. See al Isabah, 1/144; al Aʿlam by al Zirikli, 1/47, fourth edition. The hadith is in al Musnad, 3/461.)

Abu al Haytham ibn al Tayhan, may Allah be pleased with him, objected and said: “O Messenger of Allah, there are ties between us and the men, meaning the Jews, and we are cutting them.

If we do that and then Allah gives you victory, might you return to your people and leave us?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled and then said: “Rather, blood is blood, and destruction is destruction. I am from you and you are from me. I fight those whom you fight, and I make peace with those whom you make peace with.” (Abu al Haytham ibn al Tayhan was Malik ibn ʿAtik al Ansari al Awsi, one of the chiefs. The Prophet ﷺ made brotherhood between him and ʿUthman ibn Mazʿun. He witnessed all the major events, and he is the one who said in mourning for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “Our ears and noses were cut off the morning we were made bereft of the Prophet Muhammad.”

He died in Madinah during the rule of ʿUmar ibn al Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, in the year 20AH. See al Istiʿab, 4/200; al Isabah, 4/212; al Maʿarif by Ibn Qutaybah, 270, edited by Tharwat ʿUkashah; al Aʿlam by al Zirikli, 5/258.) (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 2/84–85. The hadith is in al Musnad, 2/274, al Saʿati edition, with al Fath al Rabbani.)

Ibn Hisham (d. 218AH) said: “Destruction is destruction” means sanctity. That is: my covenant is your covenant, and my sanctity is your sanctity. (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 2/84–85. The hadith is in al Musnad, 2/274, al Saʿati edition, with al Fath al Rabbani.)

Then Asʿad ibn Zurarah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Slowly, people of Yathrib. We did not travel to him except while knowing that he is the Messenger of Allah.

Taking him out today means opposing all the Arabs, the killing of your best men, and that swords will bite you. Either you are a people who will be patient over that, so take him, and your reward is with Allah, or you are a people who fear cowardice within yourselves, so make that clear, for that is more excusable for you with Allah.”

They said: “Asʿad, move your hand away from us. By Allah, we will not abandon this pledge, nor will we ask to be released from it.” Then they stood before him, man by man, and pledged to him. (Asʿad ibn Zurarah, Abu Umamah al Ansari al Khazraji al Najjari, witnessed the two pledges of al ʿAqabah and was a chief over his tribe. Al Waqidi mentioned that he died nine months after the migration. Al Baghawi said: “It reached me that he was the first of the Companions to die after the migration, and the first dead person over whom the Prophet ﷺ prayed.” Ibn Hajar said: “The people of military history and general history agree that he died during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ before Badr.” al Isabah, 1/34.) (Ahmad, 3/322, 3/339, 3/394; al Hakim, 2/624–625; al Bayhaqi, al Sunan al Kubra, 9/9.)

Yes, it was faith in Allah, love for His sake, brotherhood upon His religion, and mutual support in His name. All of this was moving within the souls gathered in the darkness of night beside Makkah, while Makkah remained lost in its misguidance. It was moving so as to declare that the Helpers of Allah would protect His Messenger as they protected their honour, and that they would shield him with their own lives, so that no harm would reach him while they were alive.

What picture is greater than this picture of true loyalty? It was a pledge upon the religion of Allah and His pleasure. Look at the reply of the Chosen One ﷺ: “Rather, blood is blood, and destruction is destruction. I am from you and you are from me. I fight those whom you fight, and I make peace with those whom you make peace with.”

This is the true bond and the sincere connection in the relationship of a Muslim with his Muslim brother. The blood became one. “I fight those whom you fight, and I make peace with those whom you make peace with.”

In this way, the ties of ignorant blood, ignorant mutual support, and ignorant loyalty were cut off, and Islamic loyalty, standing in the Islamic rank, disavowal from disbelief and its people, and embracing the new brotherhood which Allah commanded, replaced them. It was the righteous substitute for those ignorant bonds, as he ﷺ said: “The believer to the believer is like a building, each part strengthening the other.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 10/442, hadith 6026; Sahih Muslim, 4/1999, hadith 2585.)

Thus we come to know what Allah did for His Prophet, his call, and those with him, and what He prepared for them of support, protection, and the land in which the rule of Allah, His Sharia, and His way would be established on earth. It was the land of the Helpers. The land of those who gave others preference over themselves, even though they were in need.

So now to a new shining picture of loyalty in the Madinan period.

Loyalty and Disavowal in the Madinan Period

When Allah wanted to make His religion prevail, and to honour His servant and Messenger Muhammad ﷺ and those with him, He commanded him to migrate, so that it would be a clear dividing point between truth and falsehood, and between the allies of the Most Merciful and the allies of Satan. (See Zad al Maʿad, 3/43, edited by al Arna’ut.)

The migration was an announcement from the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, that His promise to the believers was near. It is a promise that remains until Allah inherits the earth and whoever is upon it. Allah, the Exalted, said:

وعد الله الذين آمنوا منكم وعملوا الصالحات ليستخلفنهم في الأرض كما استخلف الذين من قبلهم وليمكنن لهم دينهم الذي ارتضى لهم وليبدلنهم من بعد خوفهم أمنا يعبدونني لا يشركون بي شيئا ومن كفر بعد ذلك فأولئك هم الفاسقون

“Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession in the earth, as He granted succession to those before them, and He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them, and He will surely replace their fear with safety. They worship Me and do not associate anything with Me. Whoever disbelieves after that, then they are the defiantly disobedient.” (al Nur: 55)

This Lordly establishment actually occurred. For that reason, we find the Qur’an reminding the believers of this establishment and victory. Allah said:

واذكروا إذ أنتم قليل مستضعفون في الأرض تخافون أن يتخطفكم الناس فآواكم وأيدكم بنصره ورزقكم من الطيبات لعلكم تشكرون

“Remember when you were few and weak in the land, fearing that people would snatch you away. He gave you shelter, supported you with His victory, and provided you with good things, so that you may be thankful.” (al Anfal: 26)

This promise of establishment will remain as long as the Muslims hold firmly to the condition, which is to worship Him alone without any partner.

A Brief Historical Note

When Allah gave permission for migration, the Muslims went out to Madinah in groups and one by one. None of them remained in Makkah except the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr, and ʿAli, who stayed by his command ﷺ, along with those whom the polytheists held back by force.

When the polytheists saw that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had prepared themselves, left, and taken their children, families, and wealth to Madinah, and when they knew that it was a land of protection, and that its people were people of weapons, strength, and might, they feared that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would leave to join them. His affair would then become strong, and his power would increase. For this reason, they gathered in the council house, and none of their people of thought and judgement stayed away, so that they could consult one another about him.

They came out of that meeting with one view: that a young man from every tribe should rise, and then they should strike him with the strike of one man, so that his blood would be spread among the tribes.

But the protection of Allah and His support for His Prophet ﷺ were greater than the plotting of those criminals. Jibril عليه السلام came down to the Chosen One ﷺ, commanding him not to sleep in his bed that night.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out with his trustworthy companion Abu Bakr al Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, while ʿAli ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, remained and slept that night in the bed of the Chosen One ﷺ. The matter ended with the loss and humiliation of the leaders of Quraysh. (See al Sirah al Nabawiyyah by Ibn Hisham, 2/124–127; Zad al Maʿad, 3/50–51.)

The Chosen One ﷺ reached the land of migration, the land of support and protection, where he found the Helpers of Allah. This migration was a victory for the believing Migrants, who found those who would shelter them, support them, and share wealth, homes, and even wives with them. It was also a victory for the Helpers, since the ignorant grudges and hatred between Aws and Khazraj were removed, as was the plotting of the Jews, who used to spread division and trial among them.

The first action that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ carried out in Madinah was building the masjid, so that the Lordly call would come from it: “Allah is greater. Allah is greater.” This pure masjid would be the educational meeting place for the Muslim Ummah, in which they would receive the revelation of Allah from the Messenger of Allah, and learn the matters of their religion. This masjid was also the place of Islamic military leadership, which set out in the path of Allah.

After that, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made brotherhood between the Migrants and the Helpers in the house of Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him. They were ninety men, half from the Migrants and half from the Helpers. He made brotherhood between them upon mutual support, so that they would inherit from one another after death, besides blood relatives, until the battle of Badr. When Allah, Mighty and Majestic, sent down:

وأولو الأرحام بعضهم أولى ببعض في كتاب الله

“Blood relatives are more entitled to one another in the Book of Allah.” (al Ahzab: 6)

inheritance was returned to blood ties, not the contract of brotherhood. (Zad al Maʿad, 3/63.)

This brotherhood of faith is the greatest bond and the unique link in human relationships with one another. Every believer, whether he was a Migrant or a Helper, felt a new bond tying him to his brothers for the sake of Allah. Each one of them loved his brother as he loved himself, even though he was not from his tribe and there was no blood tie between them. In fact, the blood tie, when it existed in ignorance, did not create in any of them that pure, amazing love which he now felt for his brother in creed.

What is the difference between the meeting of ignorance and the meeting of Islam?

The answer is that the matter is neither a secret nor magic. Rather, it is Islam, in which people meet upon creed in Allah. Each one of them loves Allah and His Messenger. Their own selves are not the clear and dominant element, nor are they waiting to seize benefit from the other, as is the case in ignorant relationships. Rather, the clear and dominant element is love for the sake of Allah.

A Pause at the Brotherhood Between the Migrants and the Helpers

This brotherhood deserves study and reflection, because great matters came from it in the lives of the Muslims, whether at the level of the Ummah and state, or at the level of individuals.

As for what relates to them as an Ummah, this brotherhood was the main pillar in forming the meaning of the Muslim Ummah. It was an Ummah that met upon creed in Allah and lived for the sake of that creed.

The bond of blood, lineage, land, colour, language, or race had no real weight when it opposed creed. Allah, Glorified is He, is the Owner of the favour and grace in that. He said:

واعتصموا بحبل الله جميعا ولا تفرقوا واذكروا نعمة الله عليكم إذ كنتم أعداء فألف بين قلوبكم فأصبحتم بنعمته إخوانا وكنتم على شفا حفرة من النار فأنقذكم منها كذلك يبين الله لكم آياته لعلكم تهتدون ۝ ولتكن منكم أمة يدعون إلى الخير ويأمرون بالمعروف وينهون عن المنكر وأولئك هم المفلحون ۝ ولا تكونوا كالذين تفرقوا واختلفوا من بعد ما جاءهم البينات وأولئك لهم عذاب عظيم

“Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not separate. Remember the favour of Allah upon you, when you were enemies and He joined your hearts, so by His favour you became brothers.

You were on the edge of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His verses clear to you, so that you may be guided. Let there be from you an Ummah calling to good, commanding what is right, and forbidding what is wrong. Those are the successful. Do not be like those who separated and differed after clear proofs had come to them. For them there is a great punishment.” (Al ʿImran: 103–105)

The believers became allies of one another. Each one loved his brother as he loved himself, supported him, strove for him, and gave him preference over every close and beloved person, whether wealth, family, clan, or child.

والمؤمنون والمؤمنات بعضهم أولياء بعض

“The believing men and believing women are allies of one another.” (al Tawbah: 71)

Their structure became strong, and they were like one body. “The believer to the believer is like a building, each part strengthening the other.” Then he ﷺ interlaced his fingers.

From al Nuʿman ibn Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “You see the believers in their mercy, love, and compassion towards one another as the example of one body. When one limb complains, the rest of the body responds to it with sleeplessness and fever.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 10/438, hadith 6011; Sahih Muslim, 4/1999, hadith 2586. The wording is al Bukhari’s.)

Allah, Glorified is He, praised the Migrants and the Helpers. He said about the Migrants:

للفقراء المهاجرين الذين أخرجوا من ديارهم وأموالهم يبتغون فضلا من الله ورضوانا وينصرون الله ورسوله أولئك هم الصادقون

“For the poor Migrants who were driven out from their homes and their wealth, seeking favour from Allah and pleasure, and supporting Allah and His Messenger. Those are the truthful.” (al Hashr: 8)

Then He, Glorified is He, praised the Helpers with His statement:

والذين تبوؤوا الدار والإيمان من قبلهم يحبون من هاجر إليهم ولا يجدون في صدورهم حاجة مما أوتوا ويؤثرون على أنفسهم ولو كان بهم خصاصة ومن يوق شح نفسه فأولئك هم المفلحون

“Those who settled in the land and faith before them love those who migrated to them, and they find no need in their chests for what they were given. They give others preference over themselves, even if they are in need. Whoever is protected from the greed of his own soul, then those are the successful.” (al Hashr: 9)

The matter became even greater than that. These Helpers, who sheltered the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and those with him, strengthened them, supported them, and gave their selves and precious things for them, seeking the pleasure of Allah, became such that loving them is from the creed by which the Muslim worships his Lord, while hating and disliking them is hypocrisy. In the authentic hadith: “The sign of faith is love of the Helpers, and the sign of hypocrisy is hatred of the Helpers.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 1/62, hadith 17; Sahih Muslim, 1/85, hadith 74. The wording is al Bukhari’s.)

He ﷺ also said: “The Helpers are not loved except by a believer, and they are not hated except by a hypocrite. Whoever loves them, Allah loves him, and whoever hates them, Allah hates him.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 7/113, hadith 3783; Sahih Muslim, 1/85, hadith 75. The wording is al Bukhari’s.)

Through this brotherhood, the Islamic society was formed. It was the society over which the banner of “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah” gives shade, in which the Lordly Sharia rules, love and devotion prevail, good is commanded, wrong is forbidden, striving is its devotion, and calling to His path is its way of life.

The strong person in it is weak until the right is taken from him, and the weak person in it is strong until he takes his right. Its loyalty is to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, and its hatred and dislike are for the enemies of Allah, even if they are the closest of kin.

They found the sweetness and taste of faith, and they knew disbelief and its people, so much so that one of them would love to be thrown into the Fire rather than return to disbelief after Allah had saved him from it, as he ﷺ said, and this is what was realised in them: “No one finds the sweetness of faith until he loves a person and does not love him except for Allah, until being thrown into the Fire is more beloved to him than returning to disbelief after Allah saved him from it, and until Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything besides them.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 10/463, hadith 6041; Sahih Muslim, 1/66, hadith 43. The wording is al Bukhari’s.)

Through this brotherhood of faith, social mutual care was found, and everlasting pictures appeared within it that never existed except in it alone.

Among them is what al Bukhari reported: when they came to Madinah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made brotherhood between ʿAbd al Rahman ibn ʿAwf and Saʿd ibn al Rabiʿ.

Saʿd said to ʿAbd al Rahman: “I am the wealthiest of the Helpers, so I will divide my wealth into two halves. I have two wives. Look at whichever of them is more pleasing to you, name her to me, and I will divorce her. When her waiting period ends, marry her.” ʿAbd al Rahman said: “May Allah bless your family and your wealth. Where is your market?”

They directed him to the market of Banu Qaynuqaʿ. He did not return except with a surplus of dried yoghurt and butter. Then he continued going early to the market, until one day he came with a trace of yellow scent upon him. The Prophet ﷺ said: “What is this?” He said: “I got married.” He said: “How much did you give her?” He said: “A date stone weight of gold.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 7/112, hadith 3780.)

A person’s amazement at the generosity of Saʿd is matched only by his amazement at the nobility of ʿAbd al Rahman, who competed with the Jews in their market, overcame them in their field, and was able after a few days to earn what would protect his own honour and guard his chastity. This is because high resolve is from the character traits of faith.

The summary is that this brotherhood was practical training upon Islamic brotherhood, which that creed brings forth in the souls of those who believe in it:

إنما المؤمنون إخوة

“The believers are only brothers.” (al Hujurat: 10)

It was also practical training upon mutual care, which is one of the deep meanings in building the Islamic community. Those who are able support those who are not able, on the basis of brotherhood for the sake of Allah from one side, and on the basis of using the wealth of Allah in what pleases Allah from another side.

Human history has never known a collective event like the event of the Helpers receiving the Migrants, with this noble love, this generous giving, this pleased sharing, and this racing to give shelter and carry burdens, to the point that it is narrated that no Migrant came down into the house of a Helper except by drawing lots.

The Features of Loyalty and Disavowal in the Madinan Period

The features of the Makkan period, as already said, were presenting and establishing the proof, patience over harm, holding back the hands, and beautiful leaving. That was because of Lordly wisdom, including that it was for training the Ummah upon this upright religion, refining the souls upon the light of its way, and fully submitting to the command of Allah and His Messenger in doing and leaving alike.

But the matter took another form in the Madinan period: from migration, to the brotherhood between the Migrants and the Helpers, to the establishment of the Muslim state, to striving in the path of Allah and the authority of the Islamic Sharia.

The first thing we mention in this period is the document which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wrote between the Migrants and the Helpers, and whoever followed them. In it, he made a treaty with the Jews, made a covenant with them, left them upon their religion and wealth, and placed conditions upon them. Ibn Ishaq (d. 150AH) reported it without a chain. Al Banna also reported it in his explanation of the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, and the authors of biographies and military history reported it. (al Sirah al Nabawiyyah by Ibn Hisham, 2/147.) (al Musnad with the explanation of al Banna, 21/10.)

I will restrict myself to some of its sections that relate to the matter of loyalty. At its beginning, it says: “In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. This is a document from Muhammad the Prophet ﷺ between the believers and Muslims from Quraysh and Yathrib, and whoever follows them, joins them, and strives with them: they are one Ummah apart from all people.” (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 2/147.)

Also in it: “No believer may ally himself with the freedman of another believer against him. The God fearing believers are together against whoever among them rebels, seeks a great act of oppression, sin, aggression, or corruption between the believers. Their hands are all against him, even if he is the son of one of them.

No believer may kill a believer for a disbeliever, and he may not support a disbeliever against a believer. The covenant of Allah is one. The lowest of them may give protection on behalf of them all.

The believers are allies of one another, apart from all people. Whoever follows us from the Jews shall have support and equal treatment, without being wronged and without others being supported against them. The peace of the believers is one. No believer may make peace apart from another believer in fighting in the path of Allah, except upon equality and justice between them.”

Also: “It is not permissible for any believer who has accepted what is in this document and believed in Allah and the Last Day to support one who causes a forbidden offence, nor to shelter him. Whoever supports him or shelters him, upon him is the curse of Allah and His anger on the Day of Resurrection, and neither compensation nor ransom will be accepted from him. Whatever you differ over, its return is to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and to Muhammad ﷺ. The Jews shall spend along with the believers as long as they are fighting.” (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 2/148–149.)

This document is the truthful picture of rights, because it came with what made the Islamic society a bonded and united society. It also guaranteed the rights of the people of other religions, as long as they lived under the shade of Islamic rule.

Imam Ibn al Qayyim (d. 751AH), may Allah have mercy on him, summarised the picture of the Madinan society at that time, saying: “When the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah, the disbelievers were with him in three categories. A category with whom he made peace and a treaty, on the condition that they would not fight him, nor support anyone against him, nor ally against him. They remained upon their disbelief, safe regarding their blood and wealth.

A category that fought him and set themselves up in enmity against him.

A category that left him alone. They neither made peace with him nor fought him. Rather, they waited to see what his affair and the affair of his enemies would lead to. Among these were those who inwardly loved his victory and success, and among them were those who inwardly loved the victory of his enemy over him. Among them were those who entered with him outwardly while inwardly being with his enemy, so that they would be safe from both sides. These were the hypocrites.

He dealt with every group from these groups according to what his Lord, Blessed and Exalted, commanded him.” (Zad al Maʿad, 3/126.)

It has become clear to me through this research that there are three important matters which are the features of this period.

First: the plotting of the People of the Book against Islam, then the prohibition and warning against loyalty to them and obedience to them.

Second: the appearance of hypocrisy and the hypocrites.

Third: disavowal from these and those, meaning complete separation between the Muslims and their enemies. It has forms that will come in their proper place.

The Plotting of the People of the Book Against Islam and Warning the Muslims Against Loyalty to Them

The view of fair researchers into Jewish history agrees that the Jews are a spiteful nation.

Deception is their nature, treachery is their habit, and opposing Allah and His Messengers is their character.

By a wisdom that Allah knows, the message moved from the Children of Israel, so the final Prophet was Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah, the Hashimi, Qurashi, Arab Prophet ﷺ. The plotting of the Jews, especially, had begun while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was still in Makkah, as they were helping Quraysh with stubborn questions directed to the Chosen One ﷺ, such as their saying to Quraysh: ask him about the soul, about the people of the cave, and other matters known from Surat al Kahf.

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and those with him migrated to Madinah, the Jews became alarmed. Their minds did not settle, and their life did not remain pleasant.

This was because the establishment of the Muslim state on earth had a great effect upon them. Islam is what breaks their power, exposes their hidden matters, frees people from their evils, and tears apart their unity, control, and tyranny. From here, they never stopped plotting against Islam, its Messenger, and the believers. They set obstacles before whoever wanted Islam. Hypocrisy and the hypocrites were born in their arms. They betrayed Allah and His Messenger. They did not bind themselves to the document mentioned earlier. They betrayed the Muslims, allied themselves with the polytheists and disbelievers, harmed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and intended what they did not attain.

For this reason, the Madinan Qur’an, especially its largest Surahs, namely al Baqarah, Al ʿImran, al Nisa’, and al Ma’idah, gave great care to uncovering their cover, exposing them, and making their plotting clear. The noble verses on this are very many, but I will mention some of them here, so that it becomes clear to the Muslims who are deceived by them today, who show loyalty to them and even imitate them, what the enemies of Allah are upon. They are the killers of the Prophets and callers to corruption on earth.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

“Many of the People of the Book wish to turn you back into disbelievers after your faith, out of envy from themselves, after the truth became clear to them. So pardon and overlook until Allah brings His command. Indeed, Allah has power over everything.” (al Baqarah: 109)

In Surat Al ʿImran:

ودت طائفة من أهل الكتاب لو يضلونكم وما يضلون إلا أنفسهم وما يشعرون

“A group from the People of the Book wish to mislead you, but they mislead none except themselves, and they do not realise.” (Al ʿImran: 69)

وقالت طائفة من أهل الكتاب آمنوا بالذي أنزل على الذين آمنوا وجه النهار واكفروا آخره لعلهم يرجعون

“A group from the People of the Book said: believe in what was sent down to those who believe at the beginning of the day, and disbelieve at its end, so that they may turn back.” (Al ʿImran: 72)

وقالوا كونوا هودا أو نصارى تهتدوا قل بل ملة إبراهيم حنيفا وما كان من المشركين

“They said: be Jews or Christians, and you will be guided. Say: rather, the religion of Ibrahim, upright, and he was not from the polytheists.” (al Baqarah: 135)

ما يود الذين كفروا من أهل الكتاب ولا المشركين أن ينزل عليكم من خير من ربكم والله يختص برحمته من يشاء والله ذو الفضل العظيم

“Those who disbelieve from the People of the Book and the polytheists do not wish that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord. Allah chooses for His mercy whom He wills, and Allah is the Owner of great favour.” (al Baqarah: 105)

يا أيها الذين آمنوا

“O you who believe.”

لا تتخذوا بطانة من دونكم لا يألونكم خبالا ودوا ما عنتم قد بدت البغضاء من أفواههم وما تخفي صدورهم أكبر قد بينا لكم الآيات إن كنتم تعقلون

“Do not take close confidants from outside yourselves. They will not fail to ruin you. They wish hardship for you. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their chests conceal is greater. We have made the verses clear to you, if you understand.” (Al ʿImran: 118)

These verses, and others with the same meaning, make clear their plotting and what they await against Islam and its followers. Therefore, many verses came warning the believers and prohibiting them from listening to the disbelievers generally and to the People of the Book especially, or obeying them, taking them as allies, or leaning towards them. I will also restrict myself here to some of these verses, because more detail will come in the next chapter, Allah willing, about the forms of loyalty.

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ولن ترضى عنك اليهود ولا النصارى حتى تتبع ملتهم قل إن هدى الله هو الهدى ولئن اتبعت أهواءهم بعد الذي جاءك من العلم ما لك من الله من ولي ولا نصير

“The Jews and the Christians will never be pleased with you until you follow their religion. Say: indeed, the guidance of Allah is the guidance. If you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you will have no ally or helper against Allah.” (al Baqarah: 120)

يا أيها الذين آمنوا إن تطيعوا الذين كفروا يردوكم على أعقابكم فتنقلبوا خاسرين ۝ بل الله مولاكم وهو خير الناصرين

“O you who believe, if you obey those who disbelieve, they will turn you back on your heels, and you will turn back as losers. Rather, Allah is your Protector, and He is the best of helpers.” (Al ʿImran: 149–150)

يا أيها الذين آمنوا إن تطيعوا فريقا من الذين أوتوا الكتاب يردوكم بعد إيمانكم كافرين ۝ وكيف تكفرون وأنتم تتلى عليكم آيات الله وفيكم رسوله ومن يعتصم بالله فقد هدي إلى صراط مستقيم

“O you who believe, if you obey a group from those who were given the Book, they will turn you back into disbelievers after your faith. How could you disbelieve while the verses of Allah are recited to you and His Messenger is among you? Whoever holds firmly to Allah has been guided to a straight path.” (Al ʿImran: 100–101)

It is mentioned regarding the reason for the revelation of these two verses that Shas ibn Qays, the Jew, who was an old man who had become hardened in the days of ignorance, intense in disbelief, intensely spiteful towards the Muslims, and intensely envious of them, passed by a group of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from Aws and Khazraj while they were in a gathering, speaking together. What he saw of their unity, closeness, and reconciliation within Islam after the enmity that had been between them during ignorance angered him. He said: “The chiefs of Banu Qaylah have gathered in this land.

By Allah, we will have no place with them if they unite here.” So he commanded a young Jewish man who was with him and said: “Go to them, sit with them, and then remind them of Buʿath,” which was one of their days in ignorance, “and what happened in it. Recite to them some of the poetry they used to say about it.” He did so.

The people then spoke, argued, and boasted, until two men from the two groups leapt up and spoke against one another. One of them said to his companion: “If you wish, we will bring it back again.” Both sides became angry and said: “The weapons, the weapons. Your meeting place is al Zahirah,” which is the lava plain. They went out to it, and Aws and Khazraj joined together, each side upon the call they had been upon in ignorance.

This reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so he went out to them with those of the Migrants who were with him, until he reached them. He said: “O Muslims! Allah, Allah! Is it the call of ignorance while I am among you, after Allah guided you to Islam, honoured you with it, cut off from you the affair of ignorance through it, saved you from disbelief through it, and joined your hearts through it? Are you returning to what you were upon as disbelievers?”

The people knew that this was a stirring from Satan and a plot from their enemy. They threw the weapons from their hands, wept, and the men of Aws and Khazraj embraced one another. Then they returned with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, listening and obeying, after Allah extinguished for them the plot of the enemy of Allah.

So Allah sent down:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا إن تطيعوا فريقا من الذين أوتوا الكتاب

“O you who believe, if you obey a group from those who were given the Book.”

The verse.

Jabir ibn ʿAbd Allah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “There was no person coming upon us more disliked to us than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then he signalled to us with his hand, so we stopped, and Allah reconciled what was between us. There was then no person more beloved to us than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I never saw a day more ugly and lonely at its beginning, nor more beautiful at its end, than that day.” (See Tafsir al Tabari, 4/23; Asbab al Nuzul by al Wahidi, 66; Ahkam al Qur’an by al Qurtubi, 4/155; Tafsir al Baghawi, 1/389. I exerted my effort in tracing the hadith in the original sources, but I did not find that. May Allah reward with the best reward whoever finds the referencing of this hadith and alerts me to that.)

Allah directs His believing servants and guides them, after mentioning the story of the Children of Israel with Musa عليه السلام in the story of the slaughtering of the cow, with His statement:

أفتطمعون أن يؤمنوا لكم وقد كان فريق منهم يسمعون كلام الله ثم يحرفونه من بعد ما عقلوه وهم يعلمون ۝ وإذا لقوا الذين آمنوا قالوا آمنا وإذا خلا بعضهم إلى بعض قالوا أتحدثونهم بما فتح الله عليكم ليحاجوكم به عند ربكم أفلا تعقلون ۝ أولا يعلمون أن الله يعلم ما يسرون وما يعلنون

“Do you hope that they will believe you, while a group of them used to hear the words of Allah and then distort them after understanding them, while they knew? When they meet those who believe, they say: we believe.

But when some of them are alone with others, they say: do you speak to them about what Allah has opened to you, so that they may use it as an argument against you before your Lord? Do you not understand? Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they make public?” (al Baqarah: 75–77)

Then the stronger warning comes in Surat al Ma’idah:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا اليهود والنصارى أولياء بعضهم أولياء بعض ومن يتولهم منكم فإنه منهم إن الله لا يهدي القوم الظالمين

“O you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. Some of them are allies of others. Whoever among you takes them as allies is surely from them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.” (al Ma’idah: 51)

إنما وليكم الله ورسوله والذين آمنوا الذين يقيمون الصلاة ويؤتون الزكاة وهم راكعون ۝ ومن يتول الله ورسوله والذين آمنوا فإن حزب الله هم الغالبون ۝ يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا الذين اتخذوا دينكم هزوا ولعبا من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبلكم والكفار أولياء واتقوا الله إن كنتم مؤمنين

“Your ally is only Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe, those who establish prayer and give zakah while bowing. Whoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe as allies, then the party of Allah are the victorious.

O you who believe, do not take as allies those who took your religion as mockery and play from those who were given the Book before you, nor the disbelievers. Fear Allah, if you are believers.” (al Ma’idah: 55–57)

These texts and others trained the Muslims to know the plotting of the People of the Book against Islam and the Muslims. They cut off what was in the souls of some Muslims of affection and loyalty towards these enemies, so that loyalty would be for Allah, His Messenger, and the believers only.

Hypocrisy and the Hypocrites

The believers during the Makkan period were tested, tortured, and persecuted. Yet they remained patient and sought reward. Therefore, in Makkah at that time there were only two groups: the group of patient believers, and the group of tyrannical disbelievers and polytheists. There were no hypocrites, because hypocrisy by its nature is evasive and manipulative, and no one was able to practise this religion in Makkah except the truthful believers.

As for Madinah, after the establishment of the Muslim state and the authority of the rule of Allah and His Sharia, the hypocrites appeared. This is a known matter among weak and cowardly souls. They fear the Islamic authority, so they show Islam outwardly, and they love disbelief and its people, but they do not dare to openly declare it.

The hypocrites are people who outwardly showed Islam and following the Messengers, while inwardly concealing disbelief and enmity to Allah and His Messengers. They are in the lowest depth of the Fire, as Allah, the Exalted, said:

إن المنافقين في الدرك الأسفل من النار ولن تجد لهم نصيرا

“Indeed, the hypocrites are in the lowest depth of the Fire, and you will never find for them a helper.” (al Nisa’: 145)

The open disbelievers are lighter than them, and they are above them in the levels of the Fire, because the two groups share disbelief and enmity to Allah and His Messengers, while the hypocrites added lying and hypocrisy to that. The trial of the Muslims through them is greater than their trial through the open disbelievers. For this reason, Allah, the Exalted, said regarding them:

هم العدو فاحذرهم

“They are the enemy, so beware of them.” (al Munafiqun: 4)

This wording gives a meaning of restriction, meaning: there is no enemy except them. However, what is meant here is not restricting enmity to them and saying that the Muslims have no enemy besides them.

Rather, it affirms that they have the first and strongest claim to this description, and that no one should imagine, because of their outward ascription to the Muslims, their outward loyalty to them, and their mixing with them, that they are not their enemies. Rather, they have more right to enmity than those who are separate from them in land, set up enmity against them, and openly show it to them.

The harm of these people who mix and live with them, while inwardly opposing their religion, is more severe against them than the harm of those who openly show enmity to them. It is also more constant and longer lasting.

War with those others lasts for an hour or some days, then it ends and is followed by victory and success. As for these, they are with them in their homes and dwellings morning and evening. They show the enemy their weak points and await disasters for them, while the Muslims cannot fight them directly. Their companionship brings shame and disgrace, and their affection brings down the anger of the Compeller and brings entry into the Fire.

Whoever becomes caught by the hooks of their dog like nature and the claws of their view, the clothes of religion and faith are torn from him, and pieces of trial and abandonment are cut for him. He drags the tails of deprivation and misery, and walks backwards on his heels, turning away while thinking that he is advancing. (See Tariq al Hijratayn wa Bab al Saʿadatayn by Ibn al Qayyim, 402–408, first edition, 1375AH, al Salafiyyah, Egypt.)

It was from the blessing of Allah, Glorified is He, upon this Ummah that He did not leave it mixed without distinguishing between the believer and the hypocrite. Not distinguishing leads to the loss of the good example in Islamic society, and also leads to the fading of the clear image of the truthful Muslim.

Among those ascribed to Islam are people of benefit seeking who have no concern except gaining money or any low aim of theirs. If the believers are victorious, they are with them, and if they are afflicted, they are against them. Among them are those with evil aims and destructive purposes, whose hearts are filled with hatred and envy. They await disasters for the Muslims and show them outwardly that they are with them, but they betray them in the most difficult moments. (al Munafiqun fi al Qur’an al Karim by ʿAbd al ʿAziz al Humaydi, 116.)

Since the matter is like that, Allah distinguished the truthful from the liar through trial and testing. Allah, the Exalted, said:

الم ۝ أحسب الناس أن يتركوا أن يقولوا آمنا وهم لا يفتنون ۝ ولقد فتنا الذين من قبلهم فليعلمن الله الذين صدقوا وليعلمن الكاذبين

“Alif Lam Mim. Do people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe,’ and they will not be tested? We certainly tested those before them, so Allah will surely make known those who are truthful, and He will surely make known the liars.” (al ʿAnkabut: 1–3)

إن يمسسكم قرح فقد مس القوم قرح مثله وتلك الأيام نداولها بين الناس وليعلم الله الذين آمنوا ويتخذ منكم شهداء والله لا يحب الظالمين ۝ وليمحص الله الذين آمنوا ويمحق الكافرين

“If a wound touches you, then a similar wound has touched the people. Those days We alternate among the people, so that Allah may make known those who believe and take martyrs from among you. Allah does not love the wrongdoers. And so that Allah may purify those who believe and destroy the disbelievers.” (Al ʿImran: 140–141)

ما كان الله ليذر المؤمنين على ما أنتم عليه حتى يميز الخبيث من الطيب

“Allah would not leave the believers upon what you are upon until He separates the wicked from the good.” (Al ʿImran: 179)

Yes, there must be distinction between the wicked and the good. Trial is a Lordly way in purifying souls and refining them upon the truth. Then Allah, Glorified is He, loves from His servants the completion of their servitude in ease and hardship, and in times of well being and trial. Allah, Glorified is He, has upon the servants, in both states, a servitude required by the state itself. It is not gained except through it, and the heart is not upright without it, just as bodies are not upright except through heat and cold, hunger and thirst, tiredness and hardship. These trials and tests are a condition for attaining human completeness and the required uprightness from him. (See Ighathat al Lahfan by Ibn al Qayyim, 190, edited by al Faqi.)

The matter of the hypocrites is lengthy, and works have been written about it in the past and present. (There is a valuable work by ʿAbd al ʿAziz al Humaydi titled al Munafiqun fi al Qur’an, perhaps among the best works written on this matter. It is found in postgraduate studies at the College of Sharia in Makkah. See also al Nifaq Atharuhu wa Mafahimuhu by Shaykh ʿAbd al Rahman al Dawsari, may Allah have mercy on him.)

I already spoke in the introduction about the types of hypocrisy and its rulings. Here, I speak about the most prominent actions and traits of the hypocrites in their plotting against the Islamic call.

First: one of the most dangerous things the hypocrites committed was loyalty to the Jews and Christians against the Muslims. The Qur’an exposed them in several places, including Surat al Hashr. Allah, the Exalted, said:

ألم تر إلى الذين نافقوا يقولون لإخوانهم الذين كفروا من أهل الكتاب لئن أخرجتم لنخرجن معكم ولا نطيع فيكم أحدا أبدا وإن قوتلتم لننصرنكم والله يشهد إنهم لكاذبون ۝ لئن أخرجوا لا يخرجون معهم ولئن قوتلوا لا ينصرونهم ولئن نصروهم ليولن الأدبار ثم لا ينصرون

“Have you not seen those who acted hypocritically, saying to their brothers who disbelieved from the People of the Book: if you are expelled, we will surely leave with you, and we will never obey anyone against you. If you are fought, we will surely support you. Allah bears witness that they are liars. If they are expelled, they will not leave with them. If they are fought, they will not support them. And if they do support them, they will surely turn their backs, then they will not be supported.” (al Hashr: 11–12)

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ألم تر إلى الذين تولوا قوما غضب الله عليهم ما هم منكم ولا منهم ويحلفون على الكذب وهم يعلمون

“Have you not seen those who allied themselves with a people upon whom Allah became angry? They are neither from you nor from them, and they swear to lies while they know.” (al Mujadilah: 14)

Al Suddi (d. 127AH) and Muqatil (d. 150AH) mentioned that it was revealed concerning ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy and ʿAbd Allah ibn Nabtal, the two hypocrites. One of them used to sit with the Prophet ﷺ, then take his words to the Jews. (Asbab al Nuzul by al Wahidi, 235; Tafsir al Qurtubi, 17/304.)

This verse is like His statement, the Exalted:

مذبذبين بين ذلك لا إلى هؤلاء ولا إلى هؤلاء ومن يضلل الله فلن تجد له سبيلا

“Wavering between that, neither to these nor to those. Whoever Allah sends astray, you will never find for him a way.” (al Nisa’: 142)

A whole Surah was revealed about them, Surat al Munafiqun. In it, Allah made clear that they outwardly show what they do not inwardly conceal, and that they are eager to weaken the rank of the Muslims.

هم الذين يقولون لا تنفقوا على من عند رسول الله حتى ينفضوا ولله خزائن السماوات والأرض ولكن المنافقين لا يفقهون

“They are the ones who say: do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they leave. To Allah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand.” (al Munafiqun: 7)

In it also:

يقولون لئن رجعنا إلى المدينة ليخرجن الأعز منها الأذل ولله العزة ولرسوله وللمؤمنين ولكن المنافقين لا يعلمون

“They say: if we return to Madinah, the more honourable will surely expel the more humiliated from it. Honour belongs to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.” (al Munafiqun: 8)

Al Bukhari and Muslim reported regarding the reason for its revelation from Jabir ibn ʿAbd Allah, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said: “We were on a military expedition. A man from the Migrants struck a man from the Helpers on the backside. The Helper said: ‘O Helpers.’

The Migrant said: ‘O Migrants.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘What is this call of ignorance?’ They said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, a man from the Migrants struck a man from the Helpers on the backside.’

He said: ‘Leave it, for it is foul.’ ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy heard it and said: ‘They have done it. By Allah, if we return to Madinah, the more honourable will surely expel the more humiliated from it.’ ʿUmar said: ‘Let me strike the neck of this hypocrite.’ He ﷺ said: ‘Leave him. Let people not say that Muhammad kills his Companions.’” (Sahih al Bukhari, 8/652, hadith 4907; Sahih Muslim, 4/1999, hadith 2584. The wording is Muslim’s.)

Muhammad ibn Ishaq said from ʿAsim ibn ʿAmr ibn Qatadah that when ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy heard what had happened from his father, he came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: “O Messenger of Allah, it has reached me that you want to kill ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy because of what has reached you from him.

If you are going to do it, then command me to do it, and I will bring you his head. By Allah, Khazraj knows that it has no man more dutiful to his parents than me.

I fear that you may command someone else to kill him, then my soul would not let me look at the killer of ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy walking among the people, so I would kill him and then kill a believer for a disbeliever, and enter the Fire.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Rather, we will be gentle with him and keep good company with him as long as he remains with us.” (al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 2/292; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 8/159. As far as I know, no one reported it except Ibn Ishaq.)

ʿIkrimah (d. 105AH) and others mentioned that when the people returned to Madinah, ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy stood at the gate of Madinah, drew his sword, and the people began passing by him.

When his father, ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy, came, his son said to him: “Stay back.”

He said: “What is wrong with you? Woe to you.”

He said: “By Allah, you will not pass from here until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gives you permission.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had been travelling at the rear.

So ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy complained to him about his son. The son said: “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, he will not enter it until you give him permission.” So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave him permission. He said: “Since the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has given you permission, then pass now.” (It was from his description ﷺ that he would drive his Companions from the rear, meaning he would put them ahead and walk behind them out of humility, and he would not let anyone walk behind him.) (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 8/159.)

Truly, it is a beautiful picture of truthful faith that the son said to the Messenger of Allah: “If you are going to do it, then command me to do it, and I will bring you his head.” Nothing carried this son to this action except the strength of faith and the depth of loyalty and disavowal in his soul.

Second: from their ugliest traits is refusing to seek judgement from the Sharia of Allah, and seeking judgement from the tyrants that fulfil their desires. Allah, the Exalted, said:

ألم تر إلى الذين يزعمون أنهم آمنوا بما أنزل إليك وما أنزل من قبلك يريدون أن يتحاكموا إلى الطاغوت وقد أمروا أن يكفروا به ويريد الشيطان أن يضلهم ضلالا بعيدا ۝ وإذا قيل لهم تعالوا إلى ما أنزل الله وإلى الرسول رأيت المنافقين يصدون عنك صدودا ۝ فكيف إذا أصابتهم مصيبة بما قدمت أيديهم ثم جاؤوك يحلفون بالله إن أردنا إلا إحسانا وتوفيقا ۝ أولئك الذين يعلم الله ما في قلوبهم فأعرض عنهم وعظهم وقل لهم في أنفسهم قولا بليغا

“Have you not seen those who claim that they believe in what was sent down to you and what was sent down before you? They want to seek judgement from the tyrant, though they were commanded to disbelieve in him.

Satan wants to mislead them into far misguidance. When it is said to them: come to what Allah sent down and to the Messenger, you see the hypocrites turning away from you in complete rejection. So how will it be when a disaster strikes them because of what their hands have sent ahead, then they come to you swearing by Allah: we wanted nothing except good and reconciliation? Those are the ones Allah knows what is in their hearts, so turn away from them, admonish them, and say to them words that reach their souls.” (al Nisa’: 60–63)

Their rejection of the rule of Allah is a rejection of faith, as Allah, the Exalted, said:

ويقولون آمنا بالله وبالرسول وأطعنا ثم يتولى فريق منهم من بعد ذلك وما أولئك بالمؤمنين ۝ وإذا دعوا إلى الله ورسوله ليحكم بينهم إذا فريق منهم معرضون ۝ وإن يكن لهم الحق يأتوا إليه مذعنين ۝ أفي قلوبهم مرض أم ارتابوا أم يخافون أن يحيف الله عليهم ورسوله بل أولئك هم الظالمون

“They say: we believe in Allah and in the Messenger, and we obey. Then a group of them turns away after that, and those are not believers. When they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, a group of them turns away.

If the right is in their favour, they come to him submissively. Is there a sickness in their hearts, or did they doubt, or do they fear that Allah and His Messenger will wrong them? Rather, they are the wrongdoers.” (al Nur: 47–50)

Then Allah places a precise scale in this matter between the believer and the hypocrite.

As for the truthful believer, he submits to the ruling of Allah, is pleased with it, and says: I heard and obeyed.

إنما كان قول المؤمنين إذا دعوا إلى الله ورسوله ليحكم بينهم أن يقولوا سمعنا وأطعنا وأولئك هم المفلحون

“The only statement of the believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, is to say: we heard and obeyed. Those are the successful.” (al Nur: 51)

This is the trait of the believer. As for the hypocrite, his trait is turning away and acting arrogantly towards the ruling of Allah. Allah, the Exalted, said:

وإذا دعوا إلى الله ورسوله ليحكم بينهم إذا فريق منهم معرضون

“When they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, a group of them turns away.” (al Nur: 48)

Third: from their lowly traits and actions is weakening the rank of the Muslims, spying for the disbelievers, and exposing the weak points of the Muslims to them. Allah said about them:

الذين قالوا لإخوانهم وقعدوا لو أطاعونا ما قتلوا قل فادرؤوا عن أنفسكم الموت إن كنتم صادقين

“Those who said about their brothers while they sat back: if they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed. Say: then repel death from yourselves, if you are truthful.” (Al ʿImran: 168)

The Muslims were struck with shock during the battle of Uhud when one third of the army turned back under the leadership of Ibn Ubayy. Likewise was their staying back from the expedition of Tabuk and others.

Regarding their loyalty to the disbelievers, Allah says concerning them:

بشر المنافقين بأن لهم عذابا أليما ۝ الذين يتخذون الكافرين أولياء من دون المؤمنين أيبتغون عندهم العزة فإن العزة لله جميعا

“Give news to the hypocrites that they will have a painful punishment. Those who take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek honour with them? Indeed, honour belongs entirely to Allah.” (al Nisa’: 138–139)

He, Glorified is He, informed us that they are:

الذين يتربصون بكم فإن كان لكم فتح من الله قالوا ألم نكن معكم وإن كان للكافرين نصيب قالوا ألم نستحوذ عليكم ونمنعكم من المؤمنين فالله يحكم بينكم يوم القيامة ولن يجعل الله للكافرين على المؤمنين سبيلا

“Those who wait regarding you. If you have victory from Allah, they say: were we not with you? But if the disbelievers have a share, they say: did we not gain mastery over you and protect you from the believers? Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will never give the disbelievers a way over the believers.” (al Nisa’: 141)

Surat al Tawbah especially exposed them. In it came the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

إنما يستأذنك الذين لا يؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر وارتابت قلوبهم فهم في ريبهم يترددون ۝ ولو أرادوا الخروج لأعدوا له عدة ولكن كره الله انبعاثهم فثبطهم وقيل اقعدوا مع القاعدين ۝ لو خرجوا فيكم ما زادوكم إلا خبالا ولأوضعوا خلالكم يبغونكم الفتنة وفيكم سماعون لهم والله عليم بالظالمين ۝ لقد ابتغوا الفتنة من قبل وقلبوا لك الأمور حتى جاء الحق وظهر أمر الله وهم كارهون ۝ ومنهم من يقول ائذن لي ولا تفتني ألا في الفتنة سقطوا وإن جهنم لمحيطة بالكافرين ۝ إن تصبك حسنة تسؤهم وإن تصبك مصيبة يقولوا قد أخذنا أمرنا من قبل ويتولوا وهم فرحون

“Only those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day ask your permission, and their hearts have doubted, so they waver in their doubt. If they had wanted to go out, they would have prepared for it, but Allah disliked their rising, so He held them back, and it was said: sit with those who sit. If they had gone out among you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have rushed among you seeking trial for you, and among you are those who listen to them. Allah knows the wrongdoers.

They sought trial before and turned matters over for you until the truth came and the command of Allah appeared, while they disliked it. Among them is one who says: permit me and do not put me to trial. Surely, into trial they have fallen, and indeed Hell surrounds the disbelievers. If good reaches you, it grieves them; and if a disaster strikes you, they say: we took our matter before, and they turn away while rejoicing.” (al Tawbah: 45–50)

In these verses, there is a clarification from Allah to the believers that if these hypocrites had gone out among you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, because they are cowards and ones who cling to staying behind. They would have hurried among you with tale carrying, hatred, and trial. (See Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 4/100.)

Allah also said about them:

وإذا أنزلت سورة أن آمنوا بالله وجاهدوا مع رسوله استأذنك أولوا الطول منهم وقالوا ذرنا نكن مع القاعدين ۝ رضوا بأن يكونوا مع الخوالف وطبع على قلوبهم فهم لا يفقهون

“When a Surah is sent down saying: believe in Allah and strive with His Messenger, those among them who have wealth ask your permission and say: leave us to be with those who sit back. They were pleased to be with those who remained behind, and a seal was placed upon their hearts, so they do not understand.” (al Tawbah: 86–87)

They have many other positions, but Allah, Glorified is He, warned the believers against them and made clear to His Messenger ﷺ that if He wished, He would have shown them to the Messenger of Allah openly. However, they are known by the tone of speech:

ولو نشاء لأريناكهم فلعرفتهم بسيماهم ولتعرفنهم في لحن القول والله يعلم أعمالكم

“If We wished, We would show them to you, and you would know them by their signs. You will surely know them by the tone of speech. Allah knows your actions.” (Muhammad: 30)

We will soon know how disavowal from them was, and how the guidance of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was with them.

Disavowal in the Madinan Period, Meaning Complete Separation Between the Muslims and All Their Enemies

The training in the Makkan period was marked by self control, patience over harm, conveying the call, and preparing while restraining the causes of release and holding back sharp eagerness.

The training in Madinah was built upon these foundations, but in a new form. The believers set out in the path of Allah to raise the word of Allah and to strike the hand of the enemies of Allah with strength that did not know weakness and resolve that did not know feebleness. (See Sabil al Daʿwah al Islamiyyah by Dr Muhammad Amin al Misri, 113, first edition, 1400AH, Dar al Arqam, Kuwait.)

From here, striving in the path of Allah was the most prominent feature of this radiant period. It was the first form of the forms of disavowal and separation between the allies of the Most Merciful and the allies of Satan in the Madinan period after the Prophetic migration. Striving is a new face of firmness upon creed and bearing hardships and harm in order to defend it from enemies.

The matter of striving is long, very long. Its verses are many, and the Prophetic hadiths concerning it are many. People’s understanding of its aim differs, especially in later times. Some Muslims were struck with inward defeat before the doubts of the disbelievers, heretics, orientalists, and westernised people alike.

At the same time that the enemies of Allah say that the religion of Islam spread by the sword, there appeared among those ascribed to knowledge and the ulama people who defend Islam, according to their claim, by bending the Sharia texts so that they agree with what they imagined to be defence of Islam. From here, Islam is placed in the position of defence, and pictured as though it is fighting in a battle of retreat, where whenever a doubt appears, someone rises to defend against it.

What we believe and what we see as the truth in this matter is that this is a weak farce that did not happen except in later centuries, when dominance became for disbelief and its people, and the Muslims fell from the position of leadership and striving to the position of submission, weakness, defence, and blind following.

Virtuous ulama from the Muslims have written about this matter what is enough, healing, and sufficient.

What is important in this place is that we know the guidance and way of the Chosen One ﷺ with the enemies of Allah, and his striving against them. Imam Ibn al Qayyim (d. 751AH), may Allah have mercy on him, has a valuable summary, and I will bring it here in full because of its importance.

He, may Allah have mercy on him, said in Zad al Maʿad:

“The first thing his Lord, Blessed and Exalted, revealed to him was that he should read in the name of his Lord who created. That was the beginning of his prophethood. He commanded him to read within himself, and at that time He did not command him to convey. Then He sent down to him:

يا أيها المدثر ۝ قم فأنذر

“O you who covers himself. Rise and warn.” (al Muddaththir: 1–2)

So He made him a Prophet with “Read,” and sent him as a Messenger with “O you who covers himself.” Then He commanded him to warn his closest clan. Then he warned his people. Then he warned the Arabs around them. Then he warned all the Arabs. Then he warned all the worlds. He remained more than ten years after his prophethood warning through the call without fighting and without tribute, while he was commanded to hold back, be patient, and pardon.

Then permission was given to him to migrate, and permission was given to him to fight. Then he was commanded to fight those who fought him and to hold back from those who withdrew from him and did not fight him. Then he was commanded to fight the polytheists until the religion was entirely for Allah. After the command of striving, the disbelievers with him were in three categories:

People of treaty and truce, people of war, and people under protected covenant.

He was commanded to complete the covenant of the people of covenant and peace, and to fulfil it for them as long as they remained upright upon the covenant. If he feared treachery from them, he was to throw their covenant back to them and not fight them until he informed them of the breaking of the covenant. He was commanded to fight whoever broke his covenant. When Surat Bara’ah was sent down, it came with clarification of the ruling of all these categories.

In it, He commanded him to fight his enemy from the People of the Book until they gave the jizyah or entered Islam. In it, He commanded him to strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and to be firm with them. He strove against the disbelievers with sword and spear, and against the hypocrites with proof and speech.

In it, He commanded him to disavow the covenants of the disbelievers and to throw their covenants back to them. He made the people of covenant in that into three categories.

A category whom He commanded him to fight. They were those who broke his covenant and did not remain upright towards him, so he fought them and overcame them.

A category who had a time bound covenant which they did not break, and they did not support anyone against him. He commanded him to complete their covenant until its term.

A category who had no covenant and had not fought him, or who had an unrestricted covenant. He commanded him to give them four months. When those months ended, he was to fight them. These are the four months mentioned in His statement:

فإذا انسلخ الأشهر الحرم فاقتلوا المشركين

“When the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists.” (al Tawbah: 5)

The sacred months here are the months of giving safe movement. Their beginning is the day of the announcement, which is the tenth day of Dhu al Hijjah, the day of the greater Hajj, on which that announcement occurred. Their end is the tenth of Rabiʿ al Akhir. They are not the four mentioned in His statement, the Exalted:

إن عدة الشهور عند الله اثنا عشر شهرا في كتاب الله يوم خلق السماوات والأرض منها أربعة حرم

“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve months in the Book of Allah from the day He created the heavens and the earth. Among them are four sacred months.” (al Tawbah: 36)

Those are one separate month and three consecutive months: Rajab, Dhu al Qaʿdah, Dhu al Hijjah, and al Muharram. He did not give the polytheists safe movement in these four, because this is not possible, as they are not consecutive.

Rather, he only gave them four months. Then He commanded him, after they passed, to fight them. So he killed the one who broke his covenant, gave four months to the one who had no covenant or had an unrestricted covenant, and He commanded him to complete the covenant of the one who fulfilled his covenant until its term. All of them accepted Islam, and they did not remain upon their disbelief until their terms. He imposed the jizyah upon the people under protected covenant.

So the affair of the disbelievers settled with him after the revelation of Bara’ah upon three categories: those at war with him, people of covenant, and people under protected covenant.

Then the state of the people of covenant and peace led to Islam, so they became two categories with him: those at war and people under protected covenant. Those at war with him feared him. So the people of the earth became three categories with him: a Muslim believer in him, a peaceful one who was safe, and a fearful enemy at war.” (Zad al Maʿad, 3/158–160.)

The Noble Qur’an focused on the aims of striving in more than one verse. Among them is the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

وقاتلوهم حتى لا تكون فتنة ويكون الدين كله لله

“Fight them until there is no trial and the religion is entirely for Allah.” (al Anfal: 39)

ʿAbd al Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam (d. 182AH) said regarding “and the religion is entirely for Allah”: there should be no disbelief alongside your religion. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 3/597.)

Allah, the Exalted, said:

هو الذي أرسل رسوله بالهدى ودين الحق ليظهره على الدين كله ولو كره المشركون

“He is the One who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, so that He may make it prevail over every religion, even if the polytheists dislike it.” (al Tawbah: 33)

And He said:

ولولا دفع الله الناس بعضهم ببعض لهدمت صوامع وبيع وصلوات ومساجد يذكر فيها اسم الله كثيرا ولينصرن الله من ينصره إن الله لقوي عزيز ۝ الذين إن مكناهم في الأرض أقاموا الصلاة وآتوا الزكاة وأمروا بالمعروف ونهوا عن المنكر ولله عاقبة الأمور

“If Allah did not repel some people by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and masjids in which the name of Allah is mentioned much would have been destroyed. Allah will surely help those who help Him. Indeed, Allah is Strong, Mighty. Those who, if We establish them in the land, establish prayer, give zakah, command what is right, and forbid what is wrong. To Allah belongs the outcome of all matters.” (al Hajj: 40–41)

Striving in Islam has as its aim that Allah alone be worshipped on earth, that His Sharia be dominant, that people be freed from worshipping servants to worshipping the Lord of the servants, and from making human beings into objects of worship to the worship of the One, the Only.

Among the aims of striving is also saving the weak on earth:

وما لكم لا تقاتلون في سبيل الله والمستضعفين من الرجال والنساء والولدان الذين يقولون ربنا أخرجنا من هذه القرية الظالم أهلها واجعل لنا من لدنك وليا واجعل لنا من لدنك نصيرا

“What is wrong with you that you do not fight in the path of Allah and for the weak among men, women, and children, who say: our Lord, bring us out from this town whose people are wrongdoers, and appoint for us from Yourself an ally, and appoint for us from Yourself a helper.” (al Nisa’: 75)

Forms of Disavowal from the Polytheists

After the Muslim state was established in Madinah, it became necessary to uproot the tree of shirk in Makkah and elsewhere. Surat al Tawbah was revealed with the command to fight the polytheists, and the detailed meaning of this has already appeared in the summary of Ibn al Qayyim (d. 751AH) mentioned earlier. Allah, the Exalted, said:

براءة من الله ورسوله إلى الذين عاهدتم من المشركين ۝ فسيحوا في الأرض أربعة أشهر واعلموا أنكم غير معجزي الله وأن الله مخزي الكافرين ۝ وأذان من الله ورسوله إلى الناس يوم الحج الأكبر أن الله بريء من المشركين ورسوله فإن تبتم فهو خير لكم وإن توليتم فاعلموا أنكم غير معجزي الله وبشر الذين كفروا بعذاب أليم ۝ إلا الذين عاهدتم من المشركين ثم لم ينقصوكم شيئا ولم يظاهروا عليكم أحدا فأتموا إليهم عهدهم إلى مدتهم إن الله يحب المتقين ۝ فإذا انسلخ الأشهر الحرم فاقتلوا المشركين حيث وجدتموهم وخذوهم واحصروهم واقعدوا لهم كل مرصد فإن تابوا وأقاموا الصلاة وآتوا الزكاة فخلوا سبيلهم إن الله غفور رحيم ۝ وإن أحد من المشركين استجارك فأجره حتى يسمع كلام الله ثم أبلغه مأمنه ذلك بأنهم قوم لا يعلمون ۝ كيف يكون للمشركين عهد عند الله وعند رسوله إلا الذين عاهدتم عند المسجد الحرام فما استقاموا لكم فاستقيموا لهم إن الله يحب المتقين ۝ كيف وإن يظهروا عليكم لا يرقبوا فيكم إلا ولا ذمة يرضونكم بأفواههم وتأبى قلوبهم وأكثرهم فاسقون ۝ اشتروا بآيات الله ثمنا قليلا فصدوا عن سبيله إنهم ساء ما كانوا يعملون ۝ لا يرقبون في مؤمن إلا ولا ذمة وأولئك هم المعتدون ۝ فإن تابوا وأقاموا الصلاة وآتوا الزكاة فإخوانكم في الدين ونفصل الآيات لقوم يعلمون ۝ وإن نكثوا أيمانهم من بعد عهدهم وطعنوا في دينكم فقاتلوا أئمة الكفر إنهم لا أيمان لهم لعلهم ينتهون ۝ ألا تقاتلون قوما نكثوا أيمانهم وهموا بإخراج الرسول وهم بدأوكم أول مرة أتخشونهم فالله أحق أن تخشوه إن كنتم مؤمنين ۝ قاتلوهم يعذبهم الله بأيديكم ويخزهم وينصركم عليهم ويشف صدور قوم مؤمنين ۝ ويذهب غيظ قلوبهم ويتوب الله على من يشاء والله عليم حكيم

“This is a disavowal from Allah and His Messenger to those with whom you made a covenant from the polytheists. So travel freely through the land for four months, and know that you cannot escape Allah, and that Allah will disgrace the disbelievers.

And this is an announcement from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater Hajj, that Allah is free from the polytheists, and so is His Messenger. If you repent, that is better for you. But if you turn away, then know that you cannot escape Allah.

Give news to those who disbelieve of a painful punishment, except those with whom you made a covenant from the polytheists, and who did not fail you in anything, nor support anyone against you. So complete their covenant for them until their term. Indeed, Allah loves those who fear Him. When the sacred months have passed, then fight the polytheists wherever you find them, seize them, surround them, and sit in wait for them at every place. But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then let them go their way.

Indeed, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. If anyone from the polytheists seeks protection from you, then protect him so that he may hear the words of Allah, then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.

How can the polytheists have a covenant with Allah and with His Messenger, except those with whom you made a covenant near the Sacred Masjid?

So long as they remain upright with you, remain upright with them. Indeed, Allah loves those who fear Him. How, when if they gain power over you, they do not observe any bond of kinship or covenant regarding you? They please you with their mouths, but their hearts refuse, and most of them are defiantly disobedient. They sold the verses of Allah for a small price, so they blocked from His path. Evil indeed is what they used to do. They do not observe any bond of kinship or covenant regarding a believer, and they are the aggressors.

If they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion. We explain the verses in detail for a people who know. If they break their oaths after their covenant, and attack your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief.

Indeed, they have no oaths, so that they may stop. Will you not fight a people who broke their oaths, intended to expel the Messenger, and began against you first? Do you fear them? Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you are believers. Fight them.

Allah will punish them by your hands, disgrace them, give you victory over them, heal the chests of a believing people, remove the anger of their hearts, and Allah turns in mercy to whom He wills. Allah is Knowing, Wise.” (al Tawbah: 1–15)

Preventing Them from Entering the Sacred Masjid

Allah, the Exalted, said:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا إنما المشركون نجس فلا يقربوا المسجد الحرام بعد عامهم هذا وإن خفتم عيلة فسوف يغنيكم الله من فضله إن شاء إن الله عليم حكيم

“O you who believe, the polytheists are impure, so let them not come near the Sacred Masjid after this year of theirs. If you fear poverty, then Allah will enrich you from His favour, if He wills. Indeed, Allah is Knowing, Wise.” (al Tawbah: 28)

Ibn Kathir (d. 774AH) said: “The revelation of this verse was in the year 9AH. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent ʿAli with Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with them both, that year, and commanded him to announce among the polytheists: “No polytheist may perform Hajj after this year, and no one may perform tawaf around the House naked.” Allah completed that and made it binding by His Sharia and by His decree.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 8/317, hadith 4655.) (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 4/73.)

Preventing Marriage to Polytheist Women

Ibn Jarir (d. 310AH), while speaking about the treaty of al Hudaybiyah, mentioned that believing women came to the Prophet ﷺ, so Allah, Mighty and Majestic, sent down:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا إذا جاءكم المؤمنات مهاجرات فامتحنوهن الله أعلم بإيمانهن فإن علمتموهن مؤمنات فلا ترجعوهن إلى الكفار لا هن حل لهم ولا هم يحلون لهن وآتوهم ما أنفقوا ولا جناح عليكم أن تنكحوهن إذا آتيتموهن أجورهن ولا تمسكوا بعصم الكوافر

“O you who believe, when believing women come to you as migrants, test them. Allah knows best their faith. If you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers. They are not permissible for them, nor are they permissible for these women. Give them what they spent, and there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you give them their dowries. Do not hold on to marriage ties with disbelieving women.” (al Mumtahanah: 10)

He said: On that day, ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, divorced two wives he had in shirk. (Tafsir al Tabari, 26/100. See Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah by Ibn al Qayyim, 1/69.)

Preventing a Muslim from Residing in the Land of Shirk

This was after Allah honoured His religion and His servants, and after a state was established for them. At that point, residence in the land of shirk became forbidden, out of fear that the Muslim would be put to trial, and so that he would join the Muslim community, for they are his brothers and allies apart from all people.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “I am free from every Muslim who resides among the polytheists.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, why?” He said: “Their fires should not be visible to one another.” (Abu Dawud, 3/105, hadith 2645; al Tirmidhi, 5/329, hadith 1604. Al Albani graded it hasan. See Sahih al Jamiʿ al Saghir, 2/17, hadith 1474.)

Disavowal from the People of the Book

As already said, fighting in the path of Allah is the greatest outward form of separation between the Muslims and all their enemies, including the People of the Book. It is therefore necessary to point to some of what was revealed regarding separation from the People of the Book, in addition to the principle of fighting them.

Among this is the statement of Allah, the Exalted, in Surat Al ʿImran, which gave much attention to them and exposed what they held:

يا أهل الكتاب لم تكفرون بآيات الله وأنتم تشهدون ۝ يا أهل الكتاب لم تلبسون الحق بالباطل وتكتمون الحق وأنتم تعلمون

“O People of the Book, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah while you bear witness? O People of the Book, why do you mix truth with falsehood and conceal the truth while you know?” (Al ʿImran: 70–71)

قل يا أهل الكتاب لم تكفرون بآيات الله والله شهيد على ما تعملون ۝ قل يا أهل الكتاب لم تصدون عن سبيل الله من آمن تبغونها عوجا وأنتم شهداء وما الله بغافل عما تعملون

“Say: O People of the Book, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah, while Allah is Witness over what you do? Say: O People of the Book, why do you block from the path of Allah those who believe, seeking to make it crooked, while you are witnesses? Allah is not unaware of what you do.” (Al ʿImran: 98–99)

In Surat al Ma’idah, Allah, the Exalted, said:

قل يا أهل الكتاب هل تنقمون منا إلا أن آمنا بالله وما أنزل إلينا وما أنزل من قبل وأن أكثركم فاسقون ۝ قل هل أنبئكم بشر من ذلك مثوبة عند الله من لعنه الله وغضب عليه وجعل منهم القردة والخنازير وعبد الطاغوت أولئك شر مكانا وأضل عن سواء السبيل

“Say: O People of the Book, do you resent us except because we believe in Allah, in what was sent down to us, and in what was sent down before, and because most of you are defiantly disobedient?

Say: shall I inform you of something worse than that as a recompense with Allah? Those whom Allah cursed, became angry with, and made from them apes and swine, and those who worshipped the tyrant. They are worse in position and further astray from the straight way.” (al Ma’idah: 59–60)

In these verses and others, we find rebuke of the People of the Book, and open criticism of their falsehood and disgraceful matters.

Then the Qur’anic text comes to the Messenger ﷺ, and to the believers after him, commanding them to say to the People of the Book that they are upon nothing until they establish the Sharia of Allah and judge by His Book:

قل يا أهل الكتاب لستم على شيء حتى تقيموا التوراة والإنجيل وما أنزل إليكم من ربكم وليزيدن كثيرا منهم ما أنزل إليك من ربك طغيانا وكفرا فلا تأس على القوم الكافرين

“Say: O People of the Book, you are upon nothing until you uphold the Tawrah, the Injil, and what has been sent down to you from your Lord. What has been sent down to you from your Lord will surely increase many of them in rebellion and disbelief, so do not grieve over the disbelieving people.” (al Ma’idah: 68)

This noble verse is among the greatest texts that make clear the form of disavowal from the People of the Book. The fighting of the Chosen One ﷺ and his Companions against the People of the Book, Banu Qaynuqaʿ, Banu Qurayzah, and Banu al Nadir, was a clear and visible picture of separation from them, fighting them, and disavowal from them.

The expulsion of them from the land of the Arabian Peninsula will come in Chapter 6 of the second section.

Disavowal from the Hypocrites

Separation from the hypocrites and disavowal from them are taken from the guidance of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in his dealing with them. Concerning this, al ʿAllamah Ibn al Qayyim said:

“As for his way ﷺ with the hypocrites, he was commanded to accept their outward state and leave their inner secrets to Allah, and to strive against them with knowledge and proof. He was commanded to turn away from them, be firm with them, and to speak with words that reach their souls. He was forbidden to pray over them and to stand at their graves, and he was informed that if he sought forgiveness for them, Allah would never forgive them.” (Zad al Maʿad, 3/161.)

We already said that among the most apparent traits of the hypocrites are loyalty to the disbelievers, hatred of the religion of Allah, and weakening the rank of the Muslims. For this reason, when Allah made their condition clear to the believers, separation from them and disavowal from them became necessary. Verses were revealed clarifying the forms of this separation and disavowal. Among them are the following.

Turning Away from Them and Being Firm with Them

This came alongside striving against the disbelievers, because firmness with the hypocrite is one of the kinds of striving. Allah, the Exalted, said:

يا أيها النبي جاهد الكفار والمنافقين واغلظ عليهم ومأواهم جهنم وبئس المصير

“O Prophet, strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be firm with them. Their refuge is Hell, and evil is the destination.” (al Tawbah: 73)

This is the same verse as verse 9 of Surat al Tahrim. Surat al Tawbah exposed them greatly, to the point that it was called “the Exposing Surah.” In Sahih al Bukhari, Saʿid ibn Jubayr (d. 95AH) said: I said to Ibn ʿAbbas, may Allah be pleased with them both: “Surat al Tawbah?”

He said: “Al Tawbah is the Exposing Surah. It kept coming down with: ‘and among them,’ and ‘among them,’ until they thought that it had not left anyone among them except that it mentioned him.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 8/629, hadith 4882.)

In Surat al Nisa’:

ويقولون طاعة فإذا برزوا من عندك بيت طائفة منهم غير الذي تقول والله يكتب ما يبيتون فأعرض عنهم وتوكل على الله وكفى بالله وكيلا

“They say: obedience. But when they leave you, a group of them spends the night planning something other than what you say. Allah writes what they plan by night, so turn away from them, rely upon Allah, and Allah is enough as a Trustee.” (al Nisa’: 81)

The Prohibition of Praying Over Them or Standing at Their Graves

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ولا تصل على أحد منهم مات أبدا ولا تقم على قبره إنهم كفروا بالله ورسوله وماتوا وهم فاسقون

“Do not ever pray over any of them who dies, and do not stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and they died while defiantly disobedient.” (al Tawbah: 84)

Ibn Kathir said: “This is a general ruling regarding everyone whose hypocrisy is known, even though the reason for the revelation of the verse was ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, the head of the hypocrites.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 4/132.)

Their Excuse for Staying Back from Fighting Is Not Accepted

Therefore, they were not to be accepted in it again. Allah, the Exalted, said:

فإن رجعك الله إلى طائفة منهم فاستأذنوك للخروج فقل لن تخرجوا معي أبدا ولن تقاتلوا معي عدوا إنكم رضيتم بالقعود أول مرة فاقعدوا مع الخالفين

“If Allah returns you to a group of them, and they ask your permission to go out, then say: you will never go out with me, and you will never fight an enemy with me. You were pleased to sit back the first time, so sit with those who remain behind.” (al Tawbah: 83)

يعتذرون إليكم إذا رجعتم إليهم قل لا تعتذروا لن نؤمن لكم قد نبأنا الله من أخباركم وسيرى الله عملكم ورسوله ثم تردون إلى عالم الغيب والشهادة فينبئكم بما كنتم تعملون ۝ سيحلفون بالله لكم إذا انقلبتم إليهم لتعرضوا عنهم فأعرضوا عنهم إنهم رجس ومأواهم جهنم جزاء بما كانوا يكسبون ۝ يحلفون لكم لترضوا عنهم فإن ترضوا عنهم فإن الله لا يرضى عن القوم الفاسقين

“They will make excuses to you when you return to them. Say: do not make excuses.

We will never believe you. Allah has already informed us of news about you. Allah will see your deeds, and so will His Messenger. Then you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will inform you of what you used to do.

They will swear by Allah to you when you return to them, so that you may turn away from them. So turn away from them.

Indeed, they are filth, and their refuge is Hell as a recompense for what they used to earn. They swear to you so that you may be pleased with them. But if you are pleased with them, Allah is not pleased with the defiantly disobedient people.” (al Tawbah: 94–96)

Not Seeking Forgiveness for Them

Allah, the Exalted, said:

استغفر لهم أو لا تستغفر لهم إن تستغفر لهم سبعين مرة فلن يغفر الله لهم ذلك بأنهم كفروا بالله ورسوله والله لا يهدي القوم الفاسقين

“Seek forgiveness for them, or do not seek forgiveness for them. If you seek forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will never forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger. Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.” (al Tawbah: 80)

وإذا قيل لهم تعالوا يستغفر لكم رسول الله لووا رؤوسهم ورأيتهم يصدون وهم مستكبرون ۝ سواء عليهم أستغفرت لهم أم لم تستغفر لهم لن يغفر الله لهم إن الله لا يهدي القوم الفاسقين

“When it is said to them: come, the Messenger of Allah will seek forgiveness for you, they turn their heads away, and you see them turning away while arrogant.

It is the same for them whether you seek forgiveness for them or do not seek forgiveness for them.

Allah will never forgive them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.” (al Munafiqun: 5–6)

Cutting Loyalty with Relatives When They Oppose Allah and His Messenger

We said regarding the Makkan period that the believer was commanded to maintain ties with his disbelieving parents and to keep good company with them. This is not loyalty in any way. However, he was not commanded to cut them off and separate from them. But the picture differs in the Madinan period, after the Muslim state was established and after the disbelievers and polytheists were fought.

Complete separation came between the believer and his polytheist, disbelieving, or hypocritical relative. Many verses were revealed concerning this, including the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

“You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day showing affection to those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers, their sons, their brothers, or their clan.

Those are the ones in whose hearts He has written faith and supported them with a spirit from Him. He will enter them into gardens beneath which rivers flow, remaining therein forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. Those are the party of Allah. Surely, the party of Allah are the successful.” (al Mujadilah: 22)

The people of knowledge said regarding the reason for its revelation that it was revealed concerning Abu ʿUbaydah ʿAmir ibn al Jarrah, may Allah be pleased with him, when he killed his father ʿAbd Allah ibn al Jarrah on the day of Uhud; concerning Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, when he called his son to single combat on the day of Badr; concerning ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, when he killed his maternal uncle al ʿAs ibn Hisham on the day of Badr; and concerning ʿAli and Hamzah, may Allah be pleased with them both, when they killed ʿUtbah and Shaybah, the two sons of Rabiʿah, and al Walid ibn ʿUtbah on the day of Badr. Other reasons have also been given. (Asbab al Nuzul by al Wahidi, 236; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 8/79.) (For more detail on this, see Ahkam al Qur’an by al Qurtubi, 17/307.)

This noble verse points to complete separation between the party of Allah and the party of Satan, and to the fact that the believer must join the Muslim rank, stripped of every obstacle or pull, and tied to the one firm bond by the one rope.

Thus, there is no lineage, no marriage tie, no family, no kinship, no thought, no race, no tribal feeling, and no nationalism when these ties stand against what Allah wants. Rather, it is creed. Whoever stands beneath its banner is from the party of Allah. Whoever Satan overcomes and then stands beneath the banner of falsehood, no bond will tie him to anyone from the party of Allah.

In Surat al Tawbah, the final command of separation comes, and the matter is made clear: it is a matter of faith or disbelief, not a partial or secondary matter. Allah, the Exalted, said:

“O you who believe, do not take your fathers and your brothers as allies if they prefer disbelief over faith. Whoever among you takes them as allies, then those are the wrongdoers.

Say: if your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your clan, wealth you have gained, trade whose decline you fear, and homes you are pleased with are more beloved to you than Allah, His Messenger, and striving in His path, then wait until Allah brings His command. Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.” (al Tawbah: 23–24)

This is a command from Allah to separate from the disbelievers, even if they are fathers or sons, and a prohibition from showing loyalty to them if they choose disbelief over faith. (Ibn Kathir, 4/66.)

Al Qurtubi (d. 671AH) said: “This verse, verse 23, remains in ruling until the Day of Resurrection regarding cutting loyalty between the believers and the disbelievers.” Ibn ʿAbbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said regarding His statement, “and whoever among you takes them as allies, then those are the wrongdoers”: he is a polytheist like them, because whoever is pleased with shirk is a polytheist. (Ahkam al Qur’an by al Qurtubi, 8/94.) (Ahkam al Qur’an by al Qurtubi, 8/94.)

This noble Qur’an wording reviewed the colours of ties, ambitions, and pleasures, placing them in one scale, and placing creed and its requirements in the other scale.

Fathers, sons, brothers, spouses, and clan, meaning the bond of blood, lineage, kinship, and marriage; wealth and trade, meaning the natural desire and pull; comfortable homes, meaning the enjoyment and pleasure of life. All of that is in one scale. In the other scale is love of Allah and His Messenger, and love of striving in His path. Striving with all its requirements, all its outcomes, and what follows it of toil, exhaustion, restriction, deprivation, pain, sacrifice, wounds, and martyrdom. Striving stripped of fame, mention, appearance, boasting, pride, and showing off.

Allah does not require this from the believers except while knowing that their natural disposition can bear it. Allah does not burden a soul except within its capacity. It is from the mercy of Allah to His servants that He placed in their natural disposition this high power of detachment and endurance, and placed in it the feeling of the sweetness of connection to Allah, which no sweetness can equal: the sweetness of rising above weakness and decline, escaping the heaviness of flesh and blood, and rising to the bright, radiant horizon.

The summary is that loyalty and disavowal reached its true full picture in the Madinan period, when the rightly guided Islamic state was established, and the brotherhood of faith became the real bond within it, while every other bond beneath it lost weight. Fighting was legislated against the disbelievers, the polytheists, and those who broke their covenant.

The command came to be firm with the hypocrites and turn away from them. Disavowal took place from every relative who did not believe in Allah, His Messenger, and the religion of truth, even if he was a father, brother, spouse, or anything else that people know as a bond.

The Muslims became distinct, rose high through their religion, and took pride in belonging to this religion, which was the cause of that honour, elevation, and leadership when they opened the east and the west.

The Muslims today and tomorrow will have no honour except by returning to this creed, through love and loyalty for the religion of Allah and those who believe in it, and through disavowal from every disbeliever, polytheist, and hypocrite, even if he is the closest of kin. As for kindness to parents and dutifulness to them when they are disbelievers, that matter remains until the Day of Resurrection.

The Forms and Manifestations of Loyalty

Gathering the forms and manifestations of loyalty in an independent chapter is important in research like this, so that the reader is clear about the matters and cases touched by the issue of loyalty and disavowal.

The word “loyalty” applies to branches of different levels. Among them are those that cause apostasy, such that Islam disappears completely, and among them are those below that from the major sins and forbidden matters. (al Rasa’il al Mufidah by Shaykh ʿAbd al Latif ibn ʿAbd al Rahman Al al Shaykh, 43.)

The Islamic religion was keen to make worship, which is obedience and submission, purely for Allah alone, and to disavow every followed one, desired one, or feared one, and to attach the heart to its Lord in fear, hope, aid, and support. This is because everyone who attaches his heart to creation, hoping that they will support him, provide for him, or guide him, his heart submits to them, and he has servitude to them according to that measure.

It is known that captivity of the heart is greater than captivity of the body, and enslavement of the heart is greater than enslavement of the body. A person whose body is enslaved, taken as property, or captured does not worry if his heart is free from that and calm. Rather, he may find a way to escape. But if the heart is devoted to other than Allah, then that is pure humiliation and captivity. (Risalat al ʿUbudiyyah by Ibn Taymiyyah, 95–96.)

The danger of loyalty to the disbelievers appears in the fact that its harm against all Muslims is greater than the danger of one who disbelieves only within himself. This is because harming the Muslims goes beyond changing belief, and it is done by someone who thinks his belief is safe, while he is lying before Allah, His Messenger, and the believers in this claim and thought. It is known that the harm in this is greater than the harm of merely changing belief. (al Sarim al Maslul ʿala Shatim al Rasul by Ibn Taymiyyah, 371.)

Here are the details of loyalty to the disbelievers. (Among the best who wrote on this was Imam Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al Wahhab and his sons, may Allah have mercy on them. Therefore, most of these forms are taken from his books.)

Being Pleased with the Disbelief of the Disbelievers

This includes not declaring them to be disbelievers, doubting their disbelief, or declaring any of their disbelieving doctrines to be correct. (See Nawaqid al Islam in Majmuʿat al Tawhid, 129.)

This matter becomes clear as a form of loyalty to the disbelievers because it pleases them and makes them happy to see someone agreeing with them upon their disbelief and going along with them in their heretical doctrines.

It was already said in the introduction that from the creed of Ahl al Sunnah wa al Jamaʿah is that the love and hatred of the heart must be complete. The one who loves the disbeliever because of his disbelief is a disbeliever by the consensus of the Ummah. No one from the ulama of the Muslims differed on that.

Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728AH), may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“As for the heart’s love and hatred, its will and dislike, these should be complete and firm. Nothing decreases that except decrease in faith. As for bodily action, that is according to ability. Whenever the will and dislike of the heart are complete and full, and the servant’s action with them is according to his ability, then he is given the reward of the complete doer. This is because among people there are those whose love, hatred, will, and dislike are according to what their own self loves and hates, not according to what Allah and His Messenger love and what Allah and His Messenger hate. This is a kind of desire. If a person follows it, he has followed his desire:

ومن أضل ممن اتبع هواه بغير هدى من الله

“Who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah?” (al Qasas: 50) (Shadharat al Balatin, 1/354.)

Therefore, love and being pleased are two firm matters. They do not leave being disbelief when they are for the disbelievers, or faith when they are for the believers.

General Loyalty to Them

This includes taking them as helpers, supporters, and allies, or entering into their religion. Allah forbade that and said:

لا يتخذ المؤمنون الكافرين أولياء من دون المؤمنين ومن يفعل ذلك فليس من الله في شيء إلا أن تتقوا منهم تقاة ويحذركم الله نفسه وإلى الله المصير

“Let not the believers take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Whoever does that has nothing to do with Allah, unless you protect yourselves from them by way of precaution. Allah warns you of Himself, and to Allah is the final return.” (Al ʿImran: 28)

Ibn Jarir said in his tafsir of it:

“Whoever takes the disbelievers as helpers, supporters, and backing, showing loyalty to them upon their religion and supporting them against the Muslims, then he has nothing to do with Allah. Meaning, he has become free from Allah and Allah has become free from him, because he has apostatised from his religion and entered into disbelief. ‘Unless you protect yourselves from them by way of precaution,’ meaning: unless you are under their authority and fear them for yourselves, so you outwardly show loyalty to them with your tongues while inwardly concealing enmity, and you do not follow them in what they are upon of disbelief, nor help them against a Muslim by any action.” (Tafsir al Tabari, 3/228.)

Allah, the Exalted, said:

Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his tafsir of it:

“Whoever takes the Jews and Christians as allies instead of the believers is from them, meaning from the people of their religion and their way. This is because no one shows loyalty to anyone except that he is pleased with him, with his religion, and with what he is upon. If he is pleased with him and pleased with his religion, then he has opposed and disliked what differs from it, and his ruling becomes his ruling.” (Tafsir al Tabari, 6/277.)

Ibn Hazm (d. 456AH) said: It is authentic that the statement of Allah, the Exalted, “And whoever among you takes them as allies is surely from them,” is upon its apparent meaning: that he is a disbeliever from the body of the disbelievers. This is true, and no two Muslims differ over it. (al Muhalla, 13/35, edited by Hasan Zaydan, 1392AH, Maktabat al Jumhuriyyah al ʿArabiyyah, Egypt.)

Ibn Taymiyyah said:

Allah informed in this verse that whoever shows loyalty to them is from them. Allah, Glorified is He, said:

ولو كانوا يؤمنون بالله والنبي وما أنزل إليه ما اتخذوهم أولياء

“If they had believed in Allah, the Prophet, and what was sent down to him, they would not have taken them as allies.” (al Ma’idah: 81)

This shows that the faith mentioned negates taking them as allies and opposes it. Faith and taking them as allies do not combine in the heart. The Qur’an confirms itself. (See al Iman by Ibn Taymiyyah, 14.)

Ibn al Qayyim said:

“Allah has judged, and none judges better than Him, that whoever takes the Jews and Christians as allies is from them: ‘And whoever among you takes them as allies is surely from them.’ Since their allies are from them by the text of the Qur’an, they have their ruling. This is general. Excluded from this is the one who takes them as allies and enters into their religion after having committed himself to Islam. He is not accepted, nor is tribute accepted from him.

Rather, it is either Islam or the sword, because he is an apostate by text and consensus. It is not correct to make one of the disbelievers who entered their religion before committing to Islam the same as one of the Muslims who entered it, because the disbeliever who adopts their religion after the Qur’an was revealed has moved from one religion to another religion better than it, even though both are false.

As for the Muslim, he has moved from the religion of truth to the religion of falsehood after his acknowledgement of the correctness of what he was upon and the falsehood of what he moved to, so he is not left upon that.” (Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah by Ibn al Qayyim, 1/67, 1/69.)

The teacher Sayyid Qutb (d. 1386AH) considered it far fetched that there would be among the Muslims those who incline to following the Jews and Christians in religion. Rather, what is meant is loyalty of alliance and mutual support. He, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“The loyalty that is forbidden is the loyalty of mutual support and alliance with them. It is not connected to the meaning of following them in their religion, for it is very far fetched that there would be among the Muslims anyone who inclines to following the Jews and Christians in religion. Rather, it is the loyalty of alliance and mutual support whose matter was unclear to the Muslims.

They thought that it was permissible for them because of what existed of tangled interests and ties, and because this loyalty had existed between them and groups of Jews before Islam and in the early period of Islam in Madinah, until Allah forbade them from it and commanded its cancellation. This is clarified by the statement of Allah, the Exalted, regarding Muslims who did not migrate:

ما لكم من ولايتهم من شيء حتى يهاجروا

“You have nothing of their loyalty until they migrate.” (al Anfal: 72)

Meaning, loyalty of mutual support and cooperation, not loyalty of religion.

We say this because some people confuse the call of Islam to tolerance in dealing with the People of the Book and kindness to them in the Muslim society in which they live, with loyalty, which is only for Allah, His Messenger, and the Muslim community.

They forget what the Noble Qur’an establishes, that the People of the Book are allies of one another in their war against the Muslim community, that this is an established matter regarding them, and that they will never be pleased with the Muslim unless he leaves his religion and follows their religion.

What simplicity, and what heedlessness, to think that we and they have one road that we take for enabling religion against the disbelievers and heretics. They are with the disbelievers and heretics when the battle is against the Muslims.

So let whoever is heedless of this be heedless. Let us be aware of the Qur’anic direction:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا اليهود والنصارى أولياء

“O you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies.” (al Ma’idah: 51)

Believing in Some of What They Are Upon of Disbelief

This also includes seeking judgement from them instead of the Book of Allah, as Allah, the Exalted, said:

ألم تر إلى الذين أوتوا نصيبا من الكتاب يؤمنون بالجبت والطاغوت ويقولون للذين كفروا هؤلاء أهدى من الذين آمنوا سبيلا

“Have you not seen those who were given a share of the Book? They believe in falsehood and the tyrant, and they say to those who disbelieve: these are more guided in way than those who believe.” (al Nisa’: 51)

A verse similar to this is the statement of Allah, the Exalted, about some of the People of the Book:

ولما جاءهم رسول من عند الله مصدق لما معهم نبذ فريق من الذين أوتوا الكتاب كتاب الله وراء ظهورهم كأنهم لا يعلمون ۝ واتبعوا ما تتلو الشياطين على ملك سليمان

“When a Messenger from Allah came to them confirming what was with them, a group of those who were given the Book threw the Book of Allah behind their backs as though they did not know. They followed what the devils recited during the rule of Sulayman.” (al Baqarah: 101–102)

Allah, Glorified is He, informed that they followed magic and left the Book of Allah, as many of the Jews and some of those ascribed to Islam do. Whoever from this Ummah shows loyalty to the disbelievers, whether polytheists or People of the Book, with any type of loyalty, such as going to the people of falsehood and following them in something of their false actions or statements, will have blame, punishment, and hypocrisy according to that. (See Fatawa Ibn Taymiyyah, 28/199–201.)

Affection and Love for Them

Allah forbade this in His statement:

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “Allah informed that you will not find a believer showing affection to those who oppose Allah and His Messenger. Faith itself negates showing affection to him, just as one opposite negates the other. If faith exists, its opposite, loyalty to the enemies of Allah, disappears. So if a man shows loyalty to the enemies of Allah in his heart, that is proof that his heart does not contain the required faith.” (al Iman, 13.)

Allah, the Exalted, said:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا عدوي وعدوكم أولياء تلقون إليهم بالمودة وقد كفروا بما جاءكم من الحق

“O you who believe, do not take My enemy and your enemy as allies, offering them affection while they have disbelieved in the truth that came to you.” (al Mumtahanah: 1)

Leaning Towards Them

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ولا تركنوا إلى الذين ظلموا فتمسكم النار وما لكم من دون الله من أولياء ثم لا تنصرون

“Do not lean towards those who do wrong, lest the Fire touch you, and you will not have besides Allah any allies, then you will not be helped.” (Hud: 113)

Al Qurtubi said: “The reality of leaning is relying, depending, settling towards something, and being pleased with it.” Qatadah (d. 117AH) said the meaning of the verse is: do not love them and do not obey them. Ibn Jurayj (d. 150AH) said: do not incline towards them. (Tafsir al Qurtubi, 9/108. See al Baghawi and al Khazin, 3/256. As for the line of poetry, it is by Tarafah ibn al ʿAbd.)

This verse proves the need to abandon the people of disbelief and sins, including people of innovation and others, because companionship with them is disbelief or sin. Companionship only exists due to affection, as it has been said:

“Do not ask about a person. Ask about his close companion, for every close companion follows the one he accompanies.” (Majmuʿat al Tawhid, 117, Dar al Fikr.)

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ولولا أن ثبتناك لقد كدت تركن إليهم شيئا قليلا ۝ إذا لأذقناك ضعف الحياة وضعف الممات ثم لا تجد لك علينا نصيرا

“If We had not made you firm, you would have almost leaned towards them a little. Then We would have made you taste double in life and double in death, then you would not find for yourself any helper against Us.” (al Isra’: 74–75)

If this address was to the noblest of creation, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then what about others?

Compromising with Them at the Expense of Religion

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ودوا لو تدهن فيدهنون

“They wish that you would compromise, so they would compromise.” (al Qalam: 9)

Compromising, courtesy, and gentleness at the expense of religion are matters into which many Muslims today have fallen. This is a natural result of inner defeat in their souls. They saw that the enemies of Allah surpassed them in material strength, so they became dazzled by them. For some reason, it became rooted in the minds of those deceived that these enemies are the symbol of strength and the symbol of example. They then began to strip themselves from the teachings of their religion as courtesy to the disbelievers, and so that those disbelievers would not call them “fanatics.”

The Chosen One ﷺ spoke truthfully when he said about such people: “You will surely follow the ways of those before you, handspan by handspan, and arm’s length by arm’s length, until even if they entered the hole of a lizard, you would follow them.”

We said: “O Messenger of Allah, the Jews and Christians?” He said: “Who else?” (Sahih al Bukhari, 13/300, hadith 7320; Sahih Muslim, 4/2054, hadith 2669. The wording is al Bukhari’s.)

Compromise and arguing may begin with a small matter, then grow and increase until they lead, Allah’s refuge is sought, to leaving the religion. This is one of the slipping points of Satan, so the Muslim should beware of it for himself. He should know that he is the stronger and the more honoured if he follows the way of Allah and binds himself to His Sharia and the requirements of his creed.

Among the clear matters in the history of the Muslims is that one of the greatest causes of their victory, after faith in Allah and His Messenger, was their honour through Islam. This is confirmed and supported by the statement of al Faruq, may Allah be pleased with him: “We were the most humiliated people, then Allah honoured us through Islam.

Whenever we seek honour through anything other than what Allah honoured us with, Allah will humiliate us.” (Reported by al Hakim, 1/62. He said: authentic upon the condition of the two shaykhs, but they did not report it. Al Dhahabi agreed with him in his summary.)

Taking Them as Close Confidants Instead of the Believers

Allah, the Exalted, said:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا بطانة من دونكم لا يألونكم خبالا ودوا ما عنتم قد بدت البغضاء من أفواههم وما تخفي صدورهم أكبر قد بينا لكم الآيات إن كنتم تعقلون

“O you who believe, do not take close confidants from outside yourselves. They will not fail to ruin you. They wish hardship for you. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their chests conceal is greater. We have made the verses clear to you, if you understand.” (Al ʿImran: 118)

This verse was revealed concerning some believers who were close to hypocrites and kept ties with a man from the Jews due to kinship, friendship, and neighbourhood. Allah revealed this verse forbidding them from making them close confidants, out of fear of the trial they could bring upon them. (Asbab al Nuzul by al Wahidi, 68.)

A man’s close confidants are his private inner circle, likened to the inner lining of a garment that touches his stomach, because they know his private affairs and see from him what others do not see. Allah made clear the reason for the prohibition of taking them as close confidants. He said: “They will not fail to ruin you,” meaning they do not fall short and they do not leave any effort in what brings you evil and corruption. They also wish for whatever brings you hardship, harm, and destruction.

The enmity that appeared from them is their insulting of the Muslims and speaking ill of them. It has also been said that it refers to their informing the polytheists of the secrets of the Muslims. (See Tafsir al Baghawi, 1/409; Ibn Kathir, 2/89.)

In Sunan Abi Dawud, the Prophet ﷺ said: “A man is upon the religion of his close friend, so let each of you look at whom he takes as a close friend.” (Abu Dawud, 5/168, hadith 4833; Ahmad, 16/178, hadith 8398, Shakir edition; al Tirmidhi, 7/111, hadith 2379. He said: this is a hasan gharib hadith.)

Obeying Them in What They Command and Advise

Allah, the Exalted, forbade that and said:

ولا تطع من أغفلنا قلبه عن ذكرنا واتبع هواه وكان أمره فرطا

“Do not obey the one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, who follows his desire, and whose affair is neglected.” (al Kahf: 28)

Allah, the Exalted, said:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا إن تطيعوا الذين كفروا يردوكم على أعقابكم فتنقلبوا خاسرين

“O you who believe, if you obey those who disbelieve, they will turn you back on your heels, and you will become losers.” (Al ʿImran: 149)

And He said:

وإن الشياطين ليوحون إلى أوليائهم ليجادلوكم وإن أطعتموهم إنكم لمشركون

“Indeed, the devils inspire their allies to argue with you. If you obey them, you will surely be polytheists.” (al Anʿam: 121)

Ibn Kathir said in his tafsir of this verse: “If you obey them, you will surely be polytheists,” meaning: when you turned away from the command of Allah to you and His Sharia, to the statement of someone else, and you put something else before it, this is shirk. It is as Allah, the Exalted, said:

اتخذوا أحبارهم ورهبانهم أربابا من دون الله

“They took their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah.” (al Tawbah: 31) (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 3/322.)

Sitting with Them When They Mock the Verses of Allah

Allah, the Exalted, said in prohibition of sitting with them:

وقد نزل عليكم في الكتاب أن إذا سمعتم آيات الله يكفر بها ويستهزأ بها فلا تقعدوا معهم حتى يخوضوا في حديث غيره إنكم إذا مثلهم

“It has already been sent down to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah being disbelieved in and mocked, then do not sit with them until they enter into another talk. Indeed, you would then be like them.” (al Nisa’: 140)

Ibn Jarir said:

“His statement, ‘Indeed, you would then be like them,’ means: if you sit with those who disbelieve in the verses of Allah and mock them while you listen, then you are like them if you do not rise from them in that state, because you have disobeyed Allah by sitting with them while you hear the verses of Allah being disbelieved in and mocked.”

The verse contains clear proof of the prohibition of sitting with the people of falsehood of every kind, whether disbelievers, innovators, or sinful people, when they enter into their falsehood. (Tafsir al Tabari, 5/330.)

In the hadith: “Do not enter the dwellings of those who wronged themselves unless you are weeping, lest what struck them should strike you.” (Ahmad, 8/80, hadith 5705, edited by Ahmad Shakir; Sahih al Bukhari, 8/125, hadith 4419; Sahih Muslim, 4/2185, hadith 2980.)

Appointing Them Over an Affair of the Muslims

This includes leadership, writing, and other responsibilities. Appointment is the sister of loyalty, so appointing them is a type of taking them as allies. Allah has judged that whoever takes them as allies is from them. Faith is not complete except through disavowal from them. Loyalty opposes disavowal, so disavowal and loyalty can never be combined.

Loyalty is honouring, so it can never combine with the humiliation of disbelief. Loyalty is connection, so it can never combine with enmity of the disbeliever. If the kings of Islam had known the betrayal of the Christian scribes, for example, and their correspondence with the Franks, the enemies of Islam, their wish to eradicate Islam and its people, and their efforts in that as much as they could, that would have turned them away from bringing them close and assigning them responsibilities.

In the state of this king, al Salih, there was a Christian called Muhadir al Dawlah, Abu al Fadl ibn Dukhan, and none among those directly involved in affairs had a stronger position than him. He was an irritation in the eye of Islam and a blister on the face of religion. His affair reached the point that he wrote in favour of a Christian man who had accepted Islam, sending him back to the Christian religion and removing him from the Islamic religion. He continued corresponding with the Franks about the news of the Muslims, their affairs, the affairs of the state, and the details of its conditions.

His gathering was filled with the messengers of the Franks and the Christians. They were honoured with him, their needs were fulfilled through him, and regular grants and hospitality were carried to them. The senior Muslims were kept away from the door and were not given permission to enter. When they entered, they were not treated fairly in greeting or speech.

It happened that a group gathered in the gathering of al Salih, including senior scribes, judges, and ulama. The ruler asked one of the group about a matter that led to mentioning the shameful matters of the Christians. He spoke openly about that and mentioned some of what they are upon of actions and manners. Among what he said was: the Christians do not know calculation, nor do they know it in reality, because they make the one into three and the three into one. Allah, the Exalted, says:

لقد كفر الذين قالوا إن الله ثالث ثلاثة

“Those who said that Allah is the third of three have certainly disbelieved.” (al Ma’idah: 73)

The first part of their trust and the knot of their religion is: “In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit, one god.”

Some poets took this meaning and said in a poem:

“How can one know calculation when he made the One, the Lord of all creation, three?”

Then he said: How can you be safe from him doing in the ruler’s dealings as he did in the foundation of his belief, while at the same time being the most trustworthy of the Christians? Every time he extracts three dinars, he gives the ruler one dinar and takes two for himself, especially while believing that this is nearness and religion?

The people left. It then happened that the Christian was ruined by his own excess, his betrayal became clear, his blood was spilled, and non existence was brought over his existence. (Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah by Ibn al Qayyim, 1/242–244, with slight wording changes.)

Entrusting Them While Allah Has Declared Them Treacherous

Allah, the Exalted, said:

ومن أهل الكتاب من إن تأمنه بقنطار يؤده إليك ومنهم من إن تأمنه بدينار لا يؤده إليك إلا ما دمت عليه قائما ذلك بأنهم قالوا ليس علينا في الأميين سبيل ويقولون على الله الكذب وهم يعلمون

“Among the People of the Book is one whom, if you entrust with a great amount, he will return it to you. Among them is one whom, if you entrust with a dinar, he will not return it to you unless you keep standing over him. That is because they said: there is no blame upon us regarding the unlettered people. They tell lies against Allah while they know.” (Al ʿImran: 75)

Being Pleased with Their Actions, Imitating Them, and Dressing Like Them

This is another form of loyalty. (Majmuʿat al Tawhid, 117.)

Cheerfulness Towards Them and Honouring Them

This includes being open hearted towards them, honouring them, and bringing them close. (Majmuʿat al Tawhid, 117.)

Helping Them in Their Wrongdoing and Supporting Them

The Qur’an gives two examples for this. The first is the wife of Lut عليه السلام, who was a supporter of her people, since she was upon their way, pleased with their ugly actions, and she would direct her people to the guests of Lut. The same was the action of the wife of Nuh عليه السلام. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 6/210. They were already spoken about.)

Advising Them, Praising Them, and Spreading Their Merits

This form appeared clearly in later times. For example, we saw the chicks of orientalists spreading their merits, claiming that they are the people of the sound academic method, and so on. Likewise, there came those who spread the “merits” of the west or the east, giving them labels such as progress, civilisation, and advancement, while describing Islam and those ascribed to it as backwardness, rigidity, and falling behind the path of civilisation and advanced nations. (Majmuʿat al Tawhid, 117; Rasa’il Saʿd ibn ʿAtiq, 101.)

Venerating Them and Giving Them Lofty Titles

This includes titles such as “masters” and “wise men,” and beginning them with greetings.

Among what must be forbidden is what many ignorant people do in our time: when one of them meets an enemy of Allah, he greets him and places his hand on his chest as a sign that he loves him with firm love in his heart, or he points with his hand to his head as a sign that the person’s rank with him is upon the head. This forbidden action is such that it is feared its doer may be an apostate from Islam, because this is from the strongest forms of loyalty, affection, and veneration towards the enemies of Allah. (Tuhfat al Ikhwan by Shaykh Hamud al Tuwayjiri, 19, first edition, Mu’assasat al Nur, Riyadh.)

Veneration and lofty titles are symbols of honour and appreciation, and they are restricted to the believer. As for the disbeliever, he has humiliation and lowliness. In the authentic hadith, the prohibition of beginning them with greetings is reported. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Do not begin the Jews or the Christians with salam. When you meet one of them on a road, force him to its narrowest part.” (Sahih Muslim, 4/1707, hadith 2167; Abu Dawud, 5/384, hadith 5205.)

Living with Them in Their Lands and Increasing Their Numbers

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever gathers with the polytheist and lives with him is like him.” (Abu Dawud, 3/224, hadith 2787. Al Albani said: hasan. See Sahih al Jamiʿ al Saghir, 6/279, hadith 6062.)

He said: “Do not live with the polytheists and do not gather with them. Whoever lives with them or gathers with them is not from us.” (al Hakim, 2/141. He said: authentic upon the condition of al Bukhari, and al Dhahabi agreed with him.)

Allah willing, in the second section, detail will come on this issue if there is a necessity for such residence. (al Rasa’il al Mufidah by Shaykh ʿAbd al Latif ibn ʿAbd al Rahman Al al Shaykh, 64.)

Plotting with Them and Carrying Out Their Plans

This includes entering into their alliances and organisations, spying for them, conveying to them the weak points and secrets of the Muslims, and fighting in their ranks. This form is among the most dangerous matters with which our Ummah has been tested in this age. (al Iman, Haqiqatuhu, Arkanuhu, Nawaqiduhu by Dr Muhammad Naʿim Yasin, 147.)

That is because the existence of what is called in modern terminology “the fifth column” has corrupted generations of the Ummah in every field, whether in education and teaching, politics and governance, manners and morals, or religion and this life together.

Fleeing from the Land of Islam to the Land of War

This refers to one who flees out of hatred for the Muslims and love for the disbelievers. (al Riddah Bayn al Ams wa al Yawm, 33.)

Joining Secular or Heretical Parties

This includes communist, socialist, nationalist, and Masonic parties, and giving them loyalty, love, and support. (al Riddah Bayn al Ams wa al Yawm, 40.)

Excuses That Are Accepted and Excuses That Are Not Accepted in These Forms

Some of those who show loyalty to the disbelievers may excuse themselves by saying that they fear for their authority, wealth, positions, and other fears that are not valid, and which Allah does not treat as an excuse for them. This is because such excuses come from Satan’s beautification and suggestion, love of this life, and greed for its adornment.

Allah, Glorified is He, did not accept any excuse from anyone for outwardly showing loyalty to the disbelievers, obeying them, and agreeing with them upon their religion, except one excuse: compulsion. Allah, the Exalted, said:

من كفر بالله من بعد إيمانه إلا من أكره وقلبه مطمئن بالإيمان ولكن من شرح بالكفر صدرا فعليهم غضب من الله ولهم عذاب عظيم ۝ ذلك بأنهم استحبوا الحياة الدنيا على الآخرة وأن الله لا يهدي القوم الكافرين

“Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his faith, except one who is compelled while his heart is calm with faith, but whoever opens his chest to disbelief, upon them is anger from Allah, and for them is a great punishment. That is because they preferred the life of this world over the Hereafter, and because Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.” (al Nahl: 106–107)

Allah, Glorified is He, said:

لا يتخذ المؤمنون الكافرين أولياء من دون المؤمنين ومن يفعل ذلك فليس من الله في شيء إلا أن تتقوا منهم تقاة

Compulsion does not help anyone regarding inward pleasure and inner inclination towards the disbelievers, because this is not permitted in any case, due to His statement: “while his heart is calm with faith.” Also, compulsion has no authority over the hearts, for none knows what is in the heart except Allah.

Whoever shows loyalty to the disbelievers with his heart and inclines towards them is a disbeliever in every case. If he shows his loyalty outwardly by his tongue or action, he is dealt with in this life according to his disbelief, and in the Hereafter he remains forever in the Fire. If he does not show it outwardly by action or statement, and acts outwardly according to Islam, then his wealth and blood are protected, but he is a hypocrite in the lowest depth of the Fire. (See al Iman by Dr Muhammad Naʿim Yasin, 147–148.)

The Muslim’s Position Towards These Forms

Loyalty and disavowal are the practical picture of real application of this creed. It is a vast concept in the Muslim’s understanding according to the vastness and greatness of this creed. Allah, Glorified is He, says:

قد تبين الرشد من الغي فمن يكفر بالطاغوت ويؤمن بالله فقد استمسك بالعروة الوثقى لا انفصام لها والله سميع عليم

“Right guidance has become clear from misguidance. Whoever disbelieves in the tyrant and believes in Allah has held firmly to the strongest handhold, which does not break. Allah is Hearing, Knowing.” (al Baqarah: 256)

Allah, Majestic is His majesty, wanted honour for the Muslim, indeed for the human being, on this earth:

ولقد كرمنا بني آدم

“We have certainly honoured the children of Adam.” (al Isra’: 70)

So when the Muslim’s loyalty is for Allah, His religion, and His believing party, he gives this honour its proper worth, and he worships Allah as He deserves to be worshipped. This is because he has abandoned, and indeed opposed, every servitude that seeks to subject him to its authority besides Allah.

But when he becomes inverted and worships other than Allah, whether through rituals, laws, obedience, or submission, he drops from that rank and honour into servitude to many desires, views, and doctrines that tear apart his life and ruin his Hereafter. He lives miserably, even if he claims that he is happy.

This is because the measure of happiness and misery in the Islamic understanding springs from worshipping Allah alone, judging by His Sharia, and being sincere to Him, or the opposite of that: worshipping the tyrant, desire, and lust. These are the depths of misery in which everyone who turns away from the guidance and religion of Allah lives.

Loyalty to other than the believers, besides being apostasy and disobedience to Allah, Glorified is He, is also the source of wavering and miserable division in the life of its doer, because he is neither with these nor with those.

In this age, in which concepts have become mixed, views have become disturbed, truth has been mixed with falsehood, and rather truth has been pushed aside and the banner of falsehood raised, where does the Muslim stand? Where is his loyalty, and to whom is it, while he sees clear disbelief publicly announced and implemented in the lives of people, then a simple label is placed over that: “This does not contradict Islam”?

An example of that is one who follows socialism, democracy, secularism, nationalism, or communism, then it is said: this does not oppose Islam, because Islam is a relationship between the servant and his Lord.

To whom is the Muslim’s loyalty when he sees the Sharia of Allah being removed from the earth and fought, then man made law is imported to become the constitution of people’s lives and the way of their path, while it is said, whether by action or speech, that Islamic legislation no longer keeps pace with the movement of civilisation and development?

To whom is the Muslim’s loyalty when he sees the hypocrites wiping themselves with the name of Islam, while in reality they are more dangerous to the religion than its open enemies?

These are questions, and there are many other questions like them. The answer lies in the following truth: the Muslim cannot have his loyalty purely for Allah, His religion, and the believers unless he understands the reality of tawhid, “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” lives according to it, understands its meaning, and knows its requirements and necessary outcomes.

Then he must know ignorance, shirk, disbelief, apostasy, and hypocrisy, so that he does not become a trap for falling into this evil. This is because no one knows Islam who does not know ignorance.

Then he must know the reality of loyalty and disavowal in the correct Islamic meaning, which is that loyalty, love, and support are for the believers, whatever race they are from, whatever language they speak, and wherever they live. This is because he does not believe in what the ignorant ways believe in, such as the filth of blood, the foulness of race, and the lowliness of soil.

He is with his believing brothers by his heart, tongue, wealth, and blood. He feels pain at their pain and rejoices at their joy. His hatred and disavowal are for all the enemies of Allah, whether they are original disbelievers, apostates, or hypocrites. His position towards them is striving with the self, wealth, pen, tongue, and every power he has been given, according to his effort and ability.

This truth, when the Muslim understands it and acts upon it, enables him to know his place regarding every previous form and other forms too. He then knows whom to show loyalty to and whom to oppose, what Islam wants from him, and what the enemies of Islam want from Islam.

By this, he becomes a Muslim who is aware, honoured by the honour of Allah, neither weak nor grieving, because Allah is with him. He is the One who said:

ولا تهنوا ولا تحزنوا وأنتم الأعلون إن كنتم مؤمنين

“Do not weaken and do not grieve, for you will be superior if you are believers.” (Al ʿImran: 139)

Whoever has Allah with him will not be harmed if all humanity gathers to harm him. All of humanity together cannot do that unless Allah wants it for him. Otherwise, they are too weak to touch him with even the smallest thing except by the decree and will of Allah.

Refuting the Khawarij and the Rafidah Regarding the Creed of Loyalty and Disavowal

Some who do not understand the reality of creed, and do not grasp the meanings of “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah,” may say: The term “loyalty and disavowal” is from the terms of the Khawarij and the Shiʿah, so how can it be placed within the creed of the Salaf, who are Ahl al Sunnah wa al Jamaʿah?

The answer to this objection is from several ways:

First: We are required to follow what has come in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ, for they are our creed, our Sharia, and the system of our life. I believe that I have already mentioned a very large number of dozens of verses regarding loyalty and disavowal, and dozens of authentic hadiths of the Prophet ﷺ on this matter.

Second: From the way of our righteous Salaf, we say: We are not prepared to give up any matter from our religion, even the small matters, let alone the great matters of creed, just because some caller took some of our terms and built his rejected innovated meanings upon them.

Third: Can any Muslim who believes in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger say that Ibrahim عليه السلام, who is the first example in loyalty and disavowal, as we mentioned, used the terms of the Khawarij and the Rafidah, who came thousands of years after him? Glory be to You, this is a great slander.

Fourth: The matter of loyalty and disavowal, as a principle of creed, is a correct principle with no doubt over it. The Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet of Allah came with it. However, the complete error and the complete innovation is what those foolish people, from the Khawarij and Rafidah, built upon it of corrupt meanings, by which they went against the clear texts and the consensus of the Muhammadan Ummah. The one who said this spoke truthfully:

“What harm comes to the roses and what they hold,
If the blocked nose cannot taste their scent?”

The Creed of the Khawarij on This Matter

As for the Khawarij, they are those about whom the Imam of Ahl al Sunnah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241AH), may Allah be pleased with him, said:

“They are those who slipped out of the religion, separated from the religion, ran away from Islam, broke away from the Jamaʿah, lost the path and guidance, rebelled against authority, drew the sword against the Ummah, made their blood and wealth permissible, and showed enmity to whoever opposed them, except whoever said what they said, held a view like their view, and stayed with them in the house of their misguidance.

They insult the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, his relatives by marriage, and his in laws. They disavow them, accuse them of disbelief and grave matters, and they believe that opposing them is part of the laws of Islam. They say that whoever tells one lie, or commits a minor or major sin, then dies without repentance, is in the Fire, remaining there forever and ever.

They are Qadariyyah, Jahmiyyah, Murji’ah, Rafidah. They do not see the Jamaʿah except behind their own imam. They do not believe that obedience is due to the ruler over them, nor that Quraysh has the right of leadership over them. They have many other matters in which they oppose Islam and its people. It is enough misguidance for a people that this is their view, their madhhab, and their religion. They have nothing to do with Islam.

Among their names are al Haruriyyah, who are the people of Harura; al Azariqah, who are the followers of Nafiʿ ibn al Azraq; al Najdiyyah, who are the followers of Najdah ibn ʿAmir al Haruri; al Ibadiyyah; al Sufriyyah, and others. All of these are Khawarij, sinful people, opponents of the Sunnah, outside the religion, people of innovation and misguidance.” (Harura is a village near Kufah where there was an incident involving the Khawarij under the leadership of Najdah ibn ʿAmir. See the footnote to al Sunnah by Imam Ahmad, 84, and the books on the sects.) (Kitab al Sunnah by Imam Ahmad, 83–85, corrected by Ismaʿil al Ansari, with slight wording changes.)

The sect of the Khawarij went astray in the meaning of loyalty and disavowal. They do not show loyalty except to whoever follows their false way, which is based on declaring the one who commits sins, especially major sins, to be a disbeliever.

Their position towards the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is that they show loyalty to Abu Bakr and ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with them both, and they disavow ʿUthman and ʿAli, may Allah be pleased with them both. (al Tanbih wa al Radd by al Malati, 53.)

The summary of the reply to them is that Ahl al Sunnah wa al Jamaʿah disavow them because of their misguided innovation, and they do not show loyalty to them in anything.

As for loyalty and disavowal in its correct meaning, it is what Ahl al Sunnah wa al Jamaʿah are upon. It does not harm them that the Khawarij spoke about loyalty and disavowal, because the matter is not in titles and slogans, but in meanings and understandings that either agree with the Book and the Sunnah or oppose them. From here, the loyalty and disavowal that the Khawarij believe in is according to their desires, and not according to the texts of the Book and the Sunnah.

The Creed of the Rafidah Regarding Loyalty and Disavowal

As for the Rafidah, they are those who disavow the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, insult them, lower their rank, and declare the imams to be disbelievers, except four: ʿAli, ʿAmmar, al Miqdad, and Salman, may Allah be pleased with them. (al Sunnah by Imam Ahmad, 82. His statement, “they declare the four imams to be disbelievers,” needs consideration. Perhaps the correct wording is, “and they show loyalty to them.”)

Al Ashʿari (d. 324AH) said: They were called Rafidah because they rejected the leadership of Abu Bakr and ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with them both. (Maqalat al Islamiyyin, 1/89.)

If the Khawarij went astray in the matters we have just mentioned about them, then the Rafidah are no less guilty than them. They took a disgraceful position towards the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Jewish hands, represented in the person of ʿAbd Allah ibn Saba’, played with them by setting up fantasies of false love for the family of the Prophet ﷺ, while disavowing the rest of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and showing enmity to them. Yet the family of the Prophet ﷺ are free from what these Rafidah attached to them.

Ibn Kathir (d. 774AH) said:

“The abandoned group, the Rafidah, show enmity to the best of the Companions, hate them, and insult them. We seek refuge in Allah from that. This proves that their minds are reversed and their hearts are turned upside down. Where are these people from faith in the Qur’an, when they insult those with whom Allah was pleased?” (He is pointing to the statement of Allah, the Exalted: “The first forerunners from the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and those who followed them with good conduct, Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him” (al Tawbah: 100))

“As for Ahl al Sunnah, they say ‘may Allah be pleased with them’ for those with whom Allah was pleased. They insult those whom Allah and His Messenger insulted. They show loyalty to those who show loyalty to Allah, and they show enmity to those who show enmity to Allah. They are followers, not innovators.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 4/142.)

The Rafidah say: “There is no loyalty except through disavowal,” meaning that one does not show loyalty to the family of the Prophet ﷺ until he disavows Abu Bakr and ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with them both. (Sharh al Tahawiyyah, 532.)

What trust, honesty, or religion can remain in people who attack the best two Islamic personalities in the Ummah after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?

But this is no surprise from a group whose scandals are written in the books. Throughout their history, the Rafidah have been at war with the people of Islam. They have shown loyalty to the enemies of the Muslims, such as the Tatars, Crusaders, and others.

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728AH) said:

“The Rafidah show loyalty to those who fight Ahl al Sunnah wa al Jamaʿah. They show loyalty to the Tatars and they show loyalty to the Christians. On the coast, there was an agreement between the Rafidah and the Franks, until the Rafidah began carrying the horses of the Muslims, their weapons, the servants of the ruler, and others from the soldiers and children, to Cyprus.

When the Muslims were victorious over the Tatars, they held gatherings of mourning and grief. When the Tatars were victorious over the Muslims, they held gatherings of joy and happiness. They are the ones who advised the Tatars to kill the Caliph and the people of Baghdad.

The minister of Baghdad, Ibn al ʿAlqami the Rafidi, was the one who plotted against the Muslims and wrote to the Tatars, until he brought them into the land of Iraq through scheming and deception, and he forbade the people from fighting them.

Those who know Islam know that the Rafidah incline towards the enemies of the religion. When they were the rulers of Cairo, their minister was sometimes a Jew, and sometimes an Armenian Christian. The Christians became powerful because of that Armenian Christian, and they built many churches in the land of Egypt during the rule of those hypocritical Rafidah. It used to be called out between the two palaces: whoever curses and insults will receive a dinar and an irdabb.

During their days, the Christians took the coast from the Muslims, until Nur al Din and Salah al Din opened it.” (al Fatawa, 28/636–637.)

Among their descendants in the present time are the disbelieving Nusayriyyah, by whom the Muslims have been tested. Their disbelief is more severe than the disbelief of the Jews and Christians, as Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and others determined. They were a compliant tool for French colonialism in its invasion of the lands of al Sham. Today, they wage a fierce war against the Muslims in their lands.

After this, Ahl al Sunnah wa al Jamaʿah are those who love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They do not go to excess in loving any one of them. They show loyalty to all of them and do not disavow any one of them. They hate whoever hates them, and they believe that loving them is religion, faith, and goodness, while hating them is disbelief, hypocrisy, and tyranny. (See al Tahawiyyah with its explanation, 528. After writing this book, I came across a valuable book that uncovers the veils of the Shiʿah and exposes them in our present age, especially their leader al Khumayni. That book is Wa Ja’a Dawr al Majus by Dr ʿAbd Allah Muhammad al Gharib. It is a valuable book on its subject, so whoever wishes may refer to it, so that the falsehood of their way and their plans against Ahl al Sunnah wa al Jamaʿah become clear.)

They are free from the Khawarij, the Rafidah, and every misguided sect.

From the Requirements of Loyalty and Disavowal

It has already been said at the beginning of this research that the root of loyalty is love, and the root of disavowal is hatred. From both of them arise actions of the limbs that either confirm the truth of that love or show it to be false, and either confirm that disavowal or cancel its claim.

Love is a basic element in the Islamic understanding. The proof is the statement of the Lord, Majestic and Exalted:

إن الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات سيجعل لهم الرحمن ودا

“Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds, the Most Merciful will place love for them.” (Maryam: 96)

And His statement:

إن ربي رحيم ودود

“Indeed, my Lord is Merciful, Loving.” (Hud: 90)

And His statement:

وهو الغفور الودود

“He is the Forgiving, the Loving.” (al Buruj: 14)

And His statement:

والذين آمنوا أشد حبا لله

“Those who believe are stronger in love for Allah.” (al Baqarah: 165)

And His statement:

قل إن كنتم تحبون الله فاتبعوني يحببكم الله

“Say: if you love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you.” (Al ʿImran: 31)

This is because the clarity of the Islamic understanding in separating the reality of Lordship from the reality of servitude does not dry up that beloved call between Allah and His servants. It is a relationship of mercy, justice, and love. It is not, as the enemies of Allah claim, that the relationship between the servant and his Lord is dry and harsh, a relationship of force and compulsion, punishment and penalty, coldness and separation.

كبرت كلمة تخرج من أفواههم إن يقولون إلا كذبا

“Great is the word that comes out of their mouths. They say nothing but lies.” (al Kahf: 5)

Allah’s love for one of His servants is something whose value cannot be grasped except by one who knows Allah, Glorified is He, by His attributes, as He described Himself and as His Messenger described Him, and by one who finds the effect of these attributes in his sense, soul, and feeling.

The servant’s love for his Lord is a blessing for this servant. No one understands it except one who has tasted it. If Allah’s love for one of His servants is something great and tremendous, and an immense and abundant favour, then Allah’s favour to the servant by guiding him to loving Him, and making him know this taste, is also great and tremendous.

From Allah’s blessing upon His believing servants is that He made love for His sake the greatest bond between them. It is the sweet source from which they all drink. Then He made love for a people, and what connects the lover to them, a way of joining them. This is supported by the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: “A person is with the one he loves.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 10/577, hadith 6168.)

ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: “O Messenger of Allah, what do you say about a man who loves a people but has not reached them?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “A person is with the one he loves.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 10/557, hadith 6169; Sahih Muslim, 4/2034, hadith 2640.)

Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that a man asked the Prophet ﷺ: “When is the Hour, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “What have you prepared for it?” He said: “I have not prepared for it much prayer, fasting, or charity, but I love Allah and His Messenger.” He said: “You are with those whom you love.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 10/557, hadith 6171; Sahih Muslim, 4/2032, hadith 2639.)

It must be mentioned here that this love is not mere wishes or dreams that are contradicted by ugly actions, nor the foolish nonsense of patched Sufis and the like. Rather, it is love in the heart and action through the limbs. Allah, the Exalted, said:

ليس بأمانيكم ولا أماني أهل الكتاب من يعمل سوءا يجز به ولا يجد له من دون الله وليا ولا نصيرا

“It is not by your wishes, nor by the wishes of the People of the Book. Whoever does evil will be repaid for it, and he will not find for himself besides Allah any ally or helper.” (al Nisa’: 123)

And He said:

قل إن كنتم تحبون الله فاتبعوني يحببكم الله ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم والله غفور رحيم

“Say: if you love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Al ʿImran: 31)

Al Hasan (d. 110AH) said: Do not be deceived by your statement, “A person is with the one he loves.” Whoever loves a people follows their traces. You will not join the righteous until you follow their traces, take their guidance, follow their Sunnah, and spend your evenings and mornings upon their way, eager to be from them, walking their path and taking their road, even if you fall short in action. The foundation of the matter is that you remain upright. Have you not seen that the Jews, Christians, and people of corrupt desires love their prophets, yet they are not with them, because they opposed them in statement and action, and took a path other than their path, so their destination became the Fire? (al Hikam al Jadirah bil Idhaʿah min Qawl al Nabi, Buʿithtu bil Sayf Bayna Yaday al Saʿah, by Ibn Rajab, 133, edited by Muhammad Hamid al Fiqi.)

Love is divided into four types:

Shirk Based Love

Its people are those about whom Allah said:

ومن الناس من يتخذ من دون الله أندادا يحبونهم كحب الله والذين آمنوا أشد حبا لله ولو يرى الذين ظلموا إذ يرون العذاب أن القوة لله جميعا وأن الله شديد العذاب ۝ إذ تبرأ الذين اتبعوا من الذين اتبعوا ورأوا العذاب وتقطعت بهم الأسباب ۝ وقال الذين اتبعوا لو أن لنا كرة فنتبرأ منهم كما تبرؤوا منا كذلك يريهم الله أعمالهم حسرات عليهم وما هم بخارجين من النار

“Among people are those who take rivals besides Allah, loving them as they love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah. If those who wronged could only see, when they see the punishment, that all power belongs to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment. When those who were followed disown those who followed them, and they see the punishment, and all ties are cut off from them. Those who followed will say: if only we had another return, we would disown them as they disowned us. Thus Allah will show them their deeds as regrets upon them, and they will not come out of the Fire.” (al Baqarah: 165–167)

Loving Falsehood and Its People

This includes loving falsehood and its people, and hating truth and its people. This is the trait of the hypocrites.

Natural Love

This is love of wealth and children. If it does not distract from obedience to Allah, and does not help in what Allah has forbidden, then it is permissible.

Loving the People of Tawhid and Hating the People of Shirk

This is the strongest handhold of faith, and the greatest thing by which the servant worships his Lord. (Imam Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al Wahhab mentioned this in Majmuʿat al Tawhid, 17, Dar al Fikr edition.)

Since love for the sake of Allah is the strongest handhold of faith, as has come in the hadith, “The strongest handhold of faith is love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah,” the road that leads to it and to loyalty to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is following His Sharia which Muhammad ﷺ brought. Without this road, the claim of loyalty is false, just as the polytheists used to seek nearness to Allah, the Exalted, by worshipping those whom they worshipped besides Him. Allah said about them:

ما نعبدهم إلا ليقربونا إلى الله زلفى

“We only worship them so that they may bring us nearer to Allah.” (al Zumar: 3)

And as He quoted the Jews and Christians saying:

نحن أبناء الله وأحباؤه

“We are the children of Allah and His beloved ones.” (al Ma’idah: 18)

They said this while they persisted upon denying His Messengers, committing what He forbade, and leaving His obligations. (See Jamiʿ al ʿUlum wa al Hikam by Ibn Rajab, 316.)

When the heart is filled with the greatness of Allah, the Exalted, that removes from the heart everything besides Him. The servant is left with nothing from his self, desire, or will except what his Lord wants from him. When the heart truly realises complete tawhid, no love remains in it except love for Allah, and no hatred remains except hatred for what Allah hates. Whoever is like this, his limbs do not move except in obedience to Allah. Sins only come from loving what Allah hates, or hating what Allah loves. This comes from giving the desire of the self priority over love and fear of Allah. (See Jamiʿ al ʿUlum wa al Hikam, 320.)

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah describes the greatness and sweetness of loving Allah. He said: “In this life there is a garden. Whoever does not enter it will not enter the garden of the Hereafter.” Some of them said: “The poor people of this life left this life without tasting the best thing in it.” They said: “What is the best thing in it?” He said: “Love of Allah, nearness to Him, longing to meet Him, turning to Him, and turning away from everything besides Him.” (Madarij al Salikin, 1/454.)

Hatred for the Sake of Allah

As for hatred for the sake of Allah, it is attached to love for the sake of Allah and does not separate from it. This is because the one who loves, loves what his beloved loves, hates what his beloved hates, shows loyalty to those to whom his beloved shows loyalty, shows enmity to those to whom his beloved shows enmity, is pleased with what pleases him, becomes angry for what angers him, commands what he commands, and forbids what he forbids. He agrees with him in all of that.

It is known that whoever loves Allah with the required love must hate His enemies, and must love what He loves of striving against them. Allah, the Exalted, said:

إن الله يحب الذين يقاتلون في سبيله صفا كأنهم بنيان مرصوص

“Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His path in ranks, as though they are a solid structure.” (al Saff: 4)

The Lord, Glorified is He, described His servants whom He loves and who love Him. He said:

أذلة على المؤمنين أعزة على الكافرين

“Humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers.” (al Ma’idah: 54)

Meaning: they deal with the believers with humility, softness, and lowering the wing, and they deal with the disbelievers with honour over them, firmness against them, and severity. They love those whom Allah loves, so they deal with them with love, mercy, and softness. They hate the enemies of Allah who oppose Him, so they deal with them with firmness and severity, as Allah, the Exalted, said:

أشداء على الكفار رحماء بينهم

“Firm against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves.” (al Fath: 29)

يجاهدون في سبيل الله ولا يخافون لومة لائم

“They strive in the path of Allah and do not fear the blame of any blamer.” (al Ma’idah: 54)

The enemies of Allah are to be hated, and the believers must strive against them:

قاتلوهم يعذبهم الله بأيديكم ويخزهم وينصركم عليهم

“Fight them. Allah will punish them by your hands, disgrace them, and give you victory over them.” (al Tawbah: 14)

From here, one of the requirements of loyalty and disavowal is the right of the Muslim over the Muslim. So what is that right? (See Jamiʿ al ʿUlum wa al Hikam, 317.)

The Difference between Loyalty and Good Treatment

The foundation of this is the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

لا ينهاكم الله عن الذين لم يقاتلوكم في الدين ولم يخرجوكم من دياركم أن تبروهم وتقسطوا إليهم إن الله يحب المقسطين

“Allah does not forbid you from those who did not fight you because of religion and did not expel you from your homes, that you be kind to them and act justly towards them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.” (al Mumtahanah: 8)

The people of knowledge differed in its tafsir.

Some said that what is meant by it are those who believed in Makkah but did not migrate. Allah permitted the believers to be kind to them and do good to them. This was the view of Imam Mujahid (d. 104AH).

Others said: It refers to those outside Makkah who did not migrate.

Others said: Rather, it refers to those among the polytheists of Makkah who did not fight the believers and did not expel them from their homes, and Allah later abrogated that with the command to fight them. This is narrated from Qatadah (d. 117AH). (Tafsir al Tabari, 28/66.)

Ibn Jarir al Tabari (d. 310AH) held as strongest that the closest view to correctness is the view of those who said: The meaning is that Allah does not forbid you from those who did not fight you because of religion, from all classes of religions and ways, that you be kind to them, maintain ties with them, and act justly towards them.

This is because Allah, Mighty and Majestic, made His statement general: “those who did not fight you because of religion and did not expel you from your homes.”

It covers everyone described by that, and He did not specify some of them apart from others. There is no meaning to the statement of those who said that this was abrogated. This is because a believer being kind to someone from the people of war with whom he has a blood relation, or someone with whom he has no relation or blood tie, is not forbidden or prohibited, so long as that does not involve showing him, or the people of war, a weak point of the people of Islam, or strengthening them with mounts or weapons.

This is made clear by the report narrated from Ibn al Zubayr regarding the story of Asma’ with her mother. (Tafsir al Tabari, 28/66.)

Through this, Islam, even in a state of dispute, keeps the causes of love in the souls through clean conduct and just treatment, while waiting for the day when its opponents become convinced that goodness lies in entering under its lofty banner.

It has already been said at the beginning of this research that Allah commanded maintaining ties with disbelieving and polytheist relatives, and that this is not loyalty to them in anything.

We add further clarity to this matter through the story of Asma’ bint Abi Bakr, may Allah be pleased with her, with her mother. Al Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Asma’, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said: “My mother came to me while she was a polytheist during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for a fatwa, saying: My mother has come to me and she desires connection. Shall I maintain ties with my mother? He said: ‘Yes, maintain ties with your mother.’” (Sahih al Bukhari, 5/233, hadith 2620; Sahih Muslim, 2/696, hadith 1003.)

Al Khattabi (d. 388AH) said: In it, meaning the hadith, is that a disbelieving blood relative should be joined through wealth and the like, just as a Muslim blood relative is joined. It can also be understood from it that spending on a disbelieving father and a disbelieving mother is obligatory, even if the child is a Muslim. (Fath al Bari, 5/234.)

Ibn Hajar (d. 852AH) said: Kindness, maintaining ties, and doing good do not necessarily require the love and affection that is forbidden in the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

لا تجد قوما يؤمنون بالله واليوم الآخر يوادون من حاد الله ورسوله

“You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day showing affection to those who oppose Allah and His Messenger.” (al Mujadilah: 22)

This is general regarding one who fought and one who did not fight. (Fath al Bari, 5/233.)

Ibn al Qayyim said:

What the evidence proves is that spending is obligatory, even if the two religions differ, because of the statement of Allah, the Exalted:

ووصينا الإنسان بوالديه حسنا وإن جاهداك لتشرك بي ما ليس لك به علم فلا تطعهما وصاحبهما في الدنيا معروفا

“We commanded man to be good to his parents. But if they strive against you to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them, but keep company with them in this life in a good way.” (Luqman: 14–15)

It is neither goodness nor good company to leave one’s father and mother in the greatest need and poverty while one is in great wealth. Allah has criticised those who cut family ties, magnified the seriousness of cutting them, and made their right obligatory, even if they are disbelievers. Allah, the Exalted, said:

واتقوا الله الذي تساءلون به والأرحام

“Fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs.” (al Nisa’: 1)

In the hadith: “One who cuts family ties will not enter Paradise.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 10/415, hadith 5984; Sahih Muslim, 4/1981, hadith 2556. It should be noticed here that the indefinite word occurs in a context of negation, so it is general.)

Maintaining family ties is obligatory, even if the relative is a disbeliever. He has his religion, and the one who maintains ties has his religion. Comparing spending to inheritance is a false comparison, because inheritance is built upon support and loyalty, unlike spending, which is connection and support from the rights of kinship.

Allah gave kinship a right, even if it is disbelieving kinship. Disbelief does not cancel its rights in this life. Allah, the Exalted, said:

واعبدوا الله ولا تشركوا به شيئا وبالوالدين إحسانا وبذي القربى واليتامى والمساكين والجار ذي القربى والجار الجنب والصاحب بالجنب وابن السبيل وما ملكت أيمانكم

“Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him. Be good to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, the near neighbour, the distant neighbour, the companion at your side, the traveller, and those whom your right hands possess.” (al Nisa’: 36)

Everyone mentioned in this verse has an obligatory right, even if he is a disbeliever. Why then would only the relative be removed from the group of those whom Allah commanded kindness towards? (Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah, 2/417–418.)

From here, it becomes clear to us that loyalty, represented in love and support, is one thing, while spending, maintaining ties, and doing good to disbelieving relatives is another thing. The tolerance of Islam is also clear in the treatment of captives, elderly people, children, and women during war, as is known from its bright pages.

The Dealings with the Disbelievers: Buying and Selling

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The default is that nothing is forbidden for people from the transactions they need except what the Book and the Sunnah indicate to be forbidden, just as nothing is legislated for them from acts of worship by which they seek nearness to Allah except what the Book and the Sunnah indicate to be legislated. The religion is what Allah legislated, and the forbidden is what Allah made forbidden.

This is unlike those whom Allah criticised, who forbade without Allah what Allah did not forbid, associated with Him what He sent down no authority for, and made for them from religion what Allah did not permit. (al Siyasah al Sharʿiyyah, 155.)

Starting from this principle, and based on the Sharia texts, the life of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his rightly guided Companions, and the imams of the Muslims, we say: dealing with the disbelievers in buying, selling, gifts, and similar matters does not enter into the name of loyalty. Rather, it is permissible for the Muslim to buy and sell with the disbelievers.

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah was asked about dealing with the Tatars. He said:

“What is permissible in dealing with people like them is permissible in dealing with them, and what is forbidden in dealing with people like them is forbidden in dealing with them. It is permissible for a man to buy from their livestock, horses, and the like, just as he buys from the livestock of the Bedouins, Turkmen, and Kurds. It is permissible to sell them food, clothes, and the like, from what may be sold to people like them.

As for selling to them, or to others, what helps them in forbidden matters, such as selling horses and weapons to one who will fight with them in a forbidden fight, then this is not permissible. Allah, the Exalted, said:

وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى ولا تعاونوا على الإثم والعدوان واتقوا الله إن الله شديد العقاب

“Cooperate upon righteousness and fear of Allah, and do not cooperate upon sin and aggression. Fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is severe in punishment.” (al Ma’idah: 2)

If what is with them, or with others, is wealth that is known to have been wrongfully taken from a protected person, then it is not permissible to purchase it for ownership. However, if it is purchased as a way of rescue, so that it can be used in its lawful places and returned to its owners if possible, otherwise spent in the interests of the Muslims, then this is permissible.

If it is known that there is forbidden wealth among their wealth, but the exact item is not known, then dealing with them in it is not forbidden, just as if it is known that there are wrongfully taken and stolen items in the markets, but the exact item is not known.” (al Masa’il al Mardiniyyah, 132–133, edited by al Shawish, third edition, 1399AH.)

Al Bukhari narrated in the section of sales, under buying and selling with polytheists and the people of war, from ʿAbd al Rahman ibn Abi Bakr, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said: We were with the Prophet ﷺ. Then a tall, rough haired polytheist man came, driving sheep. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Sale or gift?” Or he said: “Or donation?” He said: “No, sale.” So he bought a sheep from him. (Sahih al Bukhari, 4/410, hadith 2216.)

Ibn Battal (d. 449AH) said: Dealing with disbelievers is permissible, except selling what the people of war use to help themselves against the Muslims. (Fath al Bari, 4/410.)

It is also authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ that he took from a Jew thirty wasqs of barley and pawned his armour with him. (Musnad Ahmad, 5/137, hadith 3409, edited by Ahmad Shakir. He said: its chain is authentic.)

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

“If a man travels to the land of war in order to buy from it, that is permissible according to us, as is proven by the hadith of Abu Bakr trading during the life of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to the land of al Sham, which at that time was a land of war, and other hadiths.

As for the Muslim selling them during their festivals what they use to help them in their festival, such as food, clothing, fragrance, and the like, or gifting that to them, then this contains a type of helping them establish their forbidden festival. This is built upon a principle, which is that it is not permissible to sell grapes or juice to the disbelievers if they will use it to make wine. Likewise, it is not permissible to sell them weapons with which they will fight a Muslim.” (Iqtida’ al Sirat al Mustaqim, 229.)

Endowments for Them and Their Endowments for Muslims

Ibn al Qayyim said: As for what they endow, it is to be looked into. If they endow it to a specified person or a direction upon which it is permissible for a Muslim to make an endowment, such as charity for the poor and needy, fixing roads and public interests, or for their children, descendants, and offspring, then this endowment is valid.

Its ruling is like the ruling of the endowment of Muslims upon these directions. However, if he makes the children and relatives remaining upon disbelief a condition for entitlement, such as saying, “If they accept Islam, they are not entitled to anything,” then this condition is not valid. It is not permissible for the judge to rule according to it by agreement of the Ummah, because it contradicts the religion of Islam and opposes what Allah sent His Messenger ﷺ with.

As for a Muslim making an endowment for them, what agrees with the ruling of Allah and His Messenger is valid. It is permissible for him to make an endowment for a specified person among them, or for his relatives, the sons of so and so, and the like.

Disbelief is not a cause or condition for entitlement, nor is it a barrier to it. If he makes an endowment for his child, father, or relatives, they are entitled to it even if they remain upon their disbelief. If they accept Islam, then they are even more entitled.

As for making an endowment for their churches, places of worship, and places of disbelief in which they establish the signs of disbelief, this is not valid from a disbeliever or a Muslim. This is because it contains the greatest assistance to him upon disbelief, helping it and strengthening it, and that contradicts the religion of Allah. (Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah, 1/299–302. See Majmuʿat al Rasa’il wa al Masa’il, 1/229.)

Visiting Them When They Are Ill and Congratulating Them

Al Bukhari narrated from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: A Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet ﷺ, then he became ill. The Prophet ﷺ came to visit him and sat by his head. He said to him: “Accept Islam.” The boy looked at his father, who was beside him. His father said to him: “Obey Abu al Qasim ﷺ.” So he accepted Islam. The Prophet ﷺ left saying: “All praise belongs to Allah, who saved him from the Fire.” (Sahih al Bukhari, 3/219, hadith 1356.)

He also narrated the story of Abu Talib when death came to him, and the Prophet ﷺ visited him and offered Islam to him. (Sahih al Bukhari, 3/222, hadith 1360.)

Ibn Battal said: Visiting him is only legislated if it is hoped that he will respond and enter Islam. As for when there is no hope of that, then no. (Fath al Bari, 10/119.)

Ibn Hajar said: What appears is that this differs according to aims, because another interest may come through visiting him. (Fath al Bari, 10/119.)

As for congratulating them for the specific symbols of disbelief, this is forbidden by agreement. An example is congratulating them on their festivals by saying, “Blessed festival to you,” or “May you enjoy this festival.”

If the one who says this is safe from disbelief, it is still from the forbidden matters. It is like congratulating him for prostrating to the cross. Rather, that is greater in sin with Allah and more hated than congratulating someone for drinking wine, killing a soul, committing unlawful sexual intercourse, and the like.

Many of those who have no respect for the religion fall into this, while not knowing the ugliness of what they have done. Whoever congratulates a servant for a sin, innovation, or disbelief has exposed himself to the hatred and anger of Allah.

The people of caution among the people of knowledge used to avoid congratulating oppressors for positions of authority, and congratulating ignorant people for posts in judging, teaching, and giving fatwa, to avoid the hatred of Allah and falling from His sight. If a man is tested and does it to repel harm expected from them, so he goes to them and says only good, and supplicates for their correctness and right guidance, then there is no harm in that. (Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah by Ibn al Qayyim, 1/205–206.)

This also includes venerating them and addressing them as “master” and “patron.” This is certainly forbidden. In the raised hadith: “Do not say to the hypocrite, ‘master,’ for if he is a master, then you have angered your Lord, Mighty and Majestic.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, 5/257, hadith 4977. Al Albani said: its chain is authentic. See Mishkat al Masabih, 3/1349, hadith 4780.)

It is also not permissible to give them titles, as Ibn al Qayyim said, such as “the honour of the state,” “so and so the rightly guided,” “the wise,” “the righteous,” and the like. Whoever names himself with any of these names, it is not permissible for the Muslim to call him by it. Rather, if he is a Christian, he says: O Christian, O cross bearer. And it is said to the Jew: O Jew.

Then Ibn al Qayyim said in clear wording:

“As for today, we have reached a time in which they are placed at the front of gatherings, people stand for them, their hands are kissed, they control the provisions of soldiers and the wealth of rulers, and they are given teknonyms such as Abu al ʿAla’, Abu al Fadl, and Abu al Tayyib, and they are named Hasan, Husayn, ʿUthman, and ʿAli. Before, their names were Yuhanna, Matta, Jurjis, Butrus, ʿUzra, Ashʿiya, Hazqil, and Huyayy. Every age has its state and its men.” (Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah, 2/771.)

If this was the speech of al ʿAllamah Ibn al Qayyim, who died in the year 751AH, may Allah have mercy on him, then let the Muslim today look at this scum like the scum of a flood. They are ascribed to Islam while following the enemies of Allah in every small and great matter, until if they entered the hole of a lizard, they would enter it. It is not merely following them. Rather, it is following with admiration and amazement. No occasion passes for our enemies except that congratulations and blessings pour upon them from every direction, with sweet wishes.

The Ruling on Greeting Them with Salam

The ulama differed regarding the meaning of the statement of Allah, the Exalted, about Ibrahim عليه السلام when he called his father and his father refused. Ibrahim said:

سلام عليك

“Peace be upon you.” (Maryam: 47)

As for the majority, they said that what is meant by his salam is peaceful separation, not the greeting. Al Tabari said: Its meaning is: safety from me for you. According to this, the disbeliever is not to be greeted first with salam. (Tafsir al Qurtubi, 11/111–112.)

Some said regarding the meaning of his salam: it is the greeting of one who is leaving. They permitted greeting the disbeliever and beginning with it. Ibn ʿUyaynah (d. 198AH) was asked: Is it permissible to give salam to the disbeliever? He said: Yes. Allah, the Exalted, said:

لا ينهاكم الله عن الذين لم يقاتلوكم في الدين ولم يخرجوكم من دياركم أن تبروهم وتقسطوا إليهم

“Allah does not forbid you from those who did not fight you because of religion and did not expel you from your homes, that you be kind to them and act justly towards them.” (al Mumtahanah: 8)

And He said:

قد كانت لكم أسوة حسنة في إبراهيم

“There has certainly been for you a good example in Ibrahim.” (al Mumtahanah: 4)

And Ibrahim said to his father:

سلام عليك

“Peace be upon you.” (Maryam: 47)

Al Qurtubi said: I say: What is more apparent from the verse is what Sufyan ibn ʿUyaynah said. (Tafsir al Qurtubi, 11/111–112.)

There are two hadiths on this matter. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Do not begin the Jews or Christians with salam. When you meet one of them on the road, force him to its narrowest part.” (Its sourcing has already been mentioned.)

In the two Sahihs, Usamah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet ﷺ rode a donkey with a saddle, beneath which was a Fadaki cloth, and he seated Usamah ibn Zayd behind him. He was going to visit Saʿd ibn ʿUbadah among Banu al Harith ibn al Khazraj, and that was before the Battle of Badr.

He passed by a gathering in which there was a mixture of Muslims, polytheist idol worshippers, and Jews. Among them was ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, and in the gathering was ʿAbd Allah ibn Rawahah. When the dust of the riding animal covered the gathering, ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy covered his nose with his cloak and said: “Do not throw dust upon us.” The Prophet ﷺ greeted them with salam. (Sahih al Bukhari, 11/38, hadith 6254; Sahih Muslim, 3/1422, hadith 1798.)

Al Qurtubi said:

“The first indicates leaving off beginning them with salam, because that is honouring, and the disbeliever is not from its people. The second permits that. Al Tabari said: What Usamah narrated does not oppose the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, because neither is contrary to the other. The hadith of Abu Hurayrah is worded generally, while the report of Usamah makes clear that its meaning is specific. Al Nakhaʿi (d. 96AH) said: If you have a need with a Jew or a Christian, then begin with salam.

Through this, it is clear that the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, ‘Do not begin them with salam,’ applies when there is no reason calling you to begin them with salam, such as fulfilling a duty, a need that comes up before them, or the right of companionship, neighbourhood, or travel.

Al Tabari said: It has been narrated from the Salaf that they used to give salam to the People of the Book. Ibn Masʿud did so with a local leader who accompanied him on his road. ʿAlqamah said to him: O Abu ʿAbd al Rahman, is it not disliked to begin them with salam? He said: Yes, but there is the right of companionship.

Al Awzaʿi (d. 157AH) said: If you give salam, then righteous people before you gave salam. If you leave it, then righteous people before you left it. It was narrated from al Hasan al Basri that he said: If you pass by a gathering in which there are Muslims and disbelievers, then give salam to them.” (Tafsir al Qurtubi, 11/112.)

Ibn al Qayyim said: The one who holds this view, meaning the one who permits beginning them with salam, said that one says to him: “al Salam ʿalayk,” only, without mentioning mercy, and with the singular wording. (Zad al Maʿad, 2/425.)

As for replying to their salam, there is difference over whether it is obligatory. The majority hold that it is obligatory, and this is correct. A group said: Replying to them is not obligatory, just as it is not obligatory to reply to the people of innovation, and even more so. The correct view is the first. The difference is that we are commanded to avoid the people of innovation as discipline for them and warning from them, unlike the people under covenant. (Zad al Maʿad, 2/425.)

I say: Among what strengthens the view of the majority regarding the obligation of replying to the People of the Book is the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: “When the Jews greet you, one of them only says, ‘death be upon you.’ So say: ‘and upon you.’” (Sahih al Bukhari, 11/42, hadith 6257; Sahih Muslim, 4/1706, hadith 2164.)

And his statement ﷺ: “When the People of the Book greet you, say: ‘and upon you.’” (Sahih al Bukhari, 11/42, hadith 6258; Sahih Muslim, 4/1705, hadith 2163.)

Benefiting from the Disbelievers and from What They Possess

Islam permits the Muslim to take from the non Muslim what benefits him in chemistry, physics, astronomy, medicine, industry, agriculture, administrative work, and similar matters. This is when benefit from these sciences through a righteous Muslim is not available. (See Maʿalim fi al Tariq, 131–132. See Majmuʿ Fatawa Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, 4/114.)

Likewise, it is permissible to benefit from them in guiding the way, and from what they have of weapons, clothing, and other needs that people require, and in which custom has proceeded that Muslim and disbeliever are equal in benefiting from them.

However, Islam does not permit, rather it rejects, that the Muslim receive anything connected to his creed, the foundations of his understanding, the tafsir of his Qur’an and the Sunnah of his Prophet ﷺ, the method of his history, the system of his rule, the path of his politics, or the requirements of his manners and expression, from one who does not believe in this Islam. (See the previous source, Maʿalim fi al Tariq, 131.)

Europe remained for long centuries relying upon Islamic theories and research invented by the Muslims. This reflected upon the scientific progress that the west reached in recent centuries, after the Muslims slept and left the position of leadership and pioneering in everything, until the generations we witness today came, and they became dependent upon the students of their ancestors from yesterday.

For this reason, we say, while hoping for good as the Islamic advance has begun today in every land: the Muslims must know what they should take from others so that they benefit from it, and what they should leave so that they do not fall into what those before them fell into.

They must make this Islamic creed the foundation upon which the Islamic building is built anew. Then they may import from non Muslims what they lack in the purely scientific field. This importation must be done with caution and intelligence, such that these sciences are framed in a sound believing scientific manner, safe from the framing of heretics and callers to irreligion.

Someone may say: What does the purely scientific style have to do with the religious style?

The answer is that there is no separation between religion and knowledge. Rather, the Islamic religion is the religion of knowledge. Framing the scientific style from a correct Islamic starting point plants in the souls deep faith in the power of the Creator, Glorified is He, and in the greatness of His making and creating in this universe and all that is in it.

Then this objection contains an obvious false point. No matter how much those who claim to be devoted to the scientific style claim that they are neutral, it is impossible for the wording of one who received the theory of Marx, Freud, or Durkheim, regarding some scientific theory, to be like the wording of one who has the same scientific ability but received the creed of “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah” from the niche of Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allah ﷺ.

This is an apparent matter that none can deny except one who is stubborn or ignorant, who does not know that he is deceiving himself.

The proofs for benefiting from the disbelievers are found in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This has come in the authentic hadith narrated by al Bukhari and others, from ʿA’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her: The Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr hired a man from Banu al Dil, then from Banu ʿAbd ibn ʿAdi, as a skilled guide. A skilled guide is one who is expert in guidance.

He had entered a covenant with the family of al ʿAs ibn Wa’il, and he was upon the religion of the disbelievers of Quraysh. They trusted him and gave him their two riding animals, and they appointed to meet him at the cave of Thawr after three nights. He brought them their two riding animals in the morning after three nights, and they set out. (Sahih al Bukhari, 4/442, hadith 2263.)

Ibn al Qayyim said: His name was ʿAbd Allah ibn Urayqit al Du’ali. In hiring him while he was a disbeliever is proof that it is permissible to refer to a disbeliever in medicine, treatments, calculation, defects, and the like, so long as it is not an authority that requires uprightness. It does not follow from the mere fact that he is a disbeliever that he is not trusted in anything at all, for there is nothing more dangerous than guidance on the road, especially on a road like the road of the Hijrah. (Bada’iʿ al Fawa’id, 3/208.)

Ibn Battal said: The general body of the jurists permit hiring them, meaning the polytheists, during necessity and otherwise, because that contains humiliation for them. What is prevented is that the Muslim hire himself to the polytheist, because that contains humiliation of the Muslim. (Fath al Bari, 4/442.)

But what is the ruling if the Muslim hires himself to a disbeliever?

The answer is what al Bukhari also narrated from Khabbab, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: I was a blacksmith, and I did work for al ʿAs ibn Wa’il. Payment became due to me from him. I came to him to request it. He said: No, by Allah, I will not pay you until you disbelieve in Muhammad. I said: By Allah, not even until you die then are resurrected. He said: Will I die then be resurrected? I said: Yes. He said: Then I will have wealth and children, and I will pay you. So Allah, the Exalted, revealed:

أفرأيت الذي كفر بآياتنا وقال لأوتين مالا وولدا

“Have you seen the one who disbelieved in Our verses and said: I will surely be given wealth and children?” (Maryam: 77) (Sahih al Bukhari, 4/452, hadith 2275.)

Al Muhallab said: The people of knowledge disliked that, meaning hiring himself to a polytheist in the land of war, except due to necessity with two conditions. First, that his work must be in something permissible for the Muslim to do. Second, that he must not help him in a way whose harm returns upon the Muslims. (Fath al Bari, 4/452.)

As for hiring a polytheist in battle, prohibition has come regarding that. In the hadith narrated by Muslim from ʿA’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, she said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out before Badr.

When he was at Harrat al Wabarah, a man caught up with him who had been known for courage and strength. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were pleased when they saw him. When he caught up with him, he said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “I came to follow you and gain with you.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: “Do you believe in Allah and His Messenger?”

He said: “No.”

He said: “Then go back, for I will not seek help from a polytheist.” She said: Then he went on until, when we were at al Shajarah, the man caught up with him and said to him as he had said the first time.

The Prophet ﷺ said to him as he had said the first time. He said: “Go back, for I will not seek help from a polytheist.” Then he returned and caught up with him at al Bayda’. He said to him as he had said the first time: “Do you believe in Allah and His Messenger?”

He said: “Yes.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: “Then come along.” (Sahih Muslim, 3/1499, hadith 1817.)

However, al Hazimi (d. 584AH) said: The people of knowledge differed on this issue.

One group went to the view that seeking help from polytheists is absolutely forbidden. They held to the apparent wording of this hadith. They said: This is an authentic hadith from the Prophet ﷺ, and what opposes it does not match it in authenticity and establishment, so claiming abrogation of it is not possible.

Another group held that the imam may permit the polytheists to fight with him and seek help from them, but with two conditions:

First: that there is small number among the Muslims and a need calls for that.

Second: that they are from those who are trusted, so that their rising up is not feared.

Whenever these two conditions are absent, it is not permissible for the imam to seek help from them. They said: When these two conditions exist, seeking help from them is permissible.

They held to what Ibn ʿAbbas narrated, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sought help from the Jews of Banu Qaynuqaʿ, and sought help from Safwan ibn Umayyah in fighting Hawazin on the day of Hunayn. They said: It is necessary to go to this view, because the hadith of ʿA’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, was on the day of Badr, and it is earlier, so it is abrogated. (al Iʿtibar fi al Nasikh wa al Mansukh min al Athar by al Hazimi, 219, edited by Ratib Hakimi.)

Then he said: There is no harm in seeking help from the polytheists in fighting the polytheists if they come out willingly, and no share is given to them. (The previous source, 220.)

Ibn al Qayyim supported this view when speaking on the benefits of the treaty of al Hudaybiyah. He said: Seeking help from a trustworthy polytheist in jihad is permissible when needed, because his eye from Khuzaʿah was a disbeliever at that time. In this there is an interest, because he is closer to mixing with the enemy and taking their news. (Zad al Maʿad, 3/301. The story of the man from Khuzaʿah is in Tarikh al Tabari, 2/625.)

He said regarding the benefits of the Battle of Hunayn: The imam may borrow the weapons and equipment of the polytheists to fight his enemy, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ borrowed the armours of Safwan ibn Umayyah while he was a polytheist on that day. (Zad al Maʿad, 3/479. The story is in al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 4/83, and Tarikh al Tabari, 3/73.)

Imam Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al Wahhab (d. 1206AH) followed him and said: Benefiting from disbelievers in some matters of the religion is not blameworthy, because of the story of the man from Khuzaʿah. (Mulhaq Musannafat al Imam Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al Wahhab, 7.)

We summarise by saying:

Benefiting from the disbelievers and from what they have of sciences that come from human effort is permissible in Islam. Its proofs are many, some of which have already been mentioned. Among them is also the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entering into a farming arrangement with the Jews in Khaybar, that they would work it and cultivate it, and they would have half of what came out of it. (The hadith is in Sahih al Bukhari, 5/15, hadith 2331.)

As for the Muslim hiring himself to them, it is permissible if that does not involve venerating their religion, their symbols, or anything that contains lowliness and humiliation for him. As for seeking help from them in battle, that is permissible, but it is tied to the imam of the Muslims if he sees that the interest requires using them. Otherwise, no.

Along with this, caution must be taken and disbelievers must be prevented from being used in any authority of the Muslims in which they have power over the Muslims, such as administrative offices. In that there is an offence against Islam and the Muslims. Besides being a clear opposition to the ruling of the Islamic Sharia and its authority over the earth, it is also clear humiliation of the Muslims, even of those who thought that this matter was permissible.

Here are some important texts and historical events in which the scheming of the enemies of Allah against Islam appears when they took such important positions.

Imam Ahmad narrated with an authentic chain from Abu Musa al Ashʿari, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: I said to ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him: “I have a Christian scribe.” He said: “What is wrong with you? May Allah kill you. Have you not heard Allah saying:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا اليهود والنصارى أولياء بعضهم أولياء بعض

“O you who believe, do not take the Jews and Christians as allies. Some of them are allies of others.” (al Ma’idah: 51)

Why did you not take a Hanif?” He said: I said: “O Commander of the Believers, I have his writing, and he has his religion.” He said: “I will not honour them when Allah has humiliated them, I will not give them strength when Allah has lowered them, and I will not bring them near when Allah has pushed them away.” (This is how Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned in Iqtida’ al Sirat al Mustaqim, 50, that this hadith was narrated by Ahmad. I did not find it in the Musnad of Abu Musa. Al Bayhaqi reported it in al Sunan al Kubra, 10/127.)

ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, also wrote to Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, a letter in which he said: “Do not seek help in any matter from the matters of the Muslims through a polytheist. Help the interests of the Muslims yourself, for you are only a man from them, except that Allah, the Exalted, has made you carry their burdens.” (Ahkam Ahl al Dhimmah, 1/212.)

ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al ʿAziz (d. 101AH), may Allah have mercy on him, wrote to some of his workers:

“As for what follows: it has reached me that in your work there is a Christian scribe who manages the interests of Islam, while Allah, the Exalted, says:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا الذين اتخذوا دينكم هزوا ولعبا من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبلكم والكفار أولياء واتقوا الله إن كنتم مؤمنين

“O you who believe, do not take as allies those who took your religion as mockery and play from those who were given the Book before you, nor the disbelievers. Fear Allah, if you are believers.” (al Ma’idah: 57)

When this letter of mine reaches you, call Hassan ibn Zayd, meaning that scribe, to Islam. If he accepts Islam, then he is from us and we are from him. If he refuses, then do not seek help through him, and do not take anyone who is not upon the religion of Islam in any of the interests of the Muslims.”

Hassan accepted Islam, and his Islam became good. (The previous source, 1/214.)

When using the People of the Book in the interests of the Muslims became widespread during the Abbasid caliphate, one of the ulama rose to fulfil the duty of commanding right and forbidding wrong in this matter. He was Shabib ibn Shaybah. He sought permission to enter upon Abu Jaʿfar al Mansur, and he was given permission. He said:

“O Commander of the Believers, fear Allah, for it is Allah’s advice. It came to you, it is accepted from you, and to you it returns. Nothing called me to say what I say except pure advice for you, and concern for you and for the blessings of Allah that are with you. Lower your wing when your heel rises high, and spread your good when Allah enriches your hands.

O Commander of the Believers, behind your door are fires blazing from oppression and injustice. In them, the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ are not acted upon.

O Commander of the Believers, you have given the protected people authority over the Muslims. They wronged them, treated them harshly, took their lands, seized their wealth, and acted unjustly towards them. They took you as a ladder to their desires. They will not avail you against Allah in anything on the Day of Resurrection.”

Al Mansur said: “Take my seal and send it to whomever you know from the Muslims.” He said: “O Rabiʿ, write to the provinces and remove those from the protected people who are in them. Whoever Shabib brings to you, inform us of his place so that we may write appointing him.”

Shabib said: “O Commander of the Believers, the Muslims will not come to you while these disbelievers are in your service. If they obey them, they anger Allah. If they anger them, they incite you against them. Rather, appoint several in one day, so whenever you appoint one man, you remove another.” (The previous source, 1/215.)

The summary is that it is necessary to distinguish between using a disbeliever as a single person in one matter from the matters, and using him as a person of authority and influence in a matter from the matters of the Islamic state.

The first is permissible, and evidence for it has come, as you have already learned.

The second is not permissible because it conflicts with the content and spirit of the Islamic Sharia and its main goal, which is that the word of Allah should be the highest and the word of those who disbelieve should be the lowest.

All good lies in the Muslims relying upon themselves, so that the Islamic Ummah remains a distinct Ummah with a special character, dyed with the Rabbani dye which Allah wanted for it.

We ask the Lord, Glorified is He, to bring the day when the Muslims return to their correct religion and become independent from the disbelievers and all enemies in all their matters and affairs. That is not difficult for Allah.

How the Salaf Applied Loyalty and Disavowal

It is necessarily known that the Salaf of this Ummah, may Allah be pleased with them, were the best people in applying this creed with all its requirements and duties.

Speaking about the Salaf is pleasant and beautiful. Rather, it is one of the practical motivations recorded by the history of the Muslim Ummah, so that it may remain a signpost of guidance and right direction for those who came after them, so they may follow their Sunnah and walk upon their path.

They, may Allah be pleased with them, valued the blessing which Allah had bestowed upon them, namely the blessing of faith.

They also valued the favour of Allah’s light and His pure Sharia, with which He sent His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

أو من كان ميتا فأحييناه وجعلنا له نورا يمشي به في الناس كمن مثله في الظلمات ليس بخارج منها

“Is the one who was dead, then We gave him life and gave him a light by which he walks among the people, like one whose likeness is in darkness from which he cannot come out?” (al Anʿam: 122)

They, may Allah have mercy on them, valued the training of the chosen Prophet ﷺ, and the importance of his noble Sunnah in word and deed. They understood that “they were not servants of a race, nor messengers of a people or homeland, working only for its comfort and interest, and believing in its virtue and honour over all peoples and lands. They did not go out to establish an Arab empire under whose shade they would enjoy themselves and graze freely, and under whose protection they would rise in pride and arrogance, removing people from the rule of the Romans and Persians into the rule of the Arabs, and into their own rule.

Rather, they rose to bring people out from the worship of all servants into the worship of Allah alone, as Ribʿi ibn ʿAmir, the envoy of the Muslims, said in the gathering of Yazdegerd: ‘Allah sent us to bring people out from the worship of servants into the worship of Allah alone, from the narrowness of this life into its vastness, and from the injustice of religions into the justice of Islam.’

Nations were equal in their sight, and people were equal in their sight. All people are from Adam, and Adam is from dust.

They did not withhold from anyone what they had of religion, knowledge, and refinement. In judgement, leadership, and virtue, they did not consider lineage, colour, homeland, or race. Rather, they were a cloud of goodness that covered the lands and included the servants, and morning clouds whose rain was praised by both the plain and the rough land, and from which lands and servants benefited according to their acceptance and fitness.” (Madha Khasira al ʿAlam bi Inhitat al Muslimin, 126–127, with slight wording changes.)

It is difficult for me here to mention most of the events and positions in which the application of loyalty and disavowal appeared among the Salaf of the Ummah, may Allah have mercy on them. However, I will limit myself to a few examples, in order to give a true understanding, a living image, and shining examples of those faithful models whom Allah wanted to make this religion’s high example a reality through. This was so people would know that this religion is both ideal and real at the same time, when there are qualified people worthy of carrying it and conveying it to people with truthfulness, trust, purity, clarity, sincerity, detachment, and seeking what is with Allah.

Among these examples is the position of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ towards Kaʿb ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, and those with him from the three who were left behind, when they cut them off and avoided them because they stayed behind from the expedition of Tabuk.

Look at this cutting off of three Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who used to pray behind the Messenger of Allah in a masjid founded upon fear of Allah. They avoided them and did not speak to them, even with the Islamic greeting.

As for the great position in which the Muslim’s loyalty to his religion and his believing brothers appears, even while this believer is being avoided by his brothers and loved ones, cut off from them even in the reply of salam, and tested by a great material temptation, with a position and high status in this life made attractive to him, then it is the position of the noble Companion Kaʿb ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him. As has come in his long hadith, when the Messenger ﷺ commanded his Companions to avoid him and those with him, until even his wife went to her family, a strange and dangerous matter surprised him.

Kaʿb, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

“While I was walking in the market of Madinah, a Nabati man from the people of al Sham, among those who had come with food to sell in Madinah, was saying: ‘Who will direct me to Kaʿb ibn Malik?’

The people began pointing him towards me until he came to me and handed me a letter from the king of Ghassan. In it was written: ‘As for what follows: it has reached me that your companion has treated you harshly, and Allah has not placed you in a house of humiliation or loss. So come to us and we will support you.’ When I read it, I said: ‘This too is from the trial.’ So I went to an oven and burned it in it.” (The full story is in Sahih al Bukhari, 8/113, hadith 4418. See also the story in Tafsir al Tabari, 11, and Ibn Kathir, 4/166–168.)

Kaʿb, may Allah be pleased with him, spoke truthfully when he said: “This too is from the trial.” Yes, it was a great trial. Kaʿb’s loyalty, may Allah be pleased with him, despite the hardship and avoidance he was facing, and despite the calls of temptation and misguidance, remained for Allah, His religion, His Messenger, and the believers. His disavowal of the king of Ghassan was clear when he burned that king’s letter.

Look at this greatness and this truthfulness in loyalty and love for Islam and the Muslims, and distance from everything that turns one away from that, from the pleasures and status of this life, which are not equal in Allah’s sight to the wing of a mosquito.

Ibn Hajar (d. 852AH), while explaining the story of Kaʿb, said: What he did shows the strength of his faith and his love for Allah and His Messenger. Otherwise, one who becomes like him in a state of being avoided and turned away from may become too weak to bear that.

The desire for status and wealth may lead him to leave those who left him, especially with safety from the king who invited him, since he would not force him to leave his religion. Yet, because he thought that he might not be safe from trial, he cut off the cause, burned the letter, and prevented any reply. He gave preference to the hardship and pain he was in over the comfort and luxury he was invited to, out of love for Allah and His Messenger, as he ﷺ said: “That Allah and His Messenger be more beloved to him than anything else.” (Fath al Bari, 8/121. The hadith has already been sourced earlier, 40. See Ibn al Qayyim’s comment on the story in Zad al Maʿad, 3/581.)

Another example is the story of the noble Companion ʿAbd Allah ibn Hudhafah al Sahmi, may Allah be pleased with him, and his position with the king of the Romans. The king tempted him, even by offering him a share in his kingdom, but he refused. He threatened him with killing and burning, yet he refused to become Christian. All of this is a clear proof and truthful evidence of the depth of that loyalty and the firmness of this creed in those great souls.

If the position of ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Ubayy, which has already been mentioned, was great when he prevented his father from entering Madinah except with the permission of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then the position of Abu ʿUbaydah, may Allah be pleased with him, is even more amazing and greater. He killed his father in the Battle of Badr because he was a disbeliever fighting Allah and His Messenger.

The bond of fatherhood did not prevent him from carrying out loyalty and support for Allah, His Messenger, His religion, and the believers, nor from disavowal and jihad against the enemy of Allah who was pleased to remain in the party of Satan, fighting the believers.

Another example is what the books of sirah narrated regarding Zayd ibn al Dathinah, may Allah be pleased with him. Safwan ibn Umayyah bought him after the day of al Rajiʿ in order to kill him in revenge for his father, Umayyah ibn Khalaf.

They took Zayd out to al Tanʿim, where a group of Quraysh gathered. Among them was Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. Abu Sufyan said to him when he was brought forward to be killed: “I ask you by Allah, O Zayd, would you love that Muhammad were now with us in your place so we could strike his neck, while you were with your family?”

Zayd said: “By Allah, I would not love that Muhammad now be in the place where he is, and be struck by a thorn that hurts him, while I am sitting with my family.”

Abu Sufyan said: “I have never seen anyone from the people love anyone as the Companions of Muhammad love Muhammad.” Then they killed Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him. (Zayd ibn al Dathinah ibn Muʿawiyah ibn ʿUbayd ibn ʿAmir ibn Bayadah al Ansari witnessed Badr and Uhud. He was at the expedition of Bi’r Maʿunah, then the polytheists captured him and Quraysh killed him at al Tanʿim. See al Isabah, 1/565.) (See the story in al Sirah by Ibn Hisham, 3/181.)

Look at this love, this devotion, that loyalty, and the strength of support. He, may Allah be pleased with him, while being far away from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, was not pleased that even a thorn should touch the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, let alone anything greater than that.

This is the truthful loyalty that this creed built within souls. It brought out for people these great examples, before whose greatness every earthly greatness falls short.

Another example is what Imam Ahmad and others narrated: Anas ibn al Nadr, may Allah be pleased with him, missed the fighting at Badr. He said: “I was absent from the first battle in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fought the polytheists. If Allah causes me to witness fighting against the polytheists, Allah will surely see what I do.”

When the day of Uhud came and the Muslims were exposed, he said: “O Allah, I apologise to You for what these people have done,” meaning his companions, “and I disavow before You what these people have brought,” meaning the polytheists. Then he advanced. He met Saʿd ibn Muʿadh before Uhud and said: “I am with you.” Saʿd said: “I could not do what he did.” He was then found with more than eighty wounds from sword strikes, spear thrusts, and arrows. They used to say that regarding him and his companions, the statement of Allah, the Exalted, was revealed:

فمنهم من قضى نحبه ومنهم من ينتظر

“Among them are those who have fulfilled what they pledged, and among them are those who are still waiting.” (al Ahzab: 23) (Musnad Ahmad, 3/301; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 6/394.)

Our righteous Salaf, may Allah be pleased with them, had great honour in their religion. Empty appearances did not deceive them, nor did the powers and considerations that enslave people in jahiliyyah. The truest example of this is the story of Ribʿi ibn ʿAmir when he met Rustam. The Persians were heavily armed, wearing crowns and garments woven with gold. They placed carpets and cushions in the gathering of Rustam, and he had a throne of gold.

Ribʿi came riding a small shaggy horse. He had with him a sword whose sheath was wrapped in an old piece of cloth, a spear, a shield, and a bow. When he reached the edge of the carpets, it was said to him: “Dismount.” He rode it over the carpet, and when it stood upon it, he dismounted, tied it to two cushions, tore them both, and inserted the rope into them. They could not stop him.

Then they said to him: “Put down your weapon.” He said: “I did not come to you so that I should put down my weapon by your command. You invited me. If you refuse that I come to you as I wish, I will go back.” They informed Rustam, so he gave him permission and said: “Is he anything but one man?”

Ribʿi came forward, leaning on his spear, whose iron tip was near the ground with each step. He was piercing the cushions and carpets, leaving no cushion or carpet without ruining it, leaving it torn and ripped. When he came close to Rustam, the guards clung to him. He sat on the ground and planted his spear into the carpet. They said: “What made you do this?” He said: “We do not like sitting upon this decoration of yours.”

Rustam spoke to him and said: “What brought you?” He said: “Allah sent us, and Allah brought us, to bring whoever He wills out from the worship of servants into the worship of Allah, from the narrowness of this life into its vastness, and from the injustice of religions into the justice of Islam. He sent us with His religion to His creation so that we may call them to it. Whoever accepts that from us, we accept that from him, withdraw from him, and leave him and his land to manage it without us. Whoever refuses, we fight him forever until we reach the promise of Allah.”

He said: “What is the promise of Allah?” He said: “Paradise for whoever dies fighting those who refuse, and victory for whoever remains.”

Rustam said: “I have heard your words. Will you delay this matter until we look into it and you look into it?” He said: “Yes. How long would you like? One day or two days?” He said: “No, rather until we write to the people of our counsel and the chiefs of our people.” He wanted to draw him close and delay him.

Ribʿi said: “From what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made a Sunnah for us, and what our imams acted upon, is that we do not permit the enemies to hold our ears, and we do not delay them when meeting for more than three.

We will hold back from you for three days. So look into your matter and theirs, and choose one of three after the delay: choose Islam, and we will leave you and your land; or tribute, and we will accept it and hold back from you. If you have no need of our support, we will leave you. If you need it, we will protect you. Or fighting on the fourth day. We will not begin against you between now and the fourth day, unless you begin against us. I am a guarantor for you in this over my companions and over all those whom you see.”

He said: “Are you their chief?” He said: “No. But the Muslims are like one body. Each one is part of the other. The lowest of them may grant protection on behalf of the highest of them.” (Tarikh al Tabari, 3/519–520.)

Also among what makes clear the form of loyalty in the souls of those righteous ones is his statement ﷺ during the expedition of Tabuk: “In Madinah there are people. You did not travel any distance, nor cross any valley, except that they were with you.” They said: “While they are in Madinah?” He said: “While they are in Madinah. The excuse held them back.” Agreed upon. (Sahih al Bukhari, 8/126, hadith 4423; Sahih Muslim, 3/1518, hadith 1911.)

Look at this loyalty and mutual support, even from those held back by excuse, because this is a matter for which they had no excuse to leave it. They were with their brothers through supplication and concern.

As for today, the deceived, the dazzled, and the defeated see the disbelievers, as one of them said, as honourable opponents. Rather, they see them as loyal friends.

What the Muslims today must understand is that following the life of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and our righteous Salaf in everything, and especially in the matter of loyalty and disavowal, is what is required of them.

After that, they should not care that the voices of the people of blind following and loyalty to the disbelieving west and heretical east rise, calling out what others before them said and repeated, that this action is backwardness and retreat. Rather, the determination of the sincere Muslims to realise the requirements of this creed, and their insistence on ruling by the Rabbani Sharia, is the path of success and the road of true prosperity in this life and the Hereafter. They are worthy of rising to the level required of them.

ولا تهنوا ولا تحزنوا وأنتم الأعلون إن كنتم مؤمنين

“Do not weaken, and do not grieve. You are the highest, if you are believers.” (Al ʿImran: 139)

Author

ISHAQ. K