Chapter 24

Sulaiman bin Sahman says: It is appropriate to observe the merit of a virtuous person in accordance with that which he deserves, by which his status is established. Loyalty is maintained based on this and his rights are observed, for everyone has attained a status commensurate with their merit. He is disliked from one perspective due to his lapses, his slips, and the sins which are difficult to overcome. One should consider what is most righteous for the individual and most beneficial for this world, the religion, and other causes. Hostility towards him is maintained only in proportion to his sin, and he is treated with mercy by restraining him from it so that he may turn away. Thus, one does not befriend them for the sake of their personal interests, but rather one does so with the intention for the sake of Allah. And one does not show hostility to them for that reason, nor does it stem from the hidden malice of the soul. ¶

And the expression of enmity, as mentioned above, occurs only with those persons who have openly committed acts of disobedience and have not shown remorse for them. As for the one who shows remorse and desists from disobedience, it is better that we forgive him, conceal his faults, and not manifest enmity towards him. This applies to the one in whom both acts of obedience and acts of disobedience have gathered; he is treated with loyalty in proportion to his obedience and with aversion in proportion to his disobedience. This methodology is essential for a person in their dealings with others. ¶

By nature, man is inclined to socialize and interact with his own kind, and he cannot dispense with dealing with both the righteous and the wicked among them; there is no harm or sin in this. The sin lies in indiscriminate association, where a person does not care whom they mix with or befriend, neither loving the pious nor showing enmity toward the wretched. Therefore, it is incumbent upon a Muslim to keep the rulings of Islam in mind in such situations. Whoever understands Islam as merely devotional rituals having no role in evaluating people or assessing how to deal with them is mistaken in his understanding and deficient in his grasp of the true concept of Islam, which governs human life and activity from the cradle to the grave. There are many people who lack a starting point derived from Islamic creed in their interaction and dealings with others; they do not care whom they mix with or deal with, whether they are believers, sinners, or disbelievers. This contradicts the command of Allah Almighty in His saying: 'O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth' (Al-Mumtahanah: 1), and His saying: 'Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals? What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?' (Al-Qalam: 35-36), and His saying: 'Then is one who was a believer like one who was defiantly disobedient? They are not equal' (As-Sajdah: 18). Indiscriminate association is a chronic disease; how many blessings have been snatched away by blind social mixing, and how much affliction it has brought! It has planted so much enmity and sown such bitterness in the heart. No one is safe from the harm of such association and its fatal consequences except those who categorize people into four types when it comes to social interaction. ¶

First: Those whose company is like food for a person; one cannot dispense with them day or night. Rather, one constantly feels a need for them and longs to see and speak with them, just as a thirsty person longs for fresh, clear water. ¶

These are the practicing scholars and the believing youth committed to Islam in both word and deed. It is narrated from Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said, while encouraging the pursuit of righteous people in companionship and friendship: 'Adhere to truthful brethren, for you will live in their shelter; they are an adornment in times of ease and a support in times of tribulation. Interpret your brother’s actions in the best possible way until you are faced with that which overpowers your suspicion. Distance yourself from your enemy, and beware of your friend except for the trustworthy among the people, and no one is trustworthy except those who fear Allah. Do not associate with a sinful person, for you will learn from their immorality, and do not reveal your secrets to them, lest they betray you. Consult those who fear Allah in your affairs.' Some scholars have said: Do not associate with anyone except one of two types of men: a man from whom you learn something of your religion, which benefits you, or a man whom you teach something of the religion, and he accepts it from you. As for the third, flee from him. ¶

Second: Those whose companionship for a person is like medicine, used only in times of need during illness; once healed, one abandons it. These are the people whose services are necessary for one's livelihood and the facilitation of essential transactions. One meets them with a specific understanding and purpose, enduring their bitterness just as one swallows medicine due to the necessity of it. ¶

Third: Those whose companionship is like associating with people suffering from infectious diseases of varying strength and weakness. These are the sinners and the corrupt from whom no benefit is derived in religion or worldly life. Associating with them is a disease and a calamity, and it is incumbent upon anyone who seeks caution to avoid them. ¶

And the precaution for one's own self is to distance oneself from them, except for the purpose of Dawah (calling to Islam) or the intention of reformation, for this is a specific case excluded from that general ruling. ¶

The Fourth Category: Those whose association leads to destruction, deviation, atheism, disbelief, and misguidance. These are the callers to evil and the deputies of Satan in propagating misguidance and deviation; they invite to every innovation (bid'ah) and obstruct every virtue. Regarding these people, it is not sufficient for a person to merely isolate themselves and avoid their company; rather, it is a duty to strive by every means to eliminate them and dismantle their influence before they dismantle the strength of Islam and the Muslims (1). ¶

Calling to Allah in these categories—especially the last three—is a Shariah obligation mandated by the evidences for enjoining good and forbidding evil (Al-Amr bil-Ma'ruf wan-Nahy 'anil-Munkar). Carrying this out requires wisdom and beautiful preaching, as Allah Almighty says: 'Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best' (2). Therefore, the one who enjoins good and forbids evil must know the method of Dawah appropriate for each person according to their knowledge and understanding. It is also necessary to prioritize the most important issues (al-aslah) over the merely good (al-salih) in Dawah; for instance, one should not rebuke a person for not performing voluntary acts (sunan) if they are not performing the obligatory ones (wajibat). It is also necessary to observe the potential negative consequences (mafasid) that may arise from enjoining good and forbidding evil, which might outweigh the intended benefits. Thus, one must repel the greater of two harms by opting for the lesser one. The caller (da'iyah) must possess tranquility and dignity, showing concern and kindness toward those they are advising. They must also be certain and verified in what they are commanding or forbidding, for there is much good in that. ¶

Those who deviate from the straight path can be divided into the following categories: 1 - Those who are oppositional in their beliefs and actions, and these are the disbelievers (kuffar). ¶

(1) See on this subject: Al-Durar al-Saniyyah, Vol. 11, p. 94. (2) Surah An-Nahl, Verse 125. ¶

2 - Those who differ in their beliefs rather than their actions; these are the people of theological innovation (Ahl al-Bida' al-I'tiqadiyya), such as the sects of theology (Ahl al-Kalam) and their like. The hypocrites also fall into this category. 3 - Those who differ in their actions rather than their beliefs, and these are divided into two types: a - Those whose actions render them disbelievers (kafir), so they are disbelievers even if they profess the belief of Islam. b - Those whose actions do not necessitate the disbelief of those who commit them; these are the sinners and transgressors (fasiq) among the Muslims. Each of these categories has a specific method of interaction regarding loyalty (muwalat) and disavowal (mu'adat). In this discussion, we will restrict ourselves to addressing the innovators who are not declared disbelievers due to their innovation, as well as the sinners and transgressors among the Muslims. As for those whose opposition reaches the level of disbelief, we will address that, by the permission of Allah Almighty, in the chapters following this topic. Based on this, the loyalty and disavowal toward the people of innovation and sin shall be as follows: First: The Innovators (Mubtadi'un). Those who innovate in their beliefs are divided into two types: 1 - An innovator who proselytizes (da'i) for his innovation. 2 - An innovator who is a follower (muqallid) and is unable to preach his theological innovation. As for the innovator who preaches his innovation, the nature of the innovation is examined. If it is of the type that renders its perpetrator a disbeliever, his case is more severe than that of an original disbeliever who could be allowed to remain in his state of disbelief under a dhimma contract or a treaty. As for this innovator whose innovation is of a kufr-inducing nature, he is not permitted to remain in his disbelief; he is an apostate, and neither jizya nor a dhimma contract is accepted from him. However, if it is of the type that does not render the perpetrator a disbeliever, his case is undoubtedly lighter than that of a disbeliever. ¶

It is more incumbent to censure him than to censure the disbelievers, because the evil of the disbeliever is not contagious as people are aware of his disbelief. However, his (the innovator's) evil is contagious to other Muslims, as he claims Islam and adherence to the truth for himself, thereby deceiving some Muslims. For this reason, it is necessary to manifest and declare hatred and enmity towards him, to sever ties with him, to disparage him, to denounce his bid'ah (innovation), and to turn people away from him and his actions as much as possible. ¶

If he offers the greeting of peace (salam) in private, there is no harm in returning it. However, if one is certain or strongly suspects that turning away from him and remaining silent in response will break his attachment to his innovation and be effective in deterring him, then withholding the response is better. This is because although returning a greeting is an obligation, it lapses for minor reasons, such as when one is in the restroom or relieving oneself; the goal of deterrence is comparable to such reasons. As for when he is among a crowd of people, then refraining from answering is even better, in order to turn people away from him and make his innovation appear repugnant in their eyes. Likewise, one should withhold kindness and assistance from him, especially in matters that are visible to others. ¶

Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) says: 'I am of the view that one should boycott the people of sin and innovation and distance oneself from them until they repent. I judge them based on their outward conduct, and I entrust their inward secrets to Allah.' ¶

And Sheikh Muhammad bin Abd al-Latif and Sheikh Abdullah bin Abd... [following footnotes] ¶

Al-Aziz al-Anqari (may Allah have mercy on them both) stated in a joint treatise: 'It is legislated to boycott (hajr) one who commits sins openly if there is a preponderant benefit in boycotting him, and provided it does not result in a greater harm than the harm for which the boycott was initiated, and this is determined by the preponderance of probability (ghalabat al-zann). This is because warding off harm takes precedence over attaining benefits. As for the imitator innovator (al-mubtadi' al-muqallid)—the layman who lacks the ability to call others to his innovation or urge them toward it—it is better not to confront him with harshness and humiliation; rather, one should be gentle in giving advice. The hearts of the common people and imitators quickly turn toward the truth if they find someone to treat them with wisdom and insight. If advice is of no avail and turning away from him serves to highlight the ugliness of his innovation in his own eyes and the eyes of his peers, then turning away is preferred. Likewise, if it is known that turning away from him will have no effect due to his rigid nature, ossified intellect, and corrupt inner self, then turning away is better, because if the ugliness of an innovation is not emphasized, it spreads among the people and its corruption becomes widespread.' ¶

Second: The Sinners (al-'Usat) or the Immoral (al-Fussaq) The sinner (al-'asi) and the immoral (al-fasiq) are synonymous terms with the same meaning. Those sinners who violate some of the commands of the religion of Islam through their actions fall into one of two categories: 1. Their sins directly harm others, such as injustice (zulm), usurpation (ghasb), false testimony, backbiting, tale-bearing, and the like. 2. Their sins do not directly harm others, such as the immorality of drinking wine. ¶

Or the use of similar intoxicants and substances that induce lethargy, or the violation of the Sunnah such as shaving the beard, letting garments hang below the ankles (isbal), or wearing gold rings, and so on. These sins may not directly affect others, but it is still incumbent upon a person to object to the doer with wisdom and beautiful preaching. One must not be pleased with these acts, nor pleased with the person while they are engaged in them, because the bane of sins brings calamities upon everyone. Allah Almighty says: 'And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively' (Al-Anfal: 25). ¶

When a sinner or a fasiq (transgressor) commits a sin—whether it is confined to himself or extends to others—he is either one who calls to sin and corruption, such as one who sells alcohol to people or beautifies immorality in the eyes of others so they might fall into it; such a person is more sinful, greater in crime, and more dangerous than the sinner who limits his actions to himself and keeps them hidden. It is narrated in the agreed-upon Hadith that the Prophet ﷺ said: 'All of my Ummah will be forgiven except those who commit sins openly. And part of committing sins openly is for a man to perform an action at night, then wake up in the morning while Allah has kept his matter hidden, and he says: "O so-and-so, I did such and such last night," while his Lord had shielded him throughout the night, but in the morning, he uncovers the veil Allah had placed over him.' ¶

These sins committed by the disobedient are either major sins or minor sins. Regarding every one of these major or minor sins, the person either persists in them or does not. From these classifications, we derive three main categories, each having a different rank from the other. ¶

The First Category: Among the most harmful sins are those by which people are harmed through injustice (zulm), usurpation (ghasb), false testimony, deception, shortchanging in measures, and the like. ¶

For such people, in addition to the ta'zir (discretionary) punishment imposed upon them by the Muslim state, it is also incumbent upon society to boycott them and shun their company. No affection or friendliness should be shown toward them unless they repent to Allah with a sincere repentance in both their words and deeds. This is because a sin is severe when it involves harm to others; while Allah Almighty may forgive what is between Him and His servant, matters between the servant and others require retribution (qisas) and penalty. It is recommended to advise and admonish the one who commits such an act in the best manner; if he responds positively and accepts the counsel, one should treat him well and maintain friendship. However, if he persists in his immorality and disobedience, it is recommended to humiliate him, shun him, and openly display one’s dislike and enmity toward him. ¶

Second category: Sins that are between the servant and his Lord, which are sins that do not directly affect others, such as the keeper of a brothel (1) who prepares the means for corruption and facilitates the path for people. In the misguided common perception of some, this does not harm others because people come to him of their own volition, but in reality, he harms them in both their religion and their worldly life alike, and may well be a cause for divine punishment or calamity to befall them. This is close to the first category, but lighter in the sense that the sin is between the servant and Allah, and is closer to forgiveness; the matter of this rests with Allah Almighty, who may forgive if He wills or punish if He wills. If this type of sin becomes public, it is mandatory first to carry out the prescribed shari'ah punishment (hadd) or ta'zir upon the offender, and then advise him to desist from that sin. If he persists, it becomes mandatory to condemn his actions, and part of this condemnation is to shun him, boycott him, and refrain from greeting him or responding to his greeting, if it is thought that this serves as a form of deterrence for him or others. ¶

Third category: One whose immorality is limited to himself, such as drinking alcohol, or... ¶

Neglecting an obligation or committing a forbidden act that concerns only the individual is a lighter matter than the previous cases. However, if one is present with a person before they commit a sin, it is obligatory to prevent them from that sin using means typically effective for someone in that state, even if it requires striking or mockery and disparagement. This is because enjoining good and forbidding evil (nahi 'an al-munkar) is obligatory according to one's capacity and ability. If one only learns of the sin after it has been committed and concluded, one should advise them in private, speak gently, and show them compassion, affection, and mercy. If they repent from their disobedience, this is the desired outcome a brother wishes for his brother. If one sees that they persist in their sin, one should consider their state: if shunning (hajr) does not make the shunned person worse, then shunning them is recommended. If, however, shunning and cutting ties would lead them to a greater sin than their current one, then shunning them is forbidden. ¶

Scholars have differed on the issue of shunning and cutting ties, versus the issue of civility and gentleness, and what the rule and standard for this is. The correct view, and Allah knows best, is that all of this depends on the intention and purpose, in accordance with the authentic hadith: 'Deeds are but by intentions, and every person shall have what they intended.' Gentleness and looking at others with mercy is a form of humility, while severity and turning away is a form of admonition. The one to consult in this matter is the heart, as sometimes severity and reproach stem from arrogance, vanity, and a perverse pleasure in asserting superiority and humiliation under the guise of reform. Conversely, gentleness and kindness may sometimes stem from hypocrisy and flattery, or an attempt to win someone over to achieve worldly interests, whether wealth, status, or desire. Therefore, everyone who seeks to perform good deeds—loving for the sake of Allah and hating for the sake of Allah—must strive with themselves to scrutinize these subtleties and monitor these conditions in the depths of the heart, for the issue of dealing with sinners bears a strong resemblance to the issue of... ¶

The analogy of the patient, the physician, and the treatment is an ijtihad-based issue, determined according to what the requirements of Siyasah Shar'iyyah (Islamic political governance) dictate in the interest of Da'wah to Allah. ¶

The methods of the righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Salih) varied regarding the manifestation of hatred toward those who commit sins, even though they all agreed that if a sinner is advised and does not desist or repent from their sin, it becomes obligatory to despise them and to manifest that hatred, provided there is no fear that a greater mischief might result than the one for which they are being despised. ¶

Among the scholars, some were stern in expressing disapproval and would choose to distance themselves (hijr/boycott), even if the cause of the boycott was minor. However, when such a statement emanated from someone who is considered a role model, it became significant. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) boycotted Yahya ibn Ma'in for his statement: 'Eat, and do not ask anyone for anything; even if the Devil were to bring me something, I would take it from him.' Imam Ahmad viewed this statement as grave and boycotted its author, which proves that harboring hatred for sinners is religiously obligatory. There are successive proofs for this, and it is appropriate to point out some of those evidences from the Book and the Sunnah. From the Book, the Almighty says: 'You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred.' And in the Hadith: 'Whoever loves for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake of Allah, gives for the sake of Allah, and withholds for the sake of Allah, has perfected faith.' ¶

Hatred, therefore, arises from opposing the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. This hatred takes on varying levels; it may intensify within a person until it compels them to change the violation by hand. If it is less than that, the change is effected through speech or through abandonment. ¶

Speech and greetings (may be withheld), and sometimes this (hatred) weakens and remains confined within the heart, which is the weakest of faith. Among the practical examples of boycotting (hajr) those who commit sins is the story of Ka'b ibn Malik and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them). It is narrated from Ka'b that he said: (The Messenger of Allah forbade the Muslims from speaking to us, and this lasted for fifty nights)(1). ¶

It is also narrated in an athar from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aas with the wording: (Do not greet those who drink khamr [wine])(2). If someone asks, 'How can one reconcile between refraining from greetings and speech in the aforementioned hadith and the hadith (It is not lawful for a Muslim to boycott his brother for more than three nights, where they meet and one turns away and the other turns away, and the best of them is the one who initiates the greeting)(3)?' The answer is: ¶

1. The forbidden boycott (hajr) may refer to a boycott caused by personal grudges for worldly interests, rather than for a purely religious sin. ¶

2. The hadith permitting boycott have specified the generality of the command to spread greetings, as is the position of the majority (jumhur)(4). ¶

3. The hadith that limits the boycott to only three nights has been interpreted by some scholars as applying to cases where there is no valid reason for it, or where the cause does not justify such an action. Otherwise, the Messenger (ﷺ) boycotted the three who stayed behind from the Battle of Tabuk for fifty days, and he boycotted his wives for a month, some for less than that and some for more. Based on this, the limitation of the duration is not a fixed condition, given the differences between the sinners and the sins for which the boycott is performed. If someone objects to this and says: Why would the sinner or... ¶

It is prescribed to shun (hajr) the corrupt (fasiq) or the innovator (mubtadi), but it is not initially prescribed to shun the disbeliever, even though he is more sinful than those who commit ordinary sins. ¶

The answer is that shunning is of two types: shunning by the heart and shunning by the tongue. Shunning the disbeliever is done by the heart—that is, by harboring hatred and enmity, and by abandoning friendliness, cooperation, and support for him, especially if he is an enemy combatant. Shunning him through speech is not prescribed because he will not be deterred from his disbelief by it, although initiating greetings (salam) to him is not encouraged. This is in contrast to the sinful Muslim, who is deterred by remorse and shame when he is boycotted and shunned. Both the disbeliever and the sinner can be spoken to for the purpose of inviting them to Allah and calling them to His obedience. What is forbidden in their regard is speaking to them with affection while they persist in their sin and disbelief. ¶

The implication of the sayings of the Salaf (predecessors) is that having allegiance (muwalat) to people of innovation is a misguidance that does not necessarily cast one out of Islam; however, they were strict in this regard and warned against it for two reasons: ¶

First: Innovation in religion, according to the majority of scholars, is graver than committing major sins. Therefore, they are treated more severely than those who commit major sins, because there is a fear that innovation will spread and its followers will persist in it, unlike a sin where the perpetrator knows it is wrong and others also know it is contrary to the truth. Thus, proponents of innovation and peddlers of sin—even if they cloak themselves in the garb of knowledge and feign asceticism and righteousness—must be dealt with firmly by the people of truth, for some of the common folk are deceived by them, and they lead them into the abyss and utter ruin. ¶

Second: Showing allegiance to the people of innovation and sin may lead to something even greater, eventually drawing its practitioners into apostasy and disbelief—may Allah protect us from that. For many people began by showing some forms of allegiance to sinners and then... ¶

They eventually ended up in complete allegiance (muwalat) to the disbelievers, thereby exiting the fold of Islam and the Muslims. This is because mingling with disbelievers and becoming intimate with them, without correct consciousness or a firm creed, inevitably leads to resemblance and imitation of them in speech and action. This results in developing love for them, their actions, and their statements, as the beloved always influences the lover. It reaches the point of mimicking them in everything, regardless of whether it is haram or mubah. This is a trait of complete apostasy, in which it becomes permissible to seize their wealth and take their lives. As for showing allegiance to sinners and those innovators whose innovations do not take them out of the fold of Islam, it is fitna (trial), misguidance, and deviation, but it does not make the seizing of their wealth or taking their lives permissible. For such a person, their blood and wealth remain sacred as long as they do not deem the sin or innovation permissible for themselves. Whoever deems the sins and innovations, which the scholars of Islam have agreed upon as forbidden based on the Quran and Sunnah, as permissible, is a disbeliever and an apostate. ¶

It is narrated from Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said: 'Whoever sits with an innovator will not be safe from one of three things: ¶

1. Either he becomes a trial for others by sitting with him. It has been mentioned in the hadith: 'Whoever initiates a good practice in Islam will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it after him, without any decrease in their rewards, and whoever initiates an evil practice in Islam will bear its burden and the burden of those who act upon it after him, without any decrease in their burdens.' ¶

2. Or that some form of approval (istihsan) enters his heart, leading him to slip, and thus Allah casts him into the Fire because of it. ¶

3. Or that he says: 'I swear by Allah, I do not care what they say, for I am confident in myself.' Whoever feels secure from Allah regarding his religion for even a blink of an eye, Allah snatches it away from him.' ¶

Abu Qilabah said: 'Do not sit with the people of innovation (Ahl al-Bid'ah) and [corrupt] desires, and do not argue with them, for I do not feel safe that they might immerse you in their misguidance or obscure for you what you once recognized as the truth.' It has been narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'A man is upon the religion of his close friend, so let each of you look at whom he takes as a friend.' And in the authentic Hadith: 'You will be with whom you love.' ¶

The method of expressing hatred/disapproval towards the people of sin (Ahl al-Ma'asi), if the situation dictates, is through turning away and distancing oneself from them. Sometimes it is by showing them little concern or indifference, and other times by belittling them and speaking to them harshly—which is more severe than mere distancing or boycotting. In all cases, the matter is handled according to the gravity or lightness of the sin. Therefore, showing practical hostility towards sinners follows two paths: ¶

First: Severing support, kindness, and assistance to them. This is the lowest degree of disapproval for those who commit sins, provided one perceives this as the most effective method with them. ¶

Second: Making a serious effort to spoil their evil intentions and goals by blocking their path, especially by obstructing the means that lead them to the sin. For example, if a person exploits his job to take bribes due to the nature of his work with the public and their interests, he can be transferred to a position that prevents this, after being punished for his actions, such as moving him to a department for archiving completed files and images. As for matters that do not directly prevent the sin, the one who disapproves of the sinner has the choice between sabotaging their intent or not. An example of this is if a person who commits the sin of drinking alcohol proposes to a woman; if his marriage to her were to be facilitated, he might be restrained by it due to the virtue of chastity involved. ¶

And beauty and wealth, and you see that you are capable of influencing this matter through agreement or disagreement, yet you also firmly believe that this will not affect preventing him from the sin of drinking alcohol. So which is more appropriate: to assist him in attaining his objective, or to spoil his goal and purpose? ¶

In such a situation, a person faces three paths: The first path: To assist him in his objective with the intention of being gentle and showing compassion toward him, so that he may trust your affection and accept your advice. This is good and desirable for a Muslim in certain circumstances. The second path: To neither assist him nor spoil his goal, thus leaving him to his sin, and not sabotaging his efforts out of respect for his right of Islam. This is not forbidden. The third path: To spoil his goal and cause him to miss that opportunity, so that perhaps he may turn back from his sin, realizing that this sin stems from the very thing he desires with such longing and interest. It is also to let him and others know that this is the required course of action with those who disregard prohibitions and commit sins. Furthermore, it is to let people know that loyalty for the sake of Allah and enmity for the sake of Allah must govern relationships among them, and that this is one of the foundations of faith and its obligations upon every Muslim(1). ¶

This applies if the sin pertains to the right of Allah or the rights of others. However, if the sin or transgression pertains to your own personal right, O human, or to the right of those over whom you have guardianship, then you have the choice to pardon and forgive, as in what occurred in the words of the Almighty: 'And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah, and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you?' ¶

(1) See: 'Fadilat al-Ulfa wa al-Ukhuwwa' (The Virtue of Harmony and Brotherhood), manuscript, folios (26, 27), Manuscript Department, University of Riyadh, no. (1605), on microfilm no. (6/556). The author is unknown; it was written approximately in the ninth century Hijri. ¶

Allah is Forgiving and Merciful to you (1). This occurred when Mistah ibn Uthatha spoke regarding the incident of ifk (the slander), and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) swore to cut off his financial support for his participation in spreading that baseless story. However, Allah the Almighty offered Abu Bakr forgiveness and pardon in exchange for Allah’s own forgiveness; Abu Bakr accepted and continued to pay the support to Mistah ibn Uthatha. Undoubtedly, the sin of attacking the sanctity of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the status of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was significant, especially since it came from his closest kin, as Mistah was Abu Bakr's cousin. However, since the victim of that incident possessed the right regarding the matter, he held the authority to pardon those who wronged him and to show kindness to those who offended him—these being the characteristics of the Siddiqin (the truthful). Thus, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) pardoned him and treated him with kindness. This indicates that showing kindness to those who have wronged you is permissible. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Charity does not decrease wealth, and Allah increases a servant in honor only through pardon, and no one humbles himself for the sake of Allah but that Allah raises him' (2). This pertains to matters other than the prescribed Hadd (legal punishment). Regarding the issue of Hudud (plural of Hadd), scholars have three opinions: First, that pardon is absolutely prohibited, whether by the victim or the supreme head of state (3). Second, that pardon is permissible as long as the case has not reached the ruler (4). Third, that pardon is permissible unconditionally (5). In my opinion, the view that pardon is permissible as long as the matter has not reached the ruler is the preferred (rajih) opinion. ¶

Especially in cases of aggression against property or life, unless legal exoneration is established. ¶

The requirements of the circumstances in these aforementioned matters dictate that loving sinners and people of innovation (ahl al-bid'ah) whose innovation does not reach the level of kufr (disbelief) is makruh (disliked), and harboring dislike for them is among the recommended acts (mandubat) in Shariah. The matter in both cases does not reach the level of prohibition (tahrim) or obligation (wujub), as what is subject to the taklif (religious obligation) of prohibition or obligation is the principle of loving for the sake of Allah and hating for the sake of Allah. This [principle] may not extend from the beloved to another person with the same strength and ruling. Rather, what is transferred is the excess of love and its domination in an un-Islamic manner, such as the extremism of the Christians regarding Jesus, or similar extremism regarding the righteous; this falls under the category of aggression and blameworthy excess in love. Therefore, a Muslim must be moderate in this and committed to Islam, not exaggerating in the realm of legitimate love until he falls into shirk (polytheism), as happened with Al-Busiri in his saying: 'O most noble of creation, I have none to seek refuge in Except you, when the universal calamity descends.' ¶

Nor should he be among those about whom Allah said: 'And among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah.' The hierarchy of love is that one should love Allah Almighty before everything else, then the Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, then the rest of the prophets, then the Rightly Guided Caliphs, then all the Companions, then the Tabi'in and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment. Loving the general body of believers is obligatory, as we clarified in a previous discussion. As for the love of individual believers, it is recommended (mustahabb) but not obligatory in their specific persons. Similarly, hating sinners and the corrupt is obligatory in a general sense, whereas individual sinners or the corrupt (are subject to different considerations). ¶

Thus, harboring resentment towards them and boycotting them is recommended (mustahabb), not obligatory (wajib). This is because those who fell into certain sins during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) were not completely boycotted, nor did all the people harbor resentment toward them. Rather, people were divided into three categories regarding them: ¶

1. A group that spoke harshly to them and openly expressed resentment toward them. 2. A group that turned away from them, and did not engage with them except for occasional advice and reminders. 3. A group that viewed them with compassion and mercy, and did not prefer to cut ties or distance themselves from them—either for the purpose of reforming and advising them, or out of fear that they might deviate or stray further. This is one of the subtle points of Shariah rulings in which the methods of the seekers (sallikin) and the ijtihad (legal deductions) of the jurists differ. In this matter, the action of each person is determined by the requirements of their situation, their time, and their intention. (1) ¶

Based on this, cutting off all ties of loyalty (muwalat) between the immoral and sinful individuals among the Muslims and the rest of the Muslims is not absolutely obligatory, as is the case with the disbelievers who have abandoned Islam. (2) ¶

Allah is the All-Knowing and the Guide to the straight path. ¶

(1) See: 'Fadilat al-Ulfah wa al-Ukhuwwah' (The Virtue of Affection and Brotherhood), manuscript, Department of Manuscripts at King Saud University, no. (1605), microfilm no. (6/556). The author is unknown; it was written approximately in the 9th century Hijri. (2) See: Al-Fatawa, Ibn Taymiyyah, Vol. 7, p. 671. ¶

Second Topic: Allegiance and Enmity toward the Hypocrites. ¶

Ever since Allah sent our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and honored him with the Hijrah and victory, people became divided into three categories regarding him: (a) A group of believing Mujahideen: These are those who believed in Islam both outwardly and inwardly. (b) A group of disbelieving, obstinate, and belligerent ones: These are those who openly displayed kufr (disbelief) and enmity toward Islam. (c) A group that practiced hypocrisy, deceit, and flattery: These are those who believed in Islam outwardly, but not inwardly. We find this classification in the opening verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, where Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He) began the Surah with five verses regarding the attributes of the believers, two verses regarding the attributes of the disbelievers, and thirteen verses regarding the attributes of the hypocrites. Each of these three categories has its own foundations and branches, as clarified by the Book (Quran) and the Sunnah. Hypocrisy (nifaq) can be divided into two categories: major hypocrisy (nifaq akbar) and minor hypocrisy (nifaq asghar). The first category: Major hypocrisy, which is that of one whose practitioner will be in the lowest depths (dark al-asfal) of the Fire. ¶