Chapter 4

Is it equally deserved for the oppressor or the oppressed? Those crooked standards of allegiance and enmity remained for ages, until the sun of Islam rose upon them with the justice of the All-Knowing King. Divine revelation elevated the inclination of loyalty and enmity from its narrow, oppressive, and limited horizon to being linked with the Creator of this great universe and with all people on this earth. This is what Rib'i ibn 'Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) expressed in the palace of Khosrow, when he said: "Allah has sent us to bring whomsoever He wills from the worship of servants to the worship of Allah, from the narrowness of this world to its vastness, and from the injustice of (other) religions to the justice of Islam." (1) ¶

Thus, those whom Allah guided to this religion found their goal and their long-sought object, to the extent that they loved them more than their own selves, wealth, children, and parents. ¶

People welcomed Islam when they saw that its purpose was brotherhood and justice: Our souls meet in it, pulsing like bees meeting in their hives, Its constitution is the Revelation and the Chosen One is its leader, and all Muslims, even if they are scattered, are its subjects. (2) ¶

And in the era of the Messenger (PBUH) and the era of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was realized: "You see the believers in their mercy, love, and compassion for one another like a single body; when one organ suffers, the rest of the body responds with sleeplessness and fever." (3). What comparison between the soundly constructed Islamic society and the single human body could be more precise and accurately insightful than this analogy indicated by the hadith? ¶

The reactions to the afflictions of pain and the arrows of injury in a single body are... ¶

A spontaneous and immediate reaction, which remains present as long as the suffering limb is in pain and feeling the injury. ¶

This is the believing Muslim society, among whose signs of faith and the soundness of their Islam are their mutual love, compassion, and mercy. This is the true 'cohesion' (al-iltiham) among the individuals of the Muslim Ummah—the Ummah that the Messenger (ﷺ) established, and which his Rightly-Guided Caliphs followed in safeguarding after him. This cohesion bequeathed to the Muslims a unique and unparalleled status that lasted for hundreds of years. No calamity would befall a part of the Muslims without the entire Muslim society feeling distressed by that event, agonizing over it, staying awake for it, and offering much of their lives, wealth, and time. They would not taste comfort until the calamity afflicting a part of them had vanished and that afflicted member had healed, just as is the nature of the human body. This behavior and stance were among the things that most infuriated and terrified the enemies of Islam, because they found themselves facing a strong, cohesive, and supportive nation that defends a part of itself just as it defends the whole, considering what befalls the part to be a reality for the whole. However, this attribute and unique trait that distinguished this Ummah suffered weakness and frailty among a small number of Muslims, and died completely among the majority, when this Ummah was afflicted with chronic paralysis. This was the result of doses of 'anesthetic' agents injected by enemies into its body, leading to the loss of sensitivity toward the trials and calamities suffered by its individuals. This was accomplished through malicious deception and a planned scheme by the enemies of Islam, in the implementation of which both the East and the West agreed, due to the fact that Muslim lands are the source of the eternal message and contain the most important sources of wealth in the world. They could not obtain this except by sowing the seeds of discord among Muslims and weakening the spirit of alliance (muwalat) between them. ¶

Thus, the West brought upon us the theory of worshiping materialism, desire, and fame; for its sake alliances are formed, and upon it enmities are based. It is wealth that now moves man's love and hatred. ¶

The capitalist society, and the contagion of these sinful ideas, infiltrated us as a result of interaction with the disbelievers on non-Islamic foundations and perceptions. Likewise, the contagion of communist ideas seeped into us, where the individual in communist societies gives his loyalty to the ruling system; he becomes a slave owned by the state and a mute tool in its hands, forced to support those it supports and oppose those it opposes. Consequently, Muslim lands were influenced by this tendency, and most Muslims began to show blind loyalty to the state, the ruling party, or the ruling individual, either driven by personal interest or fear of the authority of oppressors and the tyranny of unjust despots. Most Muslims today do not bear any of the duty of 'al-wala wal-bara' (loyalty and disavowal) for the sake of Allah, as they live in complete isolation from their religion and the requirements it places upon them regarding love and hatred, and loyalty and disavowal. ¶

Among the Muslims are those whose wealth, status, and prestige have distracted them from loyalty and disavowal for the sake of Allah; they show loyalty for these things and show enmity for them. How often have we seen grudges, disputes, and hostilities among kin for the sake of the fleeting debris of this world. ¶

There is a second group that shows loyalty to the people of vice and enmity toward the people of virtue; this is a group that worships whims and desires. They are loyal to anyone who leads them to vulgar women, brimming cups, and lewd voices. The third group, which is the most dangerous of all, are those who have taken sports as a god besides Allah; for its sake, they show loyalty and for its sake, they show enmity. Some have loved it more than their love for Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, and this is major shirk (polytheism). Allah the Almighty says: 'And of the people are some who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah.' Some may think that this is an attack on sports or a trivialization of them. The truth is that I am not against sports as a means of strengthening, refinement, and recreation, but I am against it as a means... ¶

Its purpose is to distract the masses, enslave minds, squander wealth, and waste energies on matters that have no substance. ¶

This Jewish game (1) has distracted the Muslim youth from studying the Holy Quran and the Hadiths of the Noble Messenger, and from pursuing knowledge in various fields of learning. It has also distracted people from their businesses, factories, farms, and countless other professions in which this long duration of time could have been invested. The Ummah is in need of every young person in society to be an active member who does not waste a single minute, let alone long hours, in a mirage in a desert that the thirsty one thinks is water, but when he reaches it, he finds it to be nothing. The obsession, extremism, and fanaticism among sports enthusiasts have reached the level of madness and worship of this game. Many of them have abandoned Friday prayers and congregational prayers, devoting themselves to sports morning and evening in the stadiums, staying in the club headquarters, engaging in futile and barren arguments with their friends during late nights and with their colleagues at work, reading sports newspapers and magazines, and listening to local, international, and regional matches—both visual and audio. In fact, the loyalty and enmity among players have reached the level of disbelief—may Allah protect us—such that if there is a disbelieving person among the members or players of a club, those affiliated with this club at various levels love and support this disbeliever in word and deed, and grant him their sincere heartfelt affection, while harboring the greatest hatred, malice, contempt, and disdain for a Muslim who belongs to another club, even if he is a young man who grew up in the worship of Allah. They know more about the lives of local, regional, and international players than they do about the lives of the ten companions given the glad tidings of Paradise. ¶

How, then, can those in such a state claim Islam, while Allah the Almighty says: {You will not find a people...} ¶

(1) See: The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion - The Thirteenth Protocol, p. 168, translated by Muhammad Khalifa Al-Tunisi. ¶

They believe in Allah and the Last Day; they do not befriend those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers, sons, brothers, or kin (1). Therefore, if it is not permissible to befriend disbelieving fathers and sons who oppose Allah and His Messenger, how can it be permissible to befriend those disbelievers who are enemies of Allah, His Messenger, and the believers (such as Pele, Rivelino, Thomas, and other tools and claws of disbelief)? The joy of club members over their illusory victory has become of greater significance and higher value than victory over the Jews in Palestine, the Communists in Afghanistan, or the Crusaders in Eritrea and the Philippines. Likewise, their defeat against a club is felt more intensely than the usurpation of those lands and the displacement of millions of Muslim refugees. The vast majority of Muslims have diverted the duty of 'Wala and Bara' (allegiance and disavowal) from its correct path and have begun to align and oppose based on superficial, naive, trivial, and flimsy issues, akin to childish behavior. This mode of thinking is among the causes that have led us to our current state of humiliation, disgrace, contempt, and alienation (2). We are a nation that Allah has honored by entrusting it with the message of Islam and the responsibility to convey it to all people. This requires effort, sacrifice, commitment, and seriousness in life, as we differ in our purpose and means from aimless, decadent nations drowning in the mire of desires and doubts. The enemies of Islam have diverted the issue of allegiance and disavowal from its proper course. (1) Surah Al-Mujadilah, verse 22. (2) A fan once likened the Kuwaiti national team, after they topped Asian teams and traveled to Spain, to the 'Conquest of Andalusia'. He drew a comparison between 'The Falcon of Quraish,' Abd al-Rahman al-Dakhil, and the player Faisal al-Dakheel, placing the team members in the ranks of the noble Companions by saying, 'Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah.' This is the tragedy of a generation raised on absurdity, foolishness, amusement, and loyalty to other than Allah. See: Al-Mujtama' magazine, issue 552, dated 19/2/1402 AH, p. 7. ¶

towards a trivial and feeble path, for it has emptied the hearts of generations—except those whom Allah has protected—of the love of Allah and His Messenger, the love of his Companions and those who followed them in righteousness, the love of practicing scholars and the books of knowledge, and the love of strength and its true causes, replacing them with the love of the enemies of Allah and that which serves the enemies of Allah, consisting of trivial speech and base actions. ¶

It is neither permissible nor correct for a Muslim to love any game, any book, any person, any group of people, any system, any ideology, or any action, unless it is in accordance with what Allah and His Messenger love, and its love is derived from the love for Them. The Almighty says: 'Say, if you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Say, obey Allah and the Messenger; but if they turn away, then indeed Allah does not love the disbelievers.' ¶

Therefore, by virtue of his faith in Allah the Almighty, a Muslim does not love except for the sake of Allah, and does not hate except for the sake of Allah, because he does not love except what Allah and His Messenger love, and he does not hate except what Allah and His Messenger hate. The proof of this is the aforementioned verse and the saying of the Messenger (ﷺ): 'Whoever loves for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake of Allah, gives for the sake of Allah, and withholds for the sake of Allah, has perfected his faith.' ¶

Based on this, a Muslim loves and supports all the righteous servants of Allah, and hates and opposes all those who deviate from the command of Allah and His Messenger. ¶

It is our duty, if we are true Muslims, to return to the Book of Allah the Almighty and the Sunnah of His Messenger (ﷺ), to establish plans that are consistent with the goals of our religion and the aspirations of our Ummah, and to form our alliances and enmities according to the correct concept and understanding of Islam, rather than forming alliances and enmities based on a mirage in a desert, which the thirsty one thinks is water, but when he reaches it, he finds it to be nothing. ¶

Will those who are asleep among this Ummah now awaken, and will those who are heedless and deceived become aware, or (are they as described): 'By your life, [O Muhammad], indeed they were, in their intoxication, wandering blindly.' (Surah Al-Hijr: 72) ¶

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Chapter One: The Status of Al-Wala' wal-Bara' (Loyalty and Disavowal) in Islamic Sharia. This chapter contains ten sections: Section One: Al-Wala' wal-Bara' in the Holy Quran. Section Two: Al-Wala' wal-Bara' in the Prophetic Sunnah. Section Three: The statements of the righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Salih) regarding Al-Wala' wal-Bara'. Section Four: The connection of Al-Wala' wal-Bara' to the two testimonies of faith (Shahadatayn). Section Five: Al-Wala' wal-Bara' for the sake of Allah is expressed through both speech and action. Section Six: The ruling on showing loyalty to the believers and disavowal toward the disbelievers. Section Seven: The status of Al-Wala' wal-Bara' in Islam. Section Eight: Loyalty to the people of truth necessitates disavowal of the people of falsehood. Section Nine: The connection of compromise (mudahanah) and tactfulness (mudara'ah) to Al-Wala' wal-Bara'. Section Ten: Changing terminology does not alter the reality of the named concept or its ruling. ¶

(Q): Regarding his statement (Zakat), it has been asked: Why did he not say 'Sadaqah'? He replied that he intended the obligatory Zakat, for it is in a state of perfection, meaning it is more complete and perfect than Sadaqah. This is because Sadaqah can apply to both a small or large amount, unlike Zakat, which is specified by the Shariah. Therefore, Zakat is greater than absolute Sadaqah; Zakat is more specific (akhas) and Sadaqah is more general (a'amm). Turning from the general to the specific is not harmful; rather, it is often better. He only said 'Zakat' because it is in a state of completion, whereas Sadaqah can apply to a small amount, unlike Zakat, which is determined by the Shariah. ¶

(His statement: 'He only said Zakat because it is in a state of completion, and Sadaqah can apply to a small amount, unlike Zakat, which is determined by the Shariah') I say: This reasoning is not sound for specifying Zakat over Sadaqah. This is because 'Sadaqah', just as it can apply to a small amount, can also apply to a large amount. Thus, the fact that it can apply to a small amount does not prevent it from being applicable to a large amount. Furthermore, the fact that it is specified by the Shariah does not necessitate using that term exclusively rather than Sadaqah, as jurists (fuqaha) frequently refer to Zakat as 'Sadaqah' in their books—for example, in the Book of Zakat, they say: 'Sadaqah is permissible for...', and so on. ¶

The better response is to say that he shifted from 'Sadaqah' to 'Zakat' because Zakat is the standard term in the terminology of the jurists, and it is the specific meaning intended in this chapter; thus, it is more indicative of the intended meaning and more explicit in stating the ruling. ¶

Zakat in the language means: growth and increase. In the Shariah, it is: the transfer of ownership of a specific part of a specific wealth to a specific poor person, who does not possess the right of usufruct (manfa'ah) in it, and it is not given to anyone from the Banu Hashim, on the condition of cutting off all benefit from the transferor for the sake of Allah the Almighty. ¶

(His statement: 'The transfer of ownership of a specific part of a specific wealth to a specific poor person') This definition is open to critique because it includes gifts (hibah) and voluntary charity (sadaqat al-tatawwu'); therefore, it is not comprehensive (jami'). Zakat has a specific essence (mahiyyah) that other types of charity do not share with it. Thus, it is better to define Zakat as: 'The extraction of a specific portion from a specific wealth, having reached the nisab and upon which a year has passed, for a specific destination.' The term 'transfer of ownership' (tamlik) was added as a restriction to exclude charities that are in the nature of an act of piety (qurbah) rather than transfer of ownership, such as endowments (waqf) and the building of mosques. The author, may Allah have mercy upon him, mentioned necessary restrictions in this definition: his saying 'transfer of ownership' excludes waqf, his saying 'part of wealth' excludes what is not as such, and his saying 'from a specific wealth' excludes that which is not specific, and so on. Every restriction carries a specific benefit. ¶

Section One: Al-Muwalah (Loyalty) and Al-Mu'adah (Enmity) in the Holy Quran ¶

Islam is certainly a religion of peace, a creed of love and harmony, and a system that aims for the whole world to live under its shade, for its methodology to be established, and for it to gather people under its banner as loving and cooperating brothers. There is no obstacle to this other than the aggression of its enemies against it and its people. So how can there be a meeting or affection with those who have disbelieved in Allah and the truth brought by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)? How can there be a meeting or love with those who have dared to malign the Essence of Allah, describing it with attributes that would not befit even the simplest of people, let alone the Almighty and All-Powerful? How can there be affection and loyalty with those who have positioned themselves as enemies of the truth and its people across every time and place? What reason is left for loyalty and affection after these oppressive atrocities? ¶

A Muslim is required to be tolerant with their enemies, but is forbidden from showing them loyalty (muwalah), supporting them, or forming alliances with them. For no matter how much tolerance and affection a Muslim shows, the enemies will never be pleased with them until they eradicate their religion and until they renounce their creed. ¶

It is a sign of extreme naivety for any person to think that the pleasure of Allah and the pleasure of the disbelievers can be combined. ¶

There is a group of people who attempt to break the barrier of opposition between faith (iman) and disbelief (kufr). Sometimes they call for combining truth and falsehood under the guise of tolerance and good treatment; at other times, they distort texts to suit their own desires, intending to blend Muslims with others until they dissolve into the deep swamp of disbelief. At times, in the name of interfaith rapprochement and peaceful coexistence, they advocate taking parts from every religion; and at other times, they call for setting aside religions altogether and adopting the principle of secularism in the administration of states and peoples, under the pretext of avoiding the perils of wars between religious followers. ¶

As Muslims, we will not be satisfied with anything other than the Islamic methodology in dealing with people, as this is one of the conditions for the validity of our Islam. We will not be true Muslims until we apply its rulings to ourselves, including those rulings related to our dealings with others. ¶

The issue upon which we differ with others is the issue of faith in this religion. Whoever believes, we love and befriend, and whoever disbelieves and acts in wickedness, we detest and oppose. The severance of the bond of Islamic belief and the tie of faith between a Muslim and a disbeliever necessitates a decisive separation that leaves no room for any bonds of love, affection, or kinship with those who have disbelieved in Allah. ¶

The vast majority of Muslims today have apostatized from their religion due to their loyalty to the disbelievers and their support for them in word, deed, and belief. We find many who claim to be Muslims glorifying the principles and systems of disbelief out of desire or fear, mocking the symbols of Islam in their speech and actions, and taking up arms in defense of falsehood. ¶

And their people, and they wage war against the Truth and its followers. Despite all this criminality, they view themselves—and some people view them—as being among the righteous Muslims. This group has counterparts in the lives of the Prophets and the callers to Allah in every time and place; the hypocrites have existed in the past and in the present, and they are the first to walk this deviant path. They are then followed by the common masses if they do not find someone to guide or direct them to the Truth, such as a scholar who acts upon his knowledge or a ruler who is just in his ruling. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) tests people in such circumstances to see—while He is the All-Knowing of everything—who prioritizes loyalty to Him over loyalty to the disbelievers and the apostates, and who prioritizes love for Him over love for them. He elevates those who are content with the love of Allah, independent of the love of His enemies, to high stations, and He casts those whose hearts are attached to the love of others besides Allah to the depths of the abyss and the brink of Hell. People in this time have divided into three categories in their dealings with the disbelievers: The first category: A group that supports the religion of Allah, strives (jihad) in the way of Allah, is loyal to His allies, and is hostile to His enemies; they are few in number but greatest in reward before Allah. The second category: A group that abandons the people of Islam, ceases to assist them, and isolates itself from the disbelievers. The third category: A group that has exited from Islam by supporting the disbelievers, befriending them, aiding them in word, deed, and belief, and showing hostility toward and waging war against the people of the Truth. It has been narrated from the Prophet (ﷺ) that he said: 'Whoever aids a person of falsehood to overturn a right through his falsehood, the protection of Allah and the protection of His Prophet are disassociated from him.' Given that the types of loyalty (muwalat) that result in the perpetrator being judged as a disbeliever overlap with the types of loyalty for which the perpetrator commits a sin less than disbelief—depending on the variance in intention, circumstance, and the matter in which loyalty to the disbelievers occurs—we have summarized the evidences indicating this. ¶

The Prohibition of Allegiance to Disbelievers and the Obligation of Allegiance to Believers, according to the order of the Surahs and Verses in the Noble Quran. ¶

First Evidence: The Almighty said: "Many of the People of the Scripture wish that they could turn you back as disbelievers after you have believed, out of envy from themselves even after the truth has become clear unto them" (1). ¶

And He said: "O you who have believed! If you obey a party of those who were given the Scripture, they would turn you back, after your belief, to disbelievers" (2). ¶

And He said: "O you who have believed! If you obey those who disbelieve, they will turn you back on your heels, and you will become losers" (3). ¶

In the first of the three aforementioned verses, there is a declaration from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) regarding the vile intentions and deep-seated envy that the People of the Scripture harbor in their hearts towards Islam and the Muslims. It is from this that their tongues have overflowed, and from it, their conspiracies have emanated in the past and the present. This remains their unchanging characteristic, and for this reason, Allah has warned us to take caution against them and not to be deceived by honeyed words that neither nourish nor avail against hunger. Among their schemes against us is that they feign friendship to draw us into allegiance and following them, leading to apostasy from the truth toward misguidance. This is their primary objective and what they wish for every Muslim (4). ¶

In the second verse, there is a call from the Creator (Glorified and Exalted) to the believers, stirring them by the name of faith to refrain from obeying the People of the Scripture or seeking sustenance from their flawed and malignant methodologies, circumstances, and systems. ¶

Such behavior arises only from internal defeat, a sense of inferiority, and doubt regarding the sufficiency of this religion, its ability to lead and organize life, and its capacity to guide it toward the path of progress. If such misunderstandings and flawed perceptions exist... ¶

Regarding some Muslims, there is no doubt that the enemies of Islam will exploit this vulnerability with cunning, malice, and deceit for the goal that haunts them: leading the entire Muslim community into kufr (disbelief) and misguidance. If they cannot achieve this through direct contact, they recruit their followers among the hypocrites and the deceived who falsely and mendaciously attribute themselves to Islam, to work on subjugating this Ummah to its enemies. This is because allegiance and obedience to enemies must be preceded by love for them and what emanates from them, and this is what Allah warned us against in this verse. ¶

In the third and final verse among those mentioned above, there is a warning to the believers against obeying those who have committed kufr. The believer must either remain on the path of faith, in jihad against kufr and the kuffar, maintaining enmity and hatred toward them, or else turn back on his heels as a disbeliever—may Allah forbid. It is impossible for a Muslim to remain neutral between Islam and kufr, thereby preserving his Islam while obtaining the pleasure of the kuffar and safety from their harm. Some may imagine that they can withdraw from the battle between Islam and kufr and join the ultimate victor. If that victor is a kafir, they seek peace with him, obey him, and submit to him, all while believing they have retained their religion and creed. This is a grand delusion and misguidance. One who does not struggle against evil, kufr, and misguidance, and take a stand of enmity against it, will inevitably regress and apostatize until he inclines toward the enemies of Allah, listens to their whispers, and obeys their directives in the hope of protection and support from them. Thus, he becomes one of those who have preferred the worldly life over the Hereafter, and in doing so, becomes one of the lost apostates. ¶

The second evidence: The saying of Allah the Almighty: "And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion. Say, 'Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [only] guidance.' If you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would have against Allah no protector or helper." ¶

Allah, the Almighty, informs us in this verse, with emphasis and permanence, that the Jews and the Christians will never reconcile with us, nor will they live in peace with us, nor be pleased with us, until we follow their falsehood and walk in their footsteps in their shirk (polytheism), kufr (disbelief), and moral decay. Therefore, it is foolishness and ignorance—nay, it is kufr—for a human to doubt Allah’s revelation regarding the nature of the relationship between us and the Jews and Christians. Whoever thinks that it is possible for the reality to differ from what Allah has stated regarding the Jews and Christians is not a Muslim. It is inconceivable for a Muslim to believe that it is possible for the Jews and Christians to turn into peaceful, conciliatory people who support us in the truth. This misguided perception and naive understanding can only come from a person who is deceived by the falsehoods of the Jews and Christians and is heedless of reciting the Book of Allah and pondering over its verses. ¶

Indeed, the Jews and Christians are in a continuous battle with the Muslims, as Allah the Almighty has informed us, and we see the evidence of this in every time and place. It is a battle between the Muslim community and these two disbelieving camps. However, the enemies of Islam, in order to further mislead us, raise various flags with malice, deceit, and obfuscation. They did not declare it an open war in the name of the Jewish or Christian religion against Islam, for fear of the Muslims' reaction; rather, they declared it sometimes in the name of land, other times in the name of the economy, and at other times in the name of politics and national interests. ¶

They have instilled in the hearts of the deceived among us that war in the name of religion is an old story that holds no meaning. Those naive people failed to realize that colonialism, which tore apart the unity of the Ummah and the Islamic lands, did not have the economy as its primary goal as much as it was a continuation of what the Crusades failed to achieve during the era of Salahuddin. However, this time they did not find a righteous leader to defeat them as Salahuddin al-Ayyubi defeated them. Instead, they found, to our deep regret, those among the Muslims who aid the usurper in his usurpation and the oppressor in his oppression. There is no power nor strength except with Allah. ¶

Third Evidence: The saying of Allah Almighty: "And if you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, indeed, you would then be among the wrongdoers" (Al-Baqarah: 145). If the Prophet (ﷺ) had outwardly agreed with them on their religion without heart-felt belief, merely to appease them and out of fear of their evil, he would—by the expression of the Holy Quran—have been among the wrongdoers. ¶

So what is the condition of one who displays admiration and glorification for the disbelievers, calls toward the disbelief they are in, and claims that they are more rightly guided than those who believe? Is such a person not an oppressor of himself and his Ummah, by calling them toward disbelief and misguidance? The path is clear and the Straight Path is manifest; there is no comparison between adhering to the certain knowledge that came from Allah and following the desires of the people of misguidance and deviation. Addressing the person of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) carries a powerful suggestion to the Muslims who follow him not to be deceived amidst the flood of Jewish and Crusader intrigues and campaigns of misinformation, seeking the favor of the Jews and Christians, for doing so would make us among the wrongdoers. How appropriate it is for us, the Muslims today, to heed this great warning from the Generous Lord, so we deal with the disbelievers in our worldly affairs with complete caution, awareness, and vigilance, while boycotting them entirely in our religious affairs. We should not seek religious rulings (fatwa) from the Orientalists among the Jews, Christians, communists, and all disbelievers regarding our religion, nor should we learn our history from them, nor should we send our children to them to receive Islamic sciences that they have mixed with their false ideologies—using mutilated texts to achieve their goals of subversion and declaring Muslims to be disbelievers (takfir). Many of our children have indeed returned to us with corrupted intellects and dead consciences. ¶

Fourth Evidence: The saying of Allah Almighty: "And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts from his religion and dies while he is a disbeliever—for those..." ¶

Their deeds have become worthless in this world and in the Hereafter, and they are the companions of the Fire, therein abiding eternally (1). In this verse, there is a truthful declaration from the All-Knowing, All-Aware, which uncovers the malicious insistence and deep-rooted enmity in the souls of the enemies of Islam against this religion and its people, in every generation and in every land. ¶

The very existence of Islam is a cause of rage, anguish, and terror for the enemies of Allah and the enemies of the Muslim community at all times. They know the strength, integrity, and justice inherent in Islam, such that every tyrant fears it, every oppressor dreads it, and every corrupt person hates it. This is because they do not feel secure in their falsehood, oppression, and corruption as long as there is a Muslim community on earth that believes in this religion, follows this methodology, and lives by this unique and distinguished system (2). For this reason, they continue to fight against the Muslims so that they may turn them away from their religion if they are able. Allah, the Almighty, has not permitted supporting them out of fear for one's life or wealth; rather, He has informed us that whoever sides with them, after they have waged war against him, instead of repelling their evil, is an apostate. If he dies in his state of apostasy after the polytheists have fought him, then he is among the people of the Fire, abiding therein eternally. What, then, is the state of one who supports them without being compelled by war? Is he not more deserving of having no excuse and more deserving of the ruling of apostasy and disbelief? (3). ¶

The Fifth Evidence: The Almighty said: (Let not the believers take the disbelievers as allies rather than the believers. And whoever [of you] does that has nothing with Allah, except when taking precaution against them in prudence) (4). Thus, the Glorified and Exalted forbade the believers from taking the disbelievers as allies, friends, and companions in preference to the believers, and informed us that whoever does so has no connection with Allah (5). Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (6) said regarding the saying of the Almighty (he has nothing with Allah)... ¶

in anything (meaning) he has disassociated from Allah, and Allah has disassociated from him, due to his apostasy from his religion and his entry into kufr (disbelief) (1). End quote. And al-Qurtubi says: This meaning signifies that he is not part of the party of Allah nor of His allies in any way, and thus he becomes of the party of Satan and his supporters (2). End quote. As for His saying, 'unless you guard yourselves against them, taking precautions' (taqatan), it means unless the Muslim is overpowered by them, unable to show them enmity due to their torture of him; so he displays satisfaction with his tongue while his heart is content with faith in Allah, filled with enmity and hatred for the enemies of Allah. ¶

Taqiyyah (precautionary dissimulation) for them does not permit supporting them in their disbelief, nor aiding them against a Muslim. It has been said that Taqiyyah is abrogated and that it was only in the early days of Islam (3). The preferred view is that it remains, but it is only valid when there is a strong probability of being killed, having limbs severed, or suffering severe harm. We will discuss this in detail, God willing, under the topic of 'Ikrah' (coercion) in Chapter Four of the Second Part. What we conclude from this verse is that cooperation with the enemies of Allah and the enemies of the Muslims is a grave betrayal of Allah, His Book, His Messenger, and the leaders and masses of the Muslims; it cannot originate from anyone but a person with a base soul, a vile nature, and a spiteful hypocrite. ¶

The Sixth Proof: The saying of Allah the Almighty: 'O you who have believed, do not take as intimates...' ¶

[Footnote]: An Usuli and Mujtahid, born in Amul, Tabaristan, at the end of the year (224 AH). He traveled through many lands in pursuit of knowledge, settled in Baghdad, and chose a distinct school of jurisprudence. He died two days before the end of Shawwal in (310 AH) in Baghdad. Among his works: Jami' al-Bayan fi Ta'wil al-Qur'an, Tarikh al-Umam wa al-Muluk, Tahdhib al-Athar, Ikhtilaf al-Fuqaha', Adab al-Qudah, and al-Mahadir wa al-Sijillat. See: Mu'jam al-Mu'allifin / Umar Rida Kahhala, Vol. 9, p. 147. (1) See: Tafsir al-Tabari, Vol. 3, p. 152. (2) See: Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 4, p. 57. (3) See: Tafsir al-Tabari, Vol. 3, p. 152, and see: Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 4, p. 57. ¶

"Besides you, [they] will not spare any effort to do you harm. They desire what distresses you. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is even greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you have intellect." (Surah Ali 'Imran: 118). ¶

This verse is a stark warning and a momentous message to the Muslim community not to take as allies those enemies who demonstrate affection and friendship to Muslims during times of strength and victory, while in reality, they desire nothing for the Muslims but disturbance and corruption. They leave no stone unturned in sowing discord among Muslims whenever they find the opportunity to scatter thorns in the path of the Da'wah to Islam. They strive diligently in plotting and scheming against Islam and its people through their various means. However, the Muslims, very unfortunately, remain heedless of their Lord's command and their enemies; thus, most of them remain deceived by the enemies of Allah. ¶

Some of those who claim to be Muslims continue to offer affection to the enemies of Allah, trusting them with the secrets of the Muslims, and taking them as confidants, companions, and friends. ¶

This verse grants us insight into our true enemies, who will never be sincere to us and whose hatred cannot be washed away by the Muslims' affection for them, because they are enemies of the creed whose friendship cannot be hoped for. As the poet says: 'Every enmity may be hoped to turn into friendship, except the enmity of one who opposes you in religion.' ¶

We observe the verification of this verse in the past and in what is witnessed in the present. Every rapprochement with the disbelievers and every act of drawing them near brings hardship and distress upon the Muslims. After all this, no one would draw the disbelievers close or take them as allies instead of the Muslims except a fool, a madman, or a group of fools and madmen. As Allah the Almighty says at the end of this verse: "We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you have intellect." Thus, whoever opposes the command of Allah has failed to use their intellect. ¶