Sabil an-Najat Wal-Fikak

min muwalat al murtadin wa'l atrak

The way of Cutting relations off

from the murtad and turks

Hamad b. Atiq

Preface of Hamad Ibn Ali Ibn Atiq

All praise to Allah (swt) who had sent down His book as frm and rightly
quide to His slave Muhammad (saw). Allah (awj) made His book a protector
and hujjah for those who stick to His deen.

Salat and salam be upon Muhammad (saw) whom Allah (jj) sent as a guide to
mankind, his ahl bayt and his ashab. They were those who made jihad
against the ahl kufr, while without having hesitation they explained the truth,
they tried to exalt the haq.

In my work I tried to mention repeatedly the issue of alliance with the

mushrikun, I wanted people around me to show enmity towards kuffar while
obeying the commands of Allah (swt). For this reason while expressing the
issue related ayah, even if it was little I benefted from the explanations of
some of the muhaqqiqin (scholar) ahl of ilm and ahl of deen.

I expect that whoever has iman that the Qur’an is the kalam of Allah; he will
perform things which are made fardh (obligatory) by Allah, once he learns he
will accept them and will run to obedience, while putting effort to actualize
whatever he learns, he will immediately obey the following commands of
Allah:

“Follow (O men!) the revelation given unto you from your Lord, and follow
not, as friends or protectors, other than Him. Little it is ye remember of
admonition.” (al-Araf 7/3)

“But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee
judge in all disputes between them, and fnd in their souls no resistance
against Thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction.” (an-Nisa
4/65)

“…but if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from Me, whosoever
follows My Guidance, will not lose his way, nor fall into misery. But
whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed
down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment. He will say:
‘O my Lord! why hast Thou raised me up blind, while I had sight (before)?’
(Allah) will say: ‘Thus didst Thou, when Our Signs came unto thee, disregard
them: so wilt thou, this day, be disregarded’.” (Ta-Ha 20/123-126)

As it was before, in todays world some ignorant and stubborn people, while
denying the act of ‘showing friendship towards Muslim and showing enmity
towards kuffar’ which is made fard upon Muslims by Allah; they perform
such acts which are against it. These people who attribute themselves to ahl-
deen are divided into a few groups.

Some among them even though they do not openly express it, they fnd this
deviation of the ahl of jahilliyyah to be good and they are content with this
situation. Some of them without seeing it to be good, they excuse those who
does this while accepting them as ignorant. Although Allah made wajib upon
Muslim to ‘show friendship towards Muslim and to show enmity towards
the kuffar’ in opposition they do not make takfr of the doers and they do not
show the act which must be showed. Allah (awj) commands:

“Those who conceal the clear (Signs) We have sent down, and the Guidance,
after We have made it clear for the people in the Book,-on them shall be
Allah's curse, and the curse of those entitled to curse,-” (al-Baqara 2/159)

“And remember Allah took a covenant from the People of the Book, to make
it known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it; but they threw it away
behind their backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain! And vile was
the bargain they made!” (al-i Imran 3/187)

In the ayah the necessity of ‘while showing enmity towards kuffar, cutting
every type of relationship off with them’ is mentioned.

In this book; issues like: what are the things that take one out of fold of Islam,
the situation of those who obey the mushrikin and the situation of those who
openly establish deen to them, in what conditions people will be accounted
as mustadhaf, in what conditions hijrah becomes obligatory and hijrah will
continue till qiyamah are taken in hand.

I ask Allah to accept this work which I gave the name ‘The way of Cutting
relations off from the murtad and the turks’ from me and let it beneft those
who seek hidayah.

Existence of the ftnah

Allah Who is clear from being associated partners by the mushrik and things
that they attribute to Him, sent RasulAllah with hidayah and deen al haqq.
He (saw) explained people what had been sent down to him. He commanded
every khair and goodness and the ways which convey to khair. He forbid
from every sharr and closed the ways which convey to that way and brought
us the following:

“Verily Islam started as something strange and it would again revert (to its
old position) of being strange just as it started.” (Muslim; Tirmidhi; Ibn
Maja; Darimi; Ahmad, Musnad)

RasulAllah (saw) informed people that the ftnah will exist as turbulence
which would be like a part of the dark night; a man would be a Mumin in the
morning and an unbeliever in the evening or he would be a believer in the
evening and an unbeliever in the morning, and would sell his faith for
worldly goods. (Muslim; Abu Dawud; Ahmad, Musnad)

Indeed these things are existing today is one of the proofs that he is the
messenger of Allah.

RasulAllah (saw) informed that his ummah will fght with the Mongol Turks,
a people having small eyes and broad snub noses, whose faces would be like
hammered shields. (Bukhari; Muslim; Abu Dawud; Ibn Maja; Ahmad,
Musnad; Baghawi, Sharhu's-sunnah)
Indeed as a requirement of wisdom and justice of Allah, to set Turks annoy
the Muslims, Muslims due to committing sins are dominated under the state
of kufr.

Today Muslims are tested in such way that it is similar to the ftnah of the
Mongols (which) existed during the time of Ibn Taymiyyah. Ibn Taymiyyah
said regarding this incident: “The Muslim being tested with the ftnah of such
corrupted kafr enemy is similar to the incidents the Muslims came across
during the period of RasulAllah (saw) in various wars. Regarding these
incidents some ayah had been revealed. Allah (swt) tested both RasulAllah
(saw) and Muslims with the kuffar. There are (benefcial) examples for those
who expects (to reach) Allah (awj) and akhirah. Allah (jj) informed the
incidents which would take place untill the Day of Judgment through
RasulAllah (saw). The Muslim act according to these (information). As these
agreements which take place in the book of Allah (awj) and in the sunnah of
RasulAllah (saw) comprise previous ummah it comprises the later also.

Allah (swt) narrated so many incidents which were lived through by the
ummah who lived before us so that we take examples from it and to compare
the later ones with the ummah which came before and do whatever is
required if our situation is like theirs. Therefore the Muslimeen who came
later would have seen the similarities between those who came before them.
In the same manner so the munafqun and the kuffar take examples from
those kuffar and munafqun who came before them.

Allah (swt) commanded after narrating the story of Yusuf in great detail in
the Qur’an; also after giving information regarding other rasul:

“There is, in their stories, instruction for men endued with understanding.”
(Yusuf 12/111)

He (awj) stated this regarding the story of Pharoah:

“But Allah did punish him, (and made an) example of him, - in the Hereafter,
as in this life. Verily in this is an instructive warning for whosoever feareth
(Allah).” (an-Naziat 79/25-26)

He (jj) commanded this concerning the Siege of Banu Nadr:

“It is He Who got out the Unbelievers among the People of the Book from
their homes at the frst gathering (of the forces). Little did ye think that they
would get out: And they thought that their fortresses would defend them
from Allah! But the (Wrath of) Allah came to them from quarters from which
they little expected (it), and cast terror into their hearts, so that they
destroyed their dwellings by their own hands and the hands of the Believers,
take warning, then, O ye with eyes (to see)!” (al-Hashr 59/2)
When attention is paid, it is commanded to us to take examples from those
who were accounted in this ummah and lived before us. It is because the
sunnah of Allah (awj) concerning this matter will not change and it is
continuous.

Allah (jj) commanded:

“Truly, if the Hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and those
who stir up sedition in the City, desist not, We shall certainly stir thee up
against them: Then will they not be able to stay in it as thy neighbours for any
length of time: They shall have a curse on them: whenever they are found,
they shall be seized and slain (without mercy). (Such was) the practice
(approved) of Allah among those who lived aforetime: No change wilt thou
fnd in the practice (approved) of Allah.” (al-Ahzab 33/60-62)

“If the Unbelievers should fght you, they would certainly turn their backs;
then would they fnd neither protector nor helper. Such has been) the practice
(approved) of Allah already in the past: no change wilt thou fnd in the
practice (approved) of Allah.” (al-Fath 48/22-23)

Allah (jj) in these ayah had informed that the state and behaviours of the later
kuffar will be the same as the state and behaviours of the kuffar who came
before.

The share of the wisemen is; to take examples from divine rulings, stories
which Allah (awj) informed about His slaves and the ummah which came
before. Merely this invasion of Tatar is suffcient to knot the throat among the
things that happened to the ummah who came before. This invasion had
surrounded 4 corners of the land and no one was left unheard. The kufr
showed its wisdom teeth, the munafkun started to act; deen became to be
destroyed and came to appoint of completely demolishing. The roap of iman
became torn to shreds, it was almost breaking apart. The abode of the
muminun was scattered.

Due to the invasion of the Tatar, Islam almost disappeared. Those who had
illness in their hearts deemed that the promise of Allah and RasulAllah was
an empty (promise). The party of Allah and RasulAllah deemed that after this
(event) they would not improve; would not be recovered and this thought
had been placed in their hearts. They deemed such evil thoughts that they
became a bad nation. This ftnah left the mild one in a state of confusion;
made drunk the individual who was true and rightious; the plentitude of the
ftnah made confused even those careful and wise ones. The hearts of people
became unaccepting such situation. With this war Allah (awj) had separated
the heedful and owner of yaqeen (certainty) from those who have nifaq or
weak iman. With this He (swt) conveyed some individuals and groups to
higher levels.
The society divided into sects; miserable, happy and those who accept the
truth just as on the Day of Qiyamah. During this great trial nothing other
than iman and good deed benefted anyone. Nothing else other than
goodness and taqwa saved the individual. Therefore things that the hearts
were concealing became visible. In summary it became clear that in the time
of need the glossy words betray the person. People started to condemn their
leaders and selected few, for deviating them.

Among this ummah there were those who believed the truthfulness of the
news which RasulAllah (saw) brought, open hearted and perspicacious ones.
It is because the news which had been informed by RasulAllah were
completely coming true and the mumin were witnessing these. Therefore
those victorious ones became clearer. Those who were against them and
wanted to ruin them would not harm them till Qiyamah. As a result people
were divided into three groups:

1- Those that endeavour to help the deen of Allah.

2- Those who wanted to tyrannise and insult to whom helps the deen
of Allah.

3- Those who exceeded to the shariah of Islam.

Then people were divided into two groups such as those who gained reward
and were cleansed. Indeed this trial was a separation, cleansing and sharing
by Allah.

Allah (swt) commands:

“That Allah may reward the men of Truth for their Truth, and punish the
Hypocrites if that be His Will, or turn to them in Mercy: for Allah is Oft-
Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (al-Ahzab 33/24)

I say: We also see the similar or even greater version of the ftnah which Ibn
Taymiyyah was narrating. People in the same manner are divided into
different sects:

First sect: The sect which put all of their efforts for Islam, the sect which help
Islam. Eventhough they are little in numbers their reward before Allah is
very much.

Second sect: Those who cut the help to Muslims while wishing Muslims to be
tyrannized, to be demolished and to be destroyed.

Third sect: Those who exceed from fold of shariah of Islam while wishing to
ingratiate themselves to the mushrik. These ones advice and counsel the
musrikin.
Likewise Tabari recorded that while narrating from Abdullah b. Abbas that
Rasulullah (saw) observed:

“Whoever helps anyone among the ahl-batil to lift haq, Allah and His
messenger take their liability from him.”

RasulAllah (saw) stated the following in a hadith related to the Turks: “The
Last Hour would not come until the Muslims fght with the Turks- having
small eyes and broad snub noses, a people whose faces would be like
hammered shields wearing clothes of hair and walking (with shoes) of hair.”
(Muslim; Ibn Maja)

Wala and Baraa

Allah (awj) made wajib to have enmity towards the kuffar and mushrik;
(also) prohibited establishing friendship with them and put very harsh
rulings regarding this matter. It is as such that; this is the issue which had
been mentioned most after tawhid in the book of Allah. Allah (swt)
commands:

“When it is said to them: ‘Make not mischief on the earth’, they say: ‘Why, we
only Want to make peace!’” (al-Baqara 2/11)

Ibn Jarir said, "The hypocrites commit mischief on earth by disobeying their
Lord on it and continuing in the prohibited acts. They also abandon what
Allah made obligatory and doubt His religion, even though He does not
accept a deed from anyone except with faith in His religion and certainty of
its truth. The hypocrites also lie to the believers by saying contrary to the
doubt and hesitation their hearts harbor. They give as much aid as they can,
against Allah's loyal friends, and support those who deny Allah, His Books
and His Messengers. This is how the hypocrites commit mischief on earth,
while thinking that they are doing righteous work on earth.”

Ibn Kathir says: “The statement by Ibn Jarir is true, taking the disbelievers as
friends is one of the categories of mischief on the earth. Allah said, ‘And
those who disbelieve are allies of one another, if you do not do this (help each
other), there will be turmoil and oppression on the earth, and great mischief.’
(al-Anfal 8/73), In this way Allah severed the loyalty between the believers
and the disbelievers. Similarly, Allah said, ‘O you who believe! Do not take
disbelievers as Awliya (protectors or helpers or friends) instead of believers.
Do you wish to offer Allah a manifest proof against yourselves’ (an-Nisa
4/144)…And when it is said to them ‘Do not make mischief on the earth’ they
say: ‘We are only peacemakers.’ means, ‘We seek to make amends between
the believers and the People of the Book.’ Allah said, ‘Verily, they are the
ones who make mischief, but they perceive not’. This Ayah means that the
hypocrites' behavior, and their claim that it is for peace, is itself mischief,
although in their ignorance, they do not see it to be mischief.

I make oath on Allah that nowadays we are still hearing that which Ibn
Kathir narrated. For example when some people are asked: ‘What is the
reason that makes you to sit with the ahl of fasad (corruption) and ahl sharr?’
they answer: ‘We want to gain some worldly goods by building (good)
relations with them. We do not cut our relationship off with them so in the
future we would have a place on their side and they do not ignore us.’ It is
because they deem bad than regarding Allah due to His not punishing ahl
batil in the world, they worry about a disaster upon them if they do not take
the kuffar as friends and if they (the kuffar) are not content with them.
Likewise they express this with the state they are in: “We do fear lest a
change of fortune bring us disaster” (al-Maida 5/52)

"Of a surety, they are the ones who make mischief, but they realise (it) not."
(al-Baqara: 2/12)

“To the Hypocrites give the glad tidings that there is for them (but) a
grievous penalty; Yea, to those who take for friends unbelievers rather than
believers: is it honour they seek among them? Nay,- all honour is with Allah.
Already has He sent you Word in the Book, that when ye hear the signs of
Allah held in defance and ridicule, ye are not to sit with them unless they
turn to a different theme: if ye did, ye would be like them. For Allah will
collect the hypocrites and those who defy faith - all in Hell: (These are) the
ones who wait and watch about you: if ye do gain a victory from Allah, they
say: ‘Were we not with you?’ but if the unbelievers gain a success, they say
(to them): ‘Did we not gain an advantage over you, and did we not guard
you from the believers?’ but Allah will judge betwixt you on the Day of
Judgment. And never will Allah grant to the unbelievers a way (to triumphs)
over the believers. The Hypocrites - they think they are over-reaching Allah,
but He will over-reach them: When they stand up to prayer, they stand
without earnestness, to be seen of men, but little do they hold Allah in
remembrance; (They are) distracted in mind even in the midst of it,- being
(sincerely) for neither one group nor for another whom Allah leaves
straying,- never wilt thou fnd for him the way. O ye who believe! Take not
for friends unbelievers rather than believers: Do ye wish to offer Allah an
open proof against yourselves?” (an-Nisa 4/138-144)

Ibn Kathir states: Allah describes the hypocrites as taking the disbelievers as
friends instead of the believers, meaning they are the disbelievers' supporters
in reality, for they give them their loyalty and friendship in secret. They also
say to disbelievers when they are alone with them, "We are with you, we only
mock the believers by pretending to follow their religion.'' (al-Baqara 2/14)
Allah said, while chastising them for being friends with the disbelievers, ‘do
they seek honor, with them’ (Nisa: 4/139) Allah then states that honor, power
and glory is for Him Alone without partners, and for those whom Allah
grants such qualities to. Allah said, ‘Whosoever desires honor, then to Allah
belong all honor’ (Fatir: 35/10), and, ‘But honor belongs to Allah, and to His
Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites know not.’ (al-Munafqun
63/8) The statement that honor is Allah's Alone, is meant to encourage the
servants to adhere to their servitude to Allah and to be among His faithful
servants who will gain victory in this life and when the Witnesses stand up to
testify on the Day of Resurection.

Taking the kuffar as wali is a characteristic of munafqun. Allah (swt) says:

“Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than
believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by
way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them…” (al-i Imran
3/28)

Allah (awj) Who is distant from every type of negatation and default,
prohibits the Muslim to establish friendship with the kuffar then commands
“if any of you do that” meaning if any takes the kuffar as wali, he will have
no business with Allah. He (awj) commands that; He (swt) is distant from
Allah; Allah will not recognize him, (He) will not protect and help him.
Indeed this is a very harsh and severe threat.

Allah (awj) commands:

“Thou seest many of them turning in friendship to the Unbelievers. Evil

indeed are (the works) which their souls have sent forward before them (with
the result), that Allah's wrath is on them, and in torment will they abide. If
only they had believed in Allah, in the Prophet, and in what hath been
revealed to him, never would they have taken them for friends and
protectors, but most of them are rebellious wrong-doers.” (al-Maida 5/80-81)

Ibn Taymiyyah says: “Allah bounds iman to Him, His messenger and iman to
things that are sent-down to him to not taking the kuffar as friends and not
taking them as wali. He informs that when they are taken as wali then the
individual will leave the fold of iman. It is because the existence of iman
relies on the existence of its requirements. When the requirements are not
actualized then there is no iman. If anyone shows friendship towards the
kuffar, this means that he has no iman. If he had iman he would have not
befriend the kuffar.”

Allah (swt) informs that those who take the kuffar as friends will be
punished. He (awj) accepts taking the kuffar as wali as a sign of not being
mu’min and informs that such people will be in eternal punishment. On the
contrary those who have iman in Allah, His book and His messenger will not
befriend the kuffar. On the contrary they will have enmity towards the
kuffar. Likewise –we will explain later- in the narration of the situation of
Ibrahim (as) and those who followed him.

Allah (jj) commands:

“O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and
protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst
you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a
people unjust. Those in whose hearts is a disease - thou seest how eagerly
they run about amongst them, saying: "We do fear lest a change of fortune
bring us disaster." Ah! perhaps Allah will give (thee) victory, or a decision
according to His will. Then will they repent of the thoughts which they
secretly harboured in their hearts.” (al-Maida 5/51-52)

Allah prohibits the Muslim to befriend the Jews and Christians. Whoever
befriends them is one of them meaning (he is also) Jew or Christian.

It is narrated from Ibn Shrin: Abdullah b. Utba said: You should be aware of
being a Jew or a Christian without realizing (to be one of them). We
understood that he mentioned (with his statement) 51st ayah of surah al-
Maida.” (Ibn Abu Hatim)

Therefore anyone who befriends a mushrik is a mushrik; anyone who

befriends a kafr is a kafr. Whether they are from the ahl-kitaab or not.

Again according to the information our Rabb provides; the reason those who
have illnessess (doubts) in their hearts fall into kufr is their presenting such
reasoning: “We do fear lest a change of fortune bring us disaster.” (al-Maida
5/52)

When the munafqun is asked why they befriend the kuffar, they will answer
in such manner: Our worries and problem is this: It is possible for these
people who you call enemies, may take the power and dominate over us and
in this situation they may deport us from our abode while capturing our
goods. For this reason we do not cut our relationships with them.’’ This is
making sui-dhan (suspiciously, bad thoughts) regarding Allah; so Allah
stated concerning them:

“And that He may punish the Hypocrites, men and women, and the
Polytheists men and women, who imagine an evil opinion of Allah. On them
is a round of Evil: the Wrath of Allah is on them: He has cursed them and got
Hell ready for them: and evil is it for a destination.” (al-Fath 48/6)

“Ah! perhaps Allah will give (thee) victory, or a decision according to His
will. Then will they repent of the thoughts which they secretly harboured in
their hearts.” (al-Maida 5/52)

Here the statement of “perhaps” is the response of the verb “asa”. When this
is used for an act of Allah then it means that this event surely happens. All
praise to our Rabb that He granted fath to the muminun therefore the
munafqun and those corrupted and evil dhan owners become regretful for
things that they were hiding in their hearts.

Allah (jj) states:

“O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your
religion for a mockery or sport,- whether among those who received the
Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye Allah, if ye
have faith (indeed).” (al-Maida 5/57)

In this ayah Allah prohibits the muminun to take the Jews, the Christians and
other kuffar as friends and informs that it opposes the iman.

Allah (swt) says:

“O ye who believe! take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if
they love infdelity above Faith: if any of you do so, they do wrong. Say: If it
be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred;
the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline: or
the dwellings in which ye delight - are dearer to you than Allah, or His
Messenger, or the striving in His cause; then wait until Allah brings about
His decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious.” (at-Tawba 9/23-24)

Allah commands the muminun in these ayahs; when their religious and
beliefs are different, not to take them as friends even if they are the closest
relatives such as their fathers and brothers, not take them as wali, not giving
them authority. Whoever –spite of these realities and commands- gives
authority while giving walayah to his atheist and corrupted aqidah father, his
brother or his relative is zalim. But what if he takes those who are enemies of
him, his fathers and his religion as friends, take them as wali and give them
authority over him then what will be his situation? Will he not be a zalim?
Surely he is a zalim and I put an oath to Allah that he is the most zalim
person among the zalimun.

In this exalted ayah: It is explained that there is no excuse to take kuffar as

friends and giving walayah to them. The reality of no ones taking kuffar as
friends with excuse of fearing his father, brother, his abode, wealth, relatives
and kins or his mates will ever be accepted is emphasized. Here such
question may come to the minds: How do you look at this ayah while the
majority of scholars of tafsir saying that this ayah had been revealed
regarding jihad?

We can answer this question in two different ways:

1- As it is known jihad is fard upon every Muslim with regards to his power
and capability. Jihad can not be abandoned due to showing these mentioned
8 articles. Therefore these will not be brought as excuses to abandon having
enmity towards the kuffar and not cutting the relations and bounds with
them. As jihad can not be abandoned while bringing 1 out of 8 or all of them
as an excuse; friendship will not be shown towards the kuffar by presenting
these, with these (excuses) cooperation can not be done with the kuffar and
mushrik.

2- The ayah itself indicates the point which we are explaining. It is because in
the ayah it is stated: "...are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger, or the
striving in His cause..." (at-Tawba 9/24)

The love of Allah and RasulAllah (saw), necesitates surely enmity towards
the mushrik and cutting every tie off with them, performing the necessary
behaviour against the mushrik. Likewise the love of jihad also necessitates
such preferance. Success is from Allah.

When these realities reach the right minded person he will understand the
issue clearly. Only the one who is overlooked by Allah due to his fanaticsm,
will act as not seeing the realities.

As Allah commands:
“Those against whom the word of thy Lord hath been verifed would not
believe. Even if every Sign was brought unto them, until they see (for
themselves) the penalty grievous.” (Yunus 10/96-97)

“…As to those who believed but came not into exile, ye owe no duty of
protection to them until they come into exile...” (al-Anfal 8/72)

“The Unbelievers are protectors, one of another: Unless ye do this, (protect

each other), there would be tumult and oppression on earth, and great
mischief.” (al-Anfal 8/73)

Allah (awj) informs that the kuffar are the wali of oneanother and distant
from the Muslim. If the Muslim do not come together and befriend
oneanother, the great trial and chaos will appear.

Loving the kuffar and taking the kuffar as wali by the Muslim will cause a
great trial in deen. This ftnah is not only in deen but it is also about the
person himself and his wealth. It is because such situations as abandoning the
fard and wajib, much haram being performed, leaving the fold of Islam is a
reason of trial and chaos over both the religion and the person himself and
his wealth. Therefore the statement of corrupted: ‘The friendship with the
mushrik will bring peace and happiness’ has no meaning.

Allah (swt) commands:

“They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the
same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they fee in
the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize
them and slay them wherever ye fnd them; and (in any case) take no friends
or helpers from their ranks.” (an-Nisa 4-89)

Allah (awj) informs that the kuffar wish that Muslim become kafr like them.
Then He (awj) prohibits ahl iman to take the kuffar as friends even if it is
resulted with hijrah.

Allah (swt) commands:

“O ye who believe! Take not my enemies and yours as friends (or
protectors),- offering them (your) love, even though they have rejected the
Truth that has come to you, and have (on the contrary) driven out the
Prophet and yourselves (from your homes), (simply) because ye believe in
Allah your Lord! If ye have come out to strive in My Way and to seek My
Good Pleasure, (take them not as friends), holding secret converse of love
(and friendship) with them: for I know full well all that ye conceal and all
that ye reveal. And any of you that does this has strayed from the Straight
Path. If they were to get the better of you, they would behave to you as
enemies, and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you for evil:
and they desire that ye should reject the Truth. Of no proft to you will be
your relatives and your children on the Day of Judgment: He will judge
between you: for Allah sees well all that ye do. There is for you an excellent
example (to follow) in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their
people: ‘We are clear of you and of whatever ye worship besides Allah: we
have rejected you, and there has arisen, between us and you, enmity and
hatred for ever,- unless ye believe in Allah and Him alone’: But not when
Ibrahim said to his father: ‘I will pray for forgiveness for thee, though I have
no power (to get) aught on thy behalf from Allah.’ (They prayed): ‘Our Lord!
in Thee do we trust, and to Thee do we turn in repentance: to Thee is (our)
Final Goal. ‘Our Lord! Make us not a (test and) trial for the Unbelievers, but
forgive us, our Lord! for Thou art the Exalted in Might, the Wise.’ There was
indeed in them an excellent example for you to follow,- for those whose hope
is in Allah and in the Last Day. But if any turn away, truly Allah is Free of all
Wants, Worthy of all Praise. It may be that Allah will grant love (and
friendship) between you and those whom ye (now) hold as enemies. For
Allah has power (over all things); And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fght you not for (your) Faith
nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them:
for Allah loveth those who are just. Allah only forbids you, with regard to
those who fght you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and
support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and
protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances), that do wrong.
O ye who believe! When there come to you believing women refugees,
examine (and test) them: Allah knows best as to their Faith: if ye ascertain
that they are Believers, then send them not back to the Unbelievers. They are
not lawful (wives) for the Unbelievers, nor are the (Unbelievers) lawful
(husbands) for them. But pay the Unbelievers what they have spent (on their
dower), and there will be no blame on you if ye marry them on payment of
their dower to them. But hold not to the guardianship of unbelieving women:
ask for what ye have spent on their dowers, and let the (Unbelievers) ask for
what they have spent (on the dowers of women who come over to you). Such
is the command of Allah: He judges (with justice) between you. And Allah is
Full of Knowledge and Wisdom. And if any of your wives deserts you to the
Unbelievers, and ye have an accession (by the coming over of a woman from
the other side), then pay to those whose wives have deserted the equivalent
of what they had spent (on their dower). And fear Allah, in Whom ye believe.
O Prophet! When believing women come to thee to take the oath of fealty to
thee, that they will not associate in worship any other thing whatever with
Allah, that they will not steal, that they will not commit adultery (or
fornication), that they will not kill their children, that they will not utter
slander, intentionally forging falsehood, and that they will not disobey thee
in any just matter,- then do thou receive their fealty, and pray to Allah for the
forgiveness (of their sins): for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. O ye
who believe! Turn not (for friendship) to people on whom is the Wrath of
Allah, of the Hereafter they are already in despair, just as the Unbelievers are
in despair about those (buried) in graves.” (al-Mumtahina 60/1-13)

According to the sahih sources of hadith, this surah had been revealed about
Hatib b. Abi Baltea among the sahaba. This sahaba, in the year which Meccah
was conquested, wanted to inform Quraish about the preparations of war
which was performed secretly by RasulAllah (saw). So with these ayahs
which are mentioned in this surah this secret situation was exposed.
(Bukhari; Muslim; Abu Dawud; Tirmidhi; Ahmad, Musnad)

Therefore RasulAllah (saw) commanded Ali (ra) immediately to trace the

woman and catch her who was carrying the letter. Ali (ra) with his friends
caught the lady on the way and found the letter on the plaits of her.
Thereupon this sahaba immediately came to RasulAllah and apologized, with
making oath informed that he had no doubts in his iman. However after he
made hijrah he had no one there to protect his family, with writing this letter
he aimed that the Quraish protect his family. Umar (ra) requested to kill him.
Therefore RasulAllah (saw) stated: "what do you know, perhaps Allah looked
upon the people of Badr (Badr warriors) and said, Do what you want as I
have forgiven you.”

If he was not among ahl-Badr he surely would have been killed because of
writing this letter. These ayahs indicate that.

It is wajib to show enmity towards kuffar and cutting every type of relation
with them. It is because Allah (awj) prohibited taking enemies of Him and
muminun as wali. This surah does necessarily warn regarding recognizing
them as enemies.

An enmity against our Rabb, Allah; is accounted an emity which is against all
Muslims. For example; put yourself in a situation of a slave who is under the
command of his master. Your master supplies your needs also prevents you
from any type harm and badness. However there are some enemies of him
among the people. In this situation will you take friends those who show
enmity towards your master? Even if your master does not prohibit you from
this, will you fnd it right? However your master along with his all blessings,
he warned you against his enemies, he prohibited you take them as friends
more over what will you do if he says while behaving very harsh and severe
concerning this issue if you take his enemies as friends he would punish you
with the most severe punishment, because of this he would wrath and he
would keep you away from something that you want? Will not become your
enemy those enemies of your master in such situation? After all these realities
wont you become one among the zalim and ignorant if you give him
authority over you and take as friend?

Afterwards there is this expression in the ayah: "offering them (your) love."
Meaning after all their enmity towards you, you receive within arms. So this
is suffcient to get rid of the doubts of the doubters. Allah stated that He
rejects showing friendship towards the mushrik and he does not want this.
However people help ahl batil with their wealth, try to inform about secrets
of Muslims which should not be declared by writing, then with their tongues
they claim that they did not do this (friendship and love towards them). Was
not this surah revealed because of a letter or a writing? Did not Allah whip
you by stating "offering them (your) love."? This reality is crystal clear.

Allah (jj) commands:

"even though they have rejected the Truth that has come to you, and have (on
the contrary) driven out the Prophet and yourselves (from your homes),
(simply) because ye believe in Allah your Lord!"

If it is paid attention to; their rejecting the truth, denying things that came
from Allah, exiling the rasul and the Muslim from their abode merely they
put their iman on Allah are objected as enmity. So these are suffcient to
recognize them as the enemy. Allah (swt) Who knows both dhahir (apperant)
and the batin (hidden) warns us regarding friendship with them. This is a
very severe threat.

It is because He commands:
"And any of you that does this has strayed from the Straight Path." Meaning
whoever takes enemies of Allah as wali, have hidden love towards them,
inform them about the secrets of Muslim; he separated from the sirati
mustaqim and deviated from the path which should be followed.

Allah (awj) commands in the following:

"If they were to get the better of you, they would behave to you as enemies."

If those kuffar dominate over the Muslim, they will torment them with a
severe punishment.
"and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you for evil." They
will torture you even more, they will kill you. Although they are far away
from you and you are writing each other you would not save yourself from
their sharr (evil). It is because it is only possible to be content from you if you
leave your deen and turn back to their beliefs. For this reason He stated: "and
they desire that ye should reject the Truth." They wanted you also to fall into
kufr as they did.

Allah (jj) commands:

"Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfed with thee unless thou
follow their form of religion..." (al-Baqara 2/120)

"Of no proft to you will be your relatives and your children on the Day of
Judgment..."

The ayah points out this reality: You may have your close ones, kins and
relatives near the mushrik. This is not a suffcient reason to establish
friendship, to take them as wali. If attention is paid, Hatib b. Abi Baltae put
forward an excuse that he had his kids and relatives with the kuffar.
However Allah did not accept his excuse. It is because the fardh upon
Muslim is to take the love of Allah and RassulAllah (saws) over everything.
An individual would not be mumin if he does not love Allah and RasulAllah
(saws) more than his children, parents and everything.

It is because:

The ayah "Of no proft to you will be your relatives and your children on the
Day of Judgment..." means that it will not save you from the wrath of Allah.
So, how can you put these as an excuse against the will of Allah; take them as
friends for these reasons? However Allah knows and sees your words, deeds
and intentions.

Also, the command of Allah (awj) regarding the mumin who should they
become friends with; to whom they should not establish friendship is not a
specifc order to the ummah of Muhammad (saw). This is a common point for
all the prophets who were sent by Allah and for their ummah. The authority
of wala had never been given to the kuffar. It is because the path which is
directed to by Allah is sirati mustaqim and all the prophets had been on the
same path.

Allah (awj) says:

"There is for you an excellent example (to follow) in Ibrahim and those with
him, when they said to their people: ‘We are clear of you and of whatever ye
worship besides Allah: we have rejected you, and there has arisen, between
us and you, enmity and hatred for ever,- unless ye believe in Allah and Him
alone’..."

The expression which is mentioned in this ayah "There is for you an excellent
example (to follow)." Is as same as the statement: "So We have taught thee the
inspired (Message), ‘Follow the ways of Ibrahim the True in Faith’." (an-Nahl
16/123)

Allah (swt) commanded us to take as an example from Ibrahim (as) and those
with him, their words, and their behaviour against their tribe. It is because
they told their tribe: ‘We are clear of you and of whatever ye worship besides
Allah.’

As it is mentioned clearly in this ayah, it is wajib for the Muslim to have a

certain attitude against the kuffar whom they live together with. For the
Muslim if it is necessary for them to have a certain attitude against those
whom they live together with then it is surely necessary for them to be more
severe towards the kuffar who are distant from them and they should carry
the necessary behaviour openly and clearly.

There is a thin detail in the ayah ‘We are clear of you and of whatever ye
worship besides Allah’: Being distant from mushrik is given before being
distant from idols which are worshipped other than Allah. According to this
frst should be keeping distant from mushrik then keep distant from their
idols which they worship. It is because rejecting the mushrik is more
important than rejecting the idols which they worship. It is because one can
continue his relationship with the idol worshippers while he is distant from
idols. However if he keeps distant from mushrik, he cuts his relationship off
surely he would cut his relationship with the thing they worship and their
idols. It is because the real reason of his keeping distant from the mushrik is
this.

Regarding this Allah (awj) commands:

"And I will turn away from you (all) and from those whom ye invoke besides
Allah: I will call on my Lord: perhaps, by my prayer to my Lord, I shall be
not unblest." (Maryam 19/48)

If attention is paid in this ayah it is informed that frst distantance is kept

from the mushrik and then kept distant from their idols.

Again in these ayahs the same reality is mentioned:

"When he had turned away from them and from those whom they
worshipped besides Allah..." (Maryam 19/49)

"When ye turn away from them and the things they worship other than
Allah..." (al-Kahf 18/16)
In all of these ayah it is necessary to pay the attention to the predecessor,
should never ignore this thin point. It is because this is important for
recognizing the enemies of Allah. There are so many people who do not
perform shirk however they would never become Muslim due to not
showing enmity towards the mushrik. The reason for this is leaving the path
which had been followed by all the prophets; not performing the necessities
of their deen.

Allah (jj) states:

“we have rejected you, and there has arisen, between us and you, enmity and
hatred for ever,- unless ye believe in Allah and Him alone’..." If it is paid
attention in the ayah frst ‘enmity’ (had mentioned) after this ‘hatred’ had
been mentioned. It is because the frst state is much more important then the
second. One may show hatred towards mushrik but does not show enmity
towards them. However to be a Muslim along with showing hatred towards
mushrik, he must also show openly enmity towards them. If it is not like this
he would not done whatever he was obligated to (have done).

Anger and hatred are related with the heart. It has no beneft if it is not
shown openly. One would not be Muslim merely by having anger and hatred
towards them until the individual shows enmity and cuts his relations with
them. Meaning hatred, rage and anger should be along with enmity so the
relations with the mushrik could be broken off. If the Muslim –after all these-
continues their relations with them and show friendship this will show that
they have no bughz and anger between them. This is a serious matter which
should be thought about. Once it is thought of as it should be, many reality
will appear.

Allah (awj) commands:

"Allah only forbids you, with regard to those who fght you for (your) Faith,
and drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out,
from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to
them (in these circumstances), that do wrong."

Allah (jj) here commands to certainly cut relations off with the mushrik who
declare war against Islam, to cut the friendship with them. It is because these
mushrik declare war against the Muslim because of their fghting in the way
of Allah and deen. They drive them out of their countries, and support those
who want to drive them out. After all these whoever takes them as friends
are the most zalim among the zalimun.

The usage of three signifcations which are mentioned in the ayah with the
pronoun ‘hum’ which indicates hasr (restriction) and the command which
gives the meaning of restriction in the expression "Allah…forbids" with the
particle ‘innama’ which indicates hasr in Arabic made it certainly haram to
have friendship with those kuffar and mushrik who have the mentioned
characteristics. It is because this contradicts with iman.
Allah (awj) commands:
"O ye who believe! Turn not (for friendship) to people on whom is the Wrath
of Allah, of the Hereafter they are already in despair, just as the Unbelievers
are in despair about those (buried) in graves."

Deeds which are considered as wala

1- Obedience to the desire and whims of the mushrik

Allah (awj) commands:

“Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfed with thee unless thou
follow their form of religion. Say: ‘The Guidance of Allah,-that is the (only)
Guidance.’ Wert thou to follow their desires after the knowledge which hath
reached thee, then wouldst thou fnd neither Protector nor helper against
Allah.” (al-Baqarah 2/120)

Ibn Taymiyyah says: “Here attention must be paid to that which had been
commanded regarding deen; what kind of command had been given
regarding prohibiting obeying their desire and whims. The Jews and the
Christians will never be satisfed with the mu’min unless their religious
beliefs are adopted. It is surely not permitted to adhere –little or more- in any
matter, to Jews and Christians, to correspond with them.

Allah (awj) commanded to Musa and Haroon: “…So stand ye straight, and
follow not the path of those who know not." (Yunus 10/89)

“And Moses had charged his brother Aaron (before he went up): ‘Act for me
amongst my people: Do right, and follow not the way of those who do
mischief’.” (al-Araf 7/142)

“If anyone contends with the Messenger even after guidance has been plainly
conveyed to him, and follows a path other than that becoming to men of
Faith, We shall leave him in the path he has chosen, and land him in Hell,-
what an evil refuge!” (an-Nisa 4/115)

“To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confrming the scripture that came
before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah
hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth
that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an
open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people,
but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race
in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah; it is He that will show you the
truth of the matters in which ye dispute; And this (He commands): Judge
thou between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain
desires, but beware of them lest they beguile thee from any of that (teaching)
which Allah hath sent down to thee. And if they turn away, be assured that
for some of their crime it is Allah's purpose to punish them. And truly most
men are rebellious.” (al-Maida 5/48-49)

“We did aforetime grant to the Children of Israel the Book the Power of
Command, and Prophethood; We gave them, for Sustenance, things good
and pure; and We favoured them above the nations. And We granted them
Clear Signs in affairs (of Religion): it was only after knowledge had been
granted to them that they fell into schisms, through insolent envy among
themselves. Verily thy Lord will judge between them on the Day of Judgment
as to those matters in which they set up differences. Then We put thee on the
(right) Way of Religion: so follow thou that (Way), and follow not the desires
of those who know not. They will be of no use to thee in the sight of Allah: it
is only Wrong-doers (that stand as) protectors, one to another: but Allah is
the Protector of the Righteous.” (al-Jathiya 45/16-19)

Allah (swt) blessed the Israilites with religiously and wordly blessings.
However they fell into disagreement after the ilm had reached them due to
having ambition in between them and transgressing. Then Allah (jj) had sent
Muhammad (saw) with a shariah and He commanded him (saw) to follow
this shariah and not to follow the desires and whims of those who do not
know. However the majority of people deviated to the wrong paths while
following the desires and whims of those who do not know.”

All of the Muminun had been restricted from submitting to the way by
following their desires and whims, perform acts which they like therefore all
of them must follow this ruling. If they do not perform accordingly, behave
as if there was no disagreement between them it is possible for them to
adhere to their batil deen. The real reason of restriction is this.

Allah (jj) commands:

“Thus have We revealed it to be a judgment of authority in Arabic. Wert thou
to follow their (vain) desires after the knowledge which hath reached thee,
then wouldst thou fnd neither protector nor defender against Allah.” (ar-
Ra’d 13/37)
Allah (swt) informed that He had sent-down His Book in Arabic, as a word of
wisdom and a judgment of authority; right after this, informed regarding in
the event they follow the kuffar, there is a severe situation waiting for them,
and warned they will be left without a proptector and defender.

Allah (jj) commands:

“Nor follow thou the vain desires of such as treat our signs as falsehoods, and
such as believe not in the Hereafter: for they hold others as equal with their
Guardian-Lord.” (al-Anam 6/150)

This and so many similar ayah; it is expressed that following the kuffar, it is
prohibited to adhere oneself to their desires and whims and obedience to
them is haram. Since opposing to the commands of Allah will make one fall
into kufr, every Muslim must follow these commands verbatim and certainly
act accordingly.

2- Obedience to the kuffar:

Allah (jj) prohibited the Muslimeen from obeying the kuffar and had
informed after these restrictions in a situation which they obey them (the
kuffar) they (the muslim) will return themselves to kufr and defeat.

Allah (swt) commands:

“O ye who believe! If ye listen to a faction among the People of the Book, they
would (indeed) render you apostates after ye have believed!” (Al-i Imran
3/100)

“…no obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the remembrance
of Us, one who follows his own desires, whose case has gone beyond all
bounds.” (al-Kahf 18/28)

“…But the evil ones ever inspire their friends to contend with you if ye were
to obey them, ye would indeed be Pagans.” (al-Anam 6/121)

“Wert thou to follow the common run of those on earth, they will lead thee
away from the way of Allah. They follow nothing but conjecture: they do
nothing but lie.” (al-Anam 6/116)
“Had it been Our Will, We could have sent a warner to every centre of
population. Therefore listen not to the Unbelievers, but strive against them
with the utmost strenuousness, with the (Qur'an).” (al-Furqan 25/51-52)

“O Prophet! Strive hard against the unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be
frm against them.” (at-Tawba 9/73)

“O Prophet! Fear Allah, and hearken not to the Unbelievers and the
Hypocrites: verily Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom.” (al-Ahzab 33/1)

Regarding those who obey the leaders of kuffar Allah commands:

“And they would say: ‘Our Lord! We obeyed our chiefs and our great ones,
and they misled us as to the (right) Path’.” (al-Ahzab 33/67)

“They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of
Allah, and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary; yet they were
commanded to worship but One Allah: there is no god but He. Praise and
glory to Him: (Far is He) from having the partners they associate (with
Him).” (at-Tawba 9/31)
RasulAllah (saw) explained this ayah as: “they obeyed them when they made
halal that which is haram and haram that which is halal.”

Therefore they took their priests and their anchorites to whom they direct
their obedience to be their lords other than Allah. For this reason whoever
obeys the ignorant and corrupted ones when they make haram which was
made halal by Allah; made halal which was made haram; they leave Allah
aside and take them as Rabb.

3- Inclining, bearing to the zalim and kuffar

Allah (swt) commands:

"And incline not to those who do wrong, or the Fire will seize you; and ye
have no protectors other than Allah, nor shall ye be helped." (Hud 11/113)

Allah (awj) prohibited to incline towards the zalim, inclining and trusting
them; informed that He would not help him while threatening with the fre of
hell.

Allah commands regarding the greatest zulm, shirk:

"...to ascribe partners (unto Him) is a tremendous wrong..." (Luqman 31/13)

Whoever inclines to the kuffar, becomes content with the deeds of them, he
surely deserves to be punished by Allah. Allah will ruin him in both dunya
and in akhirah.

Allah commands:
"And had We not given thee strength, thou wouldst nearly have inclined to
them a little. In that case We should have made thee taste an equal portion (of
punishment) in this life, and an equal portion in death: and moreover thou
wouldst have found none to help thee against Us!" (al-Isra 17/74-75)

If Allah had not given strength to His prophet, he (saw) would have inclined
to them a little. If RasulAllah (saw) had inclined towards them Allah would
increase his punishment both in this world and in the akhirah. Although
RasulAllah (saw) was innocent, he had been warned with such harsh order,
therefore other people are addressed more (then him) in this warning.

4- Having love towards the enemies of Allah:

Allah (jj) states:

"Thou wilt not fnd any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, loving
those who resist Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their
fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred... (al-Mujadila 58/22)

Ibn Taymiyya says: “In this ayah the reality of it not being possible to see any
mu’min that he befriends anyone who is the enemy of Allah and His rasul,
that he has love towards them, is exposed before the eyes even if they were
the father (of a Muslim). It is not possible to see that a mumin loves a kafr.
Whoever loves a kafr and has friendship is not a Mu’min anymore.”

In this ayah the reality of those individuals who love and show friendship to
their fathers, brothers or close ones; those who are enemies of Allah and
RasulAllah (saw) and declared war against them, being without iman. When
an indicidual is in such situation, it is asked that the individual cut interest
and relationship with his closest ones; how can having love and showing
respect towards the kuffar who are distant from one, be explained? Indeed
they deserve to not be a mu’min much more than others.

5- Resembling the kuffar

In practical life resembling and imitating the kuffar will in time cause inner
(hidden) love and sympathy towards them and this love will in time be
exposed outward. This is the truth which is stable with experience.

Think about two individuals who are from the same country. One day they
meet each other abroad. Due to the fact that, they both are abroad, their love
and respect towards one another will increase in comparison with before.
Almost as much that they can not stay without seeing each other. Moreover
even if they do return to their countries because of imminence abroad they
will be bound to each other with the same love. It is because in a sense now
acting together has become their character.

Now let’s think about two individuals who do not know each other. They
meet in some place and they have a common point such as ride, clothing or a
similarity in a matter similar to this. It will be more visible for them to get
along than the other two who were from the same country. Likewise people
who work in the same feld who have the same occupation will be closer to
oneanother than others; even if there is enmity or war between them…

When it comes to the matter of deen; although they are in different countries
and there is distance between them, if the leaders and the society of these
countries share the same belief, this will increase their relations and at the
same time will supply one to protect the other. If there is no other aim or
anything that separates them, they will act accordingly due to sharing the
same belief. Even if this similarty is only about the worldly affairs there will
occur love and friendship among them. If the similarities of the worldly
affairs cause love and friendship among people, surely the love and
friendship which is caused by the similarities of deen will be much more.
As it is understood from the example, resembling to kuffar is prohibited due
to it causing love, respect and showing friendship to them (the kuffar).

Evidence which prohibit resembling and imitating the kuffar

According to a narration from Abdullah b. Umar (ra) RasulAllah (saw) said:

“He who copies any people is one of them.” (Ahmad, Musnad; Abu Dawud)

Ibn Abu Shayba related it from RasulAllah (saw) with full version from Sa’id
b. Jabal: “I have been sent near Qiyamah with a sword until worship is
directed to Allah Who has no like and no partner. My provision is under the
shade of my lance. To me, it is given that those who oppose to my command
will be despicable and insulted. He who copies any people is one of them.”

Shaikhu’l-Islam Ibn Taymiyya stated that the isnad of this hadith is sahih.
This hadith makes it haram to resemble them. Those who resemble the kuffar
and mushrik in appearance perform haram and moreover become kafr with
their zahir.

It is because Allah (jj) commands:

“And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them.” (al-
Maida 5/51)

Abdullah b. Amr said: “Whoever lives in the land of mushrik (built a

building), attain to their nawruz (New Year), celebrate their holidays
(festivals & gala) and stay with them until he dies, he will be gathered with
them on the day of Qiyamah.” (Bayhaqi, sunanu’l-kubra)

According to the narration which is narrated from Aisha (ra), RasulAllah

(saw) commanded while observing it to be makruh to put hand over the
fank: Do not copy Jews.”

Umar b. Khattab (ra) said: “Do not learn the words of ajam. Do not go into
their church during their festivals. It is because the wrath of Allah will come
down on them.” (Bayhaqi, Sunan; Abdurrazzak, Musannaf)

Abdullah b. Amr said: “Whoever lives in the land of ajam, resemble them
while celebrating their New Year and mihrijan (a festival) and dies on this
state, on the Day of Qiyamah he will be resurrected with them.”

If attention is paid, Umar (ra) prohibited to learn some of the words of ajam
and enter their churches during their holidays. What hukm will be given to
those who perform some acts which are sourced from the religion of the
mushrik? Is it not a greater threat to perform their acts and be ftted with
them?
Is it not greater and more dangereous to attend to their celebrations and
festivals and acting like them than the situation of those who merely go there
to watch? If the wrath of Allah comes down over them due to their
performance, while joining them in their actions completely or partially, is
not being with them throwing oneself in to the punishment?

Abdullah b. Amr said: “Whoever lives in the land of mushrik and kuffar,
attend to their new years, holidays, festivals and galas, and die while
resembling them, he will be gathered with them.”

All of these matters show that; such person is kafr; he has performed a major
sin which leads to Hell. According to the meaning which is understood from
the zahir of the word; acting with them is a sin in some occasions. It is
because there is no punishment for things which are mubah (permissible).

Umar (ra) said: “The ahl of jahiliyyah used to stand at the gathering place
until the sun set. RasulAllah (saw) would leave there before the sunset and
said: Our path is different then the mushrik.” (see: Ibn Kathir, on the tafsir
of 2/199; Suyuti, ad-Durru’l-Manthur; Bayhaqi, sunanu’l-kubra)

The Mushrik would leave Arafat before sundown. RasulAllah (saw) would
leave before sunset to oppose them.

Abdullah b. Amr said: “RasulAllah (saw) saw me wearing two clothes dyed
in saffron. Whereupon he said: These are the clothes (usually worn by) the
non-believers, so do not wear them.” (Muslim; Abu Dawud; Nasai)

Also Umar (ra) in the letter which he sent to Utba b. Farqad wrote: “beware
of the dress of the mushrik.” (Bukhari; Muslim; Ahmad, Musnad; Jamiul-
Usuol)

Khilal narrated from Muhammad b. Shirin: “Hudhayfa came to a house and

saw a dress which belongs to the ajam. Immediately went out of there while
stating: Whoever copies any people is one of them.”

Ali b. Abu Salih as-Sawwaq said: “While we were visiting someone, Ahmad
b. Hanbal came out. When he entered in, he saw a chair which is made of
silver. He immediately went out. Then the host caught him, Imam (Ahmad b.
Hanbal) said while shaking his hands towards his face: Dress of Majusi?
Dress of fre worshippers?"

According to the narration from Qays b. Abu Hazim: “Abu Bakr went to a
lady from the Ahmas tribe called Zainab bint Al-Muhajir and found that she
refused to speak. He asked, ‘Why does she not speak.’ The people said, ‘She
has intended to perform Hajj without speaking.’ He said to her, ‘Speak, for it
is illegal not to speak, as it is an action of the pre-islamic period of ignorance.’
So she spoke and said, ‘Who are you?’ He said, ‘A man from the Emigrants.’
She asked, ‘Which Emigrants?’ He replied, ‘From Quraish.’ She asked, ‘From
what branch of Quraish are you?’ He said, ‘You ask too many questions; I am
Abu Bakr.’ She said, ‘How long shall we enjoy this good order (i.e. Islamic
religion) which Allah has brought after the period of ignorance?’ He said,
‘You will enjoy it as long as your Imams keep on abiding by its rules and
regulations.’ She asked, ‘What are the Imams?’ He said, ‘Were there not
heads and chiefs of your nation who used to order the people and they used
to obey them?’ She said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘So they (i.e. the Imams) are those
whom I meant’." (Bukhari; Darimi)

Abu Bakr (ra) informed that it is not permissible to not speak during hajj and
it is a custom of the jahiliyyah period. Therefore he informed about the
wrongfullnes and evilness of her act after his hukm he gave the reason for it.
The reason for its being restricted is it being a custom of the jahiliyyah.

Umar (ra) on his general instruction to those Muslim who live in the Persian
land warned them stating: “Beware of the dress of the mushrik.” All of the
clothes which belong to the kuffar and mushrik and fashion are included
into the restriction of Umar (ra). It is because in the letter he wrote to Utba b.
Farqad he said: “Beware of the life of pleasure, and the dress of the
polytheists and wearing of silk garments.”

Umar b. Khattab (ra) was discoursing concerning the conquest of Quds in

Jabiya. He told to Ka’b: Where do you want me to pray? He said: If you ask
me I would say pray behind the rock. It is because Qudus will be completely
on your eyes. Therefore Umar (ra) said: No, I only will pray my salat only
where RasulAllah prayed. Then he turned towards qiblah and prayed
towards to the Kaba. Then he came back and he put his rida on the foor and
cleaned it up from dirt. People also did the same.” (Ahmad, Musnad;
Haythami, Majmauz-Zawaid, 4/6; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’n-Nihaya, 7/58)

Umar (ra) condemned Ka’b for resembling the Jews by turning towards the
rock the Jews turned to. It is because within this act, there is the belief of
accepting the former qiblah to still recognise as qiblah. So even as a Muslim
he didn't want to pray towards it.

Umar (ra) followed a sensitive politic in this situation. With this attitude of
his; he made Islam exalted and he disgraced kufr and ahl kufr. He restiricted
whatever may bruise the roap of Islam, and concerning this issue he
strengthened the bases of deen while obeying the commands of Allah and
His Rasul. He followed the path of Abu Bakr and made istishara with the
preeminent sahaba while always adhering to the Book of Allah and Sunnah
of His Rasul. The principles regarding ahl-Kitab he had followed were
formed accordingly to the frame of Islam, he prohibited to assigning kuffar
on the governmental works, he prevented them to be taken as trusted people
and emphasized that after Allah made them despicable no one has the right
to exalt them.

Moreover according to a narration, he commanded to burn the books and

publications which belong to the ajam (kuffar), he exiled those who were
bidah doers, he maintained that they be belittled everytime and everywhere.

When it is said Ibn Abbas: “Shall I give the medicine to a man with a needle?
He said: No do not open his private parts, do not follow the path of
mushrik.” The expression ‘do not follow the path of mushrik’ is general.

“A young man went to Anas b. Malik who had two locks of hair. Anas said:
Shave them (i.e. the locks) or clip them, for this is the fashion of the Jews.”
(Abu Dawud)

If attention is paid the reason of the restriction was due to this attitude being
attributed as a Jewish custom. It should be kept distant from the customs
which do not belong to the Muslims. Shaiku’l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah recorded
this incident near the command of RasulAllah (saw): "Was any pre-Islamic
festival observed there?" (Abu Dawud)

In whatever form it is, doing something related with the holidays of

jahiliyyah, reveling, festivals and galas is prohibited strongly and with a
certain command. This must certainly be followed. Whether it is the ahl-
kitaab or other kuffar, both societies’ performances are kufr. There is no
difference in between. Maybe there could be a difference regarding the level
of kufr being heavier or lighter. The reason for Allahs’ prohibition of the
celebration of the holidays of the kuffar is the worry of dirtying the beliefs of
the Muslim with the costum and tradition of the kuffar or the batil of ahl
kitab which are left from the past. From this angle the restiriction is very
harsh. RasulAllah (saw) requested his ummah never to resemble the kuffar in
any matter, and to oppose them. It is because as greater the opposition
between the mu’min and the ahl jahannam arise, the mu’min will keep that
much distant from performing the deeds of the ahl jahannam.

RasulAllah (saw) being keen on his ummah, and his advice to them is a
favour and kindness of Allah to people however most of them do not know
this. RasulAllah (saw) had fussed over his ummah opposing the kuffar for
the reason that he worried and feared they would resemble them in their
apparent works. It is because a Muslims resemblance to the kuffar in their
apparent works may cause him to suit with them as time passes and may
cause him to love and befriend. Likewise so many who claim to be Muslim
without realizing are infected with this, yet they fnd it to be something good.

Hushaym said: "Abu Bishr, narrated from Abu Umayr b. Anas, he narrated
from one of his aunty who is from ansar: RasulAllah (saw) was anxious as to
how to gather the people for prayer. Then someone mentioned to him the
horn. He (the Prophet) did not like it. He said: This is the matter of the Jews.
When they mentioned to him the bell of the Christians he said: This is the
matter of the Christians.” (Abu Dawud)

When RasulAllah (saw) was offered the horn of the Jews and the bell of the
Christians, did not like them due to their being symbols of Jews and
Christians. Mentioning its character right after the ruling shows that it is the
reason of it (‘s restriction).

The bells and the horns belonging to the Christians and Jews necessitated
they be prohibited. After that such types of things are unconditionally
prohibited even outside of prayer. It is because the Christians sometimes ring
the bell during times other than prayer.

The sign of the hanif deen which is relies on tawhid is the athan. There is also
dhikr of Allah in the invitation which is made by the athan. With this the
doors of the sky will be opened, the shaitans will begin to run away and the
mercy of Allah will descend.

Unfortunately so many malik, governor and others from this ummah have
been infected with these unlikely signs of the Christians and the Jews.

Resembling the Persian and Ajam mushrik, Jews and Christians came out
after they pull the wires against the governors of the eastern countries. All of
these are the things which a Muslim should never accept and must oppose to.
It is very sad that, most of this ummah had been infected with these, which
are disliked by Allah and RasulAllah (saw). When the mushrik who should
be made jihad against pestered the ummah; things which should not be seen
in the abode of Islam started to be performed both in the society of the
Muslim and also abodes which belonged to Islam in earlier times. This is the
verifcation of the following statement of RasulAllah (saw):

“You would tread the same path as was trodden by those before you."
(Bukhari; Muslim; Ibn Maja)

As Ibn Taymiyyah stated; it is possible for todays Muslims to be punished as

the Muslims of the earlier times had been punished.

Many, who claimed to be Muslim, while following the path of Jews and
Christians, became to perform the acts of jahilliyah which are not compatible
with Islam. Whereas those individuals they imitate are the enemies of Allah.
Due to them trying to imitate those who have no relation with the shairah of
Islam Allah had made them pester the Muslimeen.

They got Muslims into trouble, inficted them with disasters and destructions,
humiliated their elders, did not show mercy towards the helpless and did not
stand by the weak. They corrupted their deen and devoured their countries.
All of these occurred due to the wisdom of Allah and reward of their zulm
and rebeling.

Help is only from Allah and only to Whom will be relied on and made
tawakkul. With the mercy of Allah haqq has not been perished yet. Allah
(swt) surely proclaims His deen.

Allah (jj) commands:

“Fain would they extinguish Allah's light with their mouths, but Allah will
not allow but that His light should be perfected, even though the Unbelievers
may detest (it). It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with guidance and the
Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans
may detest (it).” (at-Tawba 9/32-33)

With this Allah cleansed the ahl of iman, showed them what would be
happen to them if they rebel. At the same time the nose of the corrupt and
kuffar had been rubbed on the foor. It is because they deemed that
domination will be theirs in the future, they claimed that the state and the
power will be handled by them. However Allah (swt) by dominating the sun
of Islam and iman over them, shattered the corrupt and the kuffar in a short
time period, exiled them to the places which had not been expected.

Ibn Qayyim said:

“Allah is the (protective) Helper;

of His deen, His book and His Rasul also in other eras.
However this is through the mutual war;
between His own party and the other.
It is because when two separate groups encounter one another
it is His Hikmah.”

Again he said:

Haqq is triumphant,
Do not be surprised, this is the Sunnah of Rahman.
By this means His party will have victory over the other.
It is for this reason people come as two groups.

Ibn Taymiyyah said the following concerning the conditions related with the
dhimmis: “These conditions show that the Muslimeen made ijma that they
certainly must be apperentaly differentiated from kuffar. Likewise the two
Umar (Umar b. Khattab and Umar b. Abdulaziz) who were the imams of
hidayah and others had shown all the effort they could with regards to this
matter.”
According to a narration from Abu Shaikh al-Isfahani Umar (ra) published
general instructions: “Do not the use dhimmis in bookkeeping. Otherwise a
love between you and them will establish. Do not give your secrets to them,
be despicable and insult them; but do not oppress them.”

Then he said: “According to some of the presented conditions; the dhimmi

can not openly perform the munkar which are sourced from their religion. A
part of the conditions are related with the signs of their religion.”

Umar (ra), those Muslims who were with him, the scholars of Islam and those
governors to whom Allah granted to be ameer made ittifaq regarding this
matter: In any of the abode of Islam the dhimmi doing things which may
cause ftnah and enmity will not be permitted for them to perform publicly.
While such permission is not given to the non- Muslim; how can it be
possible for the Muslim to perform their (the non Muslim) deeds openly in
the abode of Islam?

It is not permissible for any Muslim to show respect to the kuffar, and deeds
which are prohibited by the shariah such as honouring them, showing
hospitality. As it is known giving value to the holidays and festivals of the
kuffar, revering them (their holidays) means submitance to them and
approving their deeds. Such situation will make them (the kuffar) happy.
Insulting their batil beliefs and behaviours which are based on their religion
will make them sad.

Allah (swt) commands:

"As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, thou hast no
part in them in the least..." (al-Anam 6/159)

This is what had been mentioned in the ayah "The Hypocrites, men and
women, (have an understanding) with each other..." (at-Tawba 9/67)

Isfahani said: “This ayah necessitates keeping distant from them in every
way. Those who submit to them even only in some of the matters and not in
all matters, are together in the things that they submitted to. It is because this
is similar to the expression of the one who says ‘I am from him, and he is
from me’ and what had been intended to be said is: He is from my type and I
am from his type. It is because two people can only be integrated regarding
type. Likewise RasulAllah (saw) stated regarding Ali (ra): “Ali is of me, and I
am of Ali” (Bukhari; Muslim; Tirmidhi; Ibn Maaj; Ahmad, Musnad;
Jamiu'l-Usuol)

One person saying ‘I do not have any relation with these types of things’ will
show that he is away from all.

Since Allah and His Rasul are distant from all the works of the kuffar, in
order for the one who has submitted to RasulAllah, to be really submitted to
him, he should be distant from whatever he is distant from. If any person
consents to mushrik and kuffar, this means this person is opposing
RasulAllah (saw) as much as he consents to them (the kuffar). It is because
one of the two persons who are completely different from each other, as
much as one is not like the other, he will be that much separated from that
other and will have opposed him.

Allah (swt) commands:

“O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and
protectors…” (al-Maida 5/51)

“Turnest thou not thy attention to those who turn (in friendship) to such as
have the Wrath of Allah upon them? They are neither of you nor of them, and
they swear to falsehood knowingly. Allah has prepared for them a severe
Penalty: evil indeed are their deeds. They have made their oaths a screen (for
their misdeeds): thus they obstruct (men) from the Path of Allah: therefore
shall they have a humiliating Penalty. Of no proft whatever to them, against
Allah, will be their riches nor their sons: they will be Companions of the Fire,
to dwell therein (for aye)! One day will Allah raise them all up (for
Judgment): then will they swear to Him as they swear to you: And they think
that they have something (to stand upon). No, indeed! They are but liars! The
Evil One has got the better of them: so he has made them lose the
remembrance of Allah. They are the Party of the Evil One. Truly, it is the
Party of the Evil One that will perish! Those who resist Allah and His
Messenger will be among those most humiliated. A llah has decreed: "It is I
and My messengers who must prevail": For Allah is One full of strength, able
to enforce His Will. Thou wilt not fnd any people who believe in Allah and
the Last Day, loving those who resist Allah and His Messenger, even though
they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. For
such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a spirit
from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers
fow, to dwell therein (for ever). Allah will be well pleased with them, and
they with Him. They are the Party of Allah. Truly it is the Party of Allah that
will achieve Felicity.” (al-Mujadila 58/14-22)

“Those who believed, and adopted exile, and fought for the Faith, with their
property and their persons, in the cause of Allah, as well as those who gave
(them) asylum and aid,- these are (all) friends and protectors, one of
another.” (al-Anfal 8/72)

Starting from this ayah until the end of the surah the same issue is studied,
Allah (swt) in this ayah tells about the friendship between the muhajir and
ansar and the relationship between those who made iman and made hijrah
and those who make jihad.

Muhajir is the one who keeps away from whatever Allah prohibits and leaves
them. Jihad is continues till Qiyamah.
Allah (awj) commands:
“Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the
(fellowship of) believers,- those who establish regular prayers and regular
charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship). As to those who turn (for
friendship) to Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers,- it is
the fellowship of Allah that must certainly triumph.” (al-Maida 5/55-56)

There are so many similar ayahs in the Qur’an. Allah (jj) in these ayahs
commands the Muslim to establish a real friendship with the mumineen. It is
because the mumineen are the party and the army of Allah. They will never
establish friendship with the kuffar and (never) have love towards them.
Friendship and love are related with the heart; the best way of cutting the
relationship ties with the kuffar is opposing the kuffar in the apperant. Even
if being different in the apperant is not the reason of not showing friendship
and love towards them; there is no beneft in not cutting relationship with
them and opposing them. On the contrary togetherness with them may cause
imminence with such correspondence characteristicly. For this reason the
salaf showed these ayahs as evidences.

Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (ra) said: "I said to Umar (ra). ‘I have a Christian scribe.’
He said, ‘What is wrong with you, may Allah strike you dead! Have you not
heard the words of Allah ‘O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the
Christians as awliya’ (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but awliya’ to
one another…’ (al-Maida 5/51)’? Why do you not employ a haneef (i.e., a
Muslim)?’ I said, ‘O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, I beneft from his work and he
keeps his religion to himself.’ He said, ‘I will never honour them when Allah
has humiliated them, and I will never bring them close to me when Allah has
expelled them from His mercy.” (Ahmad, Musnad; Bayhaqi, Sunanu'l-
Kubra; Abu Dawud)

Ayah, ahadith and the performance of rashid khulafa brings out this reality.

Also, the entire fuqaha made ijma on opposing the kuffar and mushrik and
the necessity of not resembling them.

According to the narration from Abu Hurairah (ra) RasulAllah (saw) said:
"The Jews and the Christians do not dye (their hair), so oppose them."
(Bukhari; Muslim; Abu Dawud; Nasai; Ibn Maja; Ahmad, Musnad)

If attention is paid; RasulAllah (saw) commanded to oppose them in this

point. This brings out the truth that opposing them is the aim and the
command of the Shari.
Allah (swt) commands:
"Those who witness no falsehood..." (al-Furqan 25/72)

Dahhak said: “The word ‘zur’ which is taken place in the ayah means
holidays which belongs to the mushrik.”

Abu Shaikh narrated this: ‘Zur’ is the statement of shirk.

In the narration which is coming from Murra: They would not decline
towards the shirk of mushrik, they will not mix and stay with them.
Umar (ra) said: “I prohibit you from learning the words of the ajam; going
into their church during their festivals.”

According to the explanations of individuals from the tabiun, with this

statement what had been meant was ‘the holidays of the mushrik’. This
explanation will not contradict the explanations of some who say ‘this is shirk
or an idol during the jahiliyyah, bad words which are spoken at the bar and
pub’. It is because the salaf had given these names while fulflling the needs
of the person and warned them regarding that issue/thing.

There lays both doubt and lust in the holidays and festivals which belong to
the mushrik. However these are batil things which are not from deen. Even if
they seem nice and sweet at frst, they will end with pain and sadness. This is
‘zur’ itself (which had been mentioned above) meaning shirk, lust and lie.
Witnessing, listening these while being in the places these are performed is as
objectionable as performing these. If attention is paid, Allah (swt) does not
want people to be in such places, witness and praises those who abandone
these. Being there in real meaning is seeing it or listening to it. And there is
turning this into action, which is not like merely seeing it or listening to it, it
is shirk. Doing all these will increase the compatibility of a person with the
mushrik. However this is something an unwanted situation.

This should be well known that being compatible with the kuffar will end
with ugliness and shame. The attitude and nature of those who stay with
them will start to be compatible with them. Here the shariah prohibiting
these types of things from the beginning is for prevention of greater danger
which could occur in the future.

Today in every matter resemblance to the kuffar is exhibited. This causes one
to almost completely exit out of Islam. It is because performance of any act or
custom of the mushrik will take a person to kufr or to rebel or both to kufr
and rebeling.

These which had been told (mentioned) are only a few among the proofs
which prohibit resembling the mushrik and the kuffar. May Allah deal with
His mercy with those who show the meticulousness which is addressed by
Allah regarding keeping distant from the kuffar.

The reason of the prohibition regarding resembling them in the apperant is

due to the fact that while the deeds open a way to friendship and love
towards the kuffar in the heart of a person, at the end it canalizes the person
to kufr or rebel. Here for this reason this deed has been prohibited prohibited
from the beginning because (of the possibility) it could lead to kufr.

When the steps which are taken by so many who have befriended and love
towards the kuffar and mushrik is taken under consideration; it will be seen
that the reason of this prohibition is the worry of the Muslim falling into
traps as such. Regardless of this, those who act in such way will have thrown
themselves into the objectionable and will open the door to danger.

Allah (jj) is the only one Who guides to the haqq.

Questions related with wala

In this chapter place will be given for the questions and their answers which
were asked by Muslims to the sons of Muhammad b. Abdulwahab.

Question: What hukm will you give to the one who although enters and
loves the deen of Islam, does not show enmity towards mushrik or shows
enmity but does not make takfr of them or says: ‘I am Muslim; but I can not
make takfr of those who utter ‘la ilaha illaAllah’. He might not know that it
is shirk which he performs’ or ‘I know that shrines do not give any harm or
beneft however I can not say anything regarding those who believe that
shrines can beneft or harm?’

Answer: For a person to be Muslim he must accept the deen of Islam while
knowing the belief of tawhid, perform accordingly, while confrming things
that RasulAllah (saw) brought he should have iman in it, he should adhere to
Him in his commands and restrictions. The one who says: ‘I can not have
enmity towards mushrik’ ‘I can have enmity but I can not make takfr of
them’ ‘Even if they fall into shirk and kufr, show enmity towards the deen of
Allah; I can not speak ill of them because they utter ‘la ilaha illaAllah’, I can
not say anything about them’ or ‘It is not possible for me to say anything
about the shrines’ is surely not Muslim and with this attitude it is not
possible for him to be a Muslim. His situation looks like those who were
mentioned in the following ayah: “…and (those who) wish to separate Allah
from His messengers, saying: ‘We believe in some but reject others’: And
(those who) wish to take a course midway, They are in truth (equally)
unbelievers; and we have prepared for unbelievers a humiliating
punishment.” (an-Nisa 4/150-151)

Allah (awj) made it wajib to show enmity towards the mushrik, commanded
to cut the relationship with them and make takfr of them. Allah (swt)
commands: “…And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of
them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.” (al-Maida 5/51)
“Thou wilt not fnd any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, loving
those who resist Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their
fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred.” (al-Mujadila 58/22)
“O ye who believe! Take not my enemies and yours as friends (or
protectors),- offering them (your) love, even though they have rejected the
Truth that has come to you, and have (on the contrary) driven out the
Prophet and yourselves (from your homes), (simply) because ye believe in
Allah your Lord!” (al-Mumtahina 60/1)

Things that take one out of fold of Islam

1- Associating partners (shirk) to Allah:

Accepting as equal, as similar, as partner to Allah from among the creatures

that Allah created, invoking them as if invoking Allah, praying to them as if
praying to Allah, fearing from them as if fearing from Allah, relying on them
and making tawakkul to them as if relying on Allah and making tawakkul to
Allah and such deeds. If a person performs any of these deeds he will
perform kufr and leave the fold of Islam. Even if he observes fast during the
days and prays during the nights; still it is same.

The proof of this is the ayah of Allah (swt):

“When some trouble toucheth man, he crieth unto his Lord, turning to Him
in repentance: but when He bestoweth a favour upon him as from Himself,
(man) doth forget what he cried and prayed for before, and he doth set up
rivals unto Allah, thus misleading others from Allah's Path. Say, ‘Enjoy thy
blasphemy for a little while: verily thou art (one) of the Companions of the
Fire!’” (az-Zumar 39/8)

“If anyone invokes, besides Allah, Any other god, he has no authority
therefor; and his reckoning will be only with his Lord! and verily the
Unbelievers will fail to win through!” (al-Muminun 23/117)

This and similar so many other ayahs show things that Allah had created are
associated as partners to Allah. Those who perform these acts will have
performed kufr and left the fold of Islam. All their good deeds will be
wasted. Likewise Allah (awj) commands: “…If they were to join other gods
with Him, all that they did would be vain for them.” (al-Anam 6/88)

2- Obeying the mushrik regarding their deen, stating or showing being

companionable with them.

Allah (swt) commands:

“Those who turn back as apostates after Guidance was clearly shown to
them,- the Evil One has instigated them and busied them up with false hopes.
This, because they said to those who hate what Allah has revealed, ‘We will
obey you in part of (this) matter’; but Allah knows their (inner) secrets. But
how (will it be) when the angels take their souls at death, and smite their
faces and their backs? This because they followed that which called forth the
Wrath of Allah, and they hated Allah's good pleasure; so He made their
deeds of no effect.” (Muhammad 47/25-28)

Sulayman b. Abdullah mentioned about 20 ayahs from the Book of Allah and
a few ahadith from RasulAllah (saw) and inferenced these results from them:

“a- If a Muslim without acceptable coercion (ikrah) obeys the mushrik and is
in consent with them becomes a murtad and goes out of fold of Islam. Even if
he utters the kalima shahadah and performs the other requirements of Islam
he still is murtad.

b- Even if a Muslim actualized iman by heart, when he obeys the kafr and
the mushrik he enters kufr. Yet the mushrik during the era of RasulAllah
(saw) wanted the Muslim to suit some of their wishes and not to change their
aqidah (completely). Unfortunately nowadays so many who attribute
themselves to Islam, because they fear the mushrik, they show consent to
them and they believe they will not fall into kufr if they see it (this act) as evil
by heart.

c- That which makes a Muslim kafr is not only the belief of the heart. It is
because RasulAllah (saw) did not ask those who Allah had mentioned to
change their aqidah. If anyone without acceptable coercion, just fearing the
loss of his wealth, country or family, consents to the kuffar and the mushrik –
even if he does this while believing they are kuffar or by having hatred
against them- will become kafr. This point should be well comprehended.
There are related examples in the story of Ibrahim (as). Ibrahim (as) started
with his father and his tribe, frst he showed enmity towards them. These are
also mentioned in the surah of al-Kahf.

d- Another issue regarding the matter which so many people can not fnd a
solution to is; the situation of the one who does not fnd their religion good,
does not content with their acts and while actualizing iman, consents to them
only by tongue. Again this person denies the statement of ‘la ilaha illaAllah’
and takes another ilah besides Allah. However, unfortunately the majority of
people do not know these realities.”

3- Having friendship towards the mushrik and taking them as wali:

Allah (jj) commands:

“O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and
protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst
you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a
people unjust.” (al-Maida 5/51)

“Let not the believers take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than
believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah...” (al-i
Imran 3/28)

Ibn Taymiyyah explained the ayah al-Maida 5/51 as follows: “In this ayah it
is stated that whoever takes the Jews and the Christians as friends than he
will become one of them. According to the meaning which is understood
from the dhahir of the ayah; those who take them as friends, and make them
authorities over them are kafr like them.”

Concerning the same ayah Abdullah b. Utba said: “One of you should be
aware of becoming a Jew or a Christian without realizing it.”

Also Ibn Jarir Tabari while making tafsir of the ayah: “in nothing will there be
help from Allah...” (al-i Imran 3/28) stated: “It is because this person made
irtidad from deen, he is distant from Allah; and Allah is also distant from
him. The statement of “except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard
yourselves from them.” (al-i Imran 3/28) is just like the ayah: “Any one who,
after accepting faith in Allah, utters Unbelief, except under compulsion, his
heart remaining frm in Faith” (an-Nahl 16/106)

4- Sitting with mushrik in their majlis of shirk without showing any

reaction (disagreement):

Allah (swt) commands:

“Already has He sent you Word in the Book, that when ye hear the signs of
Allah held in defance and ridicule, ye are not to sit with them unless they
turn to a different theme: if ye did, ye would be like them. For Allah will
collect the hypocrites and those who defy faith - all in Hell.” (an-Nisa 4/140)

RasulAllah (saw) stated: "Anyone who associates with a mushrik and lives
with him is like him." (Abu Dawud)

The family of shaikh (Muhammad ibn AbdulWahhab) said the following

when they were asked regarding the ayah and hadith which are mentioned
above: “According to the dhahir of the ayah; anyone who hears that the ayah
of Allah held in defance or ridiculed, unless they turn to a different subject,
sits with them without acceptable coercion applied to him, he is kafr just as
they are. Even if he does not do the same thing they did, there is no
difference. It is because such situation is contenting to kufr. Showing content
to kufr is kufr.

Relying on this and similar ayahs the ulama said anyone which shows
content to any sin will be accounted as having performed it. It will not be
accepted from him even if he states that he does not accept it by heart or that
he dislikes it. It is because the hukm is according to the dhahir. He performed
kufr openly and became kafr.

For this reason when the incidents of irtidat are taken in hand; although some
among those who became murtad claimed that they were forced to do it, the
sahaba did not accept this (excuse) and accounted all as murtad. But those
who opposed by tongue are out of this ruling. This ayah mentions this reality.
The statement of RasulAllah (saw) "Anyone who associates with a mushrik
and lives with him is like him." (Abu Dawud) also has the same meaning.
Meaning if a person, although claiming to be a Muslim, in their gatherings,
helping each other and such issues as having house and home; acts with the
mushrik and if the mushrik accept him as one of them, he is kafr as they are.
For this person to be Muslim again he must accept Islam publicly, while
cutting the friendship relations with the mushrik; he should not give the
authority of walayah to them.”

As it was mentioned before, Abdullah b. Amr said: “Whoever lives in the

land of ajam, resemble them while celebrating their New Year and mihrijan
(holidays, festivals and galas) and dies on this state, on the Day of Qiyamah
he will be resurrected with them.”

Allah (swt) commands:

“…but such as open their breast to Unbelief, on them is Wrath from Allah,
and theirs will be a dreadful Penalty. This because they love the life of this
world better than the Hereafter: and Allah will not guide those who reject
Faith.” (Nahl 16/106-107)

5- Mocking Allah, His Book and His Rasul

Allah (swt) commands:

“Say: ‘Was it at Allah, and His Signs, and His Messenger, that ye were
mocking?’ Make ye no excuses: ye have rejected Faith after ye had accepted
it. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others amongst you, for that
they are in sin.” (at-Tawba 9/65-66)

Mockery is two types:

a- Mocking openly:

Because the ayah had been sent-down regarding this matter, the issue had
been explained clearly within the ayah. Mockers said things such as: ‘I have
never seen like these reciters of ours! They have the hungriest stomachs, the
most lying tongues and are the most cowardice in battle' etc. Some among
these said: “This is your 5th religion”; “This deen of yours is a patched-up
deen”. When they saw the Muslim commanding good and prohibiting the
bad, some equivoqued and mocked by stating ‘ahl-dik (rooster) came to you’
instead of ‘ahl-deen caming to you’. Again these mockers were mocking
when they saw the students of ‘ilm. So the mocker who mocks with this and
similar statements goes out of the fold of Islam.

b- Mockery which is unopen and with sarcastic words and acts

This is (comprises) such wide range that it is like a sea which does not have a
beach. For example mocking by winking/making signs with eye and brow
(facial expressions), sticking out the tongue, curling the lips (to show
displeasure), making hand signs (jestures) while Qur’an and hadith is recited
or good is commanded, and bad is prohibited etc.

6- Showing displeasure and anger openly while calling people to Allah,

reciting the Qur’an, good is commanded, and bad is prohibited.

Allah (swt) commands:

“When Our Clear Signs are rehearsed to them, thou wilt notice a denial on
the faces of the Unbelievers! they nearly attack with violence those who
rehearse Our Signs to them. Say, ‘Shall I tell you of something (far) worse
than these Signs? It is the Fire (of Hell)! Allah has promised it to the
Unbelievers! and evil is that destination!’” (al-Hajj 22/72)

7- Disliking the Book and the hikmah that Allah had sent-down to His
Rasul

Allah (swt) commands:

“That is because they hate the Revelation of Allah; so He has made their
deeds fruitless.” (Muhammad 47/9)

8- Rejecting things which the ayah of Qur’an and ahadith indicate, and
debating (opposing) them:

Allah (awj) commands:

“None can dispute about the Signs of Allah but the Unbelievers. Let not,
then, their strutting about through the land deceive thee!” (al-Ghafr 40/4)

9- Rejecting an ayah, or a part of it; or any one of the things that RasulAllah
(saw) brought.

Allah (swt) commands:

“Those who deny Allah and His messengers, and (those who) wish to
separate Allah from His messengers, saying: "We believe in some but reject
others": And (those who) wish to take a course midway, They are in truth
(equally) unbelievers; and we have prepared for unbelievers a humiliating
punishment.” (an-Nisa 4/150-151)

10- Keeping distant from learning the deen of Allah and being unaware of
it.

Allah (swt) commands:

“…But those who reject Faith turn away from that whereof they are warned.”
(al-Ahqaf 46/3)

11- Not wishing the deen of Allah dominating, opposing to the idea of
gathering and joining over deen:

Allah (jj) commands:

“The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on
Noah - the which We have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which We
enjoined on Ibrahim, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain
steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein: to those who worship
other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them. Allah
chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who
turn (to Him).” (ash-Shura 42/13)

As it is mentioned in the ayah those who do not want this deen dominating
are only mushrik, kuffar and other enemies of Islam.

12- Doing Witchcraft, learning and teaching witchraft:

Allah (awj) commands:

“They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of
Solomon: the blasphemers Were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching
men Magic, and such things as came down at babylon to the angels Harut
and Marut. But neither of these taught anyone (Such things) without saying:
‘We are only for trial; so do not blaspheme.’…” (al-Baqara 2/102)

13- Rejecting resurrection after death:

Allah (swt) commands:

“If thou dost marvel (at their want of faith), strange is their saying: ‘When we
are (actually) dust, shall we indeed then be in a creation renewed?’ They are
those who deny their Lord! They are those round whose necks will be yokes
(of servitude): they will be Companions of the Fire, to dwell therein (for
aye)!” (ar-Rad 13/5)

14- Seeking judgment with other than the Book of Allah and the sunnah of
His Rasul, trying to solve the debate and disagreements according to the
laws of the existent systems and not with the shariah.

Ibn Kathir said: “During the time of Jahiliyyah, the people used to abide by
the misguidance and ignorance that they invented by sheer opinion and lusts.
The Tatar (Mongols) abided by the law that they inherited from their king
Genghis Khan who wrote Al-Yasiq, for them. This book contains some
rulings that were derived from various religions, such as Judaism,
Christianity and Islam. Many of these rulings were derived from his own
opinion and desires. Later on, these rulings became the followed law among
his children, preferring them to the Law of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah
of His Messenger. Therefore, whoever does this, he is a disbeliever who
deserves to be fought against, until he reverts to Allah's and His Messenger's
decisions, so that no law, minor or major, is referred to except by His Law.
Allah said: ‘Do they then seek after a judgment of (the days of) ignorance?
But who, for a people whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than
Allah?’ (al-Maida 5/50)”

I say: Such things may come to happen to all people. By leaving the hukm of
Allah and His Rasul, they may take the hukm which had been preapared by
their ancestors or those who came before them and they can name it as ‘the
high law”. Whoever does such thing is kafr. It is fard to fght with them until
they accept the hukm of Allah and RasulAllah.

Ibn Taymiyyah said: “Without doubt anyone who beliefs that ‘it is not
necessary to judge with the hukm which had been revealed to RasulAllah by
Allah’ is kafr.”

If anyone without following the orders of Allah states that he provides justice
while giving hukm according to his view and makes this istihlaal also
becomes kafr.

Nowadays so many societies are seeking justice from the bases which are
established by their ancestors and masters with their lack of wisdom; and
believe that they can establish the justice with this method. Even the majority
of those who claim to be Muslim perform the practice, custom, rituals which
Allah had not sent-down and does not permit. Same as the badawi of the
past, they adhere to the rulings of the rulers which they obey; perform justice
according to their understanding. According to them the best hukm is the one
which they put up.

Lots of people who deem to be Muslim, still can not reconcile themselves to
the Qur’an and sunnah, they take their custom, rituals and rulings in frst
place, act accordingly to the commands of their leaders and do not give up to
follow them. Ibn Taymiyyah took all these in hand while explaning the ayah:
“If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are
Unbelievers.” (al-Maida 5/44)

All these explanations are the results which are extracted from the ayah.
There are so many views of the scholars which cannot all be counted,
regarding this matter.

The author of ‘Iqna’ explained the ruling of being murtad and he mentioned
a lot about these matters. We will summarize some of them here:
“It is kufr with ijma to put mediators between oneself and Allah, making
tawakkul to them and requesting from them.
It is also kufr to have hatred or anger towards RasulAllah (saw) or things that
he brought from Allah.
The one whom it is seen that he humiliates the Qur’an, mocks the things
which Allah promised or treatened with, will fall into kufr.
The one who does not call kafr anyone who accepts a system other than
Islam, those who have doubts regarding the kufr of those people will also
become kafr.
Whoever accepts hashish (marihuana), opium (smoke) and anodyne (drugs)
to be halal is also a kafr without any discussion.”

I say: “Whoever accepts establishing friendship with the mushrik, butter

them up, helping them against the Muslim as halal; the kufr of such people is
greater than the kufr of one who accepts drugs halal. It is because this is not
like (the harm of) hashish or opium.”

Anyone who speaks ill of one among the ashab, revile them; says Ali is ilah,
Ali is prophet, or Jibril erred, will undoubtly fall into kufr. Without doubt
whoever doubts their kufr is also kafr.

Some other rulings which take place in the ‘al-Iqna’ are as follows:

If someone claims: ‘The Qur’an has some batini (esoteric) meanings. These
batini meanings will lift other permissible deeds’ or says ‘After RasulAllah
except a few, all of the sahaba became murtad or fasiq’ the kufr of this person
will not be doubted. Moreover those who doubt this person being kafr will
also become kafr.

One of the views is as follows:

‘Whoever denies that Abu Bakr (ra) was a sahaba will become a kafr. It is
because in this claim, there is rejection of this ayah: ‘…and he said to his
companion, ‘Have no fear, for Allah is with us’…’ (at-Tawba 9/40) The one
who denies that Abu Bakr was a sahaba will fall into kufr due to his rejection
of the ayah.’
I say: Whoever denies a hukm which is shown and directed by the Qur’an
becomes kafr. Such person uttering the kalmia shahadah or stating ‘I am
Muslim’ will not beneft him. If the one who denies just one ayah becomes
kafr, what will be the situation of the one who denies a hukm which is
directed by 30 or 40 ayahs? Will they not become kafr?

I make oath to Allah, the kalima of shahada and their claim to be Muslim will
not beneft them. We seek refuge to Allah from our hearts becoming rusty. It
is because the hearts becoming rusty and following the desire and inclination
are obstacles against following the truth.

Again if an individual does not accept as halal those which are prescribed as
halal in Islam, becomes kafr. The one who accepts the haram deeds such as
zina (fornication) etc. as halal also becomes kafr. Whoever while inclining to
the kuffar and mushrik, accepts as halal to have love towards them, his
situation will be much worse than the situation of the one who accepts zina
as halal.

The statements of the ulama of Islam regarding this matter is countless.

Moreover some accept as kufr such deeds which are simpler than what we
had mentioned above and the doer of such acts as murtad. From this murtad
certainly it will be requested (from them) to make tawbah. If they make
tawbah nothing would be done to them. But if they do not make tawbah, they
will be killed for the reason of being murtad. Their corps will not be washed;
their (funeral) prayer will not be prayed and they will not be buried in the
cemetery of the Muslimeen. Even if these people continue uttering ‘la ilaha
illaAllah’ and perform according to the other rukn of Islam they are still kafr.
Those who are able to somewhat understand the statements of the ulama of
Islam will comprehend this reality.

Today, among those who claim to be Muslim, much more than we mentioned
above is performed. Even those who claim to be the ahl of ‘ilm, perform these
deeds. If ignorance had not become heavier, if the ‘ilm of these things had not
been left hidden, if desires and whims had not outweighed, there would be
no necessity to one by one mention these things.

Borders of Wala

Showing friendship to the mushrik is three types:

1- The individual who consents with them in both dhahir and batin and
follows their orders, who inclines to them and loves them most sincerely; will
exit the fold of Islam and become kafr; whether he is under coercion or not,
nothing will differ, it is because he adopts the mushrik and the kuffar in
every angle and he acts in consent with them. Allah (swt) commands
regarding these types of people: “…but such as open their breast to Unbelief,
on them is Wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful Penalty.” (an-Nahl
16/106)

2- The one who although seems to oppose the mushrik, loves them by heart is
also kafr. This individual will assure his wealth and his life due to his zahir
showing him acting with Islam; however he is indeed a munafq.

3- Those that along with opposing them by heart join them in the appearent.

There are two scenerios for them:

a- It is permissible for one to consent to the kuffar and the mushrik in dhahir
when he is subjected to torture or he is threated with death. While he
performs this way in the dhahir, his heart must be flled with iman and he
must declare his iman right after he escapes from them.

Likewise the same thing happened to Ammar b. Yasir (ra). Therefore the
following ayah had been revealed: “Any one who, after accepting faith in
Allah, utters Unbelief,- except under compulsion, his heart remaining frm in
Faith...” (an-Nahl 16/106)

Allah (jj) commands:

“…except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them…”
(al-i Imran 3/28)

Ibn Kathir also pointed out this while making tafsir of this ayah in surah al-i
Imran.

b- Although he is opposing them with his heart, without an acceptable

coercion, acting to be consented with them in the dhahir in order to protect
his leadership position, having fear of any harm towards his wealth, his
country or his children or any other reason, is kufr and whoever acts such is
murtad. His hatred towards them by heart or not loving them by heart will
not beneft him.

Allah (swt) commands the following for such person:

“This because they love the life of this world better than the Hereafter: and
Allah will not guide those who reject Faith.” (an-Nahl 16/107)

The thing which leads them to perform shirk is not their ignorance, hatred or
their love towards the batil. That which takes them to such end is their
preferance of this world and them taking dunya over the akhirah.

Things that are brought as excuses by many are not anything other than the
tricks of the shaitan and showing the batil as nice. The reason of this is the
friends of shaitan scaring such individuals with fake fears. Those individuals
who act as such with the acceptance to be consent with the mushrik in the
dhahir is permissible, their fear to be suffcient to submit to them tried to
show it as a real coercion situation to the ignorant masses. However the
scholars had explained the reality of real/acceptable coercion.

Ibn Taymiyyah stated: “After stating the views of the madhabs regarding this
issue and explaning that the coercion will be various according to the
strength of the coercion which is subjected to an individual; we must say that:
the coercion which is accepted regarding the issue of donation and likes are
not aceepted suffcient to utter the statements of kufr. It is because as Ahmad
b. Hanbal also informed in so many places with proofs: When coercion is
only by tongue it will not be valid, it would merely have validation in such
situations which the individual who is forced to perform kufr is subjected to
torture and tornment or limitations on his freedom.

One of the evidences which are presented by Ahmad b. Hanbal is the

following: If a woman donates her mahr (dowry) to her husband because is
fears that he will divorce her or treat her bad, she has a right to resign from
this. It is because her husband forced her to do so. In this situation the fear of
divorce or thought of being mistreated will be accepted as an acceptable
coercion for her. However such situations and likes will not be accepted as
coercion for performing kufr. Again the fear of a slave person regarding the
kuffar stepping in between him and the lady who he wants to marry and
hinder his marriage will not make it permissible for him to utter a word of
kufr.

If needed to summarize: It is not permissible to utter a word which

necessitates kufr under a coercion which one is subjected to by tongue only
however it will gain permissibility only with actual threats such as torture,
beating or death. It is because the coercion which one is subjected to only by
tongue will not be accepted as coercion. As it was mentioned previously the
kuffar settling a block between him and his wife is not coercion.

Once these realities are understood and the situation which the masses are is
taken in question the following hadith of RasulAllah (saw) would gain more
sense:

"Verily Islam started as something strange and it would again revert (to its
old position) of being strange just as it started." (Muslim; Tirmidhi; Ibn
Maja; Darimi; Ahmed, Musnad)
The Muslim Revealing His Deen

Here the issue of one living his deen openly will be mentioned. Most people
fall into a great mistake by deeming that one can live with the mushrik and
murtad (society) if he can utter the kalimah of shahadah, pray his 5 daily
prayers, if he is not prohibited to go to the masjid and the jamaah.

As known, kufr has types and divisons. Some of these had been mentioned in
the previous pages. Each kafr group has a wide spread type of kufr during
their own era. Without rejecting all of these wide spread types of kufr a
Muslim will not be living his deen. While declaring the enmity towards the
kuffar openly, the Muslim individual must cut his relations with them.

If the society which he lives in is in shirk, the duty of a Muslim is declaring

tawhid openly before them, prohibiting them from shirk while making the
necessary warning keeping distant from them.

If the society which he is in, is a society of kufr which rejects the

prophethood, what must be done in such situation is to openly state that
RasulAllah (saw) is a messenger of Allah (swt) and it is necessary to submit
to him.

If their kufr is abandoning salah, (the duty should be) while praying salah in
the society commanding them to pray salah.

If they are in kufr due to showing friendship towards the mushrik and
submitting to them, (he) should show enmity towards them and cut ties with
them.

In summary: Unless an individual lives his deen openly with the kuffar he
lives with, until he cuts his relationship with them he will not be considered
to be living his deen. It is because it is a must for him to keep distant from
things which may cause his kufr while openly establishing his enmity
towards them. For this reason the mushrik would say the following
regarding RasulAllah (saw): “He condems our religion, mocks our intellect,
talks against our deities.”

Allah (awj) commands:

“Say: ‘O ye men! If ye are in doubt as to my religion, (behold!) I worship not
what ye worship, other than Allah! But I worship Allah - Who will take your
souls (at death): I am commanded to be (in the ranks) of the Believers,’ And
further (thus): 'set thy face towards religion with true piety, and never in any
wise be of the Unbelievers; 'Nor call on any, other than Allah;- Such will
neither proft thee nor hurt thee: if thou dost, behold! thou shalt certainly be
of those who do wrong’.” (Yunus: 10/104-106)
Allah (swt) commanded RasulAllah (saw) to say:
“O People! If you have doubts regarding the deen I am upon, know that I am
distant from the false religion which you are upon, I have no connections
with your religion. It is because my Rabb commanded me to be among the
muminun and turn away from the musrik.”

Allah (jj) commands:

“Say: O ye that reject Faith! I worship not that which ye worship, Nor will ye
worship that which I worship. And I will not worship that which ye have
been wont to worship, Nor will ye worship that which I worship. To you be
your Way, and to me mine.” (al-Kafrun 109/1-6)

Allah (swt) commanded RasulAllah (saw) to declare:

I have no connections with the religion which you are still upon. I am distant
from that religion. You too are distant from the religion which I am upon.”

Here the main point which is implied is: declaring their (the mushrik) being
upon kufr.

Being distant from the kuffar and their religion should be openly mentioned.
Whoever submits to RasulAllah (saw), must utter this. His revealing his deen
openly is bound upon this act. The Sahaba of RasulAllah (saw) had been
subjected to torture and dhulm by the mushrikun due to acting according
this. For this reason RasulAllah (saw) gave permission to his ashab to make
hijrah to Abyssinia. If there was a permit regarding being silent towards the
mushrikun, he (saw) would not have commanded them to make hijrah to a
place which they have no knowledge of.

As it is mentioned in the sources of siyar; when the people of Yamama

became murtad Khalid b. Waleed (ra) sent them 200 riders as bannerbearer
and commanded them stating: Catch whoever among the people you come
across. The riders caught 23 people with Majaa. When Majaa reached Khalid,
he told him: O Khalid! You also know that I went to RasulAllah (saw) when
he was alive and I gave biat and today I am still upon the same thing I was
upon yesterday. Musaylimah occurred from my tribe however Allah (swt)
commands: “…Every soul draws the meed of its acts on none but itself…”
(al-Anam 6/164)

Upon this Khalid told him: O Majaa! Today you left that which you were
upon yesterday. Although you were the most respectful person of your
people, with keeping silent you show consent to the doings of this liar. You
are only saying these because you learnt I have arrived. You accepted
Musaylimah and whatever he brought by keeping silent. This will never be
an excuse for you. You spoke whatever you need to speak. Samama and
Yashkuri also spoke; but it is not accepted from them. If you say: I fear for my
tribe, in this situation would not you come to me or sent a messenger to me?
Therefore Majaa said: O Ibn Mughira! Won’t you forgive all these? Khalid
told him: Even if I pardon your life I will not be freing you.

All of these show that, the person who lives in the land of kufr; if he can live
his religion openly, if he can utter that they are kuffar without any fear, if he
can cut his relationship with them and if he can exclaim that they are his
enemies then he will be one who protects his deen. If he can not do these,
then he will not be accepted as one who openly lives his deen.

Who is mustadhaf?

In this chapter we are going to explore the meaning of mustadhaf and who
can be called as mustadhaf. It is because today even those who call
themselves scholars fall into great mistake regarding the matter of
mustadhaf.

Allah (swt) commands:

“And why should ye not fght in the cause of Allah and of those who, being
weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?- Men, women, and children, whose cry
is: ‘Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and
raise for us from thee one who will protect; and raise for us from thee one
who will help!’” (an-Nisa 4/75)

As understood from the ayah: These people, who were in Mecca and made
such request, indeed did not want to stay there and they were praying to
Allah to take them out of there. For this reason these people were excused.

The ayah informs that, these people who were in need in Mecca were
tortured by the mushrik of Mecca and they were requesting a wali who could
look after them against the cruel tribe and protect and patronize them. It is
because these people were indeed very weak.

Allah (swt) commands:

“Except those who are (really) weak and oppressed - men, women, and
children - who have no means in their power, nor (a guide-post) to their
way.” (an-Nisa 4/98)

In this ayah the situation of weak and oppressed are taken in hand, infact
they are weak and those who can not fnd their way.

Ibn Kathir said: “Except the weak… until the end of the Ayah, is an excuse
that Allah gives for this type of people not to emigrate, because they are
unable to free themselves from the idolators. And even if they did, they
would not know which way to go. This is why Allah said, ‘Who cannot
devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way’, meaning, they do not fnd
the way to emigrate, as Mujahid, Ikrimah and as-Suddi stated.
In summary: Mustadhaf; are those who live among the mushrikeen due to
weakness and oppression. Moreover they say: “Our Lord! Rescue us from
this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee one who
will protect; and raise for us from thee one who will help!” (an-Nisa 4/75) and
can not fnd a way.

Regarding those whose situation is such, Allah (jj) commands:

“For these, there is hope that Allah will forgive: For Allah doth blot out (sins)
and forgive again and again.” (an-Nisa 4/99)

However if the people who stay in the abode of the mushrikeen have the
ability to get out of there; although they have the power to do this, if being
extremely affected of the love of land, wealth, mates, children and relatives
prevent them to do this, then this is not an acceptable excuse. Allah (swt) did
not account them as excusable.

Allah (awj) commands:

“When angels take the souls of those who die in sin against their souls, they
say: ‘In what (plight) Were ye?’ They reply: ‘Weak and oppressed Were we in
the earth.’ They say: ‘Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to
move yourselves away (From evil)?’ Such men will fnd their abode in Hell,-
What an evil refuge!” (an-Nisa 4/97)

This ayah had been explained in the tafsir of Jalalayn as: “those who
remained among the mushrik”.

Ibn Kathir stated: Thus, this honorable Ayah was revealed about those who
reside among the idolators, while able to perform Hijrah and unable to
practice the faith. Such people will be committing injustice against
themselves and falling into a prohibition according to the consensus and also
according to this Ayah, “When angels take the souls of those who die in sin
against their souls, they say: ‘In what (plight) Were ye?’ They reply: ‘Weak
and oppressed Were we in the earth.’ They say: ‘Was not the earth of Allah
spacious enough for you to move yourselves away (From evil)?’ Such men
will fnd their abode in Hell,- What an evil refuge! -” (an-Nisa 4/97)
Abu Dawud recorded that Samurah bin Jundub said that RasulAllah (saw)
said, ‘Whoever mingles with the idolator and resides with him, he is just like
him.’
Ibn Abu Hatim narrates that, after Abbas, Aqil and Nawfal were captured
RasulAllah (saw) told Abbas: Pay ransom for both you and son of your
brother. Abbas replied: O RasulAllah! Don’t we pray towards your qiblah?
Don’t we utter the shahadah you utter? RasulAllah (saw) said: O Abbas! As
for your outward appearance, you have been against us and you are taken as
enemies. Then he (saw) recited the ayah: ‘Was not the earth of Allah spacious
enough for you to move yourselves away (From evil)?’

Here the intention is to point out the limits of the term mustadhaf. Mustadhaf
are those who realy are weak and have no way to get out and pray while
stating: “Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors;
and raise for us from thee one who will protect; and raise for us from thee
one who will help!” (an-Nisa 4/75)

When it comes to those who bring their homeland, relatives, mates and
children and their wealth as an excuse; they have no acceptable excuse. Their
accounting themselseves as excused is only a fake imagination. Their excuses
are not valid in the presence of Allah and RasulAllah (saw). Likewise the ahl
ilm who knows the shariah of Allah (swt) also do not accept their excuses
valid.

Hijrah

Hijrah is fard upon this ummah until qiyamah. RasulAllah (saw) said:
"Migration will not end until repentance ends, and repentance will not end
until the sun rises in the west." (Abu Dawud; Ahmad, Musnad)

Anas (ra) narrated from RasulAllah (saw) that he (saw) said: “Do not lighten
by benefting from the fre of the mushrikeen.” (Ahmad; Nasai)

Ibn Kathir commented this hadith: “Do not build your houses near them, do
not stay with them while living together (with them). On the contrary keep
distant from them and make hijrah from the land of the mushrikeen.”

RasulAllah (saw) commanded: "I am not responsible for any Muslim who
stays among the mushrikeen. They asked: Why, O RasulAllah? He (saw) said:
Their fres should not be visible to one another." (Abu Dawud; Nasai)

In another hadith he (saw) stated: "Anyone who associates with a mushrik

and lives with him is like him." (Abu Dawud)

Allah (swt) commands:

“When angels take the souls of those who die in sin against their souls, they
say: ‘In what (plight) Were ye?’ They reply: ‘Weak and oppressed Were we in
the earth.’ They say: ‘Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to
move yourselves away (From evil)?’ Such men will fnd their abode in Hell,-
What an evil refuge! -” (an-Nisa 4/97)

According to the narration of Ibn Abu Hatim, Ibn Abbas (ra) said: Some
among the people of Mecca became Muslim. But they were hiding that they
became Muslims. The mushrik had forced them to go to war with them on
the day of Badr. They attended the war and some of them were killed during
the war. Therefore the Muslim said: ‘Those Muslim brothers had been forced
to fght against us, seek forgiveness from Allah for them. Therefore the 97th
ayah of surah an-Nisa had been revealed.”
Ad-Dahhak stated regarding this ayah: This Ayah was revealed about some
hypocrites who did not join the Messenger of Allah but remained in Makkah
and went out with the idolators for the battle of Badr. They were killed
among those who were killed.”

Ibn Kathir narrated this from Dahhak and said: “Thus, this honorable Ayah
was revealed about those who reside among the idolators, while able to
perform Hijrah and unable to practice the faith. Such people will be
committing injustice against themselves and falling into a prohibition
according to the consensus and also according to this Ayah, Verily, as for
those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves.”

When it is asked to the family of the sheikh whether or not it is permissible to

travel into the abode of kufr for trading, he answered it by stating: If this
person can live his religion openly and does not show friendship towards the
mushrikeen, in the place that he goes then it is permissible. Likewise some
among the ashab (i.e Abu Bakr) performed such travel and RasulAllah (saw)
did not oppose it. If he can not live his religion openly and if he can not show
his enmity towards the mushrikeen in the place that he goes then it is not
permissible for him to travel into the abode of kufr. There are plenty of
ahadith and statements of scholars which show that this is prohibited. Allah
made it fard upon the Muslims to show enmity towards the mushrikeen. If in
any place these conditions can not be performed then it is not permissible to
travel there. The reason is because traveling into the lands of kuffar and the
mushrikeen will slowly lead one to adopt them and seeing good that which
they do. It is possible to see this reality in the Muslim who immigrated to the
lands of kuffar.

Question: Is it permissible for a Muslim to go to places for trade, where the

mushrik put their symbols and show customs openly?

Answer: The answer of this question is as same as the previous one. There is
no difference in between. If a Muslim can not live his religion openly
anywhere then it is not permissible for him to travel there.

Question: Is there a difference between staying one or two months or longer

than that?

Answer: There is no difference between staying there shorter or longer

periods. Whether the period is short or long, if a Muslim can not live his
religion openly, if he can not show enmity towards the mushrikeen openly
and if he has the power of getting out there then it is not permissible for him
to stay there even for one day.
Question: Think about an individual who accepts Islam and loves the
Muslim and has hatred against the mushrikeen. People of the land where this
person lives are opposing Islam openly, they are struggling against Islam,
they are fghting with them, and they do not leave their families. Can this
person stay a Muslim if he does not make hijrah although he knows all these
but merely because leaving his country is hard for him or some other excuses
like this?

Answer: A person in such condition, if he can live his religion openly among
the mushrikeen, if he cuts his relations with them with regards to deen, if he
does not adopt anything from their beliefs, if he can declare that they are
kuffar and they are the enemies of Islam and the Muslimeen straightly, and if
the mushrikeen do not befall him into ftnah by using his religion, relatives,
wealth or some other things against him then the hukm of kafr can not be
given to him. However it is feared for them to be judged with the content of
the ayah "When angels take the souls of those who die in sin against their
souls, they say..." (an-Nisa 4/97-98) when/if they have the ability to make
hijrah and they do not make hijrah and die among the mushrikeen. It is
because Allah (jj) only excuses those who can not fnd a solution and a way to
get out. However in our times these types of people are very little (in
number). It is because the mushrikeen usualy will not allow such people to
live in their lands. They either will kill or expel such individuals from their
lands. However the one who stays in the lands of mushrikeen although he
has no acceptable excuse, who utters that he is one of them, the one who says
your religion is haqq as the religion of Islam (Islam is batil in another
variation) is kafr and murtad even if he has the belief of Islam in his heart. It
is because he does not make hijrah only for their preferrence of dunya over
akhirah; and utter the words of kufr without compulsion and coercion. These
people will be accounted with the hukm of the following ayah: “Any one
who, after accepting faith in Allah, utters Unbelief,- except under
compulsion, his heart remaining frm in Faith - but such as open their breast
to Unbelief, on them is Wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful
Penalty. This because they love the life of this world better than the
Hereafter: and Allah will not guide those who reject Faith.” (an-Nahl 16/106-
1 0 7 ) These are the answers of sheikh Husayn and sheikh Abdullah b.
Muhammad b. Abdulwahab.

According to the people of a city which dawah had reached, some people say
‘these are true however we do not prohibit any harm nor command any
goodness’ and they oppose the ahl tawhid when they say ‘we are distant
from the religion of our ancestors, we have no connection with them.’ These
people only cheat themselves and the shaitan shows this nice to them. It is
because they can not say whatever they have to say openly. For this reason
they are like the people of the land which is mentioned above in some angles.
Although they know that those who oppose to the proofs will become kafr,
they become kafr themselves because of not making takfr of them. Whereas
it is fard upon the person to make hijrah from there, if he can not live his
deen openly while among the mushrikeen. If he is not among those whom
are excused by Allah, it is fard upon him to make hijrah. His situation will be
the same as the kuffar and the mushrikeen when he does not make hijrah.

Those who are accounted as mustadhaf due to weakness and powerless are
excused. It is because they can not fnd a way to get out. This issue and the
issue of it being wajib to make hijrah for the person who does not have the
power to declare his religion openly had been previously mentioned.

Here another important thing is the method of declaring the religion openly.
This will actualize with the Muslim declaring openly to the faces of the
mushrikeen that they are kafr and their religion is batil. This issue also had
explained before. When the person declares they are kafr and he declares his
enmity towards them there will be no possibility for him to live among them;
he will be killed by them or expelled. Allah (swt) informed that the behaviour
of all the kuffar will be same.

Allah (awj) commands:

“And the Unbelievers said to their messengers: ‘Be sure we shall drive you
out of our land, or ye shall return to our religion.’ But their Lord inspired
(this Message) to them: ‘Verily We shall cause the wrong-doers to perish!’
And verily We shall cause you to abide in the land, and succeed them. This
for such as fear the Time when they shall stand before My tribunal,- such as
fear the punishment denounced.” (Ibrahim 14/13-14)

“The leaders, the arrogant party among his people, said: ‘O Shu'aib! we shall
certainly drive thee out of our city - (thee) and those who believe with thee;
or else ye (thou and they) shall have to return to our ways and religion.’ He
said: ‘What! even though we do detest (them)?’” (al-Araf 7/88)

“For if they should come upon you, they would stone you or force you to
return to their cult...” (al-Kahf 18/20)

When attention is paid here there is death by stoning in question. Those who
become murtad due to showing friendship towards the mushrikeen and
submitting to them should know this reality well: The kuffar and the
mushrikeen will never be pleased with the Muslimeen, if they (the
muslimeen) are not as they (the kuffar) wish. They will not allow the
Muslimeen to live among them and they will expel them. Moreover if they
get the chance they will try to destroy them by killing them.

Allah is the only helper of the believers.