Chapter 40

Based on the preceding clarification and exposition, contemporary states that squander the wealth of Muslims in the form of aid, donations, long-term loans, and interest-bearing loans are committing a grave crime and a major sin against themselves, their Ummah, and their religion, as their conduct contradicts the approach and system of Islam in dealing with non-Muslims. How is it that generous donations are given to those who fight against Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, while the majority of Muslim nations live on the donations of non-Muslims? In their extreme poverty and need, are the enemies of Islam more merciful to the poor Muslims than the wealthy Muslims themselves? And why do the wealthy Muslims prioritize the wealthy disbelievers over the poor Muslims with their charities and donations? ¶

Those who prefer the disbelievers over the Muslims in their benevolence and kindness risk their own happiness and the happiness of their nations, solely to appease the enemies of Allah, His Messenger, and the believers; this is the ultimate form of allegiance (muwalat) to the disbelievers. Bestowing benevolence, kindness, and significant aid—without any valid Islamic objective—to those who fight against Allah, His Messenger, and the believers is an act of treachery, humiliation, and baseness that no one would undertake except those devoid of morals or religion. ¶

Indeed, the Muslims are in consensus regarding the prohibition of selling weapons and the like to those in a state of war (ahl al-harb) due to the fear that they might be used against Muslims (1). ¶

What then of those who support states and governments that declare war on Islam and the Muslims with money, oil, and political allegiance, while those who stand for the truth find no one to support or assist them, not even with a word transmitted across the airwaves, let alone material aid? ¶

We do not wish to elaborate further by listing examples, but we offer this brief pointer to confirm the validity of what we are stating: for instance, the National Bank of Bahrain and the United Banking Corporation concluded an agreement. ¶

(1) See: Iqtida' as-Sirat al-Mustaqim Mukhalafat Ashab al-Jahim, by Ibn Taymiyyah, pp. 230-232. ¶

It was decided to grant a loan of 50 million dollars to the Central Bank of the Philippines, with a term of eight years at an interest rate of 1/2 of 0.01 percent of the loan value. ¶

If we examine this loan from an Islamic perspective, we find it involves three major and primary crimes as follows: ¶

1. The first crime in this loan is assisting the Marcos government, which is a Crusader regime harboring malice toward Islam and Muslims, and which kills Muslims morning and evening in the southern Philippines without pity or mercy. This act is haram (forbidden), and it constitutes support and aid to the people of disbelief against the people of Islam. Allah Almighty says: 'So do not be an assistant to the disbelievers.' What support could be greater than strengthening the disbelievers with wealth that they will use to wage war against Muslims? ¶

2. The second crime is the act of engaging in riba (usury/interest) with consent, knowledge, and choice. Riba is prohibited by the text of the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the consensus (ijma') of the Ummah. Where, then, do these people stand in relation to Islam? And what is Islam according to their definition? ¶

3. The third crime is that this behavior constitutes a betrayal (abandonment) of Islam and Muslims. At a time when these people extend their hands with millions to the enemies of Islam and Muslims, we find them refraining from offering any aid to the oppressed Muslims in that country. This is contrary to what Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) have commanded. Allah Almighty says: 'And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.' ¶

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he does not oppress him, nor does he forsake him, nor does he despise him.' (1). And there is no greater abandonment of a Muslim than assisting his enemy against him. ¶

An example of this irresponsible behavior is what the government of Kuwait did when it donated twelve million dollars to build a sports complex in India, which is to be built on the graveyards of Muslims whose sanctity the Indian government has violated both in life and in death! (2). If only the Kuwaiti government had spent this money to build mosques for Muslims in India, or to support the Aligarh Muslim University, where studies are nearly grinding to a halt due to a lack of financial resources, or spent it to provide shelter for Muslim families who grow up and grow old on the sidewalks of streets in India. ¶

What has happened regarding Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and others is but a small part of a much larger problem... So until when will the blood and bodies of Muslims remain cheap, and the wealth of Muslims remain plunder for others?!!! ¶

Indeed, the matter has surpassed the issue of using Islamic wealth to assist disbelievers who are at war with Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, to the point of building idols with Muslim funds in the lands of the disbelievers. ¶

For instance, the Kuwaiti newspaper 'Al-Qabas', issued on February 3, 1980, published a report under the headline: 'One hundred thousand dollars from Kuwait as its contribution to the construction of a memorial for the so-called Martin Luther King in the city of Washington, in the United States.' ¶

(1) Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. See Nuzhat al-Muttaqin Sharh Riyad al-Salihin, Vol. 2, p. 1080, Hadith No. (1572). (2) See Al-Mujtama' Magazine, Issue (521), 11th year, dated 18/5/1401 AH, p. 16. ¶

American(1). End quote. Is there any greater mockery, absurdity, stupidity, or loss of identity than this? That a state counted among those of Islam donates funds to build an idol and erect a statue to the greatest Christian crusader priest in the richest country in the world, while Muslim children are dying of hunger, and most of them live barefoot and naked, lying on the ice and covering themselves with the frost of the sky in Afghanistan, Burma, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Syria, Lebanon, Eritrea, and other afflicted Islamic countries. Is (Luther King) more important than two thousand Muslim children whom the Crusaders sold in Lebanon to Christianization and proselytization societies in Europe and America, so that they may become priests and monks for Christianity in the near future(2)? This matter is not related to Kuwait alone; other states participate in similar things, although it may be distinguished from the rest of the countries in the region by having some degree of press freedom, while in the rest of the countries, similar or even greater things are happening under the cover of darkness. There is no power or strength except by Allah. Indeed, we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. (1) See the previous source, the same location. (2) See Kuwaiti magazine 'Al-Mujtama', issue (521) dated 18/5/1401 AH, p. 16. ¶

The Third Example: Enabling the Disbelievers to Exploit Muslims' Wealth ¶

If one were to cast a glance at the Arab and Islamic countries, one would see that the most important source of their income is petroleum. It is the sole source for most Arab states, and experts in this field confirm that petroleum is a depleting resource. ¶

Indeed, the Kuwaiti Minister of Petroleum mentioned in a report at one of the OAPEC conferences: 'If we were to take the oil reserves outside of the Communist regions, we would find that at the end of 1978 AD (1398 AH), the world possessed reserves amounting to (85) billion tons. Assuming that the economic growth rate could be maintained at a level of 3% per year—a rate whose sustainability is highly questionable—and assuming the existence of oil discoveries amounting to one billion tons per year over the next ten years, all currently known oil reserves plus the amount of oil that could be discovered would not be sufficient for the world’s consumption between the years 1979 AD – 2008 AD (1399 AH – 1428 AH), which amounts to (100) billion tons. That is, the total reserves plus what can be discovered equals 85 + 10 = 95 billion, while global consumption of petroleum according to international statistics during the mentioned period will be (100) billion.' ¶

Meaning a deficit of five billion tons from the existing and projected quantity(1). ¶

The issue of producing oil in large quantities, despite having no need for the revenue and despite the strong assumption of its eventual exhaustion, may be an involuntary matter for some states, as the proverb goes: (Makrah akhaka la batal - Your brother is coerced, not acting of his own volition). But stranger than all this is that oil-producing countries do not invest the value of their petroleum correctly. A single glance at the Arab assets present in the world's banks reveals the enormous funds that Arab Muslims do not invest properly, and these balances are as follows: ¶

1. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 77 billion dollars. 2. Kuwait: 38 billion dollars. 3. UAE and Qatar: 26 billion dollars. ¶

The total for these assets is: 141 billion dollars(2). ¶

This estimate is from three years ago, that is, before prices jumped twofold. But the question is: why are these funds not invested for the benefit of Islam and the Muslims? ¶

The reality of Muslims does not reach the level of the wealth they possess. They are in abject poverty and disgraceful decline in all fields of life; they possess no striking military force, no large production factories, no sufficient agricultural wealth, and no capable scientific human energy, even though the field is vast and wide for investing all these funds for these purposes. There are vast expanses of fertile land in Sudan, Iraq, North Africa, and the upper Nile in Egypt, in addition to... ¶

(1) See Al-Balagh magazine, issue (513) on 16/11/1399 AH, pages 6-12. (2) See Al-Mujtama magazine, issue 422 on 5/1/1399 AH, page 17. ¶

There are vast tracts of agricultural land in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and several other Muslim countries. All these nations possess agricultural potential; if those with capital were to assist them in developing and fully exploiting these resources, everyone would benefit, and they would be of service to all of humanity, especially at a time when thirty million children die annually due to a lack of food. ¶

Furthermore, leaving these funds in the hands of our enemies strengthens them against us and serves as a tool they use to pressure us, as happened with Iran. The fortunate one is he who learns from the experiences of others. ¶

Western nations treat us like a saw treats wood; they exploit us in their selling to us and buying from us. This fact was clarified by Dr. Awda Abu Madina, Vice President of the Treasury at the First National Bank of Chicago, who states: Oil-exporting countries have supported the American balance of trade sufficiently to cover it and create a surplus, through the following methods: ¶

First: Through the surplus profits from goods that America exports to oil-producing countries. Second: Through the profits of American oil companies in the Middle East. Third: Through the flow of oil value into American financial markets. ¶

Consequently, every dollar America paid as the price for oil from Middle Eastern countries is equal, after analysis and comparison, to the value of profits from the goods and services the United States obtained from these oil-producing nations. During the years (1977–1979), the value of oil purchased by America reached (7.2) billion dollars, while the profits for the same period reached (8.155) billion dollars. This reality has been clarified with precise and detailed data and figures; were it not for the fear of length and digression from the subject, we would have included those details (1). ¶

(1) See: Al-Iqtisad wal-A'mal Magazine, Year Two, Issue (18) - Beirut - Lebanon, pp. 19-20. ¶

In brief, oil reaches the heart of the United States for free. Despite all this, neither America nor all the Western countries treat us in a way that is commensurate with the services we provide them and the rights we relinquish for their sake. Dr. Jack Shaheen, professor of media at the University of Illinois in the United States, states: 'To be an Arab in America means to be an object of ridicule by the media. Arabs are always despised in stories, cinematic films, comic books, caricatures, magazines, newspapers, and textbooks.' (1). The Arab appears through all these mass media channels as 'the squint-eyed saboteur with the hooked nose, the dirty, the scowling, the backward, the sexually crazed, the spendthrift wealthy, the lecherous opportunist, the greedy, the dull-witted, the terrorist, and the profoundly ignorant.' Dr. Walid Khadduri, Director of the Information Department at the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), said in a seminar held in London two years ago: 'It is a recognized fact that the West has reserved for the Arabs a miserable image even throughout modern history.' (2). This unjust and oppressive view reflects a biased and hostile attitude intentionally aimed at all Islamic countries. They have surpassed all the regulations and laws issued by them prohibiting writings or drawings of a racist nature, a fact acknowledged by Dr. Jonathan. ¶

Demble, one of the participants in the International Press Seminar held in 1979. ¶

We have cited these statements to refute the arguments of those who harbor good opinions about the enemies of Islam and the Muslims. We say to them: Behold, you open your hearts and your countries to them, sacrificing your religion and worldly life for their satisfaction, while they mock you with their words and actions. Allah Almighty spoke the truth when He said: 'Here you are, loving them while they love you not, though you believe in all the Books. And when they meet you, they say, “We believe,” but when they are alone, they bite their fingertips at you in rage. Say, “Die in your rage; indeed, Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts.”' ¶

Islamic states are required today to rise to the level of responsibility in their conduct and dealings, and to utilize their financial and human capabilities for the benefit of Islam and the Muslims. Allah the Almighty said: 'But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allah has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allah does not like corrupters.' ¶

Allah Almighty has empowered this Ummah, granting it spiritual and material capabilities that make it a leader of the world in every time and place. In this era, in which the infidel industrial nations in the East and West boast, we find that Allah the Almighty has favored Islamic countries by placing in their hands half of the world's oil production, as they produce 1,461 million tons of oil annually and export two-thirds of the total exports of oil-producing countries in the world. ¶

This establishes proof against them regarding the conveyance of the message and the fulfillment of the trust with which Allah has charged them. Even if they are weak in the industrial field, Allah has compensated them in other easy and accessible fields, having enabled them to control the most precious commodity needed [by the world]. ¶

To which the people of the world turn; therefore, it was incumbent upon it [the state/entity] to observe the right of Allah in this regard and to utilize the wealth Allah has bestowed upon it in ways that He loves and is pleased with. However, the reality is far from what it ought to be, and there is no power nor strength except through Allah, the Most High, the Almighty. ¶

The Fourth Example: Appointing Disbelievers to Important Positions in Islamic Lands ¶

The fundamental principle in the methodology of a true Islamic state is that only Muslims should hold special and public offices, because the betrayal of non-Muslims cannot be ruled out. Allah the Almighty says: 'O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves, for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would have distress. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason.' (Surah Al-Imran: 118). ¶

Therefore, the majority of scholars have stated that a disbeliever should not be employed for assistance when a Muslim capable of performing the role is available. This issue had become an established rule in the lives of the early Muslims. ¶

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) says: 'It is not permissible to appoint...' ¶

A person of the Book (Kitabi) should not be entrusted with any of the Muslims' administrative authorities, nor with the affairs of the emirs, nor any other important positions that concern the interests and strength of the Ummah (1). End quote. ¶

Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated with a sound chain from Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: I said to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): 'I have a Christian scribe.' He said: 'What is the matter with you? May Allah destroy you! Have you not heard Allah say: {O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another} (2). Could you not have taken a monotheist Muslim?' I said: 'O Commander of the Faithful, his writing is for me, and his religion is for him.' ¶

He said: 'I will not honor them when Allah has disgraced them, nor will I cherish them when Allah has humbled them, nor will I bring them near when Allah has distanced them' (3). ¶

A letter reached Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) from Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) which stated: 'To proceed: O Commander of the Faithful, in my jurisdiction there is a Christian scribe without whom the matter of land tax (kharaj) cannot be completed. I disliked appointing him without your command.' So he wrote to him: 'May Allah grant us and you well-being. I have read your letter regarding the Christian. To proceed: The Christian is dead. Peace be upon you' (4). This means that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) intended that if that Christian were to die, what would Mu'awiyah do after his death? He should do that now. This was a command from Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) to remove the Christian and appoint a Muslim in his place without further discussion, informing him that the Muslims have no need for the enemies of Allah in such important tasks. Similar to this is what was narrated by Hilal al-Ta'i from Wasaq. ¶

Al-Rumi said: I was a slave to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and he used to say to me, 'Embrace Islam, for if you embrace Islam, I will seek your help in the trust of the Muslims, for there is no compulsion in religion.' When his death approached, he set me free and said, 'Go wherever you wish.' It is narrated that some of the officials of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to him seeking consultation regarding the employment of disbelievers. They said, 'Wealth has increased and none can count it except them, so write to us with your opinion.' He wrote back to them: 'Do not bring them into your religion, do not give them what Allah has forbidden them, do not trust them with your wealth, and learn the art of writing, for it is the adornment of men.' ¶

Then he said: 'Whoever has a scribe from among the polytheists, let him not socialize with him, support him, sit with him, or rely on his opinion, for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not order their employment, nor did his Caliph after him.' ¶

It is narrated that Umar bin Abd al-Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote to one of his officials: 'To proceed: I have received news that there is a Christian scribe in your district who manages the affairs of the Muslims, while Allah the Almighty says: {O you who have believed, take not those who have taken your religion in ridicule and amusement among those who were given the Scripture before you nor the disbelievers as allies. And fear Allah, if you should be believers}. When this letter of mine reaches you, invite Hassan bin Zaid—that is, the scribe—to Islam. If he embraces Islam, he is one of us and we are one of him; but if he refuses, do not seek his help, and do not appoint anyone who is not of the religion of Islam to any of the affairs of the Muslims.' Thus, Hassan embraced Islam, and his Islam was good. ¶

It is narrated from him (Umar) in a book, in which it is stated: 'Keep the people of shirk at a distance and despise their deeds. Do not seek help in any of the Muslims' affairs from a mushrik (polytheist), and assist in the interests of the Muslims yourself.' ¶

It is also narrated from Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: 'Do not employ the People of the Book, for they consider bribery permissible. Seek help in your affairs and over your subjects from those who fear Allah the Almighty.' It was said to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): 'There is a man here from the Christians of al-Hirah, and no one is more skilled in writing than him; should he not write for you?' He replied: 'I will not take a confidant (bitana) from other than the believers.' Thus, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) used to treat them with kindness, but he would not seek their help in the affairs of the Muslims. ¶

Allah the Almighty, through the tongue of His Messenger (peace be upon him), has commanded us to follow the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, as it is established from him (peace be upon him) that he said: 'You must follow my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs; hold fast to it with your molar teeth.' ¶

From the above, we conclude that employing disbelievers in Muslim lands was rare and very limited in the early period, and it was considered reprehensible except in cases of extreme necessity. Although the disbelievers worked as hired servants—subservient and viewed as inferior by the Muslims—the Muslims nonetheless considered this a grave matter. For this reason, Ali ibn Isa rebuked Ibn al-Furat for appointing a Christian man to the Diwan al-Jaysh (Department of Military Records). ¶

He said: 'You did not fear Allah by appointing a Christian man to the Diwan al-Jaysh (Military Department), making the helpers of the religion and the protectors of the faith and the heart of the Islamic state kiss his hand and obey his commands'(1). During the era of al-Mahdi, a Christian official exceeded his limits, so some Muslims summoned him to the judge Sawwar ibn Abdallah, and they appeared before him. After hearing the arguments, the judge requested evidence, and testimony was given against the Christian and his transgression against the path of truth. The Christian left and returned with a letter from al-Mahdi that had been previously given to him. He entered the mosque with a group of Christians, stepped over those seated, and although the servants tried to stop him, he refused until he reached Sawwar ibn Abdallah and handed him the letter. Sawwar threw it aside without reading it and asked, 'Are you not a Christian?' He replied, 'Yes, may Allah guide the judge.' Then Sawwar raised his head and said, 'Drag him by his feet out of the mosque,' and swore that he would not look into any of his matters until he fulfilled the rights of the Muslims. The judge's scribe said, 'You have done something today that I fear may have dire consequences.' He replied, 'Honor the command of Allah, and Allah will honor you'(2). ¶

In the era of al-Mahdi, the influence of the Ahl al-Dhimma (non-Muslim subjects) increased slightly, and he granted them some positions that, compared to what happens in our time, are negligible. However, the Muslims of that time, due to the strength of their faith and their intense sensitivity to evil, considered this a grave matter. A group of righteous men gathered and went to al-Mahdi, and one of them recited these verses before the Caliph: ¶

By my father and mother, have dreams been lost, or have minds and understandings perished? Whoever turns away from the religion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), can he have charge of the affairs of the Muslims? If their swords are not bared among us, then these are their pens [doing the work of swords]. ¶

He wrote to all his governors that they should not employ any of the People of the Covenant (Ahl al-Dhimmah) as secretaries for any of them. Historians and scholars have mentioned that among the virtues of Harun al-Rashid is that he never appointed anyone from the People of the Covenant to a position through which Muslims could be harmed. He appointed al-Fadl ibn Yahya to the affairs of Khurasan, and his brother Ja'far to the Diwan al-Kharaj (Revenue Department); consequently, mosques and congregational centers flourished, reservoirs and water-drinking stations were established, and stipends were set for orphans and the disabled. Had the People of the Covenant been empowered, none of this would have been achieved. During the era of al-Ma'mun, a Jew would attend his gatherings. A Muslim poet came and, wanting to expose this Jew or stand his ground, recited verses including: 'O son of him whose obedience among the creation and whose command is mandatory; truly, he whom you hold in great esteem, this man claims he is a liar.' Al-Ma'mun turned to the Jew and said: 'Is what he says true?' He replied: 'Yes.' So he ordered his removal, and it is said he ordered his execution. During the era of al-Mutawakkil, he performed Hajj one year, and some of his men heard a man circumambulating the House (Ka'bah) and openly cursing al-Mutawakkil. The guards seized him and brought him to him quickly. He asked, 'What drove you to do what you did?' He replied, 'By Allah, O Commander of the Faithful, I did not say what I said except that I was certain of death. But listen to my words, and then order my execution if you wish.' He said: 'Speak.' He replied: 'I will speak with words that please Allah and His Messenger, and anger you, O Commander of the Faithful. Your state has been surrounded by the Book...' ¶

From among the Ahl al-Dhimma (protected non-Muslim subjects), they chose well for themselves but chose poorly for the Muslims. They traded the Hereafter of the Commander of the Faithful for their own worldly gain. You have been lenient with them, but you have not feared Allah. You will be held accountable for what they have committed, while they will not be held accountable for what you have committed. Do not mend their worldly affairs at the expense of your Hereafter, for the greatest loser on the Day of Resurrection is the one who mends someone else's world by ruining his own Hereafter. Remember the night whose morning will be the Day of Resurrection, and the first night when a person will be alone in his grave with nothing but his deeds. Al-Mutawakkil wept until he fainted, then he ordered their removal (1). As for the Caliph Al-Muqtadir billah, in the year 295 AH, he dismissed the Christian scribes and workers, and ordered that no help be sought from the Ahl al-Dhimma (2). He even ordered the execution of Abu Yasir the Christian, an agent of Mu'nis al-Hajib, for his transgression against the rights of the Muslims. ¶

Likewise, during the reign of Caliph Al-Radi billah, complaints against the Ahl al-Dhimma increased. Among those who complained was the poet Mas'ud bin al-Husayn al-Sharif al-Bayadi, who says: ¶

O son of the Caliphs of Quraysh, whose origins were purified from all defilements, You have entrusted the affairs of the Muslims to their enemies; the Banu Abbas never did such a thing. We shield you from the people's claims that you have forgotten meeting Allah or have become oblivious to it. What excuse will you have tomorrow when they say, 'This is the one who placed the Jews over the necks of the people'? Whatever you would have done after them if they were destroyed, do it now, and return that people to their graves (3). ¶

During the reign of Caliph Al-Mustansir billah, their influence grew to such an extent that some Muslims began to envy their positions, as portrayed by the poet Al-Radi ibn al-Bawab, who says: ¶

The Jews of this era have reached the pinnacle of their aspirations; they have attained honor, wealth is in their hands, and among them are advisors and judges. O people of Egypt! I have advised you: become Jewish so that you may attain what they have attained. ¶

Al-Aziz bi-Allah appointed a Christian named Isa ibn Nasturus to oversee the treasury (Kitabat al-Amwal) and appointed a Jew named Mansha as his deputy in the Levant. With their rise to power, the Christians and Jews were emboldened, and the Muslims were harmed. Consequently, those in Egypt who were zealous for Islam and the Muslims created an effigy in the shape of a human and placed in its hands a large paper on which they wrote: 'By Him who honored the Jews through Mansha and the Christians through Isa ibn Nasturus, and humiliated the Muslims through you—will you not redress my grievance?' They placed the effigy on the path of Al-Aziz bi-Allah. When he saw it, he ordered it to be taken away, read what was written upon it, then apprehended the Christian and the Jew, cast them into prison, extracted vast sums of money from them, and removed them and their relatives from government positions. Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah did the same. ¶

Al-Malik al-Salih Salah al-Din ibn Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir Muhammad ibn al-Malik al-Mansur ibn Qalawun compelled the Dhimmis to accept a state of humiliation and subservience. He ordered that none of them be employed in the sultanic diwans (administrative offices) or in anything that could cause harm to Islam and the Muslims. This occurred during his reign between 753 and 755 AH. ¶

All these incidents confirm, beyond any doubt, that it is not permissible to entrust Jews and Christians with positions or professions through which they could achieve superiority over Muslims, in accordance with the words of Allah the Almighty: 'O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves, for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would have distress.' (Surah Al-Imran: 118). ¶

All the narrations reported from Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), through their various chains of transmission, confirm the commitment to the meaning of this verse. They convey this concept in a way that leaves no room for doubt or hesitation: that seeking the assistance of non-Muslims is not permissible except in cases of extreme necessity and only to a minimal extent that does not pose a threat or harm to Islam and the Muslims. Ibn Taymiyyah considered seeking the help of the Nusayris to be one of the major sins, even though they claim to be Muslims; so what of those who are overt disbelievers and who openly declare their disbelief and hostility toward Islam and the Muslims? (1). ¶

However, the Muslims have bypassed this ruling, just as they have bypassed other Shariah rulings, and have humbled themselves before the enemies of Allah more than necessary. To such an extent that a Western writer, Adam Mez, one of the Western historians, says: 'Among the matters that greatly astonish us is the large number of non-Muslim workers and administrators in the affairs of the Islamic state' (2). ¶

This indicates to us that the Islamic state opened its heart widely to non-Muslims and involved them in the administration of its affairs, knowing that they differed from them in creed and purpose. This stance was the ultimate degree of cooperation with those who differ in creed and tolerance toward them. Yet, all of this was not met by the people of the Dhimma (protected non-Muslim subjects) with appreciation or gratitude; rather, some of them exploited this tolerance to incite a spirit of vengeance and to dominate the Muslims. This is what happened in the early days of the caliphate of al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah, for one of the Dhimmis was a scribe for the Caliph, and he harmed the Muslims and monopolized positions and interests for his own people. When he sensed their concentration and the fear of Muslim retaliation against them, he gathered his people and addressed them, saying: 'We are the true owners of these lands, and the Muslims have taken them from us, overpowered us, and usurped them from our hands; therefore, we...' ¶

Whatever deceit and cunning we employ against the Muslims is merely in exchange for what they have done to us; therefore, all that we take from their wealth and the wealth of their kings is lawful for us and is but a portion of what we are entitled to from them. This is the general view held by the People of the Book regarding Muslims, and it is what the enemies of God are implementing in the reality of the Muslims today, as they have looted the material and moral resources of the Muslims, fractured the unity of the Islamic Ummah, and have planned—and continue to plan—to cause them harm in various fields. This action is a practical testament to the saying of the Almighty: 'O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves, for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would have distress. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason.' We have not understood the command of God regarding boycotting those who disbelieve and keeping away from them; hence, we have been afflicted by that which God warned us against. The Almighty says: 'How [can there be any treaty], while, if they gain dominance over you, they do not observe concerning you any pact of kinship or covenant of protection? They satisfy you with their mouths, but their hearts refuse [compliance], and most of them are defiantly disobedient.' The obligation upon governments and peoples who claim Islam, if they are sincere in their claim, is to work towards prioritizing and preferring Muslims over the disbelievers when hiring and employing; this is a duty both by reason and by Shariah. In the Shariah, the Almighty says: 'And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.' And in the Hadith, on the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: 'Whoever relieves a believer of a distress from the distresses of this world, Allah will relieve him of a distress from the distresses of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever eases the situation of one in difficulty, Allah will ease his situation in this world and the hereafter. Whoever conceals the fault of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his fault in this world and the hereafter. And Allah is in the aid of the servant so long as the servant is in the aid of his brother...' ¶