Chapter 37

And obscene tapes, and this includes the proprietors of lewd magazines and destructive books; for all these acts, participating in them, and assisting in them is a crime for which a Muslim will be held accountable in this world and the Hereafter (1). ¶

Therefore, a Muslim who is zealous for their religion and nation must not engage in such dealings, nor deal with those who engage in them, even if they offer a large sum in return. For seeking the pleasure of Allah takes precedence over everything, and whoever leaves something for the sake of Allah, Allah will compensate him with something better. But unfortunately, the reality of Muslims is far removed from this. Muslims have begun to compete to cater to Jews, Christians, and other disbelievers coming to Islamic lands, each offering to rent them what they own, regardless of the kufr (disbelief) and manifest or hidden corruption committed in those dwellings. Loyalty for the sake of money and enmity based on it have become, for some Muslims, of a higher status than loyalty for the sake of Allah and enmity for His sake. There is no power and no strength except in Allah, the Most High, the Almighty. ¶

(1) See: Fatawa in the Saudi 'Ad-Da'wah' magazine, issue no. 990, dated 16/8/1405 AH, pp. 26-27, response by Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baz. ¶

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Second Section: Allegiance (Muwalaat) to Disbelievers in Social Relations ¶

Under this are four sub-sections: 1. First Sub-section: Greeting disbelievers and visiting them. 2. Second Sub-section: Congratulating disbelievers and praising them. 3. Third Sub-section: Attending the funerals of disbelievers and offering condolences for their deaths. 4. Fourth Sub-section: Marrying women who are disbelievers and giving Muslim women in marriage to them. ¶

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Section One: Greeting Disbelievers and Visiting Them ¶

It is narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Do not initiate the greeting of salam to the Jews and the Christians, and if you meet one of them on a path, force him to the narrowest part of it." (1) In the two Sahihs, it is narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "When the People of the Scripture greet you, say: 'Wa 'alaykum' (And upon you)." It is a mutafaq 'alayh (agreed upon) narration. (2) It is also narrated by Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by a gathering containing a mixture of Muslims and polytheists — idol worshippers and Jews — and the Prophet (peace be upon him) greeted them. (Agreed upon). (3) ¶

Scholars have differed regarding responding to the greetings of disbelievers and initiating greetings towards them. The Shafi'i school holds that it is haram (prohibited) to initiate the greeting of salam to them, and this is the position of the majority of scholars and the salaf (predecessors). ¶

(1) Narrated by Muslim. See: Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 1707. (2) Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim. See: Nuzhat al-Muttaqin Sharh Riyad al-Salihin, Vol. 1, p. 670. (3) Agreed upon. Previous source, same location. ¶

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As for the issue of responding to non-Muslims if they initiate the greeting (salam) to a Muslim, the Shafi'i scholars hold that it is mandatory to respond by saying 'wa 'alaykum' (and upon you) or 'alaykum' only, as mentioned in the authentic hadith. Ibn Wahb and Ashhab narrated from Malik that one should not return their greeting. It is reported from Al-Mawardi that one should respond with 'wa 'alaykum as-salam' but without adding 'wa rahmatullah'; however, this view is weak because it contradicts the text of the authentic hadith. The preferred (rajih) position is that the response should be by the Prophet's ﷺ words, 'wa 'alaykum', in cases of doubt where the listener is uncertain of the non-Muslim's pronunciation. However, if the non-Muslim explicitly says 'as-salamu 'alaykum', then the requirement of the Shariah evidence is to say 'wa 'alayka as-salam' (and upon you be peace), as this is a matter of justice; and Allah commands justice and excellence. Allah says: 'And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet with one better than it or return it.' The instruction to limit the response to 'wa 'alaykum' was based on the reason they employed in their own greetings, as Allah says: 'And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting that Allah does not greet you with.' As for greeting a gathering that contains a mix of Muslims and polytheists, initiating the greeting is permissible as previously mentioned in the hadith. This is reflective of the Prophet's ﷺ noble character, the perfection of his forbearance, and his encouragement towards gentleness, patience, and kindness toward people, unless there is an urgent necessity to be harsh and stern with them and to express disassociation from them. ¶

The subject of peace previously mentioned concerns peace between a Muslim and a non-Muslim (kafir) who understands the Arabic language and is capable of responding to it. However, what is the ruling regarding dealing with those who do not know the Arabic language—specifically, whether to initiate the greeting (salam) to them, to respond to their greeting, to initiate a greeting to them that differs in wording and meaning from the Islamic salam, or to respond to them if they offer a greeting that does not carry the meaning of 'salam' (peace)? My view on this matter is to refrain from initiating the salam to them; however, if they offer a greeting, it is permissible to respond in kind. Some scholars hold the view that it is recommended to boycott a disbeliever or someone similar if they openly display the customs of disbelief and are engaged in the practices of the non-Muslims while among Muslims. Their evidence for this is that a delegation from Najran came to the Prophet (ﷺ), consisting of Shurahbil bin Wada'ah al-Hamdani, Abdullah bin Shurahbil al-Asbahi, and Jabbar bin Fayd al-Harithi. When they reached Medina, they put aside the clothes they had worn during their journey and donned fancy garments and gold rings. They then went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and offered the salam, but he did not respond to them. They sought to speak with him throughout a long day, but he did not address them while they were wearing those garments and gold rings. They went to seek out Uthman bin Affan and Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with them), as they knew them. They found them in a gathering of the Muhajirun and the Ansar and said: 'O Uthman, O Abdur Rahman! Your Prophet wrote a letter to us, so we came to respond to it. We came to him and offered the salam, but he did not respond; we tried to speak with him all day, but he would not speak to us. What is your opinion? Do you think we should return?' They asked Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), who was among the group: 'What is your opinion, O Abu al-Hasan, regarding these people?' Ali said to Uthman and Abdur Rahman: 'My opinion is that...' ¶

He commanded them to remove their ornaments and rings, put on travel attire, and return to him—and they did so. They greeted the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he returned their greeting. Then he said: 'By the One who sent me with the truth, they came to me the first time, and Iblis (Satan) was with them'(1). ¶

What, then, is your assessment of one who raises the banners and symbols of disbelief that contradict the explicit text of the Quran, such as raising the cross and the like upon the arrival of the disbelievers? Or those who welcome the disbelievers and their ilk, whose hands are dripping with the blood of innocent Muslims whose only 'guilt' was saying 'Our Lord is Allah'? ¶

Embracing disbelievers and showing them cheerful faces has become common practice among many leaders of Muslim countries and their populace. Indeed, the matter has reached the point for some of exchanging their own wives with the wives of their unbelieving guests, so that they may accompany and flirt with them. This occurred with Sadat’s wife (Jihan), who kissed (Begin) and embraced him, and before him, she had embraced and danced with Carter, then Kissinger, and finally Prince Charles(2). ¶

Embracing disbelievers, especially their women, is something Islam does not approve of. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: 'By Allah, his hand—meaning the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)—never touched the hand of any woman during the pledge of allegiance (Bay'ah). He only accepted their pledge with his words, saying: "I have accepted your pledge on that"'(3). ¶

As for the issue of visiting disbelievers and checking on them when they are ill, there is no doubt that... ¶

Actions are judged by intentions - It is narrated from Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: 'Actions are but by intentions, and every person shall have what he intended...' [the Hadith]. ¶

A Muslim visiting a disbeliever is divided into three categories: ¶

Category One: A Muslim visiting a disbelieving relative, neighbor, or friend. This may be recommended (mustahabb) if the intent of the visit is to present Islam to them and encourage them to enter it, especially if one perceives that the visit offers an opportunity for the person to accept the call to the religion of Allah. This is like what the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did when he visited a young Jewish boy who was ill, presented Islam to him, and the boy converted. ¶

In the Sahihayn, it is narrated from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib (may Allah be pleased with him) that his father informed him: When death approached Abu Talib, the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to him and found Abu Jahl ibn Hisham and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayya ibn al-Mughira with him. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to Abu Talib, 'O uncle, say La ilaha illallah (there is no god but Allah), a word I will testify to for you before Allah.' Abu Jahl and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayya said, 'O Abu Talib, will you turn away from the religion of Abdul Muttalib?' The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) kept presenting it to him, while they kept repeating their statement, until the last thing he said to them was that he was upon the religion of Abdul Muttalib. ¶

Category Two: Permissible (mubah) visiting: This is visiting a group of polytheists without the intent of da'wah (invitation to Islam), and without the intent of coveting anything specific they possess, but rather for the sake of kinship or similar reasons. Al-Marwadhi said: It reached me that Abu Abdullah (Ahmad ibn Hanbal) said... ¶

Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked about a man who has a Christian relative: Should he visit him when he is sick? He replied: Yes. It was said to him: He is a Christian! He replied: I hope there is no harm in visiting [the sick]. ¶

It is narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to say: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would visit a person who was not of the religion of Islam, he would not sit with him for long, and would say: 'How are you, O Jew, O Christian?' ¶

The Third Category: This is the prohibited form of association which indicates showing allegiance (muwalat) to the disbelievers. This is the association that is not intended for any good deed in the path of Allah, but rather, the purpose is to find pleasure and joy in witnessing their evil deeds and cooperating with them in that. It is narrated from Ja’far ibn Muhammad that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about a man visiting his Jewish or Christian business partner [when ill], and he said: 'No, and there is no honor in that.' ¶

Thus, whoever chooses the company of disbelievers and feels at ease with them instead of the believers, and takes joy in sitting with them and prides himself on it before people, there is no doubt that this act is proof of love and affection for them, their actions, and their words; and this is the 'muwalat' (allegiance/loyalty) that is forbidden. It has been mentioned in the Hadith: 'A man is upon the religion of his friend, so let one of you look at whom he takes as a friend,' and the Hadith: 'A person will be with those whom he loves.' Therefore, let the Muslim beware of falling into what Allah has forbidden, whether he realizes it or not. ¶

Second Subsection: Congratulating Disbelievers and Praising Them ¶

Disbelievers can be divided into two categories based on their stance toward the people of Islam: (a) Belligerent disbelievers (muharibun). (b) Peaceful disbelievers (musalimun). ¶

As for those disbelievers who are at war with Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, it is not permissible to congratulate them, whether they are individuals or governments, and whether they are engaged in military warfare or intellectual and moral warfare. It is not appropriate for a Muslim to congratulate any of them on marriage, the birth of a child, returning from travel, success, or the like, unless they intend for it to be a means of calling them to Allah. If this intention and sentiment are absent, such an action constitutes an act of alliance (muwalat) with the disbelievers, which incurs sin and accountability before Allah, the Almighty, Who knows the treachery of the eyes and what the chests conceal. ¶

Congratulating individuals or governments on occasions celebrated by disbelievers is forbidden, such as the holidays they observe, like Christmas, Easter, or their other [specific] festivals. ¶

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Similar to the various celebrations of the factions of kufr (disbelief), a new innovation has emerged where people offer congratulations without any critical examination of past or subsequent events: this is the commemoration of the withdrawal of colonialism from a country. Congratulations are sent by individuals and governments on such occasions, even though the one currently occupying the land is often more malevolent than the colonial power itself! Similar to this issue is the phenomenon of a fake union between two infidel regimes, which prompts letters of congratulations and support for the unity and alliance. Yet, after a few weeks or months, the dogs quarrel over their prey; the union dissolves, and the alliance is nullified. Consequently, those same people who sent the previous letters begin pouring forth messages of support and approval—only to dismantle what they had previously solidified themselves. ¶

This approach diminishes the value of peoples, individuals, and nations that do not respect their own positions and do not remain steadfast upon an opinion or statement they have issued. ¶

Individuals and nations that offer their loyalty and support to those who deserve it and those who do not, demonstrate that their loyalty stems from a random basis, far removed from reason and the guidance of divine revelation. An individual or a nation that proceeds in its loyalty and enmity from an authentic methodology remains steadfast in the positions it takes. If it says 'Yes,' it does not say 'No,' regardless of the effort and sacrifice it may cost. And if it says 'No,' it does not say 'Yes,' regardless of the sacrifices and costs incurred, because it does not say 'Yes' or 'No' without relying on a Shariah-based principle that makes its position firm and unchanging. ¶

As for the hypocrites, they waver and contradict themselves in their loyalty, because their loyalty is governed by materialism and personal interest; thus, their loyalty is merely a false and counterfeit one. ¶

One should not listen to them nor rely upon them, for they are the first to flatter the disbelievers and seek their approval. The scholars have stated: Whoever congratulates a person for an act of disobedience, innovation, or disbelief has exposed himself to the wrath and anger of Allah. This is evidence that praising the enemies of Allah is not permissible. Ibn Abi al-Dunya, Abu Ya'la, and al-Bayhaqi in 'Shu'ab al-Iman' narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'When the transgressor (fasiq) is praised, the Lord becomes angry, and the Throne shakes because of it.' It is also narrated from Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'Do not call the hypocrite a leader (sayyid), for if he is your leader, you have angered your Lord, the Almighty and Majestic.' If praising a hypocrite—who manifests Islam and whose true state of hypocrisy might be hidden from some Muslims—is a cause for Allah's wrath, then what is your opinion of those who praise blatant disbelievers who declare war on Allah, His Messenger, and the believers morning and evening? Allah the Almighty has commanded the Muslim to avoid the occasions and festivals of the disbelievers. He says: 'And they do not bear witness to falsehood (al-zur).' This is the minimum a Muslim should do regarding the disbelievers, because it is an obligation upon the Muslim to invite the disbelievers to Islam through speech or the sword. If one is unable to do so, at the very least, one must shun and distance oneself from them. Al-Bayhaqi narrated with a sahih chain from al-Bukhari, from Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: 'Avoid the enemies of Allah during their festivals.' ¶

Follow the path of those believers whom Allah has commanded us to follow. It is narrated from Malik bin Anas that Umar bin Abdulaziz said: 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the rulers after him established a Sunnah; adhering to it is confirmation of the Book of Allah, completion of obedience to Allah, and strength for the religion of Allah. Whoever follows it is guided, whoever seeks victory through it is victorious, and whoever opposes it has followed a path other than that of the believers, so Allah has left him to what he has turned to and will burn him in Hell, an evil destination.' ¶

Violations in such matters have become so frequent that many who claim to be Muslim apply the titles of 'brother,' 'mujahid,' and 'martyr' to the leaders of hypocrites and disbelievers. Meanwhile, the truthful Muslims among the righteous predecessors of this Ummah used to avoid congratulating tyrants on their appointments or congratulating the ignorant on positions of judgeship, teaching, and issuing fatwas. They did this to avoid the wrath of Allah, fearing His punishment, and fearing that they might fall into the category of deception and misguiding people by praising, congratulating, and endorsing those who are not worthy of it. ¶

(This is) like congratulating them on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, if not worse. I heard the Kuwaiti radio in its news bulletin on the morning of Friday, 6/3/1402 AH, corresponding to 1/1/1982 AD, while it was offering the highest expressions of thanks, appreciation, and happy congratulations to its Emir, government, the people of Kuwait, and the Arab and Islamic nation on the occasion of the Gregorian New Year, announcing that the state had granted an official holiday to all employees, including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and others, for Saturday, 7/3/1402 AH. Is Kuwait a Christian state or an Islamic state? And why are Christians placed on par with Muslims when the percentage of Christians in Kuwait does not exceed 4% according to what the Kuwaiti magazine 'Al-Mujtama' published based on official statistics? Meanwhile, Christian countries do not care about Muslims or their holidays, even though the percentage of Muslims in some Christian countries reaches more than 26%, as is the case in Ethiopia, where there are 6 million Muslims out of 22 million. So why do we honor them while they insult us? And why do we appreciate them while they mock us? With such an equation, a Muslim does not feel honor and dignity, but rather humiliation and disgrace. ¶

As for the situation where a person offers congratulations to certain Muslim officials—specifically those who are involved in acts of disobedience—out of a desire to appease their evil or out of fear of their oppression, provided that no rights of the subjects are lost as a result of this congratulation, and provided that it is not support for a falsehood they intend to establish, or a truth they intend to invalidate, then there is no harm in it. However, if it is for purposes other than that, involving prohibited matters, then it constitutes allegiance to falsehood and its people, and hostility toward the truth and its people. This may result in the perpetrator committing an act of disbelief (kufr), or at the very least, it may descend to the level of prohibition (tahrim).(1) And Allah is the Guide to the Straight Path. ¶

(1) See: Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimmah, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Vol. 1, p. 206. ¶

Section Three: Attending the funerals of disbelievers and offering condolences for them. Regarding their stance toward Islam, disbelievers are divided into two categories: belligerent disbelievers (muharibun) and peaceful disbelievers (musalimun). It is not permissible to attend the funerals of those disbelievers who are at war with Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, nor is it permitted to be present at their burial ceremonies, as their destination is the blazing fire and an evil abode. Furthermore, offering condolences for their death is not permissible, because a person who is at war with Allah, His Messenger, and the believers—whether they died in their bed or in battle against Islam and the Muslims—is subject to the same ruling, as long as they harbor hostility toward Muslims on account of their Islam. The conduct of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) regarding the slain polytheists at Badr serves as a methodology and a guiding light in this regard; he commanded the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to drag them to the pit just as a dead carcass of a sheep is dragged, despite the kinship ties between these individuals and most of the Muslims. Thus, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not perform any action toward them that would imply grief or regret over these disbelievers. ¶

He did not command their burial according to the customs of the disbelievers, nor did he participate in such rites. The Messenger (ﷺ) lived for twenty-three years in Makkah and Madinah after his mission began, yet neither the scholars of Hadith nor historians have recorded that he attended the funeral of any disbeliever or offered condolences to anyone regarding them. A case in point is his uncle Abu Talib; he neither followed his funeral procession nor offered condolences to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding him (1). ¶

As for the Ahl al-Dhimmah (protected non-Muslims) and the peaceful disbelievers, the fundamental ruling is that it is not permissible to attend their funerals, participate in their processions, or accompany them to a church, synagogue, or similar places. Likewise, it is not permissible to be present at the funeral of any of them during the time of burial. The evidence for this is that the Messenger (ﷺ) was forbidden from performing the funeral prayer for the hypocrites, as stated by the Almighty: “And do not pray over any of them who has died—ever—or stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient” (2). If Allah the Almighty has forbidden prayer and standing at the graves of hypocrites—who outwardly manifest Islam while concealing disbelief—then one who manifests disbelief openly is even more deserving of this ruling, let alone one who declares his disbelief and his war against Islam and the Muslims. Allah the Almighty has stated that the underlying cause (illah) for the prohibition of prayer and witnessing the burial at the grave is disbelief, a factor present in all disbelievers, whether they are hostile (muharib), peaceful, or hypocrites. ¶

Based on this, it is not permissible to attend the funerals of disbelievers under any circumstances, especially in two instances: 1. Attending the places of worship for disbelievers, such as churches, synagogues, and their equivalents. This also applies to those who have become disbelievers through apostasy from Islam or are confirmed hypocrites; it is not proper for a Muslim committed to his faith to perform funeral prayers for them or stand at their graves. 2. It is not permissible to stand at the grave of a disbeliever at the time of burial, regardless of the nature of their disbelief, in adherence to the text. ¶

The aforementioned verse indicates the prohibition of performing the funeral prayer for an infidel (kafir) and standing by their grave. The textual evidence for this is definitive (qati' al-thubut), as the Almighty says: "And do not pray over any of them who has died—ever—and do not stand at his grave" (1). ¶

An objector might argue that the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) to bury Abu Talib in his grave upon his death in Mecca. The response is that if Ali’s burial of his father is definitively proven, it has been abrogated by this verse, as this verse was revealed regarding Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, the leader of the hypocrites in Medina (2). According to the established legal principle, the latter (rule) abrogates the former; therefore, there is no conflict. ¶

Some reports (athar) indicate that it is permissible for a Muslim to attend the funeral of an infidel and accompany the procession under three conditions: First: That the deceased infidel is a direct relative of the Muslim, such as a parent, child, sibling, or the like. Second: That the Muslim does not participate in the funeral prayer and does not stand at the grave during the burial. Third: That the Muslim walks ahead of the funeral procession at some distance and stands far from the grave. When they prepare to bury, he should leave. It is recommended that he be mounted, as this demonstrates, both in appearance and in essence, the honor of the Muslim and his superiority over the infidels. ¶

The evidence for this is the report that Qays ibn Shammas came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: "My mother has died, and she was a Christian," and he wished to attend her funeral. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him: "Ride your mount and walk in front of it; if you are mounted and in front of it, you are not with it [the funeral party]" (3). It is also reported that al-Harith ibn Abi Rabi'ah attended the funeral of his mother. ¶