Chapter 23

To follow the orders of tyrants, even though he has not suffered a single lash in the way of Allah? If he were to be lashed, or if his salary were withheld for even one month, what would he do to Islam and the Muslims?!! ¶

The concept of 'ikrah' (coercion) has been clouded by some ambiguity and misunderstanding among certain Muslims, to the point that it has become a convenient peg upon which those who falter in supporting Islam and the Muslims hang all their excuses for withdrawal and shortcoming regarding the principles of wala' wal-bara' (allegiance and disavowal) for the sake of Allah. I believe we have sufficiently clarified the correct concept of coercion, and Allah is the Guide to the Straight Path. ¶

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Chapter Five: Agents Who Ally with the Enemy for Personal Gain ¶

'Amala' refers to a man's inner intent for evil (1); 'Amala' also signifies theft and treachery (2); and an 'amil' (agent) is one who deals with another in any matter. The plural is 'umala' (3). Due to their continuous efforts and the distance of many Muslims from adhering to Islam in both word and deed, the enemies of Islam have been able to recruit those who claim Islam as agents and puppets, manipulating them against Islam and the Muslims. The Jews, Christians, and atheistic polytheists have collaborated to purchase the conscience of some who are affiliated with Islam by name only, not in reality, with the aim of helping these disbelievers in demolishing Islam and fragmenting the Muslims. They have succeeded in creating agents who act as hirelings for Communist Russia or work for the benefit of the Jewish-Crusader alliance. Thus, most states in the Muslim lands are either agents of Communist Russia or of Western nations in Europe or America; that is why you find them... ¶

They disagree in every summit meeting among themselves based on their differing loyalties and affiliations to the major powers. Outwardly, they proclaim their independence, but in reality and in truth, they are slaves, subjects, and hired agents who have sold themselves to the enemies of their religion and their nation for a paltry and insignificant price, in exchange for a few dirhams, limited benefits, promised positions, readily available lusts, base pleasures, and fame whose cost is treachery and apostasy from Islam. The specializations and positions of these agents within the nation vary. Among them are oppressive rulers who fight virtue and spread vice; among them are politicians who execute the policies of the enemies of Islam to isolate and eliminate Muslims; and among them are financial experts who carry out the plans of the enemies of Islam through financial interests, either by implementing the Western capitalist system—with its usury, monopoly, and exploitation—or by brandishing socialism and the nationalization of private and public wealth. ¶

Among them are military personnel who execute the plans of the enemies of Islam by habituating soldiers to blind obedience, the worship of individual rulers, and immersion in the pleasures of wine and sex, and by obstructing the path between faith and the ranks of the armed forces so that the people of truth do not possess any weapons with which to defend their rights(1). ¶

Among them are media figures who execute the plans of the enemies of Islam through the written word, audio broadcasts, and visual imagery. The agency of media personnel for the enemies of Islam is more severe than others due to the influence of media on every person and every home. Therefore, you find these media agents keen on spreading indecency among those who believe through words and images. There is no visual scene that does not focus on sex, whether overtly or covertly. They use every trick and justification for this vile goal to make their work acceptable to the general public, leading people step by step toward the depth and finality of vice. ¶

(1) See: 'Ajnihat al-Makr al-Thalatha wa Khawafiha' (The Three Wings of Deception and Their Hidden Aspects), by Abd al-Rahman al-Maydani, pp. 19-22. ¶

Among them are spies who spy on the people of Islam and faith, manifesting righteousness, piety, asceticism, and devoutness, while in their reality and the true state of their affairs, they work as spies for the enemies of Islam. Those who spy on Muslims bear a resemblance to the hypocritical Jews who used to spy on the Muslims in Medina to harm Islam and its people. Some Jews feigned conversion to Islam and commitment to it, but in reality, they were hypocrites. Among them were: Da'is, Sa'd ibn Hanif, Zayd ibn al-Lasit, Rafi' ibn Huraymalah, and others. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said regarding Rafi' on the day he died: 'Today, a great hypocrite has died.'(1) ¶

These people used to take the mosque and circles of knowledge as their meeting place to gather information about the Muslims, uncover their secrets, and convey them to their allies among the polytheists. However, the Muslims became suspicious of their devotional acts and conduct until they manifested actions that turned doubt into certainty. Consequently, the Muslims seized them, expelled them from the mosques, and executed the judgment of Allah upon them.(2) ¶

For a Muslim to practice the profession of spying on the believers for the benefit of the disbelievers and their brethren is a grave crime and a major betrayal. By doing so, he places himself in the ranks of the Jews and the hypocrites, for they were the ones who treated the Muslims with this cunning and malicious method. This act is harmful to Islam and the Muslims in two ways: ¶

First: A Muslim deeming it permissible to spy on the people of Islam—especially those known for righteousness, piety, and steadfastness—for the benefit of rulers who, if judged by the Law of Shariah, many of them would deserve to be killed due to their exit from Islam through apostasy and disbelief. Thus, it does not befit a Muslim who believes in Allah, His Messenger, and the Last Day to do such a thing, because allying with the disbelievers... ¶

Their kufr (disbelief) and showing allegiance to those whom they support is evident from the proofs in the Quran and Sunnah, which were presented at the beginning of this treatise. It is stated in a Sahih Hadith: 'There is no obedience in disobedience to Allah; obedience is only in good deeds.' Spying on the believers for the benefit of the Taghut (tyrants/idolatrous authorities) and criminals is a major sin and a grave offense. How could it be otherwise, when Allah the Almighty has forbidden spying on the believers in matters far less severe than this? Allah the Almighty says: 'And do not spy, and do not backbite one another.' And in the Hadith, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the falsest of speech, and do not spy, and do not search for the faults of others, and do not harbor hatred against one another, and be brothers.' ¶

In another narration, there is an addition to this Hadith: 'The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim: he does not wrong him, nor does he abandon him, nor does he despise him.' What greater oppression, abandonment, and contempt could there be than a Muslim spying on the people of Islam? Indeed, the one who does this has combined two characteristics of vile condemnation and clear kufr: ¶

First: He has resembled the Jews who attend the gatherings of Dhikr and claim Islam in order to learn the secrets of the Muslims and conspire against them, as happened with the individuals mentioned previously, and as happened with Ibn Saba and his cohorts in their subversion against Islam and the Muslims. ¶

Second: Those who spy on the Muslims while appearing with the outward signs of righteousness and piety, even though they harbor allegiance to the disbelievers and those like them—these are hypocrites. They are the ones about whom Allah said: 'And of the people are some who say, We believe in Allah and the Last Day, but they are not at all believers.' ¶

They try to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive none except themselves, and they do not perceive. In their hearts is a disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they used to lie (1). Allah Almighty has said regarding them: 'Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire – and never will you find for them a helper' (2). Such an act is the height of hostility toward the believers and an alliance with the disbelievers; it is the ultimate wretchedness and the peak of misguidance and deviation. May Allah protect us from the trials that lead to misguidance and the slips of deviation. ¶

It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that he said: 'Whoever consumes a morsel by means of a Muslim man (i.e., by slandering him), Allah will feed him a similar one from Hell. Whoever clothes himself in a garment by means of a Muslim man, Allah will clothe him in a similar one from Hell. And whoever stations a Muslim man in a place for the sake of show (reputation), Allah will station him in a place for the sake of show on the Day of Resurrection' (3). ¶

From Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'Among the people with the worst position before Allah on the Day of Resurrection is a servant who lost his Hereafter for the sake of someone else’s worldly gain' (4). ¶

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) says: O you who kindles a fire for others, its light (shines for them), While its scorching flames blaze within your own sides. Is this the fruit of the knowledge you have accepted, For yourself in both abodes, to be merely status and dirhams? (5) ¶

The poet says: Do not despair, for Allah is Possessor of generosity And there is no harm upon you when you meet Him Except for two things, never approach them: Shirk (associating partners) with Allah and harming people. ¶

Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik asked a man of knowledge and action, known as Abu Hazim, several questions, among which was: "Who is the most foolish of people, O Abu Hazim?" Abu Hazim replied: "He who places himself in the service of a tyrant's desires, selling his Hereafter for his worldly life." A man once advised Al-Mutawakkil when he drew the Dhimmis (non-Muslim subjects) close and appointed them to positions that should have been held by Muslims, saying to him, among a long speech: "And indeed, the greatest loser in transaction on the Day of Resurrection is one who improves the worldly life of another at the expense of corrupting his own Hereafter." And thus does he who spies. ¶

It is fitting for a Muslim to improve the worldly state of tyrants and evil rulers for a few coins, only to ruin his own afterlife by becoming deserving of a painful punishment. ¶

It is narrated from the Prophet ﷺ that when he mentioned the oppressors, he said: “Whoever validates their lies and assists them in their oppression is not of me, and I am not of him, and he shall not meet me at the Cistern (al-Hawd). And whoever does not validate their lies and does not assist them in their oppression is of me, and I am of him, and he shall meet me at the Cistern” (1). ¶

Secondly, among the evils of spying on the believers is that the adoption of this profession spreads a lack of trust among Muslims and creates constant suspicion toward the righteous people around them. Consequently, 'muwalat' (loyalty and alliance) weakens, and sincerity among the believers diminishes. It is possible that the bonds and connections between believing brothers may be severed due to certain doubts arising from evil suspicion and excessive caution. This is one of the most important objectives of the enemies: to sow discord and create confusion among the Muslims. The ruling for one who spies on the Muslims for the sake of the enemies of Islam is execution (2). This is what the Messenger (ﷺ) did in the case of Mu'awiya ibn al-Mughira ibn Abi al-'As, where the Messenger ﷺ ordered Zayd ibn Harithah and 'Ammar ibn Yasir to pursue and kill him. They found him eight miles from Medina and killed him (with arrows) (3). ¶

This is also what 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) did with 'Darbas', who used to inform the polytheists about the vulnerabilities of the Muslims. Ibn al-Jarud crucified him, and he shouted, 'Ya 'Umrah!' three times. 'Umar sent for him, and when they brought him, 'Umar took a spear, placed it on his beard, and said: 'Labbayk (at your service), O Darbas!' three times. He then said: 'Do not be hasty, it is...' ¶

The enemy’s scribe intended to go out towards them, and he (the Prophet ﷺ) said: 'Have you killed him for a mere intention? Who among us does not have intentions?' Thus, Umar (RA) did not deem it grounds for execution, but he implemented the ijtihad (legal reasoning) of Ibn al-Jarud regarding him. ¶

Tracking the believers, spying on them, and feigning piety and righteousness in order to harm them is a grave crime and a major sin. The perpetrator may even be considered a disbeliever and an apostate if he deems it permissible to probe the secrets of the believers, expose their plans for reform, and intentionally harm them for the benefit of an oppressive, disbelieving group, while harboring a desire for that disbelieving group to prevail over the people of truth and for disbelief to be exalted over Islam. ¶

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'There is no Muslim who forsakes another Muslim in a situation where his sanctity is violated and his honor is belittled, except that Allah Almighty will forsake him in situations where he desires His help. And there is no one who helps a Muslim in a situation where his honor is belittled and his sanctity is violated, except that Allah Almighty will help him in situations where he desires His help.' It is stated in another hadith: 'O you who have believed with your tongues while faith has not entered your hearts! Do not backbite the Muslims, and do not probe their private matters; for whoever probes their private matters, Allah will probe his, and whoever has his private matters probed by Allah, He will disgrace him in his own home.' ¶

All these hadiths serve as a warning to those who probe the private matters of the Muslims and spy on them for the benefit of the original disbelievers or their agents among the apostates and hypocrites. As for spying on the disbelievers and oppressive tyrants for the sake of the Muslims, it is encouraged, and it may be obligatory if a just Muslim ruler appoints an individual or a group from among the Muslims to do so, as Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (RA) did when he infiltrated the ranks of the disbelievers by the order of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and brought back a truthful account of their conditions, the collapse of their morale, and their intention to depart, which occurred during the battle. ¶

Al-Ahzab (1). This Companion and those like him are a unique model for the Muslim eye and the true researcher who places the interest of Islam and the Muslims above all other considerations. However, it is most regrettable that this type has vanished and the concept has been inverted; thus, many personnel of intelligence and security services in Muslim lands have focused all their concerns on protecting the person of the ruler and those close to his government, even if this ruler and that government are infidel to Islam and the Muslims. ¶

In most countries attributed to Islam, the intelligence and security personnel have transformed into predatory beasts and foul dogs that tear the flesh of the believers—the pious, the pure, and the innocent—without fear, shame, or modesty before Allah (2). ¶

Most of them have come to view the ruling authority as a god worshipped besides Allah, so they prioritize its pleasure over the pleasure of Allah, and its command over the command of Allah and His Messenger. ¶

Sanctifying infidel and apostate leadership is an act of loyalty (muwalat) to the enemies of Allah, just as fighting those who believe in Allah is enmity toward Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. Most of those who align with infidel leadership do so only for their wealth, positions, and status, and this will not avail them anything in the scales of Islam. Allah the Almighty says: 'Indeed, those who abuse Allah and His Messenger—Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter and prepared a humiliating punishment for them. And those who harm believing men and believing women for something other than what they have earned have certainly borne upon themselves a slander and manifest sin' (3). ¶

And what harm is greater than acting as an agent for the enemies of Islam and betraying the Muslims? 'So let those who dissent from the Prophet’s order beware, lest fitnah (trial/affliction) strike them or a painful punishment' (4). ¶

The first volume is complete. It will be followed by the second volume, God willing. ¶

Chapter Three: Alliance and Enmity towards the People of Desires (Ahl al-Ahwa') and Sects. Under this are two sections: Section One: Alliance and Enmity towards the People of Desires. Section Two: Alliance and Enmity towards the sects that claim Islam. ¶

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Chapter One: Allegiance and Enmity Towards the People of Desires (Ahl al-Ahwa). Under this chapter are five discussions: First Discussion: Allegiance to and enmity towards the disobedient (sinners). Second Discussion: Allegiance to and enmity towards the hypocrites. Third Discussion: Allegiance to and enmity towards the apostates. Fourth Discussion: Allegiance to and enmity towards those who rebel against the authority. Fifth Discussion: Allegiance to and enmity towards the authority. ¶

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Section One: Allegiance to and Enmity towards People of Disobedience and Immorality. The fundamental principle in the methodology of Islam is that a person should not pledge their complete allegiance to anyone except those who walk upon the Straight Path, from among the people of faith. Allah Almighty says: 'And [moreover], this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous.' Therefore, whoever follows the straight path in their speech, actions, and beliefs, it is religiously mandatory (wajib) to show them allegiance in word and deed, based on the evidence of Allah's saying: '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 - then indeed, the party of Allah - they are the predominant.' Conversely, it is forbidden to harbor enmity towards them in word, deed, or belief. Allah Almighty says: 'And do not put in our hearts any resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.' ¶

As for the one who deviates from Islam in a way that necessitates disbelief (kufr) and exiting the fold of Islam, such a person is to be treated with the same enmity as the disbelievers who are at war with Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, because he is an apostate, regardless of whether his apostasy is verbal, active, or pertaining to belief. ¶

If the deviation from Islam does not necessitate disbelief, but the deviant is merely characterized by immorality (fisq) and disobedience, then it is the duty of the Muslim to consider the amount of good and evil present within that individual or group. If the good outweighs the evil, then love and affection take precedence over hatred and enmity; if the opposite is true, then hatred and enmity take precedence over love and affection; and if the good and evil are equal, then love and hatred are balanced. The summary of this is that one shows loyalty (wala') to a person according to the extent of truth they possess, and shows enmity ('ada') according to the extent of falsehood they possess, provided that this is not subject to personal agendas or private interests. Rather, this stance must be taken from the standpoint of 'love for the sake of Allah' and 'hatred for the sake of Allah,' stripped of any other material considerations. Although there are factors that increase and strengthen loyalty, such as blood kinship, neighborhood, and work, they are subordinate to loyalty for the sake of Allah, not primary. The method of dealing with someone who manifests only obedience, or only disbelief and immorality, is clear and free from doubt. However, what confuses some people is when a person mixes acts of obedience with acts of disobedience, and a single individual or group combines opposites and contradictions—how should they be treated? And how can loyalty and enmity be reconciled in their case? ¶

The answer is that no matter how many traits are gathered in one person—some of which are loved and others disliked—these traits must vary in terms of good and evil according to their importance and frequency. The abandonment of obligations includes what constitutes clear disbelief, what is a major sin (kaba'ir), and what is a minor sin (sagha'ir), and the commission of prohibited acts follows the same order. Thus, every level has its corresponding right to loyalty or enmity. You love a Muslim for his Islam, and this love increases and strengthens as his commitment and support for Islam and the Muslims increase; you dislike him for his disobedience, and the enmity increases as his disobedience increases. ¶

and his misguidance; therefore, you should love him in proportion to the good he possesses and despise him in proportion to the evil he possesses. This is the requirement of justice: that every person be assigned a status based on the good or evil they possess, according to their apparent state. As humans, we may err in precisely assessing this status in our dealings with people, but we are commanded to exercise ijtihad (diligence) in this regard according to our ability and capacity. Allah the Almighty says: 'So fear Allah as much as you are able, and listen and obey.' Therefore, it is incumbent upon a Muslim to strive in his dealings with people by giving every individual the share of love and hatred they deserve, without excess or negligence. Thus, whoever is dominated by obedience, or dominated by disobedience, or in whom a mixture of obedience and disobedience is gathered, one should treat each according to his state, by giving every trait its due share of love and hatred for the sake of Allah, and all that results from this in terms of approach and companionship, or avoidance and severance, and all other actions that stem from love and hatred for the sake of Allah. An example of this is someone who has a beautiful wife or an intelligent child, but they are corrupt (fasiq) due to committing some minor sins; he loves them from one perspective and dislikes them from another, and he remains with them in a state between two states of love and hatred. Likewise, if a man has three sons: the first is intelligent, righteous, and obedient; the second is corrupt, dull-witted, and disobedient; and the third is intelligent but disobedient, he will treat each of them with three varying attitudes according to the disparity of their characters. ¶

Thus, love and hatred for people in general, and for Muslims in particular, must be based on the characteristics of good and evil within them. Indeed, in a single servant, the causes of walayah (allegiance) and the causes of enmity, love, and hatred can coexist, so he becomes beloved from one perspective and detested from another, and the judgment in such a case rests upon the dominant aspect. ¶

If someone asks, how is it possible to manifest hatred towards the 'fasiqin' (transgressors) who possess both good and bad qualities? The answer, as it appears to me, is that there is no fixed rule for manifesting hatred toward them; rather, the matter varies according to the individuals involved in the sin, the nature of the sins themselves, and the individuals manifesting the hatred. This issue is analogous to the matter of a patient, the illness, and the physician; the illness is an existing reality, but every illness has a treatment, and the treatment of a single illness varies according to the patients and the physicians. Thus, the matter is one of 'ijtihad' (independent legal reasoning) within the boundaries of 'Siyasah Shar'iyya' (Islamic political governance). However, if the situation necessitates the manifestation of hatred, it is sometimes done through words, sometimes through actions, and sometimes through both. Manifesting hatred through words involves withholding speech and conversation with them for a period, or belittling them and using harsh speech on other occasions. Manifesting hatred through actions involves ceasing efforts to assist them at times, and at other times, working to thwart their interests and cause them harm. It may also involve demonstrating righteous deeds that enrage them and make their corrupt life bitter for them. Some of these methods are more severe than others, but it is necessary to tie these actions to one principle: that the person intends by these words and deeds to manifest hatred for the sake of Allah, while attempting to make the other party feel that dealing with them on this basis stems from enmity for the sake of Allah, not for immediate personal interests or personal motives. Perhaps manifesting hatred in this manner achieves the required disciplinary objectives, even if the other party interprets this enmity and hatred for the sake of Allah as personal enmity, whether out of ignorance, or out of misguidance and obstinacy. However, this does not harm the Muslim who is confident in the soundness of his intention and the sincerity of his conscience toward Allah, for every human interprets how people treat him according to his own ends and desires. True justice, however, is to treat a person according to his standing in proximity to or distance from Islam. ¶