Chapter 10

Secondly: As for the person who manifests agreement with the disbelievers regarding their religion, believing their innovation (bid'ah) and kufr to be more correct than Islam, accusing Islam of falsehood and deficiency, and fights alongside them against the People of Tawhid (Monotheists) with his person, wealth, and counsel, then such a person is a kafir and a murtad (apostate), even if he recognizes the truth of the religion in his heart and hates kufr in his heart. This is because the factor preventing him from hijrah (emigration) is the love of the dunya (worldly life) over the hereafter, and he utters words of kufr without being under extreme duress (ikrah mulji'). Thus, he falls under the words of Allah the Almighty: 'But those who open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment. That is because they preferred the worldly life over the Hereafter...' Even the person under extreme duress is not permitted to take up arms against his brother and kill him for the sake of saving his own life. While the utterance of a word of kufr is permitted under duress to appease the disbelievers, as for the one who fights the Muslims with his tongue and actions and supports the disbelievers because he finds it difficult to part with his family, children, and homeland—killing Muslims, causing their women to become widows and their children to become orphans, debasing Islam and its people, and manifesting kufr and aligning with its people—all to save his own life, then this is injustice and aiding in injustice. Allah the Almighty says: 'Say, Is it other than Allah I should take as a lord while He is the Lord of all things? And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another...' Al-Qurtubi said regarding the meaning of this verse: It means no soul shall carry the burden of another, meaning no person will be taken to task for the sin of another; rather, every soul is held accountable for its own crime and punished for its own sin. ¶

In Mukhtasar Tafsir al-Tabari, it is stated: 'No soul shall earn sin, except that another shall not be held accountable for it' (1). Based on this, if there exists an oppressive ruler who pursues the people of truth and suppresses them, while aiding the people of falsehood and supporting their corruption, it is not permissible for one who adheres to Islam in word and deed to assist this oppressor in his injustice. Doing so would violate the command of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): 'Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or an oppressed.' A man asked: 'O Messenger of Allah, I will help him if he is oppressed, but if he is an oppressor, how do I help him?' He (ﷺ) replied: 'Restrain him—or prevent him—from oppression, for that is his help' (2). ¶

He who assists the oppressor against the oppressed acts entirely against the concept of this Hadith; this is a grave sin and a major offense. This constitutes 'oppressive allegiance' (muwalat), where one aids the one who should be forsaken, and forsakes the one who should be aided. ¶

We wish to remind those in this context who align themselves with the disbelievers and seek their satisfaction, that the pleasure of the disbelievers will not be attained without total submission to their disbelief. Allah the Almighty says: 'And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion' (3). When the disbelievers sense that a Muslim has the potential to follow them and ally with them in their disbelief, they gradually draw him in until they expel him from Islam. When they wish to establish a vice (munkar), the first step is to purchase those scholars who sell their religion for a worldly gain. Then, they issue fatwas that they themselves know are void, then they demand support for this vice under the pretext that it does not contradict the Shariah, and finally, they demand that those who agree with them pursue those who criticize their actions, take up arms, and spend wealth to fight their opponents—even if the opponent is the one holding the truth and standing with it. This is how the disbelievers treat those who claim Islam. ¶

Neglecting obligatory duties and gradually committing prohibited acts, until the Muslim is stripped of his religion and exits the fold of Islam without even realizing it. From the above, it is clear that a Muslim must take a firm stand against the enemies of Islam and the Muslims, and must not compromise on any of the obligations of Islam regardless of the motives or causes. He must boycott the people of Shirk, dissociate from them and their Shirk, engage in jihad against them, declare them disbelievers (takfir), and acknowledge the permissibility of their blood and wealth as long as they persist in kufr. A believer cannot be a monotheist (muwahhid) except through this, and this is the requirement of the Kalimah al-Ikhlas (La ilaha illa Allah), as Allah the Almighty says: 'And the believing men and believing women are allies of one another.' This is the stance of every believer towards the believers. And Allah the Almighty says concerning the disbelievers: 'And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so, there will be fitnah on earth and great corruption.' ¶

A believer's religion is not valid except through loyalty (wala) to the people of Tawhid, and enmity (bara) towards the people of misguidance, hating them, and dissociating from them, just as Ibrahim and those with him dissociated from the disbelievers, and just as our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions dissociated from the disbelievers of Quraish and those who followed their path. This is the loyalty to the believers and enmity towards the polytheists, which is the most firm bond of faith. ¶

Thus, enmity towards the disbelievers is mandatory even if they possess good manners and virtuous qualities. Whoever does not hold enmity towards the disbelievers and dissociate from them has not entered Islam, even if he treats Muslims well and provides them with generous support. ¶

Indeed, the story of Abu Talib contains a lesson, an admonition, and a warning: that there is no loyalty without enmity. This man dedicated his life, wealth, children, and tribe to the support of the Messenger (peace be upon him)... ¶

That he died in that state, and remained patient through great hardship and the extreme hostility he faced from his people. He loved those who accepted Islam and condemned the deeds of the polytheists, and he viewed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to be upon truth and righteousness, as is evident from his words in the Nuniyyah poem: ¶

I have certainly come to know that the religion of Muhammad is the best of all religions in creation. Were it not for fear of blame or the dread of being reviled, you would have found me openly declaring it. ¶

And he says in another poem: ¶

They have known that our son is not a liar among us, nor does he speak falsehoods. I have devoted my soul for him, protected him, and defended him with all my might and strength. ¶

However, because he did not disavow the religion of his father, Abdul Muttalib, or declare his enmity towards it, nor did he declare his loyalty (wala') to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers for the sake of Allah, it did not benefit him at all. The Prophet ﷺ sought forgiveness for him due to his support and defense of him, so Allah revealed the verse: {It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire.} If there were a man from the East or the West who loves the Islamic religion and supports the Muslims with his hand, wealth, and weapons, but he has not declared his entry into Islam, his joining the community of Muslims, and his disavowal and separation from the polytheists, he would not be a Muslim. ¶

It is not permissible for Muslims to befriend them; rather, they are to be dealt with on the basis of righteousness and kindness, without the love of the heart that is reserved for one of the Muslims. Even if one is liked for his good qualities and noble character—such as generosity, trustworthiness, honesty, and loyalty—these qualities do not overshadow nor cause us to forget the attribute of kufr (disbelief), which is the worst and ugliest attribute in existence. The example of the disbelievers and their good qualities is like that of a beautiful, noble, and humble woman who, despite these qualities, is a harlot and an adulteress. That ugly trait overshadows all her good qualities and removes their impact for those with sound minds and upright natural disposition (fitra), causing them to loathe her, oppose her, and view her with contempt and disdain (1). ¶

The stance of a Muslim toward the disbelievers is not merely to be hostile to them; rather, what is required of him is to engage in jihad against them, to strive to humble them, and to cause them grief (2). Allah the Almighty says: 'O you who have believed, fight those adjacent to you of the disbelievers and let them find in you harshness' (3). Thus, jihad against the disbelievers includes striving to break their power, humbling them, inflicting defeat upon them by all permissible means and causes, restricting them, standing against their plots with all firmness and determination, exposing their falsehoods, revealing the flaws of their systems, and stripping away their corruption for every observer to see, so that an inclination toward Islam and an aversion to kufr may occur as a result of proper understanding and awareness. If jihad and the humbling of disbelievers do not occur from the Muslim, then at the very least, he must boycott them, maintain enmity toward them, and cease the exchange of words and actions that are not intended to bring them closer to Islam, but rather are intended to seek proximity to the world of the disbelievers and the kufr they are in. ¶

From what has been presented, we conclude that there is no validity to a Muslim's Islam except by having wala (loyalty/allegiance)... ¶

Loving the people of Islam and showing enmity towards the people of kufr: If a Muslim allies with the Muslims but does not show enmity towards the disbelievers, his Islam is not valid. Similarly, if he shows enmity towards the disbelievers but does not ally with the Muslims, his Islam is not valid until he combines both the alliance with the believers and the enmity towards the disbelievers. Regarding this concept, Sheikh Sulaiman bin Sahman says in poetry: ¶

Loving one's Mawla (Lord) is only perfected by loving the religion, the religion of Muhammad. So show enmity to the one who shows enmity to the religion of Muhammad, and ally with the one who allies with him among the rightly guided. And love the Messenger of Allah, the most perfect caller to Allah and piety, and the most perfect guide. The religion is nothing but love and hate, loyalty, and disavowal of every deviant and aggressor. (1) ¶

He also says: ¶

Yes, if you were truthful to Allah in what you claim, you would have shown enmity to those who disbelieve in Allah, woe to you. You would have allied with the people of truth, both secretly and openly, instead of satirizing them and aiding kufr. Not everyone who said what you said is a Muslim, but there are conditions mentioned therein. Being distinct from the disbelievers in every place, this is what has come to us in the authentic and established text. Openly declaring them disbelievers, invalidating their opinions, and declaring them astray in what they have brought and displayed. Proclaiming monotheism (Tawhid) in their midst, and calling them to it both secretly and openly. This is the Hanifi religion and the guidance, and the path of Ibrahim, if only you had perception. (2) ¶

(1) See: Al-Durar al-Saniyya, Vol. 1, p. 294. (2) See: Diwan Uqud al-Jawahir al-Munaddah al-Hissan by Sheikh Sulaiman bin Sahman, p. 79. ¶

Eighth Section: The Status of Al-Wala' and Al-Bara' (Loyalty and Disavowal) in Islam. ¶

The commitment of a Muslim, who adheres to Islam in creed and worship, to the ruling of 'al-wala' wa al-bara'' (loyalty and disavowal for the sake of Allah) allows him to interact with people based on a firm understanding and a correct perception. He treats people according to their proximity to or distance from Allah; the closer a person is to Allah, the greater the loyalty and support shown to them for the sake of Allah. Conversely, the more a person deviates from the obedience of Allah Almighty, the more the believer dislikes them in proportion to that deviation and opposes them in proportion to their distance from Allah. This is because the love of Allah Almighty is the foundation of every action taken by the Muslim servant. Loving what Allah loves is subordinate to and emanates from the love of Allah. Indeed, love is the origin of loyalty for the sake of Allah, and hatred is the origin of disavowal for the sake of Allah, as previously clarified. Allah Almighty has informed us that He is the Wali (Protector/Guardian), the One who manages all our affairs, and that it is not permissible for us to take anyone else as a protector or guardians alongside or instead of Him. Allah the Almighty says: 'Or have they taken protectors besides Him? But Allah—He is the Protector, and He gives life to the dead, and He is over all things competent.' ¶

Qadir (1). Thus, those who took others as allies (awliya) instead of Him committed the gravest of errors and the most heinous of crimes when they adopted the dregs of humanity or certain created beings as their allies besides Allah, or alongside Allah. The Almighty says: {Then those who disbelieve equalize others with their Lord} (2). ¶

The sum of the two opinions regarding this is that they equate others with Allah in worship, love, and loyalty (3). As stated in His saying: {By Allah, we were indeed in manifest error, when we equated you with the Lord of the worlds} (4). And the Almighty says: {And among the people are those who take others as equals to Allah, loving them as they [should] love Allah} (5). And the Almighty says: {Wretched is the exchange for the wrongdoers} (6). Meaning, they exchange the worship, love, and loyalty due to Allah for other rivals (andad). ¶

Therefore, the true Muslim is one who takes Allah as an Ally (Wali), is content with His guardianship above all others, and firmly believes that the guardianship of Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He) is the only one that benefits in this world and the Hereafter. This is because Allah informed us of this in His saying: {But Allah is your Protector, and He is the best of helpers} (7). Allah is the Protector of the believers, and He is the best of helpers for them; thus, in His guardianship and obedience, there is sufficient wealth to dispense with the obedience and loyalty of the disbelievers. It is, therefore, incumbent upon the Muslim that Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He) be the Ally through whom the servant seeks proximity via speech and action. He (Allah) takes charge of His believing servants by bringing them out of darkness into the light, and by assisting them in all their affairs (8). The Almighty says: {Allah is the Ally of those who believe; He brings them out from darkness into the light}. ¶

They bring them out from darkness into light. But those who disbelieve—their allies are Taghut; they take them out of the light into darkness. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally (1). And Allah the Exalted said: ﴿Creator of the heavens and earth, You are my protector (Wali) in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous﴾ (2). And Allah the Exalted said: ﴿Say, 'Is it other than Allah I should take as a protector (Wali), the Creator of the heavens and the earth?'﴾ (3). Say, O Muhammad, 'Should I take other than Allah as a protector?'—meaning, as a Lord, a deity, a helper, and a beloved instead of Allah. Yet He is the one who created the heavens and the earth, so how is it befitting that I take anyone other than the Creator, the Provider, the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy as a protector? (4). ¶

Allah the Exalted said: ﴿Indeed, the most worthy of Abraham among the people are those who followed him [in faith] and this prophet, and those who believe [in his message]. And Allah is the protector (Wali) of the believers﴾ (5). And Allah the Exalted said: ﴿We [angels] were your allies (Awliya) in the worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter﴾ (6). ¶

Thus, if Allah the Almighty is the Wali, the Governor, the Helper, the Benefactor, and the One who brings harm, then it is sheer foolishness and recklessness—nay, it is even an act of disbelief regarding the worship of Allah—for a person to take anyone other than Him as a protector or a helper. Allah the Exalted said: ﴿...and do not take from among them any ally or helper﴾ (7). ¶

And Allah the Exalted said: ﴿...and they have not besides Him any protector or helper﴾ (8). ¶

Therefore, Allah has clarified, by way of informing [us], that Allah is the [only] Wali, that there is no Wali besides Him, and that... ¶

He is the Guardian of the righteous. Allah the Almighty says: 'Indeed, my protector is Allah, who has sent down the Book; and He is an ally to the righteous' (Quran 7:196). ¶

When a human takes Allah as a Guardian, he does so because it is a command with which he has been charged. The Almighty desires for the Muslim to strip himself of glorifying anyone else, for allegiance (muwalat) and guardianship (tawalli) for other than Allah is to glorify those whom one has taken as allies instead of Allah, and this is polytheism (shirk) in glorification. Allegiance is the core and fruit of love, and shirk in love is among the greatest forms of polytheism. Allah the Almighty says: 'And among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah' (Quran 2:165). ¶

Thus, when a servant loves someone other than Allah for his own sake and turns his heart toward him, he becomes a servant to that which he loved and hoped for. If he does not love anyone for their own sake except Allah, and only loves what Allah loves as a means to draw closer to Him, this is the perfection of servitude to Allah the Almighty. This is because the more a servant increases in love for Allah and for what Allah loves, the more he increases in servitude and proximity to Allah. This matter is the essence of Islam and the reality for which Allah sent all the Messengers and Prophets (see 'Risalat al-Ubudiyyah' by Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, pp. 54-58). ¶

Therefore, we must give our love and allegiance first to Allah the Almighty, then to His Messenger and those who believe in this religion, so that we may be of the party of Allah (Hizb Allah) and be purged of any affiliation with satanic parties—parties that Allah has commanded us to hate, oppose, wage jihad against, and eliminate. Furthermore, in addition to being shirk, taking allies other than Allah is useless in this world and the Hereafter. A person seeks through his allegiance to someone to gain strength through their power, honor through their glory, and elevation through their status. Is there anyone to whom these attributes perfectly apply other than Allah the Almighty? Allah prepares those who believe in the face of trust. ¶

Along with this, true reliance upon Him, and exclusive loyalty to Him, His Messenger, and the believers is required; He promises them victory, dominance, and empowerment. This promise comes after the declaration of the very foundation of faith, in the words of the Almighty: {And whoever takes Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed as allies - indeed, the party of Allah - they are the ones who will be the victors} (1). Since victory, dominance, honor, and dignity are attained only through allegiance to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, it is a deviation from the sound creed for a person to bestow total loyalty upon the enemies of Allah or upon weak creatures that cannot benefit themselves, let alone others. Those who love others besides Allah, and hope for help, aid, or empowerment from them, are as if they are ignoring the status of the Almighty, and belittling His majesty in providing aid and victory, when they seek loyalty and assistance from others. This is the case with those who seek help and victory from Eastern or Western disbelievers, international organizations, or jahili (ignorant/secular) parties; this is the height of misguidance and deviation. Allah, the Almighty, commanded His servants to take Him as their Guardian to the exclusion of all other creatures, for this is the requirement of their servitude to Him and their acknowledgment of His Lordship and Divinity over them. Just as they must fear and hope in Him, they must also love and hold allegiance to Him, and no one else. The motivation for allegiance to Allah is not merely the request for victory and empowerment; rather, the primary motivation is that this is a command through which Allah has prescribed our worship. As for the aid, love, and success that follow this command, these are fruits that appear in their due time, serving to fulfill the divine decree for the empowerment (tamkin) of this Ummah, not to be in themselves the sole incentive for embracing this religion. The victory of Muslims over their enemies and their superiority over others is not due to their own persons or selves; it is strictly on account of their faith, and thus they receive the reward for the effort expended in that regard. Allah, the Almighty, does not seek the loyalty of any of His creation to increase His honor or power, nor to have them assist Him in any of His affairs, for He, the Glorified and Exalted, is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy, who has no need of any of His creation in the earth or the heavens. ¶

heaven. The Almighty says: '...and he has no helper among them' (1). And the Almighty says: '...and he has no protecting friend through weakness. And magnify Him with all magnificence' (2). Mujahid (3) says: The meaning is that He did not form an alliance with anyone, nor did He seek help from anyone; meaning He had no helper to protect Him from humiliation. This means He was not humiliated so as to be in need of a protector or a helper, due to His Might and Majesty (4). End quote. ¶

As for the Almighty's saying: 'If you help Allah, He will help you and make your foothold firm' (5). This means if you are a cause for the victory of Allah's religion, Allah will grant you victory over the disbelievers. Qutrub (6) said: 'If you help the Prophet of Allah, Allah will help you' (7). End quote. ¶

And the Almighty says: '...And Allah will surely help those who help Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful, Exalted in Might' (8). This means whoever helps the religion of Allah and helps His Messenger, Allah is his helper (9). And the Almighty says: 'O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples...' ¶

as helpers unto Allah, and the disciples said: We are helpers of Allah (1). Thus, His saying: 'Be helpers of Allah,' means: be helpers of the religion of Allah, and the meaning of 'We are helpers of Allah' is: we are helpers of the religion of Allah. Allah Almighty also says, narrating from Jesus (peace be upon him): 'Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah?' meaning: who will assist me in that which brings me closer to Allah? (2). ¶

By reviewing these verses and those preceding them, it becomes clear that a Muslim’s alliance (muwalat) with his Lord, then His Messenger, and then the believers, is an act of worship with which Allah has charged His servants and burdened them. Otherwise, Allah Almighty is free of all needs from His servants and is not in need of them for anything. He is also capable of supporting His religion and its followers by saying 'Be, and it is,' but He has made alliance (muwalat) for the sake of Allah and enmity (mu'adat) for His sake a foundational principle of the Shariah, in order to test His servants and try His creation with this great obligation. Whoever fulfills this has fulfilled a great duty of Islam, and whoever neglects this is even more prone to neglect other duties. True alliance with Allah Almighty necessitates alliance with and love for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), for among the requisites of loving Allah is loving His Messenger (peace be upon him). Alliance with Allah necessitates alliance with His Messenger (upon him be the best of prayers and peace), because a lover loves what his beloved loves, hates what his beloved hates, allies with those whom his beloved allies with, and shows enmity toward those whom his beloved shows enmity toward. Allah Almighty has mentioned the obligation of loving His Messenger (peace be upon him) and maintaining alliance with him in many verses and hadiths, of which we mention the following: ¶

First: The saying of Allah Almighty: 'And whoever takes Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed as allies - then indeed, the party of Allah - they will be the predominant' (3). ¶

Second: The saying of Allah Almighty: 'Your ally is none but Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed' (4). ¶

(1) Surah As-Saff, verse 14. (2) See: Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 18, pp. 89-90, and Fath al-Qadir by Al-Shawkani, Vol. 5, p. 223. (3) Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 56. (4) Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 55. ¶

Third: The saying of Allah Almighty: ﴿The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers﴾. ¶

Ibn Atiyyah and some scholars said: He is closer to the believers than their own selves because their selves invite them to destruction and misguidance, while he invites them to salvation. This meaning is supported by the hadith: (My likeness and the likeness of my Ummah is that of a man who kindled a fire, and the insects and moths began falling into it; I am holding you by your waistbands, while you are plunging into it). ¶

As for the proofs from the Sunnah regarding the obligation of loving the Messenger ﷺ and holding him as a patron (wala), they are as follows: 1. It is narrated that Amr ibn al-Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying openly, not secretly: «Verily, the family of so-and-so are not my awliya (allies/patrons); my wali is Allah and the righteous among the believers.» Al-Nawawi said regarding the meaning of the hadith: The wali is one who is righteous, even if their lineage is distant from me, and one who is not righteous is not a wali, even if their lineage is close. 2. From Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his child, his father, and all of mankind.» ¶

Thus, the love of the Messenger (ﷺ) to this degree necessitates that violating it results in a deficiency of faith. ¶

3- On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (ﷺ), who said: 'There are three qualities, whoever possesses them will taste the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else, that he loves a person only for the sake of Allah, and that he hates to return to disbelief after Allah has saved him from it, just as he hates to be thrown into the Fire.' The love of the Messenger entails loving everything he brought from Allah, and showing enmity towards all those who show enmity towards him. ¶

4- On the authority of Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'None of you truly believes until his desires follow that which I have brought.' Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) counted 'Kufr al-I'rad' (disbelief of turning away) among the types of disbelief; this is when one neither affirms the Messenger (ﷺ) nor denies him, neither befriends him nor shows him enmity, and pays no attention at all to what he brought. This is as one of the Banu Abd Yalil said to the Prophet (ﷺ): 'By Allah, I say to you one word: If you are truthful, you are too great in my eyes for me to reply to you; and if you are a liar, you are too contemptible for me to speak to you.' ¶

From these Hadiths and those verses, doubt is replaced by certainty regarding the obligation of loving the Messenger (ﷺ) and loving everything he brought from Allah—including sayings, actions, and beliefs—and that whoever opposes this has no share or portion in faith. ¶

Among the requirements of loving Allah, His Messenger, and what the Messenger (ﷺ) brought, is that a Muslim should love his fellow believers and the community of Muslims, for loving them is obligatory for the sake of Allah and for the support of the religion of Allah. ¶

Proofs from the Quran and Sunnah regarding the obligation of loving them and supporting them through speech, action, and belief. Among the proofs from the Book of Allah the Almighty are: ¶

1. 'The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.' (Surah At-Tawbah: 71). His saying, 'The believing men and believing women' means their males and females. 'Are allies of one another' means in love, loyalty, affiliation, support, and empathy. ¶

2. The saying of Allah the Almighty: 'Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah and those who gave shelter and aided - they are allies of one another.' (Surah Al-Anfal: 72). ¶

3. The saying of Allah the Almighty: 'Your ally is none but Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed - those who establish prayer and give zakah, and they bow [in worship]. And whoever is an ally of Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed - indeed, the party of Allah - they are the predominant.' (Surah Al-Ma'idah: 55-56). ¶

In these verses, there is a covenant of loyalty, love, and support that Allah the Almighty established between believers in every time and place. He presented to us a model of loyalty shown to those who believed and emigrated in the cause of Allah—how their Ansar brothers received them, those who sheltered and supported the Messenger (ﷺ) and those who were with him from among the companions, and how they assisted them with their wealth, lives, and homes, as required by the brotherhood of the Islamic faith. Thus, they became allies of one another due to the perfection of their faith and the completeness of their connection to each other. ¶

The purified Sunnah has also indicated the obligation of Muslims being allies to one another, and here are some proofs for that. ¶

1. It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that he said: (You will see the believers in their mutual mercy, love, and compassion as a single body; if one limb suffers, the entire body responds with sleeplessness and fever) (1). ¶

2. It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): (The strongest bond of faith is to love for the sake of Allah, to hate for the sake of Allah, to befriend for the sake of Allah, and to show enmity for the sake of Allah) (2). ¶

3. From Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: (The believer to the believer is like a structure, each part strengthening the other), and he interlaced his fingers (3). ¶

4. From Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: (Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or oppressed.) A man asked: O Messenger of Allah, I help him if he is oppressed, but if he is an oppressor, how do I help him? He replied: (Restrain him — or prevent him — from the oppression, for that is his help) (4). ¶

5. From Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and asked: O Messenger of Allah! When is the Hour? He replied: (And what have you prepared for the Hour?) He said: The love of Allah and His Messenger. He said: (Then you will be with whom you love) (5). Anas said: We never rejoiced after accepting Islam as much as we rejoiced at the words of the Prophet (ﷺ): (Then you will be with whom you love). Anas added: I love Allah and His Messenger, and Abu Bakr and Umar, so I hope to be with them, even if I have not performed deeds like theirs (6). ¶

6. And it is narrated that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished his prayer, he turned... ¶

He turned to the people and said: 'O people, listen and understand, and know that Allah the Almighty has servants who are neither Prophets nor martyrs, yet the Prophets and martyrs will envy them for their positions and their nearness to Allah.' A man from the Bedouins, who was standing far away, gestured with his hand to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked: 'O Prophet of Allah, tell us who these people are, who are neither Prophets nor martyrs, yet the Prophets and martyrs envy them for their positions and nearness to Allah? Describe them to us.' The face of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) brightened with joy at the Bedouin's question, and he said: 'They are people from various segments of society and diverse tribes who had no close kinship between them, yet they loved one another for the sake of Allah and were sincere to each other. On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will set up pulpits of light for them and seat them upon them, making their faces light and their garments light. When the people are terrified on the Day of Resurrection, they will not be afraid; they are the friends (Awliya) of Allah upon whom there shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.' (1) ¶

7 - It is recorded in a letter sent by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) with Amr ibn Umayyah al-Damri to the Negus, the King of Abyssinia, that among the contents were his words: 'I call you to Allah alone, who has no partner, and to allegiance based on obedience to Him, and that you follow me and believe in me and in that which has come to me.' (2) ¶

8 - It is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'Shirk (polytheism) is more hidden than the footsteps of an ant on a smooth rock in the dead of night.' ¶

(1) See: Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 5, p. 343; and Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 3, p. 799, Hadith 3527; its chain of narration (isnad) is authentic according to Izzat al-Da'as. See: Minhaj al-Muslim by Abu Bakr al-Jaza'iri, p. 109, who declared it authentic. (1st ed., 1391 AH), Publisher: Muhammad Ali al-Sayyid, Syria. (2) Narrated by al-Bayhaqi in Al-Dala'il via al-Hakim. See: Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah (by Ibn Kathir), Vol. 3, p. 83; see also Hayat al-Sahabah, Vol. 1, p. 103; and Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 2, p. 89. ¶

darkness, and the lowest degree of it is that you love something involving injustice, and harbor hatred for something involving justice." (1) ¶

9 - Narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection: 'Where are those who loved one another for My Majesty? Today I will shade them in My shade, on a day when there is no shade but Mine.'" (2) ¶

10 - And in the Hadith: "The strongest bond of faith is love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah." (3) ¶

These proofs point to the obligation of loving the believers, forming alliances with them, supporting them, and repelling harm from them. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has stated that those who show enmity towards the believers, or those who embraced Islam, acted upon it, and called others to it, and who strive to inflict evil upon them and drive them out of the lands of Islam, are in great danger of exiting the fold of Islam. (4) ¶

Allah the Almighty said: {And those who harm believing men and believing women undeservedly bear upon themselves the burden of a slander and a manifest sin.} (5) ¶

And in the Hadith: "Whoever shows enmity to a Wali (ally) of Mine, I have declared war against him." (6) ¶

And in another hadith: 'And I shall take vengeance for My allies as a raging lion takes vengeance.' Allah has made love for the Companions, and for those who follow their path until the Day of Judgment, a sign and a proof of faith, just as He has indicated that hatred of them, and of those who emulate them and those they emulated, is a sign of disbelief. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'The sign of a hypocrite is hatred for the Ansar,' and 'The sign of a believer is love for the Ansar.' From Anas, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: 'Love for the Ansar is a sign of faith, and hatred for them is a sign of hypocrisy.' From al-Bara’, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said regarding the Ansar: 'Only a believer loves them, and only a hypocrite hates them. Whoever loves them, Allah loves him, and whoever hates them, Allah hates him.' And in a hadith from Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The unlettered Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took a pledge from me that 'None shall love me except a believer, and none shall hate me except a hypocrite.' The meaning of these hadiths is that whoever recognizes the status of the Ansar and what they did in terms of supporting Islam, striving for its manifestation, providing refuge to the Muslims, fulfilling the duties of Islam, their love for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), his love for them, their offering of their wealth and souls before him, their fighting alongside him, and their hostility toward all other non-Muslims in preference for Islam; and whoever recognizes the merit of Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), his closeness to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) love for him, and his precedence in serving Islam, then loves the Ansar and Ali for these reasons—this is a sign of the soundness of his faith and his sincerity in Islam, due to his joy at the manifestation of Islam and fulfilling what pleases Allah Almighty and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Whoever hates them is the opposite, and his hatred for them is taken as proof of his hypocrisy and the corruption of his inner self. And love or hatred for those who follow their path is to be measured by this. ¶