Alliance and Amity, Disavowal and Enmity
Part 1
43270: Ruling on saying that
the attitude of the kuffaar is better than the
attitude of the Muslims
Question:
Is it permissible for a Muslim to say that
some of the kuffaar have a better attitude than
some of the Muslims?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If you say that the attitude of the kuffaar
is better than the attitude of the Muslims _ in
absolute terms _ then this is haraam, no doubt
about it. In fact the one who says that should
be asked to repent, because the most important
attitude is a person's attitude towards Allaah,
and correct etiquette towards Him means not
worshipping anyone other than Him. This attitude
is to be found only among the Muslims and not
others, and this general usage includes all the
Muslims, and there must be some of them who have
a proper Islamic attitude and follow the laws of
Allaah.
But preferring the attitude of some of the
kaafirs to the attitude of some Muslims is a
mistake, because the bad attitude of the kuffaar
towards their Lord, may He be exalted, and their
Prophets (peace be upon them) is bad enough.
They insulted Allaah and claimed that He has a
son, and they slandered their Prophets and told
lies about them. What good can their attitude
towards people do them when their attitude
towards their Lord is among the worst of
attitudes?
Moreover, how can we look at the attitude of
ten or one hundred kaafirs, and determine from
that that their attitude is good, and forget the
attitude of most of the Jews and Christians? How
often have they betrayed the Muslims, how often
have they destroyed their homes, how often have
they tempted them away from their religion, how
often have they destroyed their wealth [?], how
often have they plotted and conspired against
them?
The good attitude of a few of them does not
count against the bad attitude of most of them,
let alone the fact that this good attitude of
their serves the same purpose, for they only
want to benefit themselves and serve their own
worldly interests, in most cases.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on
him) was asked about someone who was comparing
Muslim workers to non-Muslim workers. He said:
the non-Muslims are honest and I can trust them,
and their demands are few and their work is
good, but those (Muslims) are the exact opposite
_ so what is your opinion?
He said: They are not Muslims in the true
sense of the word even though they claim to be
Muslims. Those who are Muslims in the true sense
of the word are better and more honest and more
sincere than the kuffaar. What you said is a
mistake and you should not say it. If the
kuffaar are honest with you and fulfil their
trusts so as to get what they want from you and
to take jobs from our Muslim brothers, this is
their only goal. They may pretend to be serving
your interests but in fact they are only serving
their own interests so that they can take money
and so that you will prefer them.
What you have to do is only employ good
Muslims. If you see Muslims who are not
righteous then advise them and guide them. Then
if they follow the right path, all well and
good, otherwise you should send them back to
their countries and bring others. Ask the agent
who chooses employees for you to choose good
people who are known to be honest, and who are
known to pray and be righteous, and not to
choose just anyone.
Undoubtedly this is a trick of the Shaytaan,
whereby he says to you: These kaafirs are better
than the Muslims, or are more honest, and so on.
All of that is because the enemy of Allaah and
his troops know of the great evil that results
from employing kuffaar instead of Muslims. So he
makes that idea attractive to them and
encourages them to employ non-Muslims and leave
the Muslims, and even to employ enemies of
Allaah, thus giving precedence to this world
over the Hereafter. There is no power and no
strength except with Allaah.
I have even heard that some of them say that
the Muslims pray and miss work because of their
prayers, and the kuffaar do not pray so they do
more work. This is like what we have mentioned
above; it is a very serious matter to regard the
Muslims' prayer as something objectionable and
to employ kaafirs because they do not pray.
Whatever happened to faith and piety? Whatever
happened to fear of Allaah? How can you
criticize your Muslim brothers for praying? We
ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound.
Fataawa Noor `ala al-Darb
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy
on him) was asked about describing the kuffaar
as honest, trustworthy and good workers.
He replied: Even if that is true, their lies,
deceit, betrayal and theft are far worse than
what is found in some Muslim countries. This is
well known. If it is true, these are qualities
that are advocated by Islam, and the Muslims
should be striving harder to acquire these
characteristics so that they may acquire a good
attitude as well as earning reward. But the
kuffaar only aim to achieve material gains by
means of these attitudes, so they are honest in
their dealings so as to attract others to them.
But if the Muslim acquires these
characteristics, in addition to material
purposes he also seeks to fulfil a shar'i aim,
which is to acquire faith and earn reward from
Allaah. This is the difference between the
Muslim and the kaafir.
With regard to the claims about honesty in
kaafir countries _ whether eastern or western _
if this is true, it is only a little of goodness
in comparison to the great evil, even if it is
nothing more than the fact that they deny the
rights of the One Whose rights are the greatest
of all, namely Allaah _ may He be exalted and
glorified. "joining others in worship with
Allaah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed" [Luqmaan
31:13 _ interpretation of the meaning]. No
matter how much good these kaafirs may do, it is
still greatly outweighed by their bad deeds,
kufr and wrongdoing, so there is no goodness in
them.
Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 3.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: The help
of the ahl al-dhimmah (non-Muslims living under
Muslim rule) should not be sought in government
work or record-keeping, because that leads to
many evil consequences. Ahmad was asked about
the report of Abu Taalib with regard to
collecting taxes, and he said: Their help should
not be sought in anything.
Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 5/539
It says in Fath al-`Ali al-Maalik fi Fatwa
`ala Madhhab Maalik: Preferring a kaafir to
a Muslim is apostasy if that is on the basis of
religion, otherwise it is not. (2/348).
See also question no. 13350. Islam
Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
11266: Ruling on taking
sinners as friends
Question:
Is it permissable for a man who practice
islam to talk, be friendly, and take a person
who is muslim by name alone who drinks alcohol
and does not pray as a friend and a helper? what
is the ruling regarding taking those who do not
practice their religion and go directly agains
allah's commandments as friends and helpers?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Sins are of two types:
1 _ Those which constitute kufr and put a
person beyond the pale of Islam _ we seek refuge
with Allaah. The one who commits such sins is a
kaafir who is beyond the pale of Islam if the
conditions for describing him as a kaafir are
met and there are no impediments to doing so _
such as one who associates others in worship
with Allaah, or does not pray at all, and so on.
2 _ Sins which do not constitute kufr and do
not put a person beyond the pale of Islam, but
the one who does them is described as faasiq
(rebellious evildoer) and a believer who is
lacking in faith, such as zina (illicit sexual
relationships), drinking alcohol and so on, if
he does not regard these actions as permissible.
If he does regard them as permissible, then this
puts him beyond the pale of Islam, if the
conditions for describing him as a kaafir are
met and there are no impediments to doing so.
The belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah and
the consensus of the salaf is that a person who
commits a major sin but does not regard it as
permissible is not to be regarded as a kaafir.
For more information see the answer to question
no. 9924.
Once this is understood, then the ruling on
making friends with people is based on the
above.
It is not permissible to take kaafirs as
close friends, or to mix with them and feel
friendly towards them, or to live amongst them
and take them as friends, or to love them, or to
prefer them over the believers and so on. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"You (O Muhammad) will not find any people
who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, making
friendship with those who oppose Allaah and His
Messenger (Muhammad), even though they were
their fathers or their sons or their brothers or
their kindred (people). For such He has written
Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them
with Rooh (proofs, light and true guidance) from
Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens
(Paradise) under which rivers flow, to dwell
therein (forever). Allaah is pleased with them,
and they with Him. They are the party of Allaah.
Verily, it is the party of Allaah that will be
the successful"
[al-Mujaadilah 58:22]
But we are obliged to treat them fairly and
justly, and not wrong them or commit acts of
aggression against them with no shar'i reason.
It is permissible to interact with them by
buying, selling, lending, etc. It is narrated in
saheeh reports that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) borrowed a
weapon from Safwaan ibn Umayyah, and that he
bought food from the Jews.
With regard to sinning Muslims, we should
love them according to the faith that they have,
and hate them according to the sins and immoral
actions they commit, but being friends with them
goes against the words of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him): "The likeness
of a good companion and a bad companion is that
of a perfume seller and one who works the
bellows. With the perfume seller, either he will
give you something or you will buy something
from him, or you will notice a good smell from
him, but with the one who works the bellows,
either he will burn your clothes or you notice a
bad smell from him." Narrated by Muslim, no.
2628.
But if the intention behind sitting with this
person is to soften his heart and call him to
Allaah, and guide him to the right path, then
this is a virtuous action, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And who is better in speech than he who
[says: "My Lord is Allaah (believes in His
Oneness)," and then stands firm (acts upon His
Order), and] invites (men) to Allaah's (Islamic
Monotheism), and does righteous deeds"
[Fussilat 41:33]
But this is subject to the condition that he
should not have any effect on you or cause you
any harm when you are seeking good.
Based on the above, if the person you are
asking about does not pray at all, then he is a
kaafir, because the most correct scholarly view,
which is the view of the salaf, if that the one
who does not pray is a kaafir in the sense of
major kufr, and is beyond the pale of Islam. For
more information on the evidence on that, please
see questions no. 2182, 5208,
6035, 33007, 10094. Based
on this, it is not permissible to befriend him
or be close to him, rather he should be called
to repent to Allaah and pray regularly. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"But if they repent [by rejecting Shirk
(polytheism) and accept Islamic Monotheism],
perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah) and give
Zakaah, then they are your brethren in religion"
[al-Tawbah 9:11]
It should be noted that keeping company with
good people is something enjoined by our Lord,
may He be exalted, and our Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), as mentioned
in the hadeeth quoted above. And Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Fear Allaah, and be
with those who are true (in words and deeds)"
[al-Tawbah 9:119]
"And keep yourself (O Muhammad) patiently
with those who call on their Lord (i.e. your
companions who remember their Lord with
glorification, praising in prayers, and other
righteous deeds) morning and afternoon, seeking
His Face"
[al-Kahf 18:28]
And Allaah knows best.
For more information see Fataawa al-Shaykh
Ibn `Uthaymeen, 3/31.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
38284: The danger of studying
in the kaafir schools
Question:
My daughter goes to public school, in order
to help her feel comfortable about her being a
muslim among non muslims, I suggested to the
teacher that I would do something for the
classroom about Ramadan and Eid-el-fitr. Do you
have any suggestions on what I can do for the
kindergarten class?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly: there is no doubt that staying in
the kaafir lands poses a grave danger to the
religion and morals of the Muslim. Hence we
should beware of that and try to avoid it, and
set out conditions which will prevent the Muslim
from falling into that great danger. The Muslim
who stays in a kaafir country must meet two
conditions, as follows:
1 _ His religious commitment should be
secure, in the sense that he should have
sufficient knowledge and faith to give him the
strength to remain steadfast in his religious
commitment and to avoid going astray.
2 _ He should able to practise his religion
openly by establishing the symbols of Islam with
no impediment. Otherwise it is not permissible
for him to stay there and he must migrate
(hijrah) in that case. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said, when discussing the
different categories of people with regard to
migration:
The first group is those for whom migration
is obligatory; these are the ones who are able
to migrate and who are not able to practise
their religion openly, who are not able to
establish the duties of Islam whilst remaining
among the kuffaar. These people have to migrate
because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Verily, as for those whom the angels take
(in death) while they are wronging themselves
(as they stayed among the disbelievers even
though emigration was obligatory for them), they
(angels) say (to them): `In what (condition)
were you?' They reply: `We were weak and
oppressed on the earth.' They (angels) say: `Was
not the earth of Allaah spacious enough for you
to emigrate therein?'"
[al-Nisa' 4:97]
This is a stern warning which indicates that
migrating is obligatory. Establishing the duties
of Islam is obligatory for the one who is able
to do that, and migration (hijrah) is a
necessary part of these obligatory duties:
whatever is essential to the fulfillment of an
obligatory duty is also obligatory.
See al-Mughni, 8/457; Majmoo'
Fataawa Ibn `Uthaymeen, 3/25-30
Whatever is essential to the fulfillment of
an obligatory duty is also obligatory. But there
are some cases in which it is permissible for a
Muslim to stay in a kaafir country.
Please see question no. 13363
2 _ For those who stay among the kuffaar for
a reason, such as studying, the danger is even
greater, because the student feels a need for
his teacher, which may lead to him being
friendly towards him and pretending to approve
of his ways. Moreover, the student usually feels
inferior to his teacher, then he starts to
venerate him and adopt his views. Moreover the
student will inevitably have friends during his
period of study. For all of these reasons we
must be very cautious indeed, and in this case
in addition to the conditions mentioned above
there are other conditions, which include the
following:
1 _ The student should be very mature, so
that he can distinguish between truth and
falsehood. Hence sending students who are very
young involves a serious danger to their
religious commitment, morals and beliefs.
2 _ The student should have sufficient
knowledge of Islam to be able to distinguish
truth from falsehood, lest he become confused
and be deceived by them.
3 _ He should have enough religious
commitment and faith to protect him against kufr
and immorality, because those who are weak in
these areas will not be safe.
4 _ He should have a need for the knowledge
for which he is going there, in the sense that
learning this will serve the interests of the
Muslims and there is no equivalent available in
Muslim schools, otherwise it is not permissible
for him to stay among the kuffaar.
Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "I disavow myself of
any Muslim who settles among the mushrikeen."
Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2645; al-Tirmidhi, 1604;
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
al-Irwa', 1207.
For all these reasons it is essential to be
cautious with regard to this matter, especially
when sending the young to their schools and even
kindergartens, because that poses a threat to
their behaviour and morals.
You are well aware that the danger to your
children is not restricted to their joining them
in their festivals, rather the danger is there
simply because of their mixing with them and
living among them. So you, as a father, have to
be wise in that and understand these dangers,
and protect your children from being
contaminated with their ideas or being
influenced by them. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Ward off yourselves
and your families against a Fire (Hell)…"
[al-Tahreem 66:6]
Your children are a trust that have been
given to you; if you can educate them only in
Islamic school or with Muslim teachers, then do
so, and it is better to err on the side of
caution. Beware of everything that could damage
their religious commitment and behaviour. I ask
Allaah to help you and to protect you and to
make goodness easy for you wherever it is. And
Allaah is the source of strength.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
48966: Greeting a kaafir
first
Question:
Is it permissible for a Muslim to great a
non-Muslim first?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy
on him) was asked about the ruling on greeting
non-Muslims. He replied as follows:
Greeting a non-Muslim first is haraam and is
not permitted, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do not
initiate the greeting with the Jews and
Christians, and if you meet them in the street
push them towards the narrowest part of it." But
if they greet us we have to respond to them,
because of the general meaning of the verse in
which Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"When you are greeted with a greeting,
greet in return with what is better than it, or
(at least) return it equally"
[al-Nisa' 4:86]
The Jews used to greet the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) by saying,
"Al-saam `alaykum ya Muhammad (Death be upon
you, O Muhammad)," praying that the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) would die. So the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The Jews
say `al-saam `alaykum (death be upon you),' so
if they greet you, then say, `Wa `alaykum (and
also upon you).'"
If a non-Muslim greets a Muslim by saying
"al-saamu `alaykum," then we should respond by
saying "wa `alaykum (and also upon you)." The
fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said "wa `alaykum" indicates
that if they were saying "al-salaamu `alaykum
(peace be upon you)," then peace will also be
upon them, i.e., whatever they say to us, we say
to them. Hence some of the scholars said that if
a Jew, Christian or other non-Muslim clearly
says "al-salaamu `alaykum," it is permissible
for us to say " `alaykum al-salaam (upon you be
peace)."
Similarly it is not permissible to initiate a
greeting such as Ahlan wa sahlan
(welcome) and the like, because that is a kind
of honouring them. But if they say something
like that to us, then we should say something
similar to them, because the greeting should be
returned in like manner and each person should
be given his due. It is well known that the
Muslims are higher in status before Allaah, so
they should not humiliate themselves in front of
non-Muslims by greeting them first.
So, in conclusion, it is not permissible for
us to greet non-Muslims first, because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) forbade that, and because this is a
humiliation for the Muslim when he starts to
honour a non-Muslim. The Muslim is higher in
status before Allaah, so he should not humiliate
himself in this manner. But if we are greeted
then we should return the greeting in similar
terms.
Similarly it is not permissible for us to
greet them first with words such as Ahlan wa
sahlan (welcome), Marhaban (hello) and so on,
because that is a kind of honouring them, so it
is like initiating the greeting of salaams with
them. Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 3/33.
If there is a need to greet a kaafir first,
there is no sin in that, but it should be
something other than the greeting of salaam,
such as saying Ahlan wa sahlan or How are you,
etc. In that case the greeting is for a reason,
not to honour him.
See al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 25/168.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said in Zaad al-Ma'aad (2/424),
concerning greeting a kaafir first:
A group of scholars said: It is permissible
to greet him first if that serves a purpose, or
for fear of his harm, or because of blood ties,
or for a reason that requires that.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
21694: Guidelines concerning
imitation of the kuffaar
Question:
What are the definitions of imitating the
west? Does everything that is modern and new and
has come to us from the west imply imitation of
them? In other words, when can we say that
something is haraam because it is an imitation
of the kuffaar?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It was narrated that Ibn `Umar said: "The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: `Whoever imitates a
people is one of them.'" (Narrated by Abu
Dawood, al-Libaas, 3512. Al-Albaani said
in Saheeh Abi Dawood, (it is) hasan
saheeh. No. 3401).
Al-Munaawi and al-`Alqami said: i.e.,
dressing as they dress, following their way of
life in clothes and some of the things they do.
Al-Qaari said: i.e., whoever imitates the
kuffaar, such as in how one dresses, etc., or
imitates the evil and immoral people, or the
Sufis or the righteous, is one of the people
whom he imitates, whether they are good or bad.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in
al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem: Imaam Ahmad and
others quoted this hadeeth as evidence. This
hadeeth at the very least implies that it is
haraam to imitate them, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"... And if any amongst you takes them
[Jews and Christians] as Awliyaa' [friends,
helpers]), then surely, he is one of them…"
[al-Maa'idah 5:51]
This is similar to the view of `Abd-Allaah
ibn `Amr who said: "Whoever settles in the land
of the mushrikeen and celebrates their Nawroz
(new year) and Mahrajaan (festival) and imitates
them until he dies will be gathered with them on
the Day of Resurrection." This may be
interpreted as referring to absolute imitation
which implies kufr and as meaning that imitation
in part is therefore haraam; or it may be
interpreted as meaning that he is one of them to
the extent that he imitates them, whether it is
in ideas of kufr, sin or partaking in a ritual.
It was narrated from Ibn `Umar that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
forbade imitating the non-Arabs and said,
"Whoever imitates a people is one of them." This
was also mentioned by al-Qaadi Abu Ya'laa. This
was quoted by more than one of the scholars to
show that it is makrooh to imitate forms of
dress of the non-Muslims which are not known
among the Muslims.
See `Awn al-Ma'bood Sharh Sunan Abi
Dawood.
Imitating the kuffaar falls into two
categories:
Imitation that is haraam and imitation that
is permitted:
The first type is imitation that is haraam:
this means knowingly doing things that are
unique characteristics of the religion of the
kuffaar and that have not been referred to in
our religion. This is haraam and it may be a
major sin; in some cases a person may even
become a kaafir by doing that, according to the
evidence, whether a person does that because he
agrees with the kuffaar, or because of his whims
and desires, or because of some specious
arguments which make him feel that doing it will
being him benefit in this world and the next. If
it is asked, is the one who does that out of
ignorance a sinner, such as one who celebrates
Christmas? The answer is that the one who is
ignorant is not a sinner because he was unaware,
but he has to be told, and if he persists he
becomes a sinner.
The second type is imitation that is
permissible. This means doing something which is
not originally taken from the kuffaar, but the
kuffaar do it too. This does not involve a
prohibition on resembling them, but one may miss
out on the benefits of differing from them.
Imitating or resembling the People of the
Book (Jews and Christians) and others with
regard to worldly matters is permissible only
when the following conditions are met:
1 _ That should not be any of their
traditions or rituals by which they are
distinguished.
2 _ That should not be part of their
religion. A matter can be proven to be part of
their religion though a trustworthy source, such
as an aayah of the Qur'aan or a hadeeth of His
Messenger, or via well-established reports, such
as the prostration of greeting which was
permitted to the previous nations.
3 _ That should not be anything in Islam
which refers specifically to that matter. If
there is a specific reference in Islam, either
approving or disapproving of it, then we must
follow what our religion says about it.
4 _ This resemblance should not lead to going
against any of the commands of sharee'ah.
5 _ That should not involve celebrating any
of their festivals.
6 _ The resemblance should be only according
to what is needed, and no more.
See al-Sunan wa'l-Athaar fi'l-Nahy `an
al-Tashabbuh bi'l-Kuffaar by Suhayl Hasan,
p. 58-59
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
22181: Accepting a gift with
strings attached from a non- Muslim
Question:
I am a Muslim student studying in America. We
are planning to build an Islamic center in the
town where I am staying. The university has
donated the land where the center is to be
built, but they have stipulated a number of
conditions in the contract according to which we
may get the land and build our center on it.
This has made some of the brothers object to
accepting this land.
These conditions include the following:
1- That the administration of the center be
subject to state and university laws.
2- That the university has the right to take
back its gift and resume ownership of the land.
3- That the center should not be only for
Muslims, rather it should be for Muslims and
others. Is it permissible to accept this land
under these conditions?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If the matter is as described, then it is not
permissible to accept this gift, because of the
evil consequences which will result from
implementation of these conditions, such as the
subjection of the center to university laws and
regulations, which are unknown to the recipients
and some of which may go against Islam. The same
applies to the subjection of the center to state
laws; it is well known that some of their laws
go against Islam. Similarly, their stipulation
that the center should be for Muslims and
others, such as Jews, which means that the
Muslims will be building a center in which
Christian and Jewish rituals will be observed.
This will cause many problems. They have also
stipulated that the giver has the right to take
back the gift and ownership of the land will
revert to the university, and other stipulations
mentioned in the contract. This is also contrary
to Islamic sharee'ah.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 16/178-179.
(www.islam-qa.com)
22182: Are the Christians who
exist nowadays the closest to us in love and
friendship?
Question:
In His Book, Allaah says of the Christians
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, you will find the strongest among
men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) the
Jews and those who are Al Mushrikoon, and you
will find the nearest in love to the believers
(Muslims)those who say: `We are Christians'"
[al-Maa'idah 5:82]
It is well known that at present they are
extremely hostile towards Islam. So what should
our attitude be towards them? Is it permissible
to curse them as we are allowed to curse the
Jews? This issue is confusing me a great deal.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The praise mentioned in these verses should
not cause any confusion regarding the Christians
or make us refrain from cursing them. The
description in the verse does not include all
Christians, rather it refers to a group among
them who responded to the truth and were not too
arrogant to follow it. This is what is implied
by the context of the verses asked about:
"Verily, you will find the strongest among
men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) the
Jews and those who are Al-Mushrikoon, and you
will find the nearest in love to the believers
(Muslims) those who say: "We are Christians."
That is because amongst them are priests and
monks, and they are not proud.
And when they (who call themselves
Christians) listen to what has been sent down to
the Messenger (Muhammad), you see their eyes
overflowing with tears because of the truth they
have recognized. They say: "Our Lord! We
believe; so write us down among the witnesses"
[al-Maa'idah 5:82-83 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
These verses are speaking of some Christian
people who, when they came to know the truth,
became Muslim and declared their faith.
The great scholar Ibn al-Qayyim said
concerning these verses:
What is meant is that the people described
here, when they realized that he was the
Messenger of Allaah according to the description
that they had, they could not stop their eyes
from weeping or their hearts from hastening to
believe.
With regard to cursing those among the
Christians who do not believe in Muhammad (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), there is
innumerable definitive evidence which points to
that, such as the hadeeth narrated by
al-Bukhaari and Muslim in their Saheehs
from `Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her),
which says that the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,
during his final illness: "May Allaah curse the
Jews and Christians, for they took the graves of
their Prophets as places of worship." How can
they not be cursed when Allaah has described
them in His Book as follows?
"Surely, they have disbelieved who say:
`Allaah is the Messiah [`Eesa (Jesus)], son of
Maryam (Mary).'" [al-Maa'idah 5:72]
"Surely, disbelievers are those who said:
`Allaah is the third of the three (in a
Trinity).'" [al-Maa'idah 5:73]
And there are other texts which speak of
their kufr (disbelief) and misguidance.
Among the verses which speak of their
ultimate destiny is the last of the verses in
the passage referred to by the questioner, where
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"But those who disbelieved and belied Our
Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons,
signs, revelations, etc.), they shall be the
dwellers of the (Hell) Fire" [al-Maa'idah 5:86]
From a fatwa of Shaykh Ibn Ibraaheem.
Majallat al-Buhooth al-Islamiyyah,
58/36-39.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
46797: Can a Muslim accept a
gift from his kaafir brother?
Question:
What is the ruling on two brothers, one of
whom is a Muslim and the other is a mushrik and
rich. Is it permissible for the Muslim brother
to accept a gift from his kaafir, mushrik
brother, or not?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible for a Muslim to accept a
gift from his brother if he is a kaafir or a
mushrik, because that may soften his heart and
Allaah may guide him to Islam.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 16/183.
(www.islam-qa.com)
21314: Is using the
Christian calendar regarded as befriending the
kuffaar?
Question:
Is using the Christian calendar regarded as
befriending the kuffaar?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not regarded as befriending them, but
it is regarded as imitating them.
The Christian calendar existed at the time of
the Sahaabah, but they did not use it, rather
they ignored it and used the Hijri calendar.
They established the Hijri calendar and did
not use the Christian calendar even though it
existed at their time. This indicates that the
Muslims should be independent of the kaafirs'
customs and traditions, especially since the
Christian calendar is a symbol of their
religion, because it is based on veneration and
celebration of the birth of the Messiah at the
turn of the year. This is an innovation
introduced by the Christians, which we do not
share or follow, so if we use their calendar
that means we are imitating them.
Praise be to Allaah, we have the Hijri
calendar which was established for us by the
caliph `Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be
pleased with him), in the presence of the
Muhaajireen and Ansaar, and this is sufficient
for us.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, Kitaab al-Muntaqa,
1/257. (www.islam-qa.com)
33691: Ruling on helping a
kaafir army against the Muslims
Question:
A Muslim businessman has been offered a
golden opportunity to sell equipment and food or
to sign a contract to do maintenance on vehicles
and equipment for an army that is waging war
against the Muslims. What is the ruling on doing
such business?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The scholars of Islam have stated that it is
not permitted to support the kaafirs against the
Muslims, and that that is kufr (disbelief) and
riddah (apostasy), because Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Take not the Jews and
the Christians as Awliyaa' (friends, protectors,
helpers), they are but Awliyaa' of each other.
And if any amongst you takes them (as Awliyaa'),
then surely, he is one of them"
[al-Maa'idah 5:51]
The fuqaha' of Islam, the imams of the
Hanafi, Maaliki, Shaafa'i and Hanbali madhhabs,
and other fuqaha', have stated in their books
that it is haraam to sell them anything that may
help them against the Muslims, such as weapons,
equipment, riding beasts, etc. So it is not
permissible to give them food or to sell them
food, drink, water, tents, trucks, vehicles, or
to make contracts with them to provide
maintenance, transaportation, etc. All of that
is haraam and the one who consumes profits on
such transactions is consuming haraam things,
and the Fire is more fitting for him.
It is not permissible to sell them even a
date or to give them anything that they can use
against their enemies. Whoever does that
deserves Hell, and the Fire is more fitting for
all evil earnings. Indeed this is one of the
most evil of evil things.
It is not permissible to give them anything
that may give them the slightest help against
the Muslims.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo':
With regard to selling weapons to ahl al-harb
(those who wage war against the Muslims), it is
haraam according to scholarly consensus.
Ibn al-Qayyim said in I'laam
al-Muwaqqi'een:
Imam Ahmad said: "The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
forbade selling weapons at times of fitnah
(tribulation)… It is obvious that selling them
is helping others in sin and transgression. This
also applies to every sale, rental or exchange
that helps people to disobey Allaah, such as
selling weapons to kaafirs, aggressors and
bandits… or renting one's house to someone who
will set up a place for sin in it, or selling
candles to someone who will use them to disobey
Allaah, and other actions which help people to
do that which Allaah hates and is angry with."
In al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (25/153) it
says:
It is haraam to sell weapons to ahl al-harb
(those who are waging war against Islam) or to
those who are known as bandits who attack
Muslims or who stir up fitnah among them.
Al-Hasan al-Basri said: It is not permissible
for a Muslim to take weapons or horses to the
enemies of the Muslims which will strengthen
them against the Muslims, or anything that will
help them to acquire weapons and horses, because
selling weapons to ahl al-harb strengthens them
to fight the Muslims and motivates them to
declare war and continue fighting.
This issue is not the matter of ordinary or
minor sins, rather it is a matter that has to do
with the basis of `aqeedah (belief) and Tawheed
(belief in the Oneness of Allaah), and the
Muslim's support and loyalty towards the
Religion of Allaah and his disavowal of the
enemies of Allaah. This is what was stated by
the imams in their books.
Shaykh `Abd al-`Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said in his Fataawa
(1/274):
The scholars of Islam are unanimously agreed
that whoever supports the kaafirs against the
Muslims and helps them in any way is a kaafir
like them as Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"O you who believe! Take not the Jews and
the Christians as Awliyaa' (friends, protectors,
helpers), they are but Awliyaa' of each other.
And if any amongst you takes them (as Awliyaa'),
then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allaah
guides not those people who are the Zaalimoon
(polytheists and wrongdoers and unjust)"
[al-Maa'idah 5:51]. Islam Q&A
(www.islam-qa.com)
32560 : Farewell parties for
kaafirs
Question:
Is it permissible for us to hold a party to
bid farewell to a non-Muslim who was working
with us?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Holding a farewell party for a kaafir is a
kind of honouring and respecting him, and they
do not deserve to be honoured because they have
disbelieved in Allaah and offended Him.
Imam Ahmad narrated with a saheeh isnaad from
Abu Moosa that he said: I said to `Umar: "I have
a Christian scribe." He said, `What is wrong
with you, may Allaah doom you?! Have you not
heard that Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): `O you who believe! Take not the
Jews and the Christians as Awliyaa' (friends,
protectors, helpers), they are but Awliyaa' of
each other' [al-Maa'idah 5:51]? Why don't
you employ a haneef (i.e., a Muslim)?" I said:
"O Ameer al-Mumineen, I benefit from his writing
and his religion is his own affair." He said: "I
will not honour them when Allaah has humiliated
them, and I would not want to be close to them
when Allaah has cast them away."
See Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 25/327.
`Umar ibn al-Khattaab also said with regard
to the Christians in particular: "Humiliate them
but do not wrong them, because they have
offended Allaah in such a manner that no other
people have ever done.
Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy
on him) said, concerning the ruling on holding a
farewell party for a kaafir when his work ends,
and the ruling on offering condolences to a
kaafir, and the ruling on attending the
festivals of the kuffaar:
This is a question which includes several
issues:
1 _ Holding farewell parties for these
kaafirs is undoubtedly a kind of honouring them
and showing regret that they are leaving. All of
that is haraam for the Muslim. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Do not initiate the greeting of salaam
with the Jews and Christians, and if you meet
them in the road push them towards the narrowest
part of it." The person who truly believes
cannot honour any of the enemies of Allaah, and
the kuffaar are the enemies of Allaah according
to the text of the Qur'aan. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Whoever is an enemy to Allaah, His
Angels, His Messengers, Jibreel (Gabriel) and
Mikaa'eel (Michael), then verily, Allaah is an
enemy to the disbelievers" [al-Baqarah
2:98]
2 _ Offering condolences to a kaafir if one
of his loved ones _ a friend or relative _ dies.
There is a difference of opinion among the
scholars concerning this issue. Some of the
scholars say that it is haraam to offer
condolences to them, and some say that it is
permissible. Some of them added further details
and said that if that serves an interest, such
as the hope that they may become Muslim and it
may ward off their evil which could not be done
except by offering condolences, then it is
permissible, otherwise it is haraam.
The more correct view is if that offering
condolences to them is regarded as a kind of
honouring them, then it is haraam, otherwise we
should look at what is in the best interests.
3 _ Attending their festivals and taking part
in their celebrations. If these are religious
festivals such as Christmas then it is haraam to
attend them, beyond any shadow of a doubt. Ibn
al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible to attend them according
to the consensus of the scholars, and this was
clearly stated by the fuqaha' who followed the
four imams in their books. And Allaah is the
Source of strength.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn `Uthaymeen, 2/303.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
33862: How to treat a wife
from among the People of the Book
Question:
The ayah in surah maida about not taking the
jews and christians as awliya does this mean
friends or protectors because some people say it
means just helpers but in the englishtranslate
this to mean friends if it does mean friends how
do befriend are non-muslim wife or treat her
accordingto shariah.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Interacting with Jews, Christians and all
other kuffaar is subject to guidelines and
regulations that are set out in Islamic
sharee'ah. These guidelines include the
following:
Firstly:
It is permissible to speak with the kaafirs
and to discuss permissible matters with him.
Secondly:
It is not permissible to take the kuffaar as
close friends (awliya'). Taking them as close
friends may happen in many ways, such as mixing
with them, feeling comfortable with them, living
with them, taking them as close friends, loving
them, preferring them over the believers, and so
on. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"You (O Muhammad) will not find any people
who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, making
friendship with those who oppose Allaah and His
Messenger (Muhammad), even though they were
their fathers or their sons or their brothers or
their kindred (people)"
[al-Mujaadilah 58:22]
Thirdly:
It is permissible to interact with the
kuffaar to buy, sell, lend and so on. It was
narrated in saheeh reports that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
borrowed a weapon from Safwaan ibn Umayyah, and
that he bought food from the Jews.
With regard to how to treat a wife from among
the people of the Book (i.e., a Jewish or
Christian woman), Allaah says in His Book
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah does not forbid you to deal justly
and kindly with those who fought not against you
on account of religion nor drove you out of your
homes. Verily, Allaah loves those who deal with
equity"
[al-Mumtahanah 60:8]
So it is permissible to treat a Jewish or
Christian wife justly and kindly, and there is
nothing wrong with that; it does not come under
the heading of the type of close friendship and
strong bonds that is forbidden.
Al-Kaasaani said in Badaa'i
al-Sanaa'i' (2/270):
It is not permissible for a Muslim to marry a
mushrik woman, because Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And do not marry Al-Mushrikaat
(idolatresses) till they believe (worship Allaah
Alone)"
[al-Baqarah 2:221]
But it is permissible to marry a woman from
among the people of the Book, because Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"(Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste
women from the believers and chaste women from
those who were given the Scripture (Jews and
Christians) before your time"
[al-Maa'idah 5:5]
The difference is that the basic principle is
that a Muslim is not permitted to marry a
kaafir, because marrying a kaafir woman and
mixing with her at the same time when there is
religious animosity will not produce the
tranquility and love which are the basic purpose
of marriage, but it is permitted to marry a
woman from among the People of the Book in the
hope that she will become Muslim, because she
believes in the Books of the Prophets and
Messengers in general, but she does not believe
in a comprehensive and correct manner, because
what she was taught is different from what is
real. It is likely that when the facts are
pointed out to her, she will accept them. So her
husband should call her to Islam and tell her
how things really are. So when a Muslim marries
such a woman there is the hope that she will
become Muslim, so it is permissible to marry
them for this purpose. This is unlike the case
of a mushrik woman, because by choosing to
associate others in worship with Allaah and not
to believe in the Prophets and Messengers, this
indicates that she does not pay any attention to
proof and evidence and will not respond to
da'wah, and will rather continue to follow the
way of her forefathers and to follow her whims
and desires. So there will remain that religious
animosity which will not produce the tranquility
and love which are the basic purpose of
marriage, so it is not permissible to marry such
a woman.
And he said in Haashiyat al-`Adawi
(1/273):
The phrase "we forsake those who disbelieve
in You" means we cast aside any positive
feelings towards those who worship anyone other
than You, and we will not love his way or feel
any inclination towards it. But this does mean
that we are not allowed to marry a woman from
among the people of the Book, because marrying
her may attract her to the religion of Islam, as
marriage is a type of interacting with others
and what is meant here is to hate the way of
kufr.
For more information please see questions no.
34559, 11793, 10342,
26721, 23325.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
34687: He has become Muslim
but he does not want to leave his homeland
Question:
A man has become Muslim and he loves Islam
and its people, and hates shirk and its people.
But he has stayed in his country whose people
hate Islam and wage war against it and fight the
Muslims. It is too hard for him to leave his
homeland so he has not migrated. What is the
ruling on that?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said:
It is haraam for this man to stay in this
land, and he must migrate. If he does not do
that then let him await the punishment of
Allaah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Verily, as for those whom the angels take
(in death) while they are wronging themselves
(as they stayed among the disbelievers even
though emigration was obligatory for them), they
(angels) say (to them): `In what (condition)
were you?' They reply: `We were weak and
oppressed on the earth.' They (angels) say: `Was
not the earth of Allaah spacious enough for you
to emigrate therein?' Such men will find their
abode in Hell — what an evil destination!
Except the weak ones among men, women and
children who cannot devise a plan, nor are they
able to direct their way"
[al-Nisa' 4:97-98]
If this man is able to migrate, then he must
migrate to a Muslim country, then the love of
the country from which he migrated will
disappear from him heart and he will come to
love the Muslim land. But if he cannot leave a
land that is fighting Islam and its people just
because it is his first homeland, this is haraam
and it is not permissible for him to stay there.
From Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn `Uthaymeen (may
Allaah have mercy on him), 3/32.
(www.islam-qa.com)
42235: Doesn't the hadeeth
"Do not initiate the greeting with a Jew or
Christian" put people off Islam?
Question:
In a hadeeth narrated by Imam Muslim in his
Saheeh from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him), it says that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Do not initiate the greeting with a Jew
or a Christian, and if you meet one of them on
the road, push him to the narrowest part of it."
But doesn't doing that put people off entering
Islam?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said:
We should note that the most correct of those
who call people to Allaah was the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and the
best of those who guide people to Allaah was the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him). Once this is understood, if we understand
the words of the Messenger (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) in a manner that does not
make sense, then we should question our
understanding and realize that the way in which
we have understood the words of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is
mistaken. But this does not mean that we should
measure the ahaadeeth of the Messenger (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the
basis of our understanding, because our minds
are imperfect. However, there are basic
principles in sharee'ah to which we may refer
concerning individual matters.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) says: "Do not initiate the greeting
with a Jew or a Christian, and if you meet one
of them on the road, push him to the narrowest
part of it." What this means is, do not give
them lots of space when you meet them, so that
they have plenty of room and you are
constricted; rather continue in the direction in
which you were headed, and if there is to be any
constriction, make it for them. It is well known
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him), when he saw the kuffaar (such as
the Jews who lived in Madeenah), did not push
them so that they ended up against the wall, and
neither did his Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased
with them) after they conquered other regions.
So what is meant is that just as you should
not initiate the greeting with them, you should
not make way for them if you meet them; rather
you should keep going in the direction in which
you were headed, and let them be constricted if
the road is not wide enough. There is nothing in
this hadeeth to put people off Islam, rather it
is a manifestation of the pride of the Muslim,
and shows that he does not humble himself before
anyone except his Lord.
From Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn `Uthaymeen
(may Allaah have mercy on him), 3/38.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)
4163: Being kind to kaafirs
with the intention of da'wah
Question:
What is the ruling on mixing with kaafirs and
dealing with them kindly, hoping that they will
become Muslim?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said:
Undoubtedly the Muslim is obliged to hate the
enemies of Allaah and disavow himself of them,
because this is the way of the Messengers and
their followers. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Indeed there has been an excellent
example for you in Ibraaheem (Abraham) and those
with him, when they said to their people:
`Verily, we are free from you and whatever you
worship besides Allaah, we have rejected you,
and there has started between us and you,
hostility and hatred for ever until you believe
in Allaah Alone"
[al-Mumtahanah 60:4]
"You (O Muhammad) will not find any people
who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, making
friendship with those who oppose Allaah and His
Messenger (Muhammad), even though they were
their fathers or their sons or their brothers or
their kindred (people). For such He has written
Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them
with Rooh (proofs, light and true guidance) from
Himself"
[al-Mujaadilah 58:22]
Based on this, it is nor permissible for a
Muslim to feel any love in his heart towards the
enemies of Allaah, who are also in fact his
enemies. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"O you who believe! Take not My enemies
and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and
polytheists) as friends, showing affection
towards them, while they have disbelieved in
what has come to you of the truth"
[al-Mumtahanah 60:1]
But if a Muslim treats them kindly hoping
that they may become Muslims, there is nothing
wrong with that, because this comes under the
heading of softening their hearts towards Islam.
But if he loses hope of them becoming Muslim, he
should treat them in the manner that they
deserve. This is explained in detail in the
books of the scholars, especially Ahkaam Ahl
al-Dhimmah by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have
mercy on him).
From Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn `Uthaymeen, 3/31.
(www.islam-qa.com)
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Introduction