Chapter 16

Fifth Topic: A Portrait of Al-Wala’ (Loyalty/Alliance) and Al-Bara’ (Disavowal/Enmity) for the Sake of Allah ¶

Among the great features and noble distinctions of this religion is that it translates the revealed texts from Allah into practical application within the reality and lives of people. Mere knowledge of Shariah rulings does not benefit their possessor unless this knowledge is transformed into observable and tangible practical action. Indeed, the Holy Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah are not intended for mere intellectual enjoyment or abstract knowledge; rather, the Messenger ﷺ brought them from his Lord to serve as a way of life. For this reason, Allah (the Almighty and Majestic) did not reveal this Quran all at once; rather, it was revealed in accordance with emerging needs and the practical problems faced by the Muslim community in its real life. Sayyid Qutb (may Allah have mercy on him) says: 'The verse or verses would be revealed regarding a specific situation or a particular incident, addressing what was in the souls of the people, and sketching out for them the methodology of action in various situations.' ¶

(1) See: Ma'alim fi al-Tariq (Milestones), pp. 18-19. ¶

Among the positions addressed by the Holy Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah is the position of 'Muwala' (loyalty/friendship) and 'Mu'ada' (enmity/opposition). Quranic verses were revealed and the Prophet ﷺ spoke on this issue in a way that left no room for further addition. The Prophet ﷺ, his companions, and those who followed in their footsteps practiced loyalty for the sake of Allah and enmity for the sake of Allah, as prescribed by Allah the Almighty. They befriended His allies and showed enmity towards His enemies, guided by the light and insight of divine revelation. Thus, they became role models and excellent examples for those whom Allah has granted the success of doing good and guided to the truth. ¶

In this section, we will present realistic and factual scenes regarding loyalty and enmity for the sake of Allah, and how Islam elevated its followers to this great degree of love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah, in a manner unparalleled in history outside of Islam. We will arrange these scenes according to their importance—though all are important—and these are examples for remembrance rather than an exhaustive list, as the manifestations of loyalty and enmity for the sake of Allah are too numerous to count; every action is motivated by either love for the sake of Allah or hatred for the sake of Allah. These manifestations take various forms, serving as an integrated model for the Muslim society, not limited to one aspect alone. Among these are the following: ¶

First: Among the manifestations of loyalty for the sake of Allah is 'Ithar' (selflessness/altruism): It has been narrated regarding the cause of revelation of the verse: "And [also for] those who were settled in the home [i.e., al-Madinah] and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what they [i.e., the emigrants] were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful" (Surah Al-Hashr: 9). It refers to the Ansar. Al-Bukhari narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ sent [a message] to his wives, but they said, 'We have nothing but water.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said, 'Who will host or feed this guest?' A man from the Ansar said, 'I will.' He took him to his wife and said, 'Honor the guest of the Messenger of Allah.' ¶

She said: 'We have nothing except the food for my children.' He (the Prophet ﷺ) said: 'Prepare your food, light your lamp, and if your children ask for dinner, put them to sleep.' She prepared her food, lit her lamp, and put her children to sleep. Then she stood up to fix her lamp and extinguished it. Thus, they both (husband and wife) pretended to eat, and they spent the night hungry. When morning came, he went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Allah laughed tonight—or marveled—at your deeds,' and so Allah revealed this verse. ¶

Al-Bukhari also narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Ansar said to the Prophet ﷺ: 'Divide the date palms between us and our brothers.' He said: 'No.' They said: 'If they (the migrants) take care of the labor and we share the fruit with them (it is acceptable).' They said: 'We hear and we obey.' Imam Ahmad narrated from Anas that Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived in Medina, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ established a brotherhood between him and Sa'd ibn al-Rabi' al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him). Sa'd said to him: 'O my brother, I am the wealthiest among the people of Medina, so look at half of my wealth and take it. And I have two wives; look at which one is more pleasing to you so that I may divorce her (for you to marry).' Abd al-Rahman said: 'May Allah bless you in your family and your wealth. Show me the market.' They showed him the market, and he went, bought, and sold, and made a profit. He came back with some dried yogurt (aqt) and ghee. After some time, he came and there were traces of saffron on his clothes. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'How is it with you?' He said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I have married a woman.' He asked: 'What did you give as dowry (mahr)?' He replied: 'The weight of a date pit in gold.' He said: 'Give a walimah (wedding feast), even if it is with a single sheep.' ¶

Second: Among the forms of enmity for the sake of Allah is the enmity towards relatives and boycotting them, when they persist in their hostility and war against Allah. ¶

Allah the Almighty says: 'You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred' (Al-Mujadilah: 22). ¶

Various reports have been narrated regarding the occasion of the revelation of this verse. Among them is the statement of Ibn Jurayj, who says: 'It was narrated to me that Abu Quhafah spoke ill of the Prophet (PBUH), so his son, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), struck him a blow that caused him to fall on his face. He then came to the Prophet (PBUH) and mentioned this to him. The Prophet (PBUH) asked, "Did you really do that? Do not do it again." Abu Bakr replied, "By the One who sent you with the truth as a Prophet, if the sword had been near me, I would have killed him."' This incident, Allah knows best, took place in the early days of Islam, for Abu Quhafah accepted Islam in the year of the Conquest (of Makkah). Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the aforementioned verse was revealed regarding Abu Ubaidah Amir ibn Abdullah ibn al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who killed his father, Abdullah ibn al-Jarrah, on the day of Badr. Ibn al-Jarrah had repeatedly confronted Abu Ubaidah, and Abu Ubaidah would avoid him. When he persisted, Abu Ubaidah advanced towards him and killed him—meaning he killed the shirk (polytheism) represented in the person of his father; otherwise, had he not been a mushrik (polytheist), he would have been the most dutiful of people to his father. ¶

al-Waqidi denied this, claiming that Abu Ubaidah's father had passed away before Islam, but some scholars have rejected his assertion. ¶

Among the manifestations of enmity for the sake of Allah is that when the Jews frequently violated their covenants with the Prophet (PBUH)... ¶

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and as they began weaving conspiracies in Medina, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) permitted the Sahaba to kill the Jews who were at war with Allah and His Messenger. This occurred in the third year of the Hijra, when the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever among the Jewish men you capture, kill him.' Muhayyisa bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) pounced upon Ibn Sunayna the Jew, who was one of the Jewish merchants and traded with them, and killed him. His brother, Huwayyisa bin Mas’ud—who was still a polytheist at the time—said to him, blaming him for killing this Jewish merchant: 'O enemy of Allah! Did you kill him? By Allah, there is much fat in your belly from his wealth!' Muhayyisa replied: 'The one who ordered me to kill him is the same one who, if He had ordered me to kill you, I would have killed you!' He (Huwayyisa) remarked: 'A religion that has brought you to this state is truly amazing,' and he embraced Islam because of that.(1) ¶

Another example of enmity for the sake of Allah is the incident involving Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) and his mother, when she refused to eat or drink and swore she would not take any food until he renounced Islam. She spent nights and days in this state and began meeting Sa'd with tears and weeping, hoping that her tears might achieve what her pleas had not. It was well known that he was one of the most dutiful sons to his mother, yet he took a firm and resolute stand for the sake of his faith and said to her: 'By Allah, even if you had a thousand souls and they departed one by one, I would never abandon this religion of mine.' ¶

At that point, she realized that there was no room for bargaining, temptation, threats, or intimidation, and so she desisted from that.(2) Similar to this incident is what occurred with Tufayl bin Amr al-Dawsi, who embraced Islam and stayed in Mecca for a time, where he learned and gained understanding (fiqh) in his religion. He then resolved to depart and return to his tribe, Daws, which worshiped idols—among them Dhu al-Shara and Dhu al-Kaffayn. When he reached his people, he said: ¶

My father met me, and he was an elderly man. I said to him, 'Stay away from me, for you are not of me and I am not of you.' He asked, 'Why, my son?' I replied, 'I have accepted Islam and followed the religion of Muhammad ﷺ.' He said, 'My son, my religion is your religion.' I said, 'Go, perform ghusl (ritual washing), purify your clothes, then come to me so I may teach you what I have learned.' He went, performed ghusl, purified his clothes, and returned. I presented Islam to him and he accepted it. He did the same with his wife, his mother, and some of his people. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) was among those who accepted Islam at the hands of Tufayl ibn Amr al-Dawsi. ¶

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded that the slain of Badr be dragged to the al-Qalib (the well). They were thrown into it, then he stood and said: 'O people of the Qalib, have you found what your Lord promised you to be true? For I have found what my Lord promised me to be true.' They said, 'O Messenger of Allah, do you speak to dead people?' He replied, 'They have come to know that what their Lord promised them was true.' When Abu Hudhayfah ibn Utbah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw his father, Utbah, being dragged to the al-Qalib, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recognized dislike on his face and said, 'O Abu Hudhayfah, it seems you are unhappy with what you see!' He said, 'O Messenger of Allah, my father was a noble man, and I hoped that his Lord would guide him to Islam. When the outcome occurred as it did, it saddened me.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then prayed for goodness for Abu Hudhayfah. ¶

It is narrated that Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Sa'id ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) as he passed by him: 'I see that you have something in your heart; I believe you think that I killed your father. Had I killed him, I would not offer you an excuse for his killing; however, I only killed my maternal uncle, al-As ibn Hisham ibn al-Mughirah. As for your father, I passed by him while he was...' ¶

He charged like a bull with its horns; he spoke of him, and his cousin intended to kill him, and he did. Sa'id ibn al-'As said: 'Had you killed him, you would have been in the right and he in the wrong,' and he was pleased with his statement. ¶

Among the examples of loyalty for the sake of Allah and enmity for His sake is what al-Bazzar narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) passed by Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul while he was in the shade of a fortress. Ibn Salul said, 'The son of Abi Kabshah is casting dust upon us.' His son, Abdullah ibn Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul (may Allah be pleased with him), said: 'O Messenger of Allah, by the One who honored you, if you wish, I will bring you his head!' He replied, 'No, but be kind to your father and keep his company well.' ¶

Ibn Shahin narrated with a sound (hasan) chain from Urwah, who said: Hanzalah ibn Abi Amir and Abdullah ibn Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) for permission to kill their fathers, but he forbade them from doing so. ¶

Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Ayyub, who said: Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them) said to Abu Bakr, 'I saw you on the day of Uhud and I turned away from you.' Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, 'But if I had seen you, I would not have turned away from you.' Abd al-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted Islam during the truce of Hudaybiyyah. ¶

After the war concluded at the Battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ consulted his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) regarding the Badr captives. He asked, 'What is your opinion, O son of Khattab?' Umar said, 'I swear by Allah, my opinion is not what Abu Bakr suggested. Rather, my view is that you should grant me authority over so-and-so (a relative of mine) so that I may strike his neck, grant Ali authority over Aqil so that he may strike his neck, and grant Hamza authority over so-and-so (his brother) so that he may strike his neck, so that Allah may know that there is no leniency (hawada) in our hearts for the polytheists.' ¶

It is narrated from al-Zuhri that when Abu Sufyan ibn Harb (may Allah be pleased with him) came to Medina and approached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ—at a time when the Prophet was intending to march on Makkah—he spoke to him about extending the truce of Hudaybiyyah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not accept it. He then went to visit his daughter, Umm Habiba (the wife of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ). When he went to sit on the bed of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, she folded it away from him. He said, 'O my daughter, do you think this bed is too good for me, or that I am too impure for it?' She replied, 'Rather, it is the bed of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and you are an impure polytheist.' He said, 'O my daughter, evil has afflicted you after I left.' Among the examples of enmity for the sake of Allah is what occurred during the Great Battle of Badr when Mus'ab ibn Umayr passed by his brother, Abu Aziz ibn Umayr, who had fought in the battle against the Muslims. As an Ansar was binding Abu Aziz with shackles, Mus'ab said to the Ansar, 'Tighten his bonds, for his mother is wealthy and may pay a ransom to you for him.' Abu Aziz said to his brother Mus'ab, 'Is this your advice concerning me?' Mus'ab replied, 'He (the Ansar) is my brother, not you.' Examples of alliance and enmity occurring in a single incident are also found in the account of Zayd ibn Sa'nah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was Jewish before his conversion to Islam; he had lent the Prophet ﷺ a loan before he accepted Islam, which the Prophet had taken to fulfill a necessity. ¶

Regarding the affairs of some of those whose hearts were to be reconciled (al-mu'allafati qulubuhum), Zayd bin Sa'nah decided to go and demand repayment from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) before the agreed-upon time. He said: 'I came to him—meaning the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)—and grabbed the edges of his shirt and cloak, and looked at him with a stern face. Then I said: O Muhammad, will you not pay me my due? By Allah, I have only known you, the sons of Abdul Muttalib, to be procrastinators in payment! My association with you has given me knowledge of this!!' He (Zayd) then looked at Umar ibn al-Khattab, whose eyes were spinning in his face like a revolving sphere, and he stared at me, saying: 'O enemy of Allah, do you say to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) what I hear? And do you treat him in the way I see? By Him in whose hand is my soul, were it not for what I fear to miss (1), I would have struck your head with my sword,' while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was looking at me with calmness and composure (2). End quote. ¶

Among the examples of such situations is what occurred between Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) and Umayr ibn Wahb al-Jumahi (may Allah be pleased with him) before his conversion, while he was with Safwan ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him)—which was also before Safwan’s conversion. Umayr bin Wahb spoke about his son being a captive at Badr, and told Safwan of his desire to kill the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), were it not for a debt he owed and small children who had no one to provide for them. Safwan ibn Umayyah said, 'I will take that burden upon myself for you.' The two men made a pact near the Kaaba regarding this. Then Umayr bin Wahb proceeded on his mission until he arrived in Medina and stayed near the Prophet's Mosque. As he was heading toward the mosque, Umar ibn al-Khattab, who was with a group of companions outside, turned and said, 'This is the enemy of Allah, Umayr ibn Wahb. By Allah, he has only come for evil. Go to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and surround him.' Then Umar went toward him, took hold of his garment at his neck, and tightened the strap of his sword around his neck, then led him to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When the Prophet (ﷺ) saw him in that state, he said to Umar: 'Release him, O Umar...' ¶

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) released him, and then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'What brought you here, O Umayr?' He said: 'I came hoping for the release of this prisoner who is in your hands.' The Messenger (peace be upon him) said: 'Then why is the sword with you?' He said: 'Did it avail us anything on the day of Badr?' ¶

Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed him of his agreement with Safwan and their plan to kill the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Umayr exclaimed: 'By Allah, I am certain that no one brought this news to you except Allah! So praise be to Allah who drove me to you so that He might guide me to Islam.' He then bore witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. The Muslims rejoiced greatly at this, so much so that Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'A swine was more beloved to me than Umayr ibn Wahb when he came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), but today, after his Islam, he is dearer to me than some of my own sons.' ¶

Among these practical examples of loyalty and enmity for the sake of Allah is what took place involving al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him). When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was at Hudaybiyyah, Urwah ibn Mas'ud al-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him before he had embraced Islam. He was the chieftain of Thaqif, and during his conversation, he would reach out to touch the beard of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), following the Arab custom of the time for expressing affection and desire for connection and mercy. Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah—who was the nephew of Urwah ibn Mas'ud—was standing at the head of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) with his sword and wearing his helmet. Whenever Urwah extended his hand toward the beard of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), al-Mughirah would strike his uncle's hand with the hilt of his sword, saying: 'Keep your hand away from the face of the Messenger of Allah before it does not return to you.' Urwah exclaimed: 'Woe to you! How harsh and rude you are!' The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) smiled. ¶

Urwah returned, profoundly affected by what he had witnessed of his nephew's actions and his dedication to the safety of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He went back to the Quraish and said to them: 'O assembly of Quraish! I have visited Chosroes in his kingdom, Caesar in his kingdom, and the Negus in his kingdom; yet, by Allah, I have never seen a king among his people like Muhammad is among his companions. By Allah, they do not even dare to look him directly in the eye, they do not raise their voices in his presence, and if he merely gestures to someone, that person acts immediately.' (1) ¶

Among the practical examples of this is that Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) sent an intelligence unit consisting of two of his soldiers to reach Constantinople and assess its conditions. The two traveled in disguise until they arrived in the Byzantine capital, mingled with its inhabitants, and gathered the intelligence they needed. Their plan was to walk at a distance from one another so that if one were captured, the other would be able to return and report the situation. One of them entered the king's palace during one of their celebrations and attempted to familiarize himself with the palace, its entrances, and the conditions of the king and his entourage. However, his identity was discovered, and he was arrested. His brother in Islam was observing this, and once he was certain that his companion had been imprisoned, he returned to inform the Caliph of the matter. ¶

The Umayyad Muslim soldier was brought before the Byzantine king, who was arrogant, surrounded by his retinue and guards like a turkey-cock. The king accused the Muslim soldier of espionage/theft and asked him: 'What does your Caliph want by raiding us? Are your own lands not sufficient for you?' The soldier replied with pride and dignity: 'We have no greed for your lands or your wealth; rather, our aim is to spread Islam and establish the scales of justice which people have lost due to their straying from the true religion, their corruption of the books of previous prophets, their deification of humans, and their worship of kings and tyrants...' The Patriarch, who was present, became enraged at this. ¶

He was sitting near the king when he stood up and slapped the soldier on his face with a painful strike, then ordered him to be imprisoned. Days passed, and a prisoner exchange took place between the Muslims and the Romans. The Muslim soldier returned to his family, and the Caliph summoned him, honored him, and listened to his story. The Caliph then ordered a mission of soldiers to be sent, disguised as hunters, until they reached Constantinople. They entered the city, outwitted the Patriarch, captured him, and brought him in chains to the Caliph's court, which was adorned with dignity, wisdom, and awe. The Patriarch was made to stand before him, while the soldier who had been imprisoned stood beside the Caliph. Muawiyah asked him, 'Is this him?'—referring to the one who slapped him. He replied, 'Yes, O Commander of the Faithful.' The Caliph then said to him, 'He is yours; take retribution from him.' The soldier, with pride and nobility, said, 'Rather, I have forgiven him, O Commander of the Faithful.' The Caliph then said to the Patriarch, 'Go to your king and tell him that the Commander of the Faithful establishes justice and exacts retribution from the guilty, even within your own kingdom.' The Patriarch returned, his heart trembling with shame and awe, humbled and defeated by the soldier's forgiveness and the Caliph's rebuke, despite the mistreatment he and his arrogant king had inflicted upon them. Thus, the Muslim Caliph did not rest until he restored the right of a soldier who had been unjustly slapped, preserved his dignity, and maintained the prestige of the state before the most powerful, wealthy, prosperous, and arrogant state of that time. ¶

May Allah have mercy on Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, who, through that incident, set a great example for the Muslim ruler who defends the rights of the individual and the collective alike. ¶

But where are today's rulers in comparison to such a great incident? They have wasted the rights of individuals and the entire Ummah. There are Muslim nations being killed, tortured with the severest types of torment, and enslaved by infidel tyrants, yet we hear nothing from them. ¶

Those who claim Islam, whether rulers or the ruled, refrain even from verbal condemnation, let alone action. In fact, some of these self-proclaimed followers of Islam provide material and moral support to those who violate the sanctity and honor of Muslims. O Lord, we seek Your mercy; there is no power nor strength except in Allah, the Most High, the Almighty. ¶

Thirdly: Among the manifestations of enmity for the sake of Allah is the bold and decisive action taken by some Muslims to physically eliminate the enemies of Allah. They were not driven by the desire for worldly status, nor by a salary or monthly reward; rather, they acted out of devotion and love for Allah, and out of enmity and hatred toward the enemies of Allah. ¶

Ibn Ishaq states: When the affair of the Trench (al-Khandaq) concluded, the Jew Sallam ibn Abi al-Huqayq was among those who had mobilized the confederates against the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Before the battle of Uhud, the Aws tribe had killed Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf, one of the leading Jews. Consequently, the Khazraj tribe sought permission from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to kill Sallam ibn Abi al-Huqayq, who was residing in Khaybar, and he granted them permission. Five men from the Banu Salama of the Khazraj set out: Abdullah ibn Atik, Mas’ud ibn Sinan, Abdullah ibn Unays, Abu Qatada al-Harith ibn Rab’i, and Khuza’i ibn Aswad (an ally from the Aslam tribe). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) appointed Abdullah ibn Atik as their leader and forbade them from killing any child or woman. They set out, and upon reaching Khaybar, they arrived at the house of Ibn Abi al-Huqayq at night. They locked every room in the house upon its occupants. He was in an upper chamber, so they ascended to it and stood at his door. They sought permission to enter, and his wife came out to them, asking, 'Who are you?' They replied, 'People from the Arabs seeking provisions.' She said, 'Your companion is inside, so enter to him.' When we entered, we locked the room upon ourselves and him, fearing that any interference might come between us and him. ¶

His wife cried out, alerting us, so we rushed toward him on his bed with our swords drawn. By God, nothing guided us to him in the blackness of the night except the whiteness of his body, appearing like a white Coptic garment cast aside. ¶

He said, 'When his wife cried out at us, a man among us would raise his sword against her, but then recall the prohibition of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and withhold his hand. If it were not for that, we would have finished with her that night.' He said, 'When we struck with our swords, Abdullah bin Anis pressed his sword into his abdomen until it pierced through, while he was saying, "Qutni, Qutni"—meaning, "It is enough for me, it is enough for me."' He said, 'We left, and Abdullah bin Atik had poor eyesight. He fell from a staircase, and his hand was severely injured. We carried him until we reached one of their water channels and entered it. They lit fires and searched frantically in every direction for us, but when they despaired, they returned to him and surrounded him while he was dying. We said to each other, "How will we know that the enemy of Allah is dead?" A man among us said, "I will go and check for you." He went until he entered with the people. He said, "I found her—meaning his wife—and some Jews around him. She held a lamp, looking at his face and speaking to them, saying: 'By God, I heard the voice of Ibn Atik, but then I belied myself, thinking: How could Ibn Atik be in this land?' Then she looked at his face and said: 'He is dead, by the God of the Jews!'" He said, "I never heard a word more pleasing to my soul than that." ¶

Regarding this event, Hassan bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) says: 'May Allah reward the group I encountered, O Ibn al-Huqayq and O Ibn al-Ashraf! They advanced toward you with light swords, joyful like lions in a dense thicket, until they reached you in your own homes and quenched you with death by sharp, swift blades. They were seeking victory for the religion of their Prophet, regarding every perilous task as insignificant.' ¶

Thus, those who carried out this act were not driven by the desire for wealth to be bestowed upon them. ¶

It was neither a command from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that compelled them, nor was it out of fear of his might, for had they not acted, they would have faced no retribution. Rather, they were the ones who requested permission from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) for this noble mission out of love for Allah and His Messenger, to support His religion, and out of enmity toward those who waged war against Allah and His Messenger. They could have lived as others lived—those cowards and hypocrites who bury their heads in the sand and fawn over every disbeliever and transgressor. However, true love for Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, coupled with hatred and enmity toward the disbelievers, must be transformed into concrete action so that the purity of faith can manifest in the depths of the Muslim soul. ¶

One example of enmity for the sake of Allah (mu'adat fi-Allah) occurred during the era of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him). There was a Christian man named Assaf from Suwayda, and a group of Muslims testified that he had insulted the Prophet (peace be upon him). When he was summoned, he fled and sought protection with Ahmad ibn Hajj, the Amir of Al Ali. Shaykh Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyyah and Shaykh Zayn al-Din al-Fariqi (the head of the Dar al-Hadith) went to the Amir Izz al-Din Aybak al-Hamawi and spoke to him regarding the matter. He acceded to their request and sent soldiers with them to apprehend him. The two Shaykhs left with a large crowd of people. On the way, they encountered the Christian, Assaf, accompanied by a Bedouin man. The Muslims began to curse and insult Assaf, upon which the Bedouin remarked, "He is better than you"—referring to the Christian. The people pelted the Bedouin with stones until he died. As for Assaf the Christian, he reached the governor and declared his Islam, and the governor spared his life on account of his conversion. ¶

Fourth: Among the forms of loyalty for the sake of Allah (muwalat fi-Allah) is refusing to succumb to material temptations. ¶

This is illustrated by the incident of Abdullah ibn Hudhafah al-Sahmi (may Allah be pleased with him), who was captured in one of the battles with the Romans and taken to the Roman Emperor. The Emperor offered him to convert to Christianity, promising to set him free and honor him. Abdullah responded with pride, confidence, and defiance, saying: 'Death is a thousand times dearer to me than what you are inviting me to.' Caesar said: 'Accept Christianity, and if you do, I will share my kingdom with you and make you a partner in my authority.' Abdullah replied: 'If you were to give me everything you own, and everything the Arabs own, on the condition that I abandon my religion for even a blink of an eye, I would never do it.' Caesar said: 'Then I will kill you.' Abdullah said: 'Do as you wish.' They then crucified him and fired arrows near his feet and hands while pressuring him to renounce his faith, but he refused. He then ordered a great cauldron to be brought, filled with oil, and heated until it reached a boiling point. He called for two Muslim captives; one was thrown in, and his flesh melted away until his bones were exposed. He then turned to Abdullah ibn Hudhafah and invited him to Christianity, but he remained even more defiant than before. Having lost hope, he ordered him to be thrown into the same cauldron. As they led him away, his eyes welled up with tears. Caesar’s men told their king: 'He is weeping,' thinking he was afraid of death. He said: 'Bring him back.' When he stood before him, he offered him Christianity again, but he refused. Caesar said: 'Woe to you, what made you weep then?' He replied: 'What made me weep is that I said to myself: You are about to be thrown into this cauldron, and your soul will depart. I had wished that I possessed as many lives as there are hairs on my body, so that I could be thrown into this cauldron for the sake of Allah.' The tyrant then said: 'Would you kiss my head if I set you free?' Abdullah said: 'And free all the Muslim captives as well.' Abdullah said: 'I told myself: An enemy among the enemies of Allah; I kiss his head, and he releases me and all the Muslim captives—there is no harm in that.' ¶

There is no harm in that. He then approached him and kissed his head, upon which the king ordered his release and the release of all the Muslim prisoners held by them.(1) ¶

This heroic Muslim mujahid added, through this action, glory to his great acts of bravery in Islam. This enticement and intimidation did not drive him to seek safety for himself alone, nor did the love of self, position, wealth, or status overpower his love for Allah. He did not succumb to the material and psychological temptations with which the Christian king wanted to turn him away from Islam, despite the greatness of the temptation and the horror of the situation. He refused to kiss the head of this disbeliever unless the price of this kiss was the release of all Muslim captives. ¶

What a kiss, how great its price, and how exalted its value! ¶

But there is a vast difference between yesterday and today. Today, Muslims compete to kiss the heads of those who shed the blood of Muslims—the disbelievers and apostates like Begin, Reagan, Brezhnev, and the leaders of the Ba'athist and Masonic parties in the Arab world. Abdullah bin Hudhafah al-Sahmi kissed the head of the Roman king with honor and superiority after he had dictated his conditions to him. As for those who claim Islam today, they kiss the heads of tyrants while being humiliated and degraded. They kiss them after they have stripped them of their religion—if they have any remnant of religion left—and they kiss them after they have wrought every kind of crime and abomination upon the land of Islam and the Muslims, plundered the wealth of the countries, and displaced millions of those whom they claim to be their brothers, if they even know the meaning of brotherhood. Yet, they kiss them with their mouths, their hearts tremble with love for them, and their actions testify to their affection for the disbelievers. ¶

As for Abdullah bin Hudhafah al-Sahmi, he kissed the Roman ruler while his heart was nearly bursting with rage and enmity toward him, but it was the duress for which Allah has pardoned the Muslim for speaking a word of disbelief. ¶

(1) See: Usd al-Ghabah fi Ma'rifat al-Sahabah by Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 3, pp. 142-144, and Suwar min Hayat al-Sahabah by Dr. Abdul Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha, Vol. 1, pp. 51-57. ¶

Disbelief. Allah Almighty says: 'Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief... except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment.' (Surah An-Nahl: 106). ¶

The price of the subservience of slaves to their masters in the East and West today is not that these masters share their sovereignty and wealth with these slaves, as was offered to Abdullah ibn Hudhafah as-Sahmi by Caesar. Rather, the price is that the masters share with these slaves in looting the resources and wealth of the Muslims. Is this, then, the progressivism, freedom, and socialism they call for?! ¶

Fifth: Among the forms of alliance for the sake of Allah (al-muwalat fi-Allah) is using the economy as a tool for alliance and enmity for the sake of Allah. This is like what Thumamah ibn Uthal, King of al-Yamamah (may Allah be pleased with him), did after he embraced Islam. At first, he had harmed the Muslims, but he was captured and the Prophet ﷺ showed him kindness and released him. After embracing Islam, he said: 'O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, there was no face on the face of the earth more hateful to me than your face before I embraced Islam, but now your face is the most beloved of all faces to me. By Allah, there was no religion more hateful to me than your religion, but now your religion is the most beloved of all religions to me. By Allah, there was no land more hateful to me than your land, but now your land is the most beloved of all lands to me.' He then asked: 'I have shed the blood of your companions; what is your judgment upon me?' The Prophet ﷺ said: 'There is no blame on you, O Thumamah, for Islam wipes away what came before it.' He then went to Makkah for Umrah, as a new convert, and approached the Quraish with full dignity and pride. They flared up in anger, insulted him, and nearly killed him because they used to consider him their ally and supporter. Then he said to the Quraish: 'I swear by the Lord of this House, not a single grain of wheat or any other resource from al-Yamamah will reach you after my return, until you all follow Muhammad.' He acted upon his word with determination and strength, until famine spread among the Quraish and they faced great hardship. ¶

Due to these hardships, they complained to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and said: 'The men have been killed by weapons, and the women and children are dying of hunger.' The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was compassionate even towards his enemies, so he wrote to Thumamah ibn Uthal (1) to release the provisions of grain, dates, and food that he had withheld from them, and he did so. ¶

Sixth: Among the manifestations of loyalty (al-muwalat) for the sake of Allah is participating with the Muslims, even if only with one's heart and feelings, if one is unable to participate physically. One should share in their joys and sorrows, rejoicing in their happiness and grieving when they grieve. ¶

It is narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (PBUH) said: 'Whoever dies without having fought (in jihad) or having intended to do so, dies upon a branch of hypocrisy' (2). Al-Qurtubi stated: 'Whoever is unable to perform a good deed should resolve to do it once they are able, so that this resolve may replace the act itself. However, if one is devoid of this both outwardly and inwardly, that is the way of the hypocrite who neither performs good deeds nor intends to perform them, especially regarding jihad, which is the zenith of Islam (3).' ¶

Thus, a Muslim must show loyalty to the allies of Allah, support them, desire their victory, show enmity towards the enemies of Allah, and participate in breaking their power with his soul, wealth, and words. If he is unable to do so, then at the very least, he must participate with his heart and sentiments. It is narrated from Abu Abdullah Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: 'We were with the Prophet (PBUH) on an expedition when he said: "In Madinah, there are men who, no matter what distance you covered or which valley you crossed, were with you; they were only held back by illness." In another narration: "They shared in the reward with you" (4).' ¶

And al-Bukhari narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: 'We returned from a campaign...' ¶

While at Tabuk with the Prophet (PBUH), he said: 'There are people behind us in Madinah who have not traversed any mountain pass or valley, but they were with us; they were detained by a valid excuse.' (1) In the story of those who came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) asking him to take them along for jihad, and he turned them away because he found no mounts for them, and they possessed nothing to spend, their inner desire for self-sacrifice serves as proof of participation through sentiment even when physical participation is absent. They departed weeping out of sadness for the honor of jihad they had missed. Allah the Almighty said: 'There is no blame upon the weak or the sick or upon those who find nothing to spend, when they are sincere to Allah and His Messenger. There is no cause (for reproach) against the doers of good. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. And there is no blame upon those who, when they came to you that you might give them mounts, you said, 'I can find nothing for you to ride upon.' They turned back while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief that they could not find anything to spend.' (2) ¶

Thus, if a Muslim is unable to participate with wealth, person, or speech, the least they can do is participate with the sentiments of love and hatred (for the sake of Allah). Therefore, the excuse Allah granted to those mentioned in the two verses is not absolute; rather, it is conditional upon His statement, 'when they are sincere to Allah and His Messenger,' meaning: if they recognize the truth, love it and its people, desire their victory, recognize falsehood and oppose/despise it and its people, then the burden is removed from them and they are counted among the doers of good (muhsinin). (3) Allah the Almighty said: '...when they are sincere to Allah and His Messenger. There is no cause against the doers of good.' Yet, we find that their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief for the honor of jihad they missed, whereas the nature of most people whose faith has lost its fervor is to rejoice at their safety from danger and their distance from the calamities of war! However, faith caused these individuals to see the missing of this expedition as the loss of something precious, worthy of tears and soul-felt sorrow. Conversely... ¶