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Love and Hate in Islam Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Dr. Hatem al-Haj Edited by Jamila Hakam

© 2022 by Hatem al-Haj

Hatem al-Haj

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ walBarâ’ Visit my website at www.drhatemalhaj.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmited in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permision of the publisher or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Angency. Edited by: Jamila Hakam

Cover Design by: Uponfaith

A CIP record for this book is available from the Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data ISBN-13: 979-8-41-924534-1 Printed in the United States of America

Contents Preface.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Introductions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The Problem of Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Authenticity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Is the Concept of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’ Exclusive to Islam?. . . . . . . 12 Why Is the Contemporary Islamic Discourse on This Issue Different?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Purpose of Hate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’ and Human Prejudices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Passing Moral Judgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 It Is Inescapable.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 What Is Evil? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 What Are We Judging?.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Which Place Are We Coming From?.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Etiquettes of Passing Judgment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Before Passing Judgment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

» Don’t seek the mistakes of others. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 » Verify what is relayed to you. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 » Verify your own findings and overlook when overlooking is wise.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 » Have good thoughts and look for excuses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

In Passing Judgment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

» Your judgment must be based on ‘adl, ‘ilm, and ḥilm (justice, knowledge, and deliberateness). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

After Passing Judgment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

» Let it not cause you arrogance, despair, or carelessness. . . . . 45

» Conceal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 » Forgive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 » Tolerate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

When to Speak Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Avoid confrontation as much as possible and naming the offenders. . . . . . 50 Avoid mockery and obscenity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

The Outcome of Passing Judgment: Passing Judgment, Tolerance and Coexistence in Civil Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Scriptures, Tradition, and History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Understanding the Tradition and Its Bearers: Ibn Taymiyyah as an Example.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Agreements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Justice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Individual Accountability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Respect for Humanity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Coexistence and Sharing Life’s Mundane Exchanges and Pursuits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Generosity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Gentleness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Empathy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Social Bonds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Social Bonds to Be Maintained Despite an Unbeliever’s Indiscretion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

The Solemn Pledge – Tying the Knot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Goodwill for All and the Golden Rule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Salvific Exclusivity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Loving the Unbelievers for Their Unbelief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Loving Unbelievers Hostile to Allah and His Religion . . . . . . . . 89 Siding with non-Muslims against Muslims. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Taking Them in Place of the Believers as One’s Closest Friends. . . . . . . 92

Deserting Islamic Teachings to Please non-Muslims. . . . . . . . . . 93 Failing to Migrate Despite Being Unable to Practice the Religion Openly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Religious Walâ’ and Religion as an Identity Maker. . . . . . . . . . . 95

Controversies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Do We Hate the Sin and Disbelief or the Sinners and Disbelievers?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Can Muslims Be Friends With Non-Muslims and Love Them?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Interfaith Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Specific Empirical Referents of al-Barâ’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Jihad.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Terrorism Is Not Jihad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Assimilation: Can Muslims Imitate non-Muslims?.. . . . . . . . . . . 134 “Push Them To the Narrowest Part of the Road”.. . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Celebrating non-Muslim Feasts, Festivals, or Holidays.. . . . . . . . 145

How To Deal With Family and Friends During Those Celebrations?. . . . 149

Al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’ in the Modern World. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Non-Muslim Minorities in Muslim Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Muslim Minorities in non-Muslim Lands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Does Having an Islamic Reference Point Necessitate a Clash of Civilizations?.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

The Way Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Honesty and Moderation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 The Generalities of the Quran and Sunnah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 The Change of Fatwa and the Concept of Reciprocity. . . . . . . 172

Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Bibliography.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Notes in Arabic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Reader's Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Preface

I was eight or nine years old when I visited my maternal grandfather’s town in Upper Egypt in the mid-seventies. I saw priests coming to visit him at home. It was a usual sight. He had a great rapport with them and other members of the Christian community. He had been the town’s representative in the parliament during the time of King Farooq, who would later be deposed by the revolution/coup of 1952. Well after he left politics, my grandfather continued to have an excellent relationship with the Christian community. Although he had attained his seat in the parliament because of his family’s influence, he wanted to be liked, and he thought of himself as an enlightened thinker. Most of the townsfolk thought the same of him. He was in his eighties at the time I was there, and those Christian friends would still visit him. During one of those visits, I saw that my teenaged cousin, who was then a zealous “practicing Muslim,” was particularly unwelcoming of them (but would not dare to be outright rude in our grandfather’s home). We thought of our grandfather as someone who was not multazim (strictly committed to the religion). At the time, I felt greater admiration for my cousin than I did for my grandfather. To me, my cousin was more “Muslim.” (Now, he is not multazim; I mention this only to show how fleeting and unstable extremist tendencies can be.) I also admired the multazimeen brothers at the mosque near my grandfather’s home (some of whom would later lead the group that killed President Anwar Sadat). At the end of one Ramadan, it was expected for us to go out to the Eid prayer after fajr and march to the public arena where the prayer was going to be held. They decided to go out after ʿishâʾ. More fun for us children, and for some, a chance to show more “commitment.” For some reason, the leaders of the march made sure to pass by the biggest church in town. They would raise their voices in chanting 1

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

takbeerât to “shake the church.” Of course, you can always find at such events a more zealous troublemaking youngster who picks up a rock and throws it at the church from the middle of the crowd. While I would have never done that myself, to be honest, I do not remember how uncomfortable I was with it. I do remember, however, that the incident did not prevent me from continuing to take part in the “parade.” During that same period of my childhood, I continued to act kindly toward my Christian classmates in school in Alexandria, where I grew up. It was just a different interaction than the one with the church, although my classmates would have been intimidated by the crowd had they been inside that church on the eve of that Eid. As a teenager I became more and more attached to practicing Muslims of all Islamic groups and orientations. At age 17 I delivered my first Friday sermon, ill-advisedly for a 17-year-old, about ruling with other than what Allah revealed. I was introduced to different interpretations of the concept of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ (loyalty and disavowal) at a young age. For a portion of my young adulthood, I was more drawn to the “center-right.”1 The history of the crusades and colonialism as told from the Muslim perspective, which is largely but not totally accurate, was instrumental in our emotive-intellectual conception of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’. The Arab poet Aḥmad Shawqi captures these sentiments in his eulogy of ‘Umar al-Mukhtâr, a freedom fighter who was executed by the Italian colonizers: ‫يستنهض الوادي صـباح مساء‬

‫ركزوا رفاتك في الرمال لواء‬

‫يوحي إلى جيـل الغد البغضاء‬

‫يا و يحهم نصبوا منارا من دم‬

They made of your corpse a banner and set it in the sand / to summon the valley day and night Woe onto them, they erected a minaret of blood / to inspire the youth with hatred and spite

1 At some risk, I occasionally borrow terms from various disciplines. The intent is to facilitate conceptualization by the reader. What is meant by the “right” here is a viewpoint that is more conservative of the past and the “self,” while being wary of change and the “other.” As applied to theological matters, it refers to the stricter interpretation of the scriptures and tradition. 2

Preface

‫بين الشعوب مودة وإخاء‬

‫ما ضر لو جعلوا العلاقة في غد‬

‫تتلمس الحـر ية الحمراء‬

‫جرح يصيح على المدى وضحية‬

What could they have lost had they chosen to foster compassion / between nations and fraternity?

That wound will not cease to cry the victim / of the pursuit of bloody liberty2

While the center-right positioning still allowed me to be courteous and somewhat sociable with my Christian neighbors and classmates, many parts of it were becoming harder to justify scripturally and to reconcile with my natural disposition and changing worldview. Like many others, I toiled with the different purports of the scriptures and the tradition.3 How much of the tension between faith groups is about the scriptures and theology and how much is about history and politics, the caliphate and Christendom, or even Carthage and Rome? I had questions about the application of certain tenets in our modern world. I had (and still have) questions about the prospects of “compassionate conservatism.” I know many people think it is an oxymoron. Yet I am convinced our world badly needs it. Why was my “enlightened” grandfather—or my parents for that matter—unable to win me over to their side? Because they did not provide a narrative that was sensitive to my adopted epistemic worldview. I attempt to do so here for those who share it with me, hoping to find the center, not of the spectrum of Muslim attitudes, but of Islam itself, which is inherently wasaṭ (centrist).

2 Aḥmad Shawqi, Al-a‘mâl al-shi‘riyyah al-kâmilah (Beirut: Dâr al-‘Awdah, 1988), 3:17. 3 In this book “scripture” and “scriptures” refer to Divine Revelation, communicated directly in the Quran and indirectly through the Sunnah of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. The “tradition” refers to the cumulative interpretations by generations of scholars from the time of the Companions until today. 3

4

Introductions

Aside from the preface and conclusions, this book is comprised of five sections: this section of introductions in which I discuss the definition of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’; challenges in addressing the subject; its authenticity, and whether it is exclusive to Islam; the purpose of hate; al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ and human prejudices; passing moral judgment; and the discordance between the scriptures, tradition, and practice. The second section describes the areas of agreement within Muslim scholarship; this is followed by a section discussing controversies. The fourth section is on the way forward and my suggestions for reducing the spectrum of controversy and building momentum around the “virtuous center.” Finally, the conclusions section summarizes the main takeaways.

The Problem of Definitions

I have chosen to translate al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ as “loyalty and disavowal” since it is the most accurate of the common translations of the term. Barâ’ is usually translated as disavowal or disassociation. It is a verbal noun. If you add the definite article “al” (the) to it, it may be written as al-barâ’ or albarâ’. It is about being clear of or having no association with something (or someone); it shares the same root with baree’ (innocent) and bara’a (recovered, as from an illness);4 it is important to note this origin so that we understand its connotations. It means, among other things, to dissociate oneself from something or someone. It does not mean to be hostile toward them. It does not even necessarily mean to dislike them. 4 Aḥmad ibn Fâris al-Qazwini, Mu‘jam maqâyees al-lughah, ed. ‘Abd al-Salâm M. Hâroon (Damascus: Dâr al-Fikr, 1979), 1:236. See also W.E. Lane’s Arabic–English Lexicon (London, 1863-93), online version: http://arabiclexicon.hawramani.com/ william-edward-lane-arabic-english-lexicon/ 5

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Walâ’ is translated as loyalty or allegiance. Likewise, if you add the definite article “al” (the) to it, it may be written as al-walâ’ or alwalâ’. It is about proximity and closeness and the consequent connotations of support, friendship, and love.5 Sometimes people translate these two terms liberally as “love and hate.” They may defend this by arguing that love and hate are the basis of loyalty and disavowal. The polysemic nature of both words and their various uses, which exceed twenty for each one, make disambiguation and contextualization that much more important. Also, you do not need to be Wittgenstein to understand that if you use an expression in a language game6 where it does not belong, you will be misusing/misinterpreting it. Whether we use loyalty and disavowal or love and hate or other expressions, the challenge is much greater than translating terms from one language to another: it involves translating from one worldview to another. This complexity applies not only to communicating the concept to non-Muslims, but even to Muslims, unless we pretend that Muslims today have the exact worldview of Prophet Muhammad (‫ﷺ‬: peace be upon him) or the righteous predecessors. In this work, I use the word “hate” to refer to bughḍ and “dislike” to refer to karâhiyah. Although they sometimes seem to be used interchangeably in the scriptures, there may be some quantitative7-i and qualitative8-ii distinctions between them, making kurh and karâhiyah closer in meaning to dislike, and bughḍ closer to hate. Hate/bughḍ is said to be simply greater in intensity than dislike/karâhiyah, but these

5 al-Qazwini, Mu‘jam maqâyees al-lughah, 6:141. 6 According to Ludwig Wittgenstein’s philosophical concept of language-games, a word or phrase has meaning only when the “rules of the game” are applied to it; see Arif Ahmed, ed., Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations, Cambridge Critical Guides (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010), 24, Kindle; see also Michael A. Peters, “Language-games philosophy: Language-games as rationality and method,” Educational Philosophy and Theory, September 21, 2020, DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2020.1821190. 7 For example, Ibn ‘Âshoor says that bughḍ is severe karâhiyah. See Muhammad al-Ṭâhir ibn Muhammad al-Ṭâhir ibn ‘Âshoor, Al-taḥreer wal-tanweer (Tunis: al-Dâr al-Tunisiyyah, 1984), 6:148. 8 For example, Abu Hilâl al-‘Askari says that in the context of food one may use karâhiyah, not bughḍ. See Abu Hilâl al-Ḥasan ibn ‘Abdullâh al-‘Askari, Al-furooq al-Lughawiyyah, ed. Muhammad Ibrâheem Saleem (Cairo: Dâr al-‘Ilm wal-Thaqâfah, n.d.), 129. 6

Introductions

terms are also different in kind, where hate/bughḍ is used in reference to willful agents and motivated by ethical concerns.9 Our teachers trained us to provide a technical definition after the linguistic one. However, to provide a technical definition, and not draw on mere appeal to authority, we may need to go through the pertinent scriptural and historical accounts first. Of course, the tradition is also an integral part of this discussion and essential for our proper understanding of those scriptural and historical accounts. Nonetheless, it is vast and not always uniform. Also, the valid concept of renewal of ijtihâd, while it does not apply to matters of creed, would apply to the rulings of proper conduct with people of different theological orientations and religious affiliations. So, let us defer the technical definition for now and return to it at the end of the book.

Challenges

The reason why some youths disregard the good counsel of many scholars is that, to these young people, the scholars seem dismissive of the tradition when they talk about this issue in particular. Quoting a few verses of the Quran or hadiths of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬about justice and kindness toward others will not make the other verses and hadiths—that are more difficult to explain—disappear. It is not until we are comfortable addressing the entirety of the pertinent reports that we can develop a coherent synthesis that is not dismissive of the scriptures or the tradition, and would, thus, be sensitive to those youths’ preferred epistemic worldview, and most importantly, closer to the truth.10 The fear of approaching this subject will be clear when you read the following excerpt from “Understanding al-Qaeda’s Ideology for Counter Narrative Work” by Tom Quiggin: Al-Wala’ Wal Bara’ (al-Qaeda’s View): Al-Qaeda fosters an atmosphere of “us versus them” through the use of the term Al-Wala’ 9 In addition to the Arabic sources above, see: Carmen Merrick, “Hating Evil: Understanding the Role of Evil in Interpersonal Hate” (PhD diss., University of Arkansas, 2019), 4, https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/3380. 10 When we selectively interpret some traditions in exclusion to others, we weave together a narrative that does not address potentially incongruent scriptural imports. 7

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Wal Bara. Al-Wala means “those to whom they are loyal” or simply, “their friends”. Al-Bara refers to those whom they hate or their enemies. This concept becomes their tool to categorize people into friends and enemies. Those they hate are the enemy and those they like, or agree with, are their friends. Their enemies are non-Muslims and many Muslims as well. Al-Wala’ Wal Bara’ (Islamic Scholars’ View): There is not, nor should there be, an “us versus them” mentality in either [sic] Islam or in humanity. All human beings are creatures of God and we therefore must show respect to each other. This implies a multi-racial, multi-religious society. Islam must be seen as a Rahmah (Blessing) to the Universe.11

This author is clearly not an Islamophobe. He is trying to show how deviant al-Qaeda’s views are compared to those of Islamic scholarship. Additionally, what he presents as the position of Muslim scholars is largely correct. However, the dismissal of the concept of al-walâ’ walbarâ’ by the scholars he is quoting is also fraught with inconsistencies and acts of omission and commission. In his PhD thesis Mohamed Bin Ali notes, “In reality, the concept of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ is relatively unknown outside the Salafi world.”12 He goes on to describe how unfamiliar the whole concept is to “traditional” scholars. Could this be part of the problem? The notion that al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ is a Salafi13 concoction seems to be supported by many observers and researchers.14 Many of them are well-meaning. It is, however, reductionist at best. There will be no attempt here to exonerate many Salafis from peddling an unnuanced 11 Tom Quiggin, “Understanding Al-Qaeda›s Ideology for Counter-Narrative Work,” Perspectives on Terrorism 3, no. 2 (August 2009): 22-23, https://www.jstor. org/stable/26298403. 12 Mohamed Bin Ali, “The Islamic Doctrine of Al-Wala’ wal Bara’: (Loyalty and Disavowal) in Modern Salafism» (PhD diss., University of Exeter, 2012), 22. 13 Salafi is the adjective of salaf (predecessor, forebear). In Islamic discourse alsalaf usually refers to the pious predecessors: the earliest generations of the righteous followers of Islam. People today who call themselves Salafi proclaim by that attribution that the way of the salaf is the example to be followed in all religious matters. 14 See, e.g.: Sabine Damir-Geilsdorf, Mira Menzfeld, and Yasmina Hedider, “Interpretations of Al-Wala’ Wa-l-Bara’ in Everyday Lives of Salafis in Germany,” Religions 10, no. 2 (2019): 124, https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10020124 and Uriya Shavit, “The Polemic on al-wala’ wa’l-bara’ (Loyalty and Disavowal): Crystallization and Refutation of an Islamic Concept,” Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 36, no. 3 (Spring 2013): pp. 24-49, https://doi.org/10.1353/jsa.2013.0010. 8

Introductions

and sometimes perverted form of the concept. However, to say that the concept of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ is exclusive to them or that it was invented by them, or that all Salafis have a uniform understanding of it, are all indefensible claims.15 Additionally, it is the epistemic clarity Salafis have, and their emphasis on the scriptures, that may prove most effective in correcting misconceptions about this doctrine once proper clarification and contextualization have been provided. This issue is loaded with emotions. People are ready to label you after reading the preface of your work or even the title. One can hardly talk about it without being accused of both laxity and extremism, no matter where you fall on the spectrum, unless you choose one end of that continuum, in which case you will be accused of one of them only. Should we avoid the discussion altogether, then? We cannot afford that. Not only because we have the obligation to convey the message, but also because there are major consequences to silence. The loss of balance and moderation in addressing this issue will lead many to extremism on one side or the other. Additionally, it is not a secret that the relationship with the “other”16 has been recently a major source of trial for many Muslims to the extent that it erodes people’s joy in their faith or even pushes them away from it.

Authenticity

Coining the terms al-walâ’ and al-barâ’, in their verbal noun forms, to point to loyalty to certain people and disavowal from others, was introduced by the Kharijites and directed at their fellow Muslims. Their use of it was driven by their fanatical and divisive persuasions and it was weaponized to undermine the peace and order of the community. This is why it was considered by the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah a reprehensible innovation.

15 At least, the Salafism of the late Sh. Muhammad Rashid Reda, which had an extensive influence on contemporary Muslim discourse, did not support an extreme iteration of this concept, and was, in fact, more conciliatory with the religious “other” than were/are many other Salafi and non-Salafi persuasions. The same may be said about the late Salafism of the prominent Najdi Ḥanbali scholar Salman Alodeh (Salmân al-‘Audah). 16 The “other” here is not limited to non-Muslims, but includes Muslims of different sects or theological orientations. 9

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Salamah ibn Kuhayl said that he was in a group of the Tâbi‘een (lit. successors: second generation Muslims) including Abu al-Bakhtari, Maysarah, Abu Ṣâliḥ, Ḍaḥḥâk al-Mishraqi, and Bukayr al-Ṭâ’i, and they agreed that “irjâ’17 is an innovation; walâyah18 is an innovation; barâ’ah19 is an innovation; and shahâdah20 is an innovation.”21-iii A similar statement is reported from Imam Aḥmad , who said, “al-walâyah is an innovation and al-barâ’ah is an innovation; those who say, ‘we ally with so-and-so and disavow so-and-so.’ Such a statement is an innovation, so beware of it.”22-iv These are authentic reports from the Tâbi‘een and the Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah. Similar statements can be traced with less certainty as far back as some Companions like Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri  and ‘Ali .23-v All the above does not mean that the concept, when properly understood and applied, is an innovated one. Al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ is not the title of any Quranic chapter and has not been mentioned verbatim by the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, but these two terms occur in the Quran and Sunnah in different derivations of the words, and the concept of loving and hating for God’s sake is an established one. Allah says,

َ ُ ْ َ َّ َ ُ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ُ َ َ ُ ُ ُ ُّ َ َ َّ ‫الصالة َو ُيؤتون‬ ‫الين ي ِقيمون‬ ِ ‫الين آمنوا‬ ِ ‫ِإنما و ِلكم الل َّ ورسول و‬ َّ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ َّ ‫الل‬ ‫ ومن يتول‬،‫الزكة وهم را ِكعون‬ ِ ‫الل َّ ورسول و‬ ِ ‫الين آمنوا ف ِإن ِحزب‬ َ ُ َْ ُ ُ ‫هم الغ ِالون‬

Your ally is none but Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed – those who establish prayer and give zakah (zakât), and they bow [in worship]. And whoever is an ally of Allah and His

17 Irjâ’ is a concept that makes belief in the truthfulness of the message the only requirement of faith. 18 Another morphological form of walâ’. 19 Another morphological form of barâ’. 20 To affirm the final abode of someone in the hereafter. 21 ‘Abdullâh ibn Aḥmad al-Shaybâni, al-Sunnah, ed. Muhammad ibn Sa‘eed al-Qaḥṭâni (Dammam: Dâr Ibn al-Qayyim, 1986), 1:327. 22 Ibn al-Ḥusayn Muhammad ibn Abi Ya‘la, Ṭabaqât al-Ḥanâbilah, ed. Muhammad Ḥâmid al-Fiqi (Cairo: al-Sunnah al-Muḥammadiyyah, n.d.), 1:35. 23 al-Shaybâni, al-Sunnah, 1:318. 10

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Messenger and those who have believed – indeed, the party of Allah – they will be predominant. [al-Mâ’idah 5:55 & 56]24

Note that waliy in the verse (translated as “ally”) is the common noun/adjective of the verbal noun walâ’. Following logically from the injunction in this verse, Allah says in another verse,

َ َّ َ ُ ْ ُْ َ ‫اء من ُدون ال ْ ُم ْؤمن‬ َ ‫ون الْ َكفِر‬ َ َ‫ين أَ ْو ِل‬ ‫ني‬ ‫ل ي َّت ِخ ِذ المؤ ِمن‬ ِ ِِ ِ ِ

Let not believers take disbelievers as allies instead of [taking fellow] believers [as allies].25 [Âl ‘Imrân 3:28]

The word awliyâ’ (translated as “allies”) is the plural of waliy. The word yatawallahum (translated as “who is an ally to them”) is the verb in the present tense of the verbal noun walâ’. Allah also says,

ٌَ َ َ ٌَ ُْ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ َْ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ ‫ين َم َعه ِإذ قالوا ِلق ْو ِم ِه ْم‬ ‫ال‬ ‫و‬ ‫يم‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ب‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ة‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫قد كنت لكم أسوة حسن‬ َََْ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َّ َ‫ك ْم َو َب َدا بَيْنَنا‬ ‫الل َّ كفرنا ب‬ ‫ِإنا برآء ِمنكم و ِمما تعبد‬ ِ ‫ون‬ ًِ ‫ون ِمن َد‬ ِ ْ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ُ ُ‫ح َده‬ ‫الل َّ و‬ ِ ِ‫وبينكم العداوة والغضاء أبدا حت تؤ ِمنوا ب‬

There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, “Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allah. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allah alone.” [al-Mumtaḥanah 60:4].

The word bura’â’ (translated as “disassociated”) is the plural adjective of the verbal noun barâ’. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said: 24 Unless otherwise mentioned, the English translation of the meanings of the Quran used throughout this book is adapted from that of Saheeh International, as found on The Noble Quran (Quran.com). 25 In the translation of the meaning of this verse I have replaced Saheeh International’s choice of “rather than” with “instead of,” as the same translators did in Soorat al-Nisâ’ [4:139 and 4:144] (see the chapter “Can Muslims be friends with non-Muslims and love them?”). I have also inserted explanatory phrases to clarify the accepted meaning of this verse. 11

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

ََ ْ َْ ََ َ َ َ“ َّ ‫‏م ْن أَ َح‬ َ َ‫ب ل َّ َوأَ ْب َغ َض ل َّ َوأَ ْع َطى ل َّ َو َمن‬ َّ ”‫‏‬.‫ان‬ ‫يم ‏‏‬ ‫اإل‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ت‬ ‫اس‬ ‫د‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ع‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ

“If anyone loves for Allah, hates for Allah, gives for Allah and withholds for Allah, they will have perfect faith.”26

There are several other verses and hadiths that address the same concept. Did the making of verbal nouns and combining the two counterparts in one phrase create a new concept? Not unless it is misinterpreted, unduly accentuated, or simply taken outside of its proper framework. Is it expected of God to be indifferent to belief and disbelief and good and evil and those who represent them? Not at all. Is it a surprise that in Islam God is at the center of existence and our consciousness, so that we love what He loves and hate what He hates? Of course not. This is an integral part of tawḥeed (Islamic monotheism). It removes the ego and all its manifestations from the center. God is the Truth and Reality, and He is the Ultimate Good. Even our feelings must be mindful of Him and accord with His will and His pleasure. Having said that, do these verses need contextualization and intertextual clarification? Certainly. Are they misinterpreted by many advocates of extreme versions of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’? Undoubtedly. Can the incessant repetition of the phrase against a backdrop of a skewed interpretation cause harm? Of course, immeasurable harm. What can be done then to mitigate this harm? It would require an honest exposition of the whole concept that is compliant with the scriptures, respectful of the tradition, and sensitive to the contemporary realities.

Is the Concept of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’ Exclusive to Islam?

The concept of hating for God is not an Islamic invention at all. Moreover, the concept of unconditional love some Christians claim to be the ethos of their religion is in sharp conflict with their scriptures. Christian pastors of different backgrounds have amassed hundreds of Biblical verses to dispel that notion. A simple online search for “does 26 Abu Dâwood from Abu Umâmah. 12

Introductions

God love everyone?” is sufficient to demonstrate this point. Here are some examples:27 • Leviticus 20:23 - “And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.” • Deuteronomy 32:19 - “And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.”

• Psalm 5:5 - “The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.”

• Hosea 9:15 - “All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.” • Malachi 1:3 - “And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.”

In an article that asks Does God Love Everyone?, Pastor Nick Bibile says, If we tell the unbelievers that God intimately loves them, repentance is not needed, as God loves them anyway! But they say, “God loves the sinners but hate the sin.” If Jesus died for every single individual, then why is it that many are going to hell? Why is that the death of Jesus cannot save everyone in hell? Did he fail his mission, or did he come to save his people from their sins. (Mat 1:21) Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.28

He also says, “Some say, God loves the sinner but hates the sin. It does not say that in scripture, but the scripture says just the opposite. Ps 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”29 There is no difference between the concepts presented in 27 You may also refer to this article: Samuel Osborne, “’Violence more common’ in Bible than Quran, text analysis reveals,” The Independent, February 9, 2016, https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/violence-more-common-bible-quran-text-analysis-reveals-a6863381.html. 28 Nick Bibile, “Does God Love Everyone, and Did Jesus Die for Everyone?” Sounddoctrine.net, accessed April 23, 2021. http://www.sounddoctrine.net/Nick/ Does_God_Loves_Everyone.htm. 29 Bibile, “Does God Love Everyone? 13

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

this article and those presented by many Muslim preachers. The only difference is that the references are to the Bible instead of the Quran. If Prophet Jesus ‫ ﷺ‬did in fact say, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”30 this may apply perfectly to forgiving those who wrong us, as Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬said,

ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ ْ ”‫ َواعف ع َّم ْن ظل َمك‬،‫ َوأع ِط َم ْن َح َر َمك‬،‫“صل َم ْن ق َط َعك‬ ِ

“Reconcile with whoever cuts you off, give to whoever deprives you, and forgive whoever wrongs you.”31

After all, the Quranic emphasis on forgiveness and repelling evil by good cannot be overstated. This is not about loving sinners unconditionally and unqualifiedly. And if it is also about sinners, it must be qualified by how Jesus “loved” the Pharisees and money changers, and how he ‫ ﷺ‬will love them in the second coming. The Greek word used by the Gospel writers is agape (love/goodwill), which is distinct from other types of love like eros (romance) or philia (fraternity).32 It is love in the sense of goodwill for them and praying for their salvation. It is what Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬epitomized when he prayed for the pagans of al-Ṭâ’if who set a group of children to taunt him and throw stones at him until he bled, and when he prayed for the pagans of Quraysh after they had wounded him by Mount Uḥud, broken his tooth, and killed his beloved uncle and Companions. Failing to qualify a statement like this would not only create tension between the different purports of the New Testament and the attitudes of Jesus ‫ﷺ‬, but between the God of the New Testament and the God of the Old Testament. Jesus ‫ﷺ‬, rather than being a great messenger of God who came to remind us of the spiritual and moral underpinnings of the law while upholding it, would instead be a denier of the law. This mild version of Marcionism33 that is adopted by some Christians is 30 As in Matthew 5:45. 31 Reported by Aḥmad. 32 Carl L. W. Grimm, Joseph H. Thayer, and Christian G. Wilke, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper, 1887), 4. 33 Marcion of Sinope (85–160 CE) was a prominent Christian theologian (denounced by the Church as a heretic) who maintained that the benevolent God of the Gospel was different from the “malevolent creator” God in the Old Testament. 14

Introductions

offensive to the the very conception of God and divinity. The God of majesty who sent Moses is the same God of beauty who sent Jesus and God of perfection who sent Muhammad.34 The emphasis on one aspect of His Divine attributes must not be perceived in contradiction to the others. Proper reconciliation is a requirement of a balanced unfragmented conception of the Divine. The concept of love for humanity as a whole is justified because, in the Abrahamic religions, we all descend from one couple, and we are all the creations of the One Most Compassionate Lord. As Muslims, we must have goodwill and wish guidance and salvation for everyone regardless of their current state. However, the unqualified use of the term is incoherent and unattainable. We cannot demand a father to love the person who raped and then burnt his ten-year old daughter.35 Likewise, we cannot love murderers, rapists, liars, or thieves, when such descriptions are the denominators. We may still love something else about an individual thief. We might still love for them repentance and guidance. However, to say that we love thieves and rapists is a moral anathema. One may ask if setting this “unconditional love”36 as a goal and as a pervasive moral value would encourage people to be more compassionate? It does not appear to do that. It never did. In the history of Christian nations, for instance, it did not produce those desirable outcomes. It may have subdued the public but may have also emboldened the tyrants and wrong doers. It did not stop imperial, national, or religious wars. It did not stop the inquisitions, crusades, or the atrocities committed by the colonizers.37 To say that we love all the children of Adam in general is fine and expected of any religionists who believe in the Adamic origin and human fraternity. To claim that we 34 Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-jawâb al-ṣaḥeeḥ li man baddala deen al-Maseeḥ, 2nd ed. (Riyadh: Dâr al-‘Âṣimah, 1419/1999), 5:86. 35 See the Chapter: “Do we hate the sin and disbelief or the sinners and disbelievers?” 36 The term “unconditional love” has been recently widely used by many Christians although it is not found in the Bible, nor has it ever been used by the church fathers. This is why it is still a controversial term. 37 The positive aspects of imperial expansion on human progress are not deniable. However, they do not wash away the inequities committed by the expansionists. All great civilizations had their shares of sin, to various degrees, and we must all own up to them. 15

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

must love the good and evil doers indiscriminately, and love the most criminal aggressors, as they commit their aggression, is unintelligent. It is simply rhetoric that cannot be substantiated or concretized. To fail at providing a more coherent philosophy to bring about more love and compassion between the human family is inexcusable.

Why Is the Contemporary Islamic Discourse on This Issue Different?

Professor Richard Bulliet, the former director of Middle East Institute at Columbia University, said, “Scarcely any of the unattractive strictures and intolerant attitudes manifested by some Muslim groups lack parallels among some Christian and Jewish groups, or among some post-religious Western secularists, for that matter.”38 However, I must admit that apart from the discourse about the main figures of the religious traditions, the rhetoric among the popular Muslim preachers, particularly in the Middle East, is cruder and more hostile than that of their Christian counterparts in Europe. You may expect me to say it is all about politics. I will not. There are multiple reasons behind that, aside from politics and the political correctness that is characteristic of the public discourse in most “Western”39 nations, and not limited to the inter-religious discourse. 38 Richard Bulliet, The Case for Islamo-Christian Civilization (NYC: Columbia University Press, 2004), 12, Kindle. 39 The use of the terms “the West/Western/Occident” – and “the East/Eastern/ Oriental” – is, of course, geographically inaccurate, in addition to being problematic in other ways. However, I use them in this book because “Western” is the most commonly used term to describe a certain civilization and it has an understandable referent in our times – known and understood to its patrons and adversaries alike. Although other terms like “Eurocentric” may be more politically correct, at least within certain circles, they are not errorproof, either. For example, the patrons of the “Western” way of life do not see Russia as a Western nation, while the “Eurocentric” theorists sympathize with its Europeanness. Likewise, while I may identify with many rational, just, and compassionate propositions of the “left,” I am wary of a wholesale adoption of terminology from that cultural–intellectual space. This is because a large segment of that space has become averse to “organized” religion and ethnic distinctiveness in favor of globalization of a certain lifestyle that may, in the plans of its extreme protagonists, only allow cultural self-expression in choices of cuisine and fashion. While individual Muslims in the West may choose to work in any of those intellectual, social, or political spaces, it is important for Islamic scholars and intellectuals to lead (most of)* the community by carving their own 16

Introductions

Islam is a religion of balance that has full recognition of the competing values in this world and the best way of balancing them. People who are focused on one value will show unwavering commitment to it. Islam’s balanced concern for the truth, righteousness, and justice on one side, and empathy, peace, and civility on the other, makes deviation from it possible in both directions. Here are some reasons why the Islamic discourse with respect to interfaith relations has been dragged away from the center. The realities of the Middle East are different. The ongoing conflicts for centuries affected the interfaith discourse and relationships, which have been traditionally less tense than they were in the Occident. The relationships between Muslims and Jews have not been perfect, but have, for most of their shared history, been much better than those between Christians and Jews. There were never massacres of the Jewish people in Muslim countries like those of the crusades, the inquisitions, and the holocaust. In fact, it is almost too well known to need a citation that throughout the Middle Ages the Jews fared much better in Andalusia, Egypt, and Iraq than they did in Europe. After all, from a theological perspective, there is no religion on the face of the planet that is closer to Islam than Judaism.40 Now, however, influential Rabbis teach the to-be-soldiers in the Israeli army that the genocide of Palestinians is among the Biblical commandments.41 Shahak Israel, an Israeli Jew, writes, I had personally witnessed an ultra-religious Jew refuse to allow his phone to be used on the Sabbath in order to call an ambulance for a non-Jew who happened to have collapsed in his Jerusalem neighbourhood. Instead of simply publishing the incident in the press, I asked for a meeting with the members of the Rabbinical Court of Jerusalem, which is composed of rabbis nominated by the State of Israel. I asked them whether space—one that fosters our eternal Islamic values while allowing a healthy discourse on the variables and tolerable variations. * We will never be able to lead the entire community; we can only hope to generate enough momentum around the center that will attract most of the community. 40 The exception would be a truly unitarian Christian group that upholds the Mosaic law. 41 Yossi Gurvitz, “Influential rabbi teaches would-be Israeli soldiers: Genocide is a mitzvah,” Mondoweiss, April 17, 2018, https://mondoweiss.net/2018/04/influential-soldiers-genocide/. 17

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

such behaviour was consistent with their interpretation of the Jewish religion. They answered that the Jew in question had behaved correctly, indeed piously, and backed their statement by referring me to a passage in an authoritative compendium of Talmudic laws, written in this century.42

Top-tier rabbis cite the Talmud and claim that Muslims in Palestine, like all gentiles, were “born only to serve us. Without that, they have no place in the world – only to serve the People of Israel.”43 The same “revered halachic scholar” also says, “In Israel, death has no dominion over them… With gentiles, it will be like any person – they need to die, but [God] will give them longevity. Why? Imagine that one’s donkey would die, they’d lose their money.”44 Rabbi Meir Kahane was not an aberration among Israeli rabbis. His ideology still thrives.45 There are many others; however, very few people hear about them in the West. The language Muslim extremists use can be just as aggressive, but rarely as arrogant. I must, however, acknowledge the openness and courage of those Jewish people who confront such extremism within their ranks and expect of us, Muslims, the same. The conflict in the Middle East did not inflame the relationships between Muslims and Jews in that region alone, but it spread beyond it and poisoned relationships between the two groups globally. It also included Western Christians, particularly Christian Zionists, who use the most offensive and aggressive language against Islam and Muslims—and most hurtfully, against Prophet Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬. They may be committing fewer acts of physical aggression, perhaps because they rely on their governments in this respect. These are not the fanatical groups like the Phineas Priests, Christian Identity, or Army of God, but rather some of the more mainstream churchgoers. 42 Israel Shahak, Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of Three Thousand Years (London: Pluto Press, 2008), 1, Kindle. 43 Lazar Berman et al., “5 of Ovadia Yosef›s most controversial quotations,” The Times of Israel, October 9, 2013, https://www.timesofisrael.com/5-of-ovadia-yosefs-most-controversial-quotations/. 44 Berman et al., “Ovadia Yosef›s most controversial quotations.” 45 Josef Federman and Joseph Krauss, “Radical rabbi’s followers rise in Israel amid new violence,” AP News, May 13, 2021, https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-violence-religion-476098be2dc365468c1f7a91237900df. 18

Introductions

As we mentioned before, there are many more verses in the Bible that talk about violence than are found in the Quran. However, regardless of the theoretical discussions, the emotions are inflamed by the never-ending military, political, and cultural incursions that are seen by people in the Middle East and other Muslim countries as continued post-colonial pursuit of domination. It is not limited to the painful collective memories of the crusades and colonialism. There are many radical non-Muslims who continue to prove to Muslims that they ought to fear harm from non-Muslims. The West’s blind support of Israeli hegemony against an occupied nation is a major cause of aggravation among contemporary Muslims. As a result, many Muslims feel anger and, yes, hatred toward those Jews and Christians who back Israel.46 Post-colonial Muslims are still trying to navigate their way across the bridge to modernity without losing their religion, which they cherish. The European precedent is making them anxious. There are many non-Muslim globalists who make Muslims feel their way of life is threatened with obliteration. The agitation that results from such a threat (real or perceived) is not limited to Muslims. However, their agitation is expectedly greater because they feel they are the objects, not the subjects, of this movement. It is also known that we, as humans, possess multiple identities, and that our religious identity is one of the most influential in our lives. However, it must also be said that the threatened identity is usually the one that hypertrophies at the expense of others.47 Having said that, it would be completely irrational to absolve Muslims of all guilt. Defeated nations often have many social and intellectual ills, as the cause and effect of their defeat. Projecting blame onto others incessantly is a psychological and social disorder and a sign of intellectual timidity and incoherence. It is also the easiest way for 46 See: John Pilger, “Palestine Is Still the Issue,” johnpilger.com, http://johnpilger. com/videos/palestine-is-still-the-issue, accessed April 24, 2021. 47 For a detailed exposition of this phenomenon, see: Amin Maalouf, Al-huwiyyât al-qâtilah (Amman: Dar Ward, 1999), 16. Originally published in French as Les identités meurtrières (Paris: Grasset, 1998), English translation: In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong, translated by Barbara Bray (New York: Arcade, 2001). 19

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

people to avoid self-reckoning and introspection. The Quran teaches us the opposite of that in many verses, including the following two:

َ َّ ُ ُّ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ‫ضكم َّمن َضل إِذا‬ ‫الين آمنوا عليكم أنفسكم ل ي‬ ‫يا أيها‬ َ ََُِْْْ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ َ ُ ُ ِّ ۖ َ ُ َ ً َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ ‫جيعا فينبئكم بِما كنتم تعملون‬ ِ ‫الل َّ مر ِجعكم‬ ِ ‫اهتديتم ۚ ِإل‬

O you who have believed, upon you is [responsibility for] yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided. To Allah is your return all together; then He will inform you of what you used to do. [alMâ’idah 5:105]

َ َ ََُْ ْ ُ ُ َ َ َ ََ ْ َ‫كم ِّمن ُّمصيبَة فَب َما َك َسب‬ ْ ‫ت أَي‬ ‫ري‬ ‫ث‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ع‬ ‫و‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ي‬ ‫و‬ ‫م‬ ‫يك‬ ‫د‬ ‫وما أصاب‬ ٍ ِ ِ ِ ِ ٍ

And whatever strikes you of disaster – it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much. [al-Shoorâ 42:30]

We do have Muslim preachers and activists who spread misguided beliefs about al-walâ’ wal-barâ’. We have secular Muslims who do not want to look like sellouts, so they too often attack the West, sometimes unfairly, for its hegemony and imperialism. We have tyrannical regimes that justify their existence by claiming to be a buffer between the radical “Islamists”48 and the West. They need to keep the resentment

48 The term “Islamist” has been used (and misused) by many, both within the Muslim community and without; thus, the term has come to have different meanings in different contexts. Does it refer to a revivalist ideology that seeks to reform Muslim communities through Islamic values, or a “broad set of political ideologies that utilize and draw inspiration from Islamic symbols and traditions in pursuit of a sociopolitical objective,” or a “popular movement advocating the reordering of government and society in accordance with laws prescribed by Islam,” or “fundamentalism” and militancy? Is it about “Islamizing society through exercise of state power” or “grass-roots social and political activism,” or “militant insurgency”? It may refer to any of those propositions or a combination of them. It may be a grassroots spiritual and social activism seeking the revitalization of Muslim communities by drawing inspiration from Islamic sentiments and values, or a militant ideology seeking domination of Muslim societies (and possibly the world) through exercise of state power after toppling the current Muslim governments. It also refers to the near infinite points on the spectrum between those two ends. There are, however, some common features and points of agreement. All Islamists in the widest sense of the word believe that: Islam should be allowed to inform the collective conscience of Muslim communities and should not be eliminated from the public space. Islam should be allowed to bring about more unity among Muslim communities, although there is no uniform understanding of the nature of that unity. 20

Introductions

of the West alive among the Muslims and the fear of the avalanche of the Islamists alive in the West. All of this occurs against a backdrop of a selective reading of our history and the history of other nations: a selectivity bias that may have been to some extent excusable at certain phases of the national struggle for independence, but not anymore. Some cultures are also known for their impassioned, exaggerated speeches. These become more prevalent during times of decline. The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬used to condemn the practice of evoking emotions or embellishing falsehood by resorting to rhetorical devices. He rebuked someone for this and said:

ْ َ َ ٌ ْ ََ َْ »‫اب؟‬ ِ ‫األعر‬ ‫كسج ِع‬ ‫“أسجع‬ 

“Do you rhyme like the rhymes of the [disbelieving] Bedouins?”49

Little action and much talk have become emblematic of our contemporary reality, and speech and action are usually inversely related. The spiritual decline our ummah50 has experienced after the passing of the righteous generations made disingenuity and grandstanding rampant. In such atmospheres, relations between different groups can be expected to suffer. A true Islamic renaissance will bring about reconciliation, not further inflammation.

The Purpose of Hate

As I said before in the definitions, I use the word “hate” to refer to bughḍ, which is used in the scriptures in connection with the concept of disavowal. It may be more politically correct to use “dislike,” because “hate” is perceived by most people in our times as evil.51 However, an honest analysis of the definitions of both concepts by the two language Islam is a missionary religion, and it has something to offer the world, not only Muslim societies: if not as an alternative religion, at least as an inspiring (or challenging) thesis or worldview. 49 Agreed upon (meaning that both al-Bukhâri and Muslim reported the same hadith), on the authority of al-Mugheerah. 50 Ummah: community or nation; in this context, the global community of Muslims. 51 Merrick, “Hating Evil,” 1. 21

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

groups supports the use of “hate” for the translation of bughḍ, while realizing that a complete correspondence is unattainable. Hate or bughḍ/baghḍâ’ is a hated concept. This is not only true in the collective perception of the two language groups, but you also find numerous indications in the scriptures. How, then, would hate be sanctioned by the ultimate good, God? For example, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ ْ ْ ََ َ“ َّ ‫‏م ْن أَ َح‬ َ َ‫ب ل َّ َوأَ ْب َغ َض ل َّ َوأَ ْع َطى ل َّ َو َمن‬ ‫استَك َمل‬ ‫ل َّ فق ِد‬ ‫ع‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ َ َ ‫”‏‏‬.‫يمان‏‬ ‫اإل‬ ِ

“Anyone who loves for Allah, hates for Allah, gives for Allah and withholds for Allah52 has attained perfect faith.”53

First, it is the stronger position that God’s actions and commands are for wisdoms that we may or may not completely comprehend. It is also the centrist and stronger position that acts do have intrinsic qualities making them ḥasan (beautiful) or qabeeḥ (ugly). God wills and commands what is good and wise in itself, or there must be another wisdom in commanding it, such as in the case where He commanded Abraham to slaughter his son (peace be upon them both) to test their submission.54 Imam Ibn al-Qayyim  wrote, The Sharia (sharee‘ah) is based on wisdom and the pursuit of the welfare of humanity in its fleeting life and in the life to come. It is entirely just, wise, beneficial, and merciful. Anything that veers from justice into injustice, from mercy to its opposite, from wisdom to foolishness, and from the welfare of humanity to its harm, is not part of the Sharia, even if it has been included therein by misinterpretation.55-vi

Having said this, what good is there in hate? First, as Muslims, we must try to align our will and feelings with those of God. He has a creative will and a legislative will. He may decree something that He hates for a wisdom only He can fully see. We are demanded to accept both wills but align our actions and feelings with His legislative will. 52 It is to be understood in this context that “for Allah” means “for Allah’s sake.” 53 Abu Dâwood from Abu Umâmah. 54 Aḥmad ibn ‘Abd al-Ḥaleem ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 2nd ed., ed. ‘Abd al-Raḥmân ibn Qâsim al-Najdi (Cairo: Maktabat Ibn Taymiyyah, n.d.), 8:431. 55 Ibn al-Qayyim, I‘lâm al-muwaqqi‘een (Beirut: Dâr al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1991), 3:11. 22

Introductions

In the best of all possible worlds, evil was meant to exist for a Divine wisdom that we may only capture glimpses of. By necessity, then, hate was a need to protect us from evil and its doers and “… research has demonstrated that hate protects us from others we consider evil.”56 Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said, The performance of the commandments arises from the power of will, desire, and love, and the avoidance of prohibitions arises from the power of hate, anger, and aversion. Ordaining good is based on love and inclination, and forbidding evil is based on hate and dislike. So is the encouragement of good and discouragement of evil. People get dissuaded from [carrying out] oppression by the deterring power of anger [of the oppressed]; thereby, justice and equity are established in order and distribution.”57-vii

It is eventually love and hate that will stimulate action and avoidance. It is the hate of evil that is at the root of avoiding it and keeping distant from it. There is nothing more detrimental to the individual or society than being neutral about evils and vices. Striking the right balance between promoting the hate of evil and mitigating its potential negative consequences depends on two pillars: The refinement of the persons who uphold those teachings and the cultivation of virtue in them, and The exposition of the proper and detailed answers to the what, why, and how questions about hate and its objects. It is the second pillar that is the subject matter of this book.

Al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’ and Human Prejudices

There is a warranted concern about the catastrophic consequences of a misconstrued and politicized conception of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’. The existence of ISIS58 is an example that is often cited nowadays to remind us of the results of such extreme attitudes. And, while they may be at the far end of the spectrum, to limit discussion of the problem to a single group—particularly that one—is an easy way to avoid any 56 Merrick, “Hating Evil,” 1. 57 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 15:436. 58 See footnote 290. 23

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

introspective analysis that might cause us discomfort. There are many types of departure from the wholesome understanding and practice of this concept that are causing immeasurable and pervasive harm. The doctrine (or its undertones) is being coopted by many Muslims and Islamic groups and weaponized against the religious “other,” be they non-Muslims or Muslims of a different theological or ideological persuasion. A byproduct of a misconstrued conception of al-walâ’ walbarâ’ is also being used against Muslims who disagree with us over politics or about the right path to changing the status quo in Muslim countries. The religion that was sent as a mercy for all humanity is, ironically, being used as a basis for aloofness (if not hostility) toward most of them. This phenomenon is not limited to one group; it is rampant. The very concept of the one ummah, while firmly founded, is also being misrepresented, causing the religion of God to appear as a political or ethnic identity. Chauvinistic self-righteousness and severe lack of introspection are also consequences of our misunderstanding of this concept. The inverse relationship between fanaticism and rationality is established. The cultish attitudes of zealot adherents to factions, madhâhib,59 ṭuruq,60 and various groups and movements continue to cause harm to the Muslim mind and civil discourse among the constituents of our ummah. Most intellectual endeavors become ungodly pursuits of confirmation of bias, not discovery of truth. This trains the mind to ignore the evidence, subvert it, or circumvent it. It also desensitizes us to some of the most known and obvious logical fallacies that we are unabashedly addicted to using. It thereby devastates some of the most prized mental faculties, only for vain victories. When you add to blind allegiance a measure of undisciplined utilitarianism or consequentialism, the intellectual abominations described above will fade in comparison to the moral abominations we may commit. Spinning the truth and telling lies are among many such abominations which continue to bruise our moral and spiritual integrity. The victims of all this are nothing short of the transcendent 59 madhâhib, sg. madh-hab: lit. ‘way/path’; school of Islamic juristic thought. 60 ṭuruq, sg. ṭareeqah: lit. ‘road’; a Sufi school or order. 24

Introductions

truths and values we claim to espouse and, ultimately, the religion we claim to cherish. Due to their commendable interest in civility, reconciliation, national security, and world peace, some Muslims want to see the whole concept of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ abolished, not just reformed. But will people stop making allegiances and becoming further divided along different lines? No. While I sympathize with many of the motivations and aspirations of liberal humanists, I disagree with that ideology’s overall aversion to religion and sacredness. I oppose the hegemony with which some of its proponents behave and its politicization by imperialistic forces or unrealistic fanatics. Most people agree that such an ideology will also need state power (hierarchy) to “impose” it; if so, the primary allegiance will simply shift from religion to state, and in the dreams of some theorists, to a world-government or “cosmocracy”61. What the concept of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ did in its original iteration was to make piety—not race, ethnicity, kinship, nationality, language, class, or politics—the central focus of loyalty and affiliation. It proclaimed goodness as the ultimate differentiator. Allah says,

َ َ ً ُ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ٰ َ ُ َ َ َ ِّ ُ َ ْ َ َ َّ ُ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ‫وبا َوقبَائِل‬ ‫يا أيها انلاس ِإنا َخلقناكم من ذك ٍر َوأنث وجعلناكم شع‬ َُ َ ُ َ ْ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ ْ َّ َ ‫اك ْم ۚ إ َّن‬ ٌ‫يم َخبري‬ ٌ ‫الل َّ َعل‬ ‫الل أتق‬ ِ ِ ‫ِ َلعارفوا ۚ إِن أكرمكم ِعند‬ ِ ِ

O humankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted. [al-Ḥujurāt 49:13]

As for color and language, they are simply signs of the magnificence of the Lord. Allah says,

61 Not found in most dictionaries, “cosmocracy” is a term of art; see, e.g.: John Keane, “Cosmocracy: A global system of governance or anarchy?,” New Economy 9, no. 2 (2002): 65–70, https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0041.00244. 25

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

َْ َْ ُ َ َْ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ ‫َوم ْن آيَاته َخلْ ُق‬ َ ‫الس َم‬ ۚ ‫ات َوٰال ْر ِض َواخ ِتلف أل ِسن ِتك ْم َوأل َوانِك ْم‬ ‫او‬ ِ ِِ ِ َ َ َّ َ‫ك َليَات لِّلْ َعالمني‬ ِ ‫ِإن ِف ذل‬ ِِ ٍ

And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed, in that are signs for those of knowledge. [al-Rūm 30:22]

Basically, al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ emaciates all prejudices without denying other sources of discerning righteous affiliation, such as kinship or nationality, and seamlessly weaves them all together within a harmonious worldview. That is why most Islamist movements tend to be transnational. That is why Muslims who prioritize religion as the most essential source of differentiation and allegiance are less divided by other factors. For others, political ideology may come first, or matters generally considered beyond our choice, such as race and ethnicity, or even matters as trivial as one’s favorite baseball or soccer team. Prioritizing religion is not simply about rearranging our prejudices. It is about enervating those prejudices and providing in their stead a coherent source of primal affiliation that accords with the will of God. Muslims were to rejoice in the Romans’62 victory over the pagan Persians, despite the major theological contentions between Islam and Christianity [Surat al-Room 30:3-4]. This was motivated by nothing other than the Byzantine Christians being People of the Book who refer to the same God of Abraham that Muslims do, and consequently possessed a worldview and value system that was closer to ours than that of the Persians of the time, and most importantly, closer to the Divine scheme, as the original Evangel is fundamentally part of it. At the same time, we should be keen on stopping a misconstrued concept of this doctrine from spreading division and hatred among humanity on the basis of religious differences. So, without denying the religious bond as the most noble source of affiliation, we should understand this within the larger framework of God’s pervasive mercy, our Adamic origin and human fraternity, and, as we discuss later, the 62 Early Muslims referred to the Eastern Romans or Byzantines as “Romans.” Throughout this book, this is the intended sense of “Roman,” unless otherwise mentioned or clear from the context. 26

Introductions

right balance between our understanding of human consciousness as both a transcendent ego and a bundle of intentional acts. We should ally ourselves with good, regardless of its agent. Our ultimate allegiance to God means ultimate allegiance to goodness.

Passing Moral Judgment

It is no secret that many of us Muslims are sickened by the inflamed polemics between Muslim preachers and activists, a problem that has become compounded by the here-to-stay phenomenon of social media. We must remember, though, that this is not limited to Muslims, or to religious people in general, for that matter. Any survey of social media will prove that. However, this antipathy to poorly propounded polemics may push us toward the opposite extreme that for decades has been promoted by many intellectual elites and has become the ethos of certain cultural spaces, most notably, academia: to completely refrain from passing judgment. This is an idea based on the contemporary concept of moral relativism, which has been energized by the prevalent post-modernist philosophy. When we talk about moral relativism and post-modernism, we must remind ourselves to stay fair and not be unthoughtfully reactionary. This philosophical school does have a negative reputation among religious people for obvious reasons. However, it is also to be remembered that there is usually a reason why a particular intellectual argument or trend may gain popularity and widespread acceptance. The main protagonists of post-modernism may have been influenced by the destruction the “enlightened” man brought onto the world in the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries, which culminated in World War II. Their moral relativism and deconstructionism may have been a scream in the face of human ignorance, arrogance, and conceit. Of course, we recognize how far it has gone, and how radical it has become. Yet, we must not rush to wholly oppose it without understanding its motives and goals. An entire book could be written on the subject of passing moral judgment, so a comprehensive treatment is beyond the scope of this book. However, it is still related to the subject of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’, 27

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

and very relevant in our age. Therefore, I will try in the following pages to find the golden mean as I address the importance of passing moral judgment and the Islamic etiquettes to guard against excess in this regard, so as to mitigate the untoward side effects, which could be catastrophic.

It Is Inescapable

At the outset of this defense of passing moral judgment, it is important to point out that whereas, as believers, we are driven by transcendent motives and ends that shape our worldview and entire existence, we must avoid takalluf (exaggerated piety). We must recognize that many issues have no moral imports, and many problems can be solved without moralistic solutions, but with technical or pragmatic ones. Having said that, I focus here on the issues of moral value and those that call for moral stances. I would dare to say that there is no way to avoid moral judgment. The notion of avoidance being the “right” thing is in itself a moral judgment. There is no way to function in life without passing judgment in general and moral judgment in particular. We do this all the time. We need it to protect ourselves from evil (see The Purpose of Hate, above). We look for reviews of products and services, to guide our purchase decisions. That is judging. We warn about pedophiles and other types of criminals. That is moral judgment. We are repulsed by incest and indecent exposure. If a woman hears that a man frequents a brothel, she will likely be reluctant to marry him. Judges and jurors pass judgment all the time. If those laws being enforced are not based on any moral foundation, they are then simply a manifestation of tyranny, whether majoritarian or otherwise. Passing moral judgment is usually spontaneous, and is not only a result of societal influence, but it is hard-wired in our consciousness. We develop that as children. Jean Piaget astutely observed the morality involved in children respecting the rules of the game of marbles and

28

Introductions

how it evolves from submission to authority (morality of duty) to the consecration of reciprocity (morality of goodness).63 He remarked, The little boys who are beginning to play are gradually trained by the older ones in respect for the law; and in any case they aspire from their hearts to the virtue, supremely characteristic of human dignity, which consists in making a correct use of the customary practices of a game. As to the older ones, it is in their power to alter the rules. If this is not morality, then where does morality begin?64

He pointed out how the rules of the game are transmitted through generations of children, and that in play institutions, “adult intervention is at any rate reduced to the minimum.” 65 This prompted him to declare, “We are therefore in the presence here of realities which, if not amongst the most elementary, should be classed nevertheless amongst the most spontaneous and the most instructive.” 66 On the spontaneity feature, psychologists of different schools concur. Greene and Haidt write, “This emphasis on quick, automatic affective reactions is supported by recent findings in social psychology, such as: (1) that people evaluate others and apply morally laden stereotypes automatically…”67 Such development of morality happened to follow a certain sequence among humans, and while the specific content of moral judgment may vary among cultures, the universality of their basic structures is what the scientific data have been pointing to for over 50 years.68 Studies have also shown that the stages of moral development in humans proceed in an invariant order. Nisan and Kohlberg cite evidence for this claim in a wide range of studies conducted in the field and in the laboratory over decades in the United States. With regard to the 63 Jean Piaget, The Moral Judgment of the Child, trans. Marjorie Gabain, 5th impr. (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1968), 103. 64 Piaget, Moral Judgment of the Child, 2. 65 Piaget, Moral Judgment of the Child, 2. 66 Piaget, Moral Judgment of the Child, 2. 67 Joshua Greene and Jonathan Haidt, “How (and Where) Does Moral Judgment Work?,” Trends in Cognitive Sciences 6, no. 12 (2002): 517, https://doi.org/10.1016/ s1364-6613(02)02011-9. 68 Mordecai Nisan and Lawrence Kohlberg, “Universality and Variation in Moral Judgment: A Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Study in Turkey,” Child Development 53, no. 4 (1982): 865, https://doi.org/10.2307/1129123, 865. 29

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

universality of this phenomenon, Nisan and Kohlberg reported findings from research conducted across the globe, including in the Bahamas, Honduras, Kenya, India, and New Zealand.69 While I am mainly quoting cognitive moral theorists here, the point I am trying to make is not dependent on that proposition versus the affective moral theory proposition. The affective component goes further to support the proposition that moral judgment is built into our original disposition (fiṭrah). Addressing recent trends in moral psychology, Greene and Haidt note, Historically, psychologists have disagreed about whether moral judgments are primarily products of emotional and non-rational processes (such as Freudian internalization or behaviorist reinforcement) or of reasoning and ‘higher’ cognition (as in Piaget’s and Kohlberg’s post-conventional reasoning). Recently, however, findings from several areas of cognitive neuroscience have begun to converge on an answer: emotions and reasoning both matter, but automatic emotional processes tend to dominate.70 The point here is that we are programmed to possess and issue moral judgment. Of course, atheist psychologists will explain this as an evolutionary development. To us as theists, this universal moral objectivity points to the oneness of its source, exalted is He. Moreover, the fact that our fiṭrah could be altered by external influences, such as the surrounding environment, does not negate its initial existence and the prospect of its rehabilitation. In addition to the human intuition and scientific data congruent with the above propositions, we believers, recognize that there is no faith without moral judgment. To believe in God is to reject unbelief, and to believe in one God is to disbelieve in polytheism. Allah says,

َ َ ْ ُْ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُْ ٰ ‫الل َّ فق ِد استمسك بِالعرو ِة الوث‬ ‫قل‬ ِ ِ‫وت َويؤ َ ِمن ب‬ ِ ‫فمن يكفر بِالطاغ‬ ٌ ‫الل َّ َسم‬ َ ‫انف َص‬ ُ ‫ام ل َها ۗ َو‬ ٌ ‫يع َعل‬ ‫يم‬ ِ ِ ِ

So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. [al-Baqarah 2:256]

69 Nisan and Kohlberg, “Universality and Variation in Moral Judgment,” 865. 70 Greene and Haidt, “How (and Where) Does Moral Judgment Work?,” 517. 30

Introductions

Notice how He (exalted is He) started by mentioning disbelief in ṭâghoot (false deities). Islam is a monotheistic religion, not pantheistic, nor is it a monistic one except in the sense of the oneness of the source of existence, the necessary being, and ultimate Reality (exalted is He). The scriptural emphasis on God’s oneness and His eternity (and necessity) in contrast with our transience (and contingency) is balanced with the insistence on the reality of creation, the multiplicity of this existence, and the existence of evil (a natural outcome of our freedom of choice). There exist, no doubt, good and evil; truth and falsehood; light and darkness; and there is human agency, which is sufficient to render human accountability just. Allah says,

ْ ُ ْ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ ِّ َّ َ ْ ْ َ َّ ُ ْ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ‫اء فليَكف ْر ۚ ِإنا أعتَدنا‬ ‫اء ف َليُؤ ِمن ومن ش‬ ‫َوق ِل ال َ ُّق ِمن ربكم فمن ش‬ ۖ َّ ُ َ ُ ْ َ ‫لظالم‬ َ ‫ارا أ َح‬ ً َ‫ني ن‬ ‫اط بِ ِهم‬ ‫سا ِدق َها‬ ِ ِ ِ‫ل‬

And say, “The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills – let him believe; and whoever wills – let him disbelieve.” Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them. [al-Kahf 18:29]

A society will not prosper if it does not ordain good and forbid evil. Allah says,

َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ُ ْ َ ٌ َّ ُ ْ ُ ِّ ُ َ ْ َ ‫ولكن منكم أمة يدعون ِإل ال‬ ‫وف َو َين َه ْون َع ِن‬ ِ ‫ي َويأ ْم ُرون بِالمع ُر‬ َ ُ ْ ُ ُ ُ ِ َ َٰ ُ َ َ ُ ْ ‫ولك هم المف ِلحون‬ ِ ‫المنك ِر ۚ وأ‬

And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful. [Âl ‘Imrân 3:104]

How do you do that if you were not equipped with the faculties that enable you to tell them apart? And if a society decides to shun this obligation, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬told us that it will be doomed. He said,

31

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

َ َ ْ ْ ْ َ َّ َ َّ ْ َ ْ ْ َّ ْ َ ‫الي نف َِس ِبيَ ِدهِ َلأ ُم ُرن بِال َمع ُر‬ ‫وف َو َلن َه ُون َع ِن ال ُمنك ِر أ ْو‬ ِ ‫َ “و‬ ِ َ َ ُ َ ُ ْ َ َّ ُ ُ ْ ً َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َّ َ ُ‫جاب‬ َ َ‫ال ي ُ ْست‬ ‫وشكن الل َّ أن يبعث عليكم ِعقابا ِمنه ثم تدعونه ف‬ ِ ُ‫ل‬ َ ُ ‫‏”‏‬.‫لك ْم‬

“By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! Either you command good and forbid evil, or Allah will soon send upon you a punishment from Him, then you will call upon Him, but He will not respond to you.”71

The emphasis on this concept in our religion is simply because it is true and vital. It is in conformity with common sense, so it is recognized by the most intelligent of all nations. For example, Leonardo da Vinci wrote, “He who does not punish evil, commands it to be done.”72

What Is Evil?

While humanity will forever be in need of the Ever-Living God, our consciousness of Him seems to have greatly suffered as a consequence of our conceit and childish excitement about our scientific achievements and Newtonian explanations of “natural” phenomena. Whatever Nietzsche meant by his most ugly statement, “God is dead,” the reality of our world today is that humans have largely removed Him from the center of their thought; and the human’s worldview is no longer theocentric, but anthropocentric, or let us be honest and say, egocentric. Because of that, intellectuals have been trying to find another anchorage for morality away from the Divine Lawgiver. Whether it is categorical or utilitarian, neither invokes Him. But if you remove God and the Hereafter from the equation, as Elizabeth Anscombe cleverly pointed out, any “oughtness” ethics become incoherent.73 And while it is suggested that she was trying to lead us away from the dichotomy of deontological and consequentialist ethics to virtue ethics instead, 71 al-Tirmidhi from Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamân; al-Tirmidhi classed it sound (ḥasan). 72 Leonardo da Vinci, “Philosophical Maxims, Morals, Polemics and Speculations,” in The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, ed. Jean Paul Richter, trans. R. C. Bell and Edward John Poynter (London: n.p., 1883), Chapter XIX, 1191, Project Gutenberg, https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5000/pg5000.html. 73 Barbara Herman, “The Practice of Moral Judgment,” The Journal of Philosophy 82, no. 8 (1985): 414-436, https://doi.org/10.2307/2026397, 414-415. 32

Introductions

that is doubtful. If it is about virtue alone, who defines it, and what would motivate people to pursue it? There are countless critiques of the categorical imperatives of Kant. Despite his genius, his ethical theory is too stiff. According to its critics, it ignores the enormous granularity of the different moral dilemmas and the “texture and detail which give actions their moral significance to agents.”74 Even when Barbara Herman tried to revitalize Kantian ethics and answer the objections of its critics, she had to rely on structures extraneous to the categorical imperative procedure, such as conscience and prior moral education, and she admitted that “the CI [Categorical Imperative] cannot be an effective practical principle of judgment unless agents have some moral understanding of their actions before they use the CI procedure.”75 If pain and pleasure, as we are told by utilitarian ethics, are the only basis for morality, we still have not solved the problem. How do we practically and accurately balance between intensity and extent, or intensity and probability? How do you ensure you are not being blindsided or short-sighted? Hasn’t this so often been the case for human beings? What are the long-term consequences of extramarital relations? Has any community, past or present, been able to tame the beast of alcohol and mitigate its harms? What dollar value will you put on one human life in your calculations of competing interests? More importantly, what would make someone favor the greatest good for the greatest number over their own personal good? While I sympathize with Mill’s utilitarianism and consider it more coherent than Kant’s imperatives, I am certain that it needs to be mindful of its limitations, respectful of human intuition (the basis for deontological morality), and most importantly, it must work as an instrument within a guiding and teleologically transcendent framework; one that can only come to humanity from without and that has the authority to deter our indiscretion and the power to energize our resolution. Of course, no religion is a substitute for human intellect 74 Herman, “The Practice of Moral Judgment,” 414-415. 75 Herman, “The Practice of Moral Judgment,” 418. 33

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

or wisdom. But the latter alone is bound, without any anchorage, to drift away and transgress – if history is any indication for the future.76 In Islam, morality combines the deontological and teleological components with virtue ethics, but all of this is rooted in the Divine grace and authority and in human accountability before the All-Good, God.77 Evil was said to be a privation of good, according to the Platonic (or neo-Platonic) tradition, and some of our scholars may have sympathized with this. Whatever it may be ontologically, it is real. Actions, according to Atharis and Maturidis, have intrinsic qualities deeming them good (ḥasan: beautiful) or evil (qabeeḥ: ugly). However, counter to the Mu‘tazilah, Ahl al-Sunnah agree that accountability is dependent on receiving a Divine communication. The Revelation simply informs us of the reality and the genuine moral value of those actions, although the mere prohibition of anything via Revelation also renders it evil, whether or not that which is prohibited has inherent moral value.78-viii The Sharia also ranked for us the degrees of good and evil, to allow us to resolve conflicts of competing interests, although human wisdom will always be needed in order to do that successfully. In Islam, evil is not only that which causes immediate or easily foreseen pain. There are many evils whose harm may not be seen in the short term. Additionally, the rights of God are not trivialized, and their violation is the greatest evil and a precursor of all other evils.79 The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

76 Also, the data have consistently shown the superior moral edge of people of faith. Psychologist Jonathan Haidt, an atheist himself, remarks, “religious believers in the United States and in Europe are happier, healthier, longer lived, and more generous to charity and to each other than are secular people.” See Michael D. Magee, “Jonathan Haidt and the New Atheists: Moral Psychology and the Misunderstanding of Religion,” Academia.edu, July 5, 2015, https://www.academia.edu/13658137/ Jonathan_Haidt_and_the_New_Atheists_Moral_Psychology_and_the_Misunderstanding_of_Religion, 16. 77 You may find these discussions scattered throughout the books of spirituality, ethics, and law, mainly under the disciplines of maqâṣid (higher objectives), qawâ‘id (legal maxims), and fiqh, such as the topic of compulsion. 78 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 8:432-436. 79 Even when we prioritize the rights of people, we do that to observe His right to legislate for us, for it is He who told us that He is Self-Sufficient and Most Generous. 34

Introductions

ُ َ َ ْ َُْ َ ْ َّ ُ ْ َ َ ُ ُُ َ ُ َ ْ ‫كبَائر‬ َ ‫وق ال ْ َو‬ ‫ َوق ْول‬،‫الي ْ ِن‬ ‫ وعق‬،‫انلف ِس‬ ‫الل َّ وقتل‬ ‫‏”‏أكب ال‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ‫اإلشاك ب‬ ِ ِ ُّ “ .‫الزور‬

“The biggest of al-kabâ’ir (the great sins) are to join others as partners in worship with Allah, to murder a human being, to be undutiful to one’s parents, and to make a false statement [or to bear false witness].”80

Notice the seamless harmony between the moral evils. The tolerance we are commanded to exhibit toward people of other faiths never means that polytheism does not exist or that we should not condemn it. Also, no amount of acrobatic hermeneutics can remove the negative meanings of the word zinâ (fornication or adultery) or explain these verses in any way other than the obvious:

ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َْ َ ََُْ ْ َ َ َ ْ ً ُ َ َ‫كم ب َها ِم ْن أَ َح ٍد ِّمن‬ ‫احشة ما سبق‬ ‫ول‬ ِ ‫وطا إِذ قال ِلقو َ ِم ْ ِه أتأتون الف‬ ِ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ ٌ‫الر َج َال َش ْه َو ًة ِّمن ُدون النِّ َسا ِء ۚ بَ ْل أَنتُ ْم قَ ْوم‬ ِّ ‫ون‬ ‫ ِإنكم لأت‬.‫العال ِمني‬ ِ َ ُ ْ ُّ ‫سفون‬ ِ ‫م‬

“And [We had sent] Lot when he said to his people, “Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds? Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people.” [Surat Al-’A`rāf 7:80]

Your good treatment of your coworker who happened to be involved in these sins or others should never mean your acceptance of them, nor should that be a requirement of civility. If I am confident that God declared something a sin, then it is, whether or not I comprehend all of its negative consequences on the person or society. Thankfully, all His non-ritual ordainments are comprehensible.

What Are We Judging?

It is important before we talk about the etiquettes of judgment to understand the limitations of our judgment, particularly when we judge 80 Agreed upon. Reported by Anas ibn Mâlik. 35

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

human behavior. What we are judging is the action and the actor in so far as they embody this act. We do not know their full story. After all, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬told us of a worshipper who went to hell for locking up a cat and starving it to death, and of a prostitute who was forgiven for all her sins because she gave water to a thirsty dog. The ultimate judgment belongs to God alone. There are two major limitations in our judgments that we must be thoroughly aware of. The first is that we judge the exterior behavior only. The second is that our judgment is extremely temporal. We are unable to speculate, not only about our and others’ final abode, but about our state and theirs at the end of the day. Imam al-Ṭaḥâwi says, in his widely accepted creed, We do not declare any of them to be in Paradise or Hellfire. We do not allege their unbelief, idolatry, or hypocrisy, as long as they have not openly demonstrated anything of that. We leave their inner realities to Allah Almighty.81-ix Imam Ibn Ḥajar reported the consensus of the scholars that judgment in this life is based on the exterior, and to Allah alone belongs knowledge of the interior.82-x It is not only we who have that limitation. In order to end any hope that someone may have Divine powers to know or foretell the ultimate realities, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

ْ َ َ ُ َْ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ ٌ َ َ َ َ َ َّ ْ َّ َ َ ‫ َول َع َل َبع َضك ْم أن يَكون أل َ َن‬،‫ َوإِن َك ْم تتَ ِص ُمون‬،‫ش‬ ‫“إِنما أنا ب‬ َ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َْ ََ َُ َ ْ َ َْ ْ َّ ُ ِّ‫ل م ْن َحق‬ ُ ِ ‫ فمن قضيت‬،‫ وأق ِض ْ ل ع ن ِو َما أس َمع‬،‫ِبج ِت ِه ِم َن بع ٍض‬ َ َ ًْ َ ُ ‫ فَإ َّن َما أ ْق َط ُع‬،‫ال يَأ ُخ ْذ‬ َّ ‫ل ِق ْط َع ًة ِم َن‬ ‫ ف‬،‫أ ِخي ِه شيئا‬ ”‫‏‬.‫ار‬ ‫انل ِ‏‏‬ ِ

“Verily, I am only a human, and the claimants bring to me (their disputes); perhaps some of them are more eloquent than others. I judge according to what I hear (from them). So, he whom I, by my judgment, (might give the undue share) out of the right of a Muslim, I in fact would be giving him a portion of (Hell) Fire.”83 81 Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Ṭaḥâwi, Matn al-Ṭaḥâwiyyah, ed. Muhammad ibn Nâṣir al-Albâni (Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islami, 1414 AH), 67. 82 Aḥmad ibn Ḥajar al-‘Asqalâni. Fatḥ al-Bâri fi Sharḥ Ṣaḥeeḥ al-Bukhâri (Beirut: Dâr al-Ma‘rifah, 1959), 12:273. 83 Agreed upon, from Umm Salamah. 36

Introductions

In the following report the Prophet taught his beloved Companion Usâmah ibn Zayd the gravity of judging the interior of people. When Usâmah killed a man in battle after the man had said, “There is no god but Allah,” and told the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬of that, he ‫ ﷺ‬asked, “Who will save you from ‘There is no god but Allah’ on the Day of Judgment?” Usâmah said, “Messenger of Allah, he uttered it out of fear of my weapon.” The Prophet replied,

َْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ََ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ََْ ‫ت ع ْن قل ِب ِه َح َّت تعل َم ِم ْن أج ِل ذلِك قال َها أ ْم ال َم ْن لك بِال‬ ‫‏”أفال شقق‬ ْ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ ‫إِل إِال الل َّ يوم ال ِقيام ِ‏ة”‏‬

“Did you tear his heart apart so that you learnt whether he actually uttered it for this or not? Who will save you from ‘There is no god but Allah?’”

Usâmah said, “He [the Prophet ‫ ]ﷺ‬kept on repeating this till I wished I had not embraced Islam until that day.”84 Among the worst usurpations of Allah’s prerogatives is to adjudicate on His behalf without permission, thereby condemning people eternally. Jundub reported that Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َّ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ً ُ َ َّ َ َ ‫الي‬ ‫الل َّ ال يغ ِفر الل َّ ِلفالن وإن الل َّ تع‬ ِ ‫ال قال من ذا‬ ِ ‫“‏أن رجال قال و‬ َ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ُ ِ ْ َ ٍ َ ْ َ ِّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ‫‏”‏‬.‫يتأل ع أن ال أغ ِفر ِلفال ٍن ف ِإن قد غفرت ِلفال ٍن وأحبطت عملك‬

“A person once said [to another], ‘Allah would not forgive such and such (person).’ Thereupon Allah the Exalted and Glorious, said [to him]: ‘Who is he who adjures about Me that I would not grant pardon to so-and-so; I have granted pardon to so-and-so and blotted out your deeds’.”85

‘Umar  reminds us of the limitations of our judgment and at the same time of the necessity and legitimacy of passing judgment. He said, In the lifetime of Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬some people were called to account based on Revelation. Now Revelation has discontinued, and we shall judge you by your apparent acts. Whoever displays to us good, we shall grant him peace and security, and treat him as a near one. We have nothing to do with his interior. Allah will call him to account for that. But 84 Abu Dâwood. 85 Muslim.

37

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

whosoever shows evil to us, we shall not grant him security, nor shall we believe him, even if he professed that his intention was good.86-xi

Which Place Are We Coming From?

Passing judgment is a precarious activity. As we have seen before, it can lead to destruction and damnation. There are two foundational questions to be asked every time we embark on any action: Why, and how? The place we are coming from and the worldview we have can greatly affect our attitude toward this serious matter. The more important question of the two is the “why” question. Our actions must all be sincere and devoted to God. When we pass judgment, avoid people, warn about them, or forbid them from evil, we must do that, when warranted, out of devotion to Allah and compliance with His command. For verily, deeds are by their intentions, and verily, Allah accepts none except those that are sincere and through which His pleasure was sought. This does not mean that you do not care for your fellow human beings. An amazing part of the Quranic story of Ibrâheem ‫ ﷺ‬is where Allah says,

ُ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َّ َ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ َْ ‫وط‬ ‫فلما ذهب عن إِبرا ِهيم الروع وجاءته البش‬ ٍ ‫ى يا ِدلَا ِف قومِ ل‬

And when the fright had left Abraham and the good tidings had reached him, he began to argue with Us concerning the people of Lot. [Hood 11:74]

Although arguing here means pleading with Allah to spare the people of Lot, Ibrâheem still presented a counterargument. What is surprising is how Allah describes the character of Ibrâheem that motivated this:

َ َ ْ َّ ٌ ‫يم أَ َّو ٌاه ُّمن‬ ٌ ‫لَل‬ ‫يب‬ ِ ِ ‫ِإن ِإب َرا ِهيم‬

Indeed, Abraham was forbearing, grieving [i.e., hurt by human suffering] and [frequently] returning [to Allah]. [Hood 11:75] 86 al-Bukhâri, from ‘Abdullâh ibn ‘Utbah ibn Mas‘ood. 38

Introductions

Ibrâheem was advocating on behalf of his fellow men and pleading to God to spare them. That is not unexpected. Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ َ َ َ ًَ َ َ َ َ َ َ ٌ َ َ َ ”.‫محة للبَش‬ ‫لب ِه ر‬ ِ ‫“خاب عبد وخ ِس لم يعل اهلل تعال ِف ق‬

“Man is doomed and a loser if Allah does not put compassion for humankind in his heart.”87

It is also reported from ‘Â’ishah that the Prophet prayed for an entire night repeating a single verse of the Quran:

ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ ِّ َ ُ ُ ‫ك‬ َِ ‫ال‬ ‫يم‬ ‫ِإن تعذبهم ف ِإنهم ِعبادك وإِن تغ ِفر لهم ف ِإنك أنت الع ِزيز‬ ۖ

If You should punish them – indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them – indeed it is You who are the Exalted in Might, the Wise. [al-Mâ’idah 5:118]

Having devotion to Allah and mercy for people are two important coordinates. However, the third one that you must observe as well is “you.” When we must pass judgment, we are doing that from the place of fellow sinners—those who are primarily worried about their survival, anxious about their sins, and fearful for themselves—not lords. Abu Hurayrah  narrated that the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ ْ َ َ َ َْ ُ ُ ُ َ َ ُ ُْ َْ َْ َ ْ ْ َ ََْ »‫‏‬.‫ي نف ِس ِ‏ه‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫ال‬ ‫س‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ي‬ ‫و‬ ، ‫ه‬ ‫ي‬ ‫خ‬ ‫يأ‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫«يب ِص أحدكم القذاة ِف ع‬

“One of you sees the mote in his brother’s eye while forgetting the stump in his own eye.”88

Abu Nu‘aym reported that Ibn Sirin heard a man cursing al-Ḥajjâj (a tyrannical bloodshedder), so he approached him and said, “Stop, man, for when you reach the hereafter, your smallest sin will be harder on you than the largest sin committed by al-Ḥajjâj. Know, also, that Allah is a fair judge; if he retaliates against al-Ḥajjâj for those wronged by him, he will retaliate for al-Ḥajjaj against those who wronged him, so do not waste your time cursing anyone.”89-xii

87 Reported by al-Dulâbi in al-Kunâ wal-asmâ’; al-Albâni said in al-Silsilah alṣaḥeeḥah (456), “its chain is sound.” 88 Ibn Ḥibbân. 89 Abu Nu‘aym Aḥmad ibn ‘Abdullâh al-Aṣbahâni, Ḥilyat al-awliyâ’ wa ṭabaqât al-aṣfiyâ’ (Cairo: Maṭba‘at al-Sa‘âdah, 1974; Beirut: Dâr al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 39

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Etiquettes of Passing Judgment

After we have learned about the place we must come from, we should now address the etiquettes of passing judgment. We can classify them into three phases: before, during, and after we pass judgment.

Before Passing Judgment

Before we pass judgment, we must first ensure that we should.

» Don’t seek the mistakes of others

At times, we need to judge evil and falsehood as such. However, we should not be looking for people’s shortcomings in order to expose them. Such is a malevolent attitude. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

ُُْ َ َْ َ ُ َ ُْ ََْ َ ‫ش َم ْن قَ ْد أَ ْسلَ َم بل‬ َ َ ‫“‏يَا َم ْع‬ ‫يمان ِإل قل ِب ِه ال ت َؤذوا‬ ‫اإل‬ ‫ض‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ي‬ ‫م‬ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ا‬ ‫س‬ ِ ِ َِ ِ ِ ِ َّ َ ََ َ ُ َّ َ ُ ُ ِّ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ‫يوه ْم َوال تت ِب ُعوا َع ْو َراتِ ِه ْم ف ِإنه َم ْن تت َّب َع َع ْو َرة أ ِخي ِه‬ ‫المسلمني وال تع‬ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ َّ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ َّ َ َ ِ ِ ْ ُ ْ َ ْ ْ ‫المس ِل ِم تتبع الل َّ عورته ومن تتبع الل َّ عورته يفضحه ولو ِف جو ِف‬ ْ ‫‏”‏‬.‫َرح ِل ِ‏ه‬

“O you who accepted Islam with their tongue, while faith has not reached their heart! Do not harm the Muslims, nor revile them, nor seek their shortcomings. For indeed whoever tries to expose his Muslim brother’s secrets, Allah exposes his secrets wide open, even if he were in the depth of his own house.”90

» Verify what is relayed to you

Many times, we are told things about people which may not be true. Allah says,

َّ َ ُّ َ َ ُ َ َ ُ ً‫ك ْم فَاس ٌق بنَبَإ َفتَبَ َّينُوا أَن تُصيبُوا قَ ْوما‬ َ َ ‫الين آمنوا إِن جاء‬ ِ ‫يا أيها‬ ِ ٍ ِ َِ َ ‫حوا‬ ُ ‫بَ َهالَة َفتُ ْصب‬ َ‫ع َما َف َعلْتُ ْم نَادمني‬ ٰ ِِ ٍ ِ ِ

O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful. [al-Ḥujurât 49:6] 2008), 2:271. 90 al-Tirmidhi, from Ibn ‘Umar. 40

Introductions

There are many traditions to warn against gossipers and back-biters. It is also essential to realize that accepting other people’s accounts as true is not without its own perils. Those people may be mistaken, or even malevolent. Many times, we deem people to be above failures of intent and judgment, when we truly do not know them well. It was reported that a man testified on behalf of another man’s credibility before ‘Umar . ‘Umar asked, “Are you his immediate neighbor who knows his comings and goings?” He [the man giving testimony] replied, “No.” He [‘Umar] asked, “Have you accompanied him in travel that reveals people’s good qualities?” He replied, “No.” He [‘Umar] asked, “Have you done any business with him to discover his pious scrupulosity?” He replied, “No.” Whereupon ‘Umar  said, “I think you just saw him at the mosque mumbling the Quran and nodding his head with [its recitation].” He replied, “Yes.” ‘Umar responded, “Leave, you do not know him.”91-xiii

» Verify your own findings and overlook when overlooking is wise Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said,

ََ ً ُ َ ُ َ َّ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ ْ‫سق‬ ُ َ ‫ال ي َ ْس ُق َف َق َال‬ َ َ َ‫ل أ‬ ‫ج‬ ‫ر‬ ‫م‬ ‫ال‬ ‫الس‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ع‬ ‫م‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ر‬ ‫م‬ ‫ن‬ ‫اب‬ ‫يس‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ى‬ ‫ت‬ َّ ِ َ َ ‫َ“‏ َرأ‬ َ َ َِ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ َّ ِ ْ َ َ َ ُ َّ ‫الل‬ ِ َّ ‫الل‬ ِ ِ‫ قال ِعيس علي ِه السالم آمنت ب‬.‫الي ال إِل إِال َ هو‏‏‬ ِ ‫قال ال و‬ َّ َ َ ْ ُ َ ‫صي‏”‏‏‬ ِ ‫وكذبت ب‬

“Jesus, son of Mary, peace be upon him, saw a man stealing, and said to him: Are you stealing? He [the man] said: No, by Allah besides Whom there is no other God! Jesus, peace be upon him, said: I believe in Allah and I disbelieve my eyes.”92

The point being made here is twofold. The first is that your own senses may deceive you. The second is that overlooking people’s mistakes by complete erasure from our minds is superior when we are not meant (or justified) to act on our knowledge.

91 Abu Ḥâmid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazâli, Iḥyâ’ ‘Uloom al-Deen (Beirut: Dâr al-Ma‘rifah, n.d.), 2:82-83. al-‘Irâqi considered it authentic. 92 al-Nasâ’i. 41

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

» Have good thoughts and look for excuses

It was reported by Ibn Abi al-Dunyâ that ‘Umar  said, “Don’t presume any malevolence in a statement by a Muslim, as long as you find any way to interpret it charitably.”93-xiv After verifying what you saw or heard, look for ways to interpret it charitably. Let your heart stay pure and safe from resentment and contempt for your brothers and sisters.

In Passing Judgment

Now, without seeking any shortcomings, you came to know about a person’s supposed transgression. You verified it. There is no doubt. There are no excuses. What is next?

» Your judgment must be based on ‘adl, ‘ilm, and ḥilm ( justice, knowledge, and deliberateness) First is justice. Allah says,

َّ َ ُّ َ َ ُ َ ََٰ َْ َ ُ َ ‫ني بالْق ْسط ُش َه‬ َ ‫ين‬ َ ‫آمنُوا ُكونُوا قَ َّوام‬ َ َ ‫ع أنف ِسك ْم‬ ‫ل َّ ول َو‬ ‫اء‬ ‫د‬ ‫ال‬ َ ْ َ ْ َ ِ َ ْ ‫يا أَيها‬ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ ِ ِ َ ً َ ْ َ ِ ًّ َ ِ ْ ِ ُ َِ ْ َ َ ٰ ‫أو الو ِالين والقربني ۚ إِن يكن غ ِنيا أو ف ِقريا فالل َّ أو‬ ‫ل بهما فل‬ َ ُ َ ْ ۖ َ َ ِ ِ َ َ َ َّ َ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُ ِ ْ َ َ ِ ٰ َ َ ْ ِ ُ َّ َ ‫تت ِبعوا الهوى أن تع ِدلوا ۚ وإِن تلووا أو تع ِرضوا ف ِإن الل َّ كن بِما تعملون‬ ً ‫َخب‬ ‫ريا‬ ِ

O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah , even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So do not follow [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. [al-Nisâ’ 4:135]

You notice that the verse addresses two types of bias. The first one is recognized by most people. We may favor ourselves and those close to us, and we must avoid that. The other type of bias is less obvious. Allah teaches us that we should say the truth whether it is in favor of the rich or the poor, the strong or the weak. We should not let 93 Ibn Abi al-Dunyâ. 42

Introductions

our empathy for the poor and weak make us swerve from the truth and from justice. There are many personal and social biases that we must watch for. It was reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim that a man passed by Allah’s Messenger and he ‫ ﷺ‬asked [his Companions] “What do you say about this (man)?” They replied, “If he asks for a lady’s hand, he ought to be given her in marriage; and if he intercedes (for someone) his intercession would be accepted; and if he speaks, he would be listened to.” Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬kept silent, and then a man from among the poor Muslims passed by, and Allah’s Messenger asked (them) “What do you say about this man?” They replied, “If he asks for a lady’s hand in marriage he would be rejected, and if he intercedes (for someone), his intercession would not be accepted; and if he speaks, he would not be listened to.” Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬said, “This man is better than so many of the first [kind] as could fill the earth.”94-xv

What the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬is teaching us here is the need to break away from the ossified ungodly social molds that shape our thinking. There are many accounts in the tradition to this effect. We should also not allow ourselves to be deceived by external appearances or emotional influences. It was reported that al-Sha‘bi said, I was present when a woman came to Shurayḥ to complain about a man and she started to weep, so I said, “O Aba Umayyah, I am sure this poor lady has been wronged.” So, he responded, “O Sha‘bi, the brothers of Yoosuf {came to their father at night, weeping} [Yoosuf 12:16].”95-xvi As for judging with knowledge, Allah says,

94 Agreed upon. 95 Abu Bakr Muḥammad ibn Khalaf al-Ḍabbi. Akhbâr al-Quḍah (Cairo: al-Maktabah al-Tijariyyah al-Kubrâ, 1947), 2:221. 43

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

َ ٰ َ ُ ُّ ُ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َّ َّ ٌ ْ َ َ َْ َ َُْ َ ‫ولك‬ ِ ‫َول تقف ما لي َس لك بِ ِه ِعلم ۚ ِإن السمع ً والص والفؤاد ك أ‬ َُْ َ َ ‫كن عنه َم ْسئُول‬

And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart – about all those [one] will be questioned. [al-‘Isrâ’ 17:36]

And He (exalted is He) says,

َ ْ ُ ُ َُ َْ ُ َ َ ُ ُ َ ََ ٌ ‫كذ َب َ ٰه َذا َح َل ٌل َو َ ٰه َذا َح َر‬ ‫ام‬ ‫ول تقولوا لِما ت ِصف أل ِسنتكم ال‬ ِ َ َ ُ َ ْ ِّ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ ْ َ ُ ُْ َ َ َ ْ ‫الل َّ الك ِذب ل يف ِلحون‬ ِ ‫الل َّ الك ِذب ۚ إِن‬ ِ ‫َلفتوا ع‬ ِ ‫الين يفتون ع‬

And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, “This is lawful and this is unlawful,” to invent falsehood about Allah. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed. [al-Naḥl 16:116]

There is much to be said about this point. Before we judge others, we must have clear and comprehensive knowledge of the matter at hand. There are certain things all Muslims who were raised in a Muslim environment must be aware of, but even this is subject to the change of times and conditions. However, it is fair to say that a Muslim knows by necessity that stealing, adultery, the consumption of pork, and mistreatment of parents are haram (ḥarâm: forbidden); there are five mandatory prayers daily, and fasting the month of Ramadan is required. The rulings of many religious teachings do not possess the same level of clarity. Those who have comprehensive knowledge about these rulings may advise others regarding them. As for the clear rulings, religious advice concerning them may be extended in the proper way and at the proper time, by anyone, to anyone. As for ḥilm (deliberateness), I mean by it thoughtfulness, wisdom, and introspection, which all could be communicated through this beautiful word. You need a great pause. You need to verify that your judgment is not simply affective or based on your hawâ (biases and prejudices). Allah says,

44

Introductions

ً َ ُ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ ٰ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ‫نت تكون َعليْ ِه َو ِكيل‬ ‫أرأيت م ِن اتذ ِإلهه هواه أفأ‬

Have you seen him who has taken his own prejudice to be his god? Will you then be a constant trustee over him? [al-Furqân 25:43]96

The word that is translated into prejudice in this verse is hawâ which means bias, prejudice, desire, and/or passion. Many people, or dare I say, most people, follow their hawâ most of the time. I find the following statement attributed to the American psychologist, William James, very insightful and eloquent. “A great many people think they are thinking, when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.”97 Many things may corrupt our fiṭrah, and consequently our judgment. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah  mentioned, in different areas of his writings, seven: hawa (bias), ẓann (conjecture), shubhah (misgiving), gharad (ulterior motive), ‘âdah (habit), taqleed (blind following), and mawrooth (inherited beliefs).98 It is important that you stay vigilant and aware of those obstacles to the truth that exist within you. A great spiritual and intellectual labor or investment is needed to guard against them on a regular basis.

After Passing Judgment

When you observe some sin or wrongdoing, and you are able to make a fair, informed judgment about it, you should observe the following etiquettes.

» Let it not cause you arrogance, despair, or carelessness

Do not allow the frequent encounters with sin to normalize it. Hate it with the same strength every time you encounter it. Let it not give you a false sense of security by comparing your “obedience” to their disobedience. Also, do not let it cause you despair. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said, 96 This translation is adapted from that of Dr. Muhammad Maḥmood Ghâli, Towards Understanding the Ever-Glorious Qur’an (Dâr al-Nashr Ligamiat, 2014). 97 Gordon Pennycook, Jonathan A. Fugelsang, and Derek J. Koehler, “Everyday Consequences of Analytic Thinking,” Current Directions in Psychological Science 24, no. 6 (2015), 425. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44318881. 98 Carl Sherif El-Tobgui, Reason, “Revelation & the Reconstitution of Rationality: Taqī al-Dīn Ibn Taymiyya›s (d. 728/1328) Dar’ Ta‘ārud al-’Aql wa-l-Naql or ‘The refutation of the contradiction of reason and revelation’” (PhD Thesis, McGill University, 2013), 284. 45

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

ُ َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ُ ُ َّ َ َ َ ”‫اس ف ُه َو أهلك ُه ْم‏‬ ‫“ ِإذا قال الرجل هلك انل‬

“When a person says: ‘People have been ruined,’ he is the most ruined of them all.’99

Of course, this is when he says it out of arrogance or despair, not out of pain and grief.

» Conceal

If the sin is done in private or within a small group, there is usually no benefit in publicizing it. In fact, when sins are publicized frequently, it could lead to detrimental effects on the community. Becoming desensitized to sin is one of those effects. Losing trust in the community is another. Losing hope in the prospect of righteousness or the tenability of high moral standards is another. There are many more. Allah says,

َ ٌ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ َ َّ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ُّ ُ َ َّ َّ ٌ ‫ال َين آمنوا لهم عذاب أ ِلم ِف‬ ِ ‫احشة ِف‬ ِ ‫إِن‬ ِ ‫الين‬ ِ ‫يبون أن ت ِشيع الف‬ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُّ ‫ادلنيا وال ِخر ِة ۚ والل َّ يعلم وأنتم ل تعلمون‬

Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know. [al-Noor 24:19]

Nu‘aym narrated that Mâ‘iz came to the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and admitted four times in his presence to having committed adultery, so he ‫ﷺ‬ ordered that Mâ‘iz be stoned to death, but said to Hazzâl (the man who had advised Mâ‘iz to tell the Prophet [pbuh] about his sin),

َ َ ًْ َ َ َ َ َْ ََُْ َ َْ ‫ك”‏‬ ‫يا ل ‏‬ ‫“لو ستته بِثوبِك كن خ‬

“If you had covered him with your garment, it would have been better for you.”100

Concealment is a virtue: a virtue Allah chose for Himself. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said, 99 Muslim, from Abu Hurayrah. 100 Abu Dâwood. 46

Introductions

ْ ُّ ُ ٌ ِّ َّ ‫اء َو‬ َ ‫“إ َّن‬ َ ْ ‫الس‬ ٌ ‫الل َّ َع َّز َو َج َّل َحل‬ َ َ‫الَي‬ ٌّ ‫يم َح‬ ”‫ت‬ ‫يب‬ ِ ‫ي ِستري‬ ِ ِ ِ

“Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, is forbearing, modest and concealing, and He loves modesty and concealment.”101

Related to concealment, approaching the individual privately should be the preferred way and it is more conducive to acceptance. That is why Imam al-Shâfi‘i famously said, َ ‫وَجَنِّب ْني‬ ‫الن ّصِ يح َة َ في الجم ََاع َة‬

ِ ِ ‫الت ّو ْب‬ َ ‫ن‬ ‫يخ ل َا أَ رْض َى اسْ تِم َاع َه‬ َ ِ‫م‬



‫ك ‌في ‌انْف ِرَادِي‬ َ ‫ح‬ ِ ْ‫تَع َ َهّدْني ‌بنِ ُص‬

ُ ‫ن‬ َ َ‫ح بَين‬ ٌ ‫س نَوْع‬ ِ ‫الن ّا‬ َ ْ‫الن ّص‬ ّ َ ‫ف َِإ‬

Advise me often in private / and avoid public advice

For public advice is a form / of rebuke, and I dislike that.

The exception to this is someone who commits an indiscretion publicly, and cannot be advised in private or refuses the advice, so the purpose of public reproach would be to alert the public to the evil of that action.

» Forgive

If the sin was committed against you and you can forgive, use the opportunity to forgive while you are still in pain. Conquer your lowest tendencies at that time, and show magnanimity and grace. Allah says,

ُ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ َْ ُ ُ ََْ ََ َ ْ ُْ َ‫ب َوال ْ َم َساكني‬ ٰ ‫ول يأت ِل أولو الفض ِل ِمنكم والسع ِة أن يؤتوا أول القر‬ ِ َ ُّ ُ ِ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ ‫ين ف‬ َُّ‫ون أَن َي ْغف َر الل‬ َ ‫َوال ْ ُم َهاجر‬ ‫تب‬ ‫ب‬ ‫س‬ ِ ‫الل َّ ۖ ولعفوا ولصفحوا ۗ أل‬ ِ ِ َ ‫يل‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ُ ٌ ‫الل َّ َغ ُف‬ ُ ‫ك ْم ۗ َو‬ ٌ ‫ور َّرح‬ ‫يم‬ ‫ل‬ ِ

And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah, and let them [instead] pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [al-Noor 24:22] 101 al-Nasâ’i. 47

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

The one ordered to forgive here is Abu Bakr . He was ordered to forgive the man who falsely accused his daughter of unchastity, causing enormous pain to him and his entire family. However, forgiveness here did not simply mean to refrain from punishing the man. It meant that Abu Bakr should not stop sustaining him.

» Tolerate

Not everything should be forgiven. Yet, most of that which would not be forgiven could be ignored. Allah says,

ْ ْ ْ ََ ْ ُْ ْ َُْ َ ْ َْ ُ َ َ‫الَاهلني‬ ‫خ ِذ العفو وأمر بِالعر ِف وأع ِرض ع ِن‬ ِِ

Take what is given freely, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant. [al-A‘râf 7:199]

And he says,

َْ ُ ْ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ‫ك ْم ف الْكت‬ ‫الل َّ يُكف ُر بِ َها‬ ‫وقد نزل علي‬ ِ ِ ‫ات‬ ِ ‫اب أن إِذا س ِمعتم آي‬ ِ ً ْ ُ َّ ْ َ ُ َ ٰ َّ َ ِ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ‫يث غ‬ ‫ويستهزأ بِها فل تقعدوا معهم حت ي‬ ‫يهِ ِإنكم ِإذا‬ ٍ ‫وضوا ِف ح ِد‬ َْ َ َ َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ُ ْ ِّ ً‫ين ف َج َه َّن َم ِ َجيعا‬ َ ِ ِ ‫مثلهم إِن الل َّ جا ِمع المنافِ ِقني والكفِ ِر‬

And it has already come down to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah [recited], they are denied [by them] and ridiculed; so do not sit with them until they take up another subject. Indeed, you would then be like them. Indeed, Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell all together. [al-Nisâ’ 4:140]

When to Speak Up

Finally, when there is clear evil, and it is public, so cannot be concealed, then here is the advice of a most courageous scholar, who never feared the blame of a critic in his striving for Allah. … if commanding a particular act of obedience entails committing a sin that is greater in magnitude. Here, one should refrain from enjoining that good [thing] in order to avoid falling into that sin, such as reporting a sinner to a man of authority who is an oppressor and who may transgress in punishment, causing greater harm than the original sin. Similar is the case when forbidding certain evils may lead to an abandonment of good that is more significant [in its effect] than the desertion 48

Introductions

of those evils. Here, the person should refrain from forbidding the evil out of fear that it will lead to deserting that which Allah and His Messenger [pbuh] have commanded, which is more significant than quitting that evil. The scholar, therefore, commands, forbids, or stays silent, at different times, such as commanding the pure or preponderant good, or forbidding the pure or preponderant evil. If there is a conflict, he will act, to his best capacity, on the favorable benefit/harm ratio. As for the addressee of the command and prohibition, if he will not abide by that [command or prohibition] as far as he is able to, either because of his ignorance or transgression, and counteracting his ignorance or transgression is not possible, then it may be better to refrain from commanding or forbidding him, as it has been said, “there are issues that should be answered by silence. [… ]

In the same vein, one who embraces Islam cannot be instructed in all its rulings at once and commanded to adhere to them. Also, the one who has repented, the learner, and the one seeking guidance, they cannot be instructed in all knowledge and ordered to comply, for they cannot tolerate it, and since they cannot, it is not required of them in this case, and if it is not [required of them], then it is not required of the scholar or the ruler to obligate them [to do so] at once, rather they should overlook the commands and prohibitions that are not immediately doable until the time of their feasibility. This is like the Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬overlooking things until the time that is suitable for their clarification. This is not the same as deserting the commanding of good and forbidding of evil, because as we said, the obligation and prohibition are contingent on the knowability and feasibility, and we have posited their absence. So, reflect on this principle, for it is beneficial.”102-xvii

This teleological approach is thoroughly informed by the balance and moderation of Islam. Islam is also keen on civility and civil coexistence. It values discipline and recognizes unoppressive sociopolitical hierarchy as a necessity and a prerequisite of civilization. That is why it preaches order. That is why it recognizes that people have different capacities, and they have to observe their limitations. They must not take the law into their own hands. They should also show 102 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-Fatâwa, 20:58-61. 49

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

patient perseverance (ṣabr) when the laws (or their execution) are unfavorable to them. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ ْ ََ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ُ َ ْ َ ً ْ َ ‫ارق‬ ‫ فإِنه من ف‬،‫ريهِ شيئا يكرهه فليص ِب علي ِه‬ ‫م‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ى‬ ‫‏ “‏من رأ‬ ِ ِ ً َّ َ ً َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ً ْ ِ َ َ َ َ ْ ”‫‏‬.‫ ِإال مات ِميتة جا ِه ِلية‏‏‬،‫الماعة ِشبا فمات‬

“Whoever notices something which he dislikes about his ruler, then he should patiently persevere, for whoever separates from the community, and then dies, he will die as those who died in the pre-Islamic period of Ignorance (as rebellious sinners).103

Of course, this is not encouragement of tyranny or of pacifism in its face, but a reminder that coexisting in a civil society comes at a price, which is giving up some of our freedom and tolerating some encroachment on our space by the collective. How often do people go to court and walk away dismayed? If that could constitute grounds for rebellion and unruliness, no civilization would survive. Finally, when you embark on forbidding the evil, here are some etiquettes to observe.

Avoid confrontation as much as possible and naming the offenders

While the Messenger of Allah did command and forbid people directly, he would usually say, “Why are some people doing this or saying that?” ‘Â’ishah  said: When the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was informed of anything regarding a certain man, he would not say: What is the matter with so-and-so that he says such-and-such? But he would say:

َ َ َ َ َ ُ َُ َْ ُ َ ”‫“ما بَال أق َوامٍ يقولون كذا َوكذا‏‬

“What is the matter with people that they say such-and-such?”104

Avoid mockery and obscenity

There is just no room for these in religious advice. They are categorically forbidden, and they are also counterproductive. Mockery 103 Agreed upon. 104 Abu Dâwood. 50

Introductions

is a satanic quality, and both are worse than beastly and predatory qualities. Allah says,

ْ ً ْ َ ُ ُ َ َ ٰ َ َ ْ َ ِّ ٌ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ‫يا ِّمن ُه ْم‬ ‫الين آمنوا ل يسخر قوم من قومٍ عس أن يكونوا خ‬ ِ ‫يا أيها‬

O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them... [al-Ḥujurât 49:11]

The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ ْ َ َ ُ َّ َّ َ َ َّ َّ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ‫ َو َل ا َ ْ َل ِذ‬،‫اح َش‬ ”‫‏‬.‫يء‬ ِ ‫ َول الف‬،‫ َول اللعان‬،‫ان‬ ِ ‫“ليس المؤ ِمن بِالطع‬

“A true believer is not a slanderer, nor is he one who often curses, or one who is abusive or vulgar.”105

The Outcome of Passing Judgment: Passing Judgment, Tolerance and Coexistence in Civil Society

I hope it is clear from the discussion above that the Islamic guidance with respect to passing moral judgment does not neglect the potential catastrophic consequences of indiscretion and excessiveness in this regard. Islam aims to mitigate those undesirable consequences, not only through procedural tactics, but via foundational values and a coherent worldview to be transfused through the Muslim consciousness by enlightened scholars.

Scriptures, Tradition, and History

Before discussing the proper understanding of the concept of alwalâ’ and al-barâ’, it is important to agree that there is a difference between the scriptures and the tradition,106 and a distinction to be made between a religion and the history of its followers. There is also a difference between the role model of the man who is the perfect infallible Messenger of God, Prophet Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬, and any member of this ummah, no matter how great that individual may be. Even the 105 al-Tirmidhi. 106 See footnote 3.

51

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Prophet’s actions are not all the same. There is a difference between the constants or defaults and variables or exceptions that may be responses to socio-political circumstances warranting a change of approach. This book is not about defending the acts of Muslim dynasties or caliphs. With respect to tolerance throughout the Middle Ages, we do believe that our record as Muslims has been largely better than that of the Christian nations of Europe, for instance. However, we must not turn a blind eye to the aggressions of our own. Our record is marred with wrongdoing, and, like the rest of the great human civilizations, we have committed crimes. Even if you take religion completely out of the equation, injustices have been committed by all of them because it is part of the human condition. Allah says,

ْ َْ َ َ َََْ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َّ َّ ‫ع‬ َ ‫الس َم‬ ‫ي أن ي ِملنَ َها‬ ‫ال فأب‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ال‬ ‫و‬ ‫ض‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ال‬ ‫و‬ ‫ات‬ ‫او‬ ‫ِإنا عرضنا المانة‬ ِ ِ ً ُ َ ً ُِ َ ِ َ َ ُ َّ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ‫النسان ِإنه كن ظلوما جهول‬ ِ ‫وأشفقن ِمنها وحلها‬ ۖ

Indeed, we offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant. [al-Aḥzâb 33:72]

The Tatars did not care about the religion of their subjects, and because of that, they may have been more tolerant in this regard than the caliphates and Christendom. Were they fairer? Did Islam (or Christianity for that matter) serve as a civilizing force, or not? I wholeheartedly believe they did. And without denying the evils of religious fanaticism, I hope that reasonable students of world history would agree. You can read the same book twice or several times and walk away with different assessments. Just one book like Imam Ibn al-Qayyim’s Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah107 (Rulings on the People of the Covenant) confirmed to me many things when I studied it. It confirmed to me that the tradition is not simply an unbiased presuppositionless clarification of the scriptures. A “scripturalist” imam as great as Ibn 107 Shams al-Deen Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah, eds. Yoosuf al-Bakri and Shâkir al-‘Âruri (Dammâm: Ramâdi lilNashr, 1418/1997). 52

Introductions

al-Qayyim was still reading the scriptures through many layers—over 700 years’ worth—of human interpretations and applications, not to mention his own tense realities and cultural mores and sensibilities. Many times, the scriptures were silent, and all we had was the opinion of men, of great stature, but fallible and also influenced by the norms of their times. We would be totally lost if we bypassed their interpretations, but we would also be barred from beholding the original Divine guidance and correctly applying it in our times if we conflated the tradition with the scriptures or fallible men with the infallible messenger. Despite that, Ibn al-Qayyim’s book is full of gems. I wish the extremists of our times would have the endurance and aptitude to study it, understand it, and contextualize it. However, I also find many things in the book that are problematic. Why would the imam, for instance, fail to point out the injustices committed by the Abbasid caliphs when he dedicated a section of his book to their treatment of the People of the Covenant?108 Was he influenced by the aggressions of the Crusaders who were still wreaking destruction in the Levant when he was born? Was he influenced by the iniquities committed by the People of the Covenant against Muslims when some of the same caliphs gave them unchecked powers? Was he influenced by his glamorization of our salaf, in which we all tend to share with him? Perhaps, the answer is yes to all. The answer would also tell us that our greatest scholars are, like the rest of fallible men, human beings who are incapable of completely stepping outside of history and outside of the surrounding forces that inform their consciousness. We, therefore, need to balance our enormous regard for them and great dependence on their interpretive contributions with an unwavering emphasis on the primacy of the Revelation as the ultimate arbiter. And while there is no presuppositionless interpretation, and we are even less immune to external influences than they were, it is hoped that we come to any interpretive project with a God-centered worldview that is shaped by a balanced interaction between the scriptures (as relayed through the tradition that always privileged the understanding of the first community), our uncorrupted/rehabilitated fiṭrah, and our 108 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah, 1:456. 53

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

deep and wide understanding of the world (here and now) in which the rulings are meant to operate. In the same book, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim  tells us about how a dress code different from that of the Muslims was at a certain time demanded of the People of the Covenant. He informs us that this practice did not start in the time of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, but during the rule of the second caliph, ‘Umar .109-xviii This is why it is important to separate between the scriptures and tradition. Umar  was as close to the “perfect man” as a fallible person can be. However, he was not the receiver of Divine Revelation. If the ‘Umari Covenant (al-‘Uhdah al-‘Umariyyah) is in fact traceable to him in its longer versions, which is very questionable, it is not binding on us as part of our religion. The Charter of Madinah, ratified by the stamp of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬is not only more suitable, but it is more authentic, 110 and it is from the Messenger of God, who received before his death this verse that we all cherish:

ُ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ ْ ُ َْ َ ُ ْ َ ََْ ْ ُ َ ْ ُ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َْ ‫يت لك ُم‬ ‫ال ْوم أكملت لكم ِدينكم وأتممت عليكم نِعم ِت ور ِض‬ َ َُ َْ َ َ ََْ ََ ً َ َ ْ ََّ‫ف ِّلثْم ۙ فَإ َّن الل‬ َّ ُ ْ ِ ٍ ِ ٍ ِ‫السلم ِدينا ۚ فم ِن اضطر ِفَ ُممص ٍة غي متجان‬ ِ ٌ ‫غف‬ ٌ‫ور َّرحيم‬ ِ

This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin – then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [al-Mâ’idah 5:3]

Understanding the Tradition and Its Bearers: Ibn Taymiyyah as an Example Having made the distinctions above, we cannot afford to bypass the tradition. Nor can we afford to lose respect for its bearers because of our haughty presentism, and we must realize that we, too, are not 109 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah (1997), 1:491. 110 See the defense of its authenticity by Dr. Akram Ḍiyâ’ al-‘Umari in Al-Seerah al-Nabawiyyah al-Ṣaḥeeḥah, 6th ed. (Madinah: Maktabat al-‘Uloom wal-Ḥikam, 1994), 1:276. 54

Introductions

immune to bias and external influences. The uncontextualized reading of our great scholars of the past will certainly result in misunderstanding. Many of them, particularly the theologians and jurists, would be perceived as hostile to people of different religious affiliations. These readings are insensitive to their life experiences and the context of their polemics, as well as the dictates of theological polemics at any time. This leads people to one of two undesirable outcomes: being captive to the anachronistic verdicts of those great imams or dismissing them as intolerant fanatics. A more holistic reading of those imams can show us their ethical framework, against which specific statements must be understood. I choose one of the greatest in our history: one who has been under constant defamation by intellectual adversaries of various backgrounds—Muslims and non-Muslims—who sought to portray him as an intolerant fanatic. That is Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah bestow mercy on him). In the “The polemic on al-wala’ wa’l-bara’,” Uriya Shavit says, After several decades of relative silence in Hanabli writings, notions of loyalty and disavowal were treated extensively by Ibn Taymiyya (1263-1328). While he never specifically invoked the phrase al-wala’ wa’l-bara’, his condemnation of non-Muslims as enemies of Allah and strong opposition to imitating them were major influences on the evolution of the term.111 Of course, there will be different readings of Imam Ibn Taymiyyah . This is, in part, because he was loyal to the scriptures, which made him a principled pragmatist, and those tend to perplex dogmatists of all backgrounds. This statement may make some people frown because of the unjustifiably bad reputation of “pragmatism.” I use the term in its sense of being sensitive to the consequential variables.112

111 Shavit, “The Polemic on al-wala’ wa’l-bara’,” 32. 112 This is not Machiavellian; it is not simply utilitarian either. Islam, if you must put it somewhere on the spectrum of moral philosophy, is neither Kantian nor Benthamite, nor even qualitative utilitarian. Its largely deontological morality comes from being about obedience to the Law Giver. The Law Giver has taught us that there are lines that must not be crossed, while at the same time leaving room for flexibility and human discernment. For instance, even under coercion, a man is never permitted to rape, or kill an innocent person, but he may drink wine or lie to save his life. This seemingly teleological incline is simply based on the fact that not all evil is equal, and neither is all good. Man, at least according to 55

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

The Revelation is the word of God, and the universe is His creation. The former cannot be at odds with the latter, which is mixed and full of opposites. There is good and evil, peace and war, treason and loyalty, kindness and cruelty, and there is truth and falsehood. The scripture addresses that complex reality, thus its diverse, seemingly contradictory purports. So, contextualization is expectedly important. In order to realize the permanent and consistent objectives of the Divine in a world of change, the discourse must differ in response to these changes. This is why the scholars say, “The change in rulings due to the change in times is not to be denounced.”113 Ibn Taymiyyah was born five years after the fall of Baghdad to the Tatars, who continued to bring death and destruction to the Muslim lands, including his own hometowns. The crusaders did not completely leave the region (after two centuries of bloodshed) until 793 AH, when he was 32 years old—the age at which he wrote “The unsheathed sword against the one who insults the Messenger.” It was a time of existential threat to Islam and Muslims, and the ummah was in crisis due to internal and external factors. In such circumstances, it was not expected of a scholar of his caliber and courage to be doing anything other than dedicating his life and teachings to the cause of resistance (jihad) and preservation of Muslim identity. He did that with his pen and his sword—when it was necessary. However, he was not obsessed by the external threats; contrarily, he was rightly more concerned about the inner state of Muslims. If he wrote a 7-volume book in response to Christian theologians, he wrote a 9-volume book to address an intra-Islamic controversy and respond to the Imamite Shias and an 11-volume book to address the scripturalist Ibn Taymiyyah (and many theologians before him, including the Maturidis), has the potency to discern between the degrees of evil and good. Such potency will be corrected and adjusted by al-shar’ and perfected by al-ilhâm (spiritual enlightenment). Islamic ethics is Moral Law Giver-based, with deontological and teleological features, because both aspects have wisdom, making multitudes of philosophers supportive of them, and both have caveats, making multitudes of philosophers critical of them. Islam balances them out and adds the capstone of virtue ethics. “He/she has succeeded who purifies it” (al-A‘lâ 87:14). 113 ‘Ali Ḥaydar, Durar al-hukkâm sharḥ Majallat al-aḥhkâm, ed. Fahmi al-Ḥusayni (Beirut: Dâr al-Jeel, 1991), 1:47. 56

Introductions

an intra-Sunni controversy, which he feared might undermine the epistemic value of the Revelation, or at least, its declarative portion. Having said that, the pragmatism of true believers should always be informed by their devotion to God and His good cause. Accordingly, Ibn Taymiyyah was thoroughly conscious and considerate of the overarching Islamic cause of promoting human welfare and fraternity. Here are the proofs for this assertion: It may be surprising that I start by citing his polemic against Christianity as evidence of his tolerance, but in fact, it is. He wanted to transfer the conflict from the battlefield to the papers of theologians. This was not because of cowardice; unlike many theologians, he participated in many military battles and used his sword with the same vigor with which he used his pen. However, he realized that this should not be the way humans resolve their disputes. In the beginning of his book Al-jawâb al-ṣaḥeeḥ, he mentioned that Allah’s saying,

َّ َّ َ َ َ َّ َّ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ‫َو َل ُتَادلُوا أَ ْه َل الْكت‬ ‫ين ظل ُموا ِمن ُه ْم‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ل‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫س‬ ‫ح‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ل‬ ‫إ‬ ‫اب‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ

And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them… [al-‘Ankaboot 29:46]

was not abrogated by the Verse of the Sword, as some people claimed. He asserted that this command/prohibition was applicable to the non-aggressors. Those, he contended, should not be fought, but reasoned with, even if they are not arguing in order to learn, but to prove what they believe to be true. He also clarified that those who aggress via their speech (or writing) should not be fought either but responded to with speech that deters them from aggression.114-xix His most controversial position within Islam is the doctrine of the annihilation of Hellfire, which he argued was a conceivable interpretation. This was in fact a component of his optimistic theodicy that saw the Divine plan as one of all-encompassing mercy and ultimate benevolence. To speak of this matter in his time, he must have toiled a great deal with this question, and that, we posit, must have been stirred by deep empathy for all of humanity. Whether or not you 114 Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-jawâb al-ṣaḥeeḥ, 1:219. 57

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

agree with it, you should identify its motive and that it is based on a persuasion that Allah's mercy is all-encompassing. This position was crystallized by his student, Ibn al-Qayyim, who said in its defense, Whoever knows the Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) in view of His perfect and majestic qualities of wisdom, mercy, graciousness, kindness, generosity, and affection toward His slaves, and His benevolent will toward them and superseding mercy, will not rush to oppose this [concept of the annihilation of Hellfire] even if they did not promptly affirm it.115-xx

Ibn Taymiyyah spoke of the blamelessness of those unbelievers who did not have a chance to discover the reality of Islam as the final communication from God. In the following excerpt from al-Jawâb al-ṣaḥeeḥ, we see how he took the principle of the irreproachability of those who become misguided while seeking the truth, and extended it to the Christians and Jews. As for those whose time is far from the time of Christ or Moses, and some accounts about them reach them, but not others, the plea becomes established against them concerning what has reached them only. Additionally, if they disagree on the interpretation of parts of the Torah or Gospel, whoever among them sought the truth and excelled in finding it should not be subject to torment, even if they were mistaken, far removed from the truth, and misguided, just like those who seek the truth from among the ummah of Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬.116 xxi

He wrote a critical treatise on Qitâl al-kuffâr wa muhâdanatuhum (war and peace with the disbelievers) in which he emphasized that the effective cause (‘illah) for fighting them is their aggression, not their disbelief, and the latter should not be grounds for war. He also contended that a peace treaty with the non-Muslims does not require a time limit. This position changes the default state between neighboring nations to that of peace: very much like signing the 115 Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn al-Qayyim, Ḥâdi al-arwâḥ (Cairo: al-Madani, n.d.), 376. 116 Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-jawâb al-ṣaḥeeḥ, 2:301. 58

Introductions

United Nations Charter nowadays,117 although the concept of stable borders and nation-states was foreign to his times.118-xxii The war that he sanctioned against the aggressors is meant to spare civilians except when collateral damage cannot be avoided. He said that using a catapult would only be permissible in the case of necessity, for it would be otherwise impermissible to use it knowing that its missiles (rocks) may kill women and children.119-xxiii Even when fighting in self-defense was absolutely justified, he nevertheless understood that it may not always be possible or conducive to its noble objective of a “just peace.” When the Tatars were advancing, Ibn Taymiyyah motivated the rulers and people to confront them. When they arrived, he fought them fearlessly in person. However, when the Tatars were in control in certain areas and periods, while he continued to oppose any syncretic adulteration of Islamic values and laws, he was able to appreciate (and approve of) the rationale some scholars provided for working for them as judges.120-xxiv Finally, if actions speak louder than words, we do find Ibn Taymiyyah’s magnanimity with non-Muslims manifesting itself in his defense of the Christian and Jewish captives captured by the Tatars and his insistence that they be released along with the Muslim captives. When he was demanding that, he said to a Tatarian chieftain, “No, you must release all of the captives you have, including the Jews and Christians who have our covenant (dhimmah); we demand their release and would not leave as captives anyone of our coreligionists or compatriots [lit., the People of the Covenant].” 121-xxv It is the destiny of great men like him to be misread by friends and foes alike. Many of his theological opponents do not have the piety 117 It may be argued that power politics still reigns today as it did then, and as Clausewitz famously put it, “war is a continuation of politics by [or with] other means.” The reference to the UN Charter in this book takes into consideration the content of that document regardless of the practices of individual member states and the prevalent conditions in the world. It is still a positive development. The Muslim nation signatories should develop their deterring force while simultaneously working with other nations toward the establishment of peace and the honoring of the aspirations espoused in this document. 118 Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-jawâb al-ṣaḥeeḥ, 1:176. 119 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 24:269. 120 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 19:218. 121 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 28:617. 59

or ethics to refrain from dishonestly defaming him despite having the ability to examine his entire legacy from a safe distance – unlike some of his contemporaries. They are also not of the caliber to understand, let alone evaluate, an imam who reached, according to his followers and adversaries, the pinnacle of knowledge, piety, and courage. Many of his loyalists have unfortunately misunderstood his legacy. Many of them do not have the stamina to read even one of his major works, let alone the aptitude to understand it. They portrayed him as a literalist, legalistic, cleric. He was the farthest from that. He was a top-tier legal philosopher. As for spirituality, if you would not describe him as a self-critical Sufi, you must agree that, like his imam, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, he was among the fuqahâ’ closest to sober, Sharia-compliant Sufis and Sufism. If Ibn Taymiyyah were alive today, his discourse would have likely taken note of the different global trends in thought, politics, and social norms. It would have likely discerned between those who seek to dominate the Muslims and oppress them and those who are looking for a world of peaceful coexistence without military or cultural decimation of others. He would have likely crafted a discourse that is wholly committed to the overarching objectives of the Revelation, consistent with its principles, and sensitive to the modern world’s “language games,” realities, and aspirations.

60

Agreements

Before we embark on the different views on the concept of loyalty and disavowal and its empirical referents, let us identify the areas of agreement (and near-agreement) within Islamic scholarship of all persuasions. This is particularly important nowadays, because in these times of democratization of information, Muslims and non-Muslims alike may be getting their information from unscholarly sources, which often do not reflect the position of the scriptures or the tradition. Allah says,

ُ ُْ َ ُ ُ َ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ُ َ ْ َ َّ ِّ ‫وك ْم ف‬ ‫ل ينه‬ ‫ين َول ْم ي ِر ُجوكم ِّمن‬ ‫ادل‬ ‫الين لم يقاتِل‬ ِ ‫اك َم الل َّ ع ِن‬ ِ ُ ُّ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُّ ‫الل َّ ِ ُي‬ َ‫ب ال ْ ُم ْقسطني‬ َ ‫وه ْم َو ُت ْقس ُطوا إ َلْه ْم ۚ إ َّن‬ ‫اركم أن تب‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ِدي‬

Allah does not forbid you, with regard to those who do not fight you for (your) faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loves those who are just. [al-Mumtaḥanah 60:8]122

It is noteworthy in this verse that the Arabic word for “dealing kindly” is the word tabarroohum, which is usually used in the context of dealing with one’s parents, with whom one is required to show the highest level of benevolence. This is the Quranic verse most quoted by Muslim scholars with respect to relations with others. Regardless of how twisted one’s understanding of it may be, no one can just ignore it. As for justice, it is even prescribed with the enemies as a tenet of the Islamic value system. Allah says,

122 This translation is adapted from that of Dr. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Quran, as found on quranyusufali.com. 61

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

َّ َ ُّ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َّ ْ َ َ َ ‫ين‬ َ ‫آمنُوا ْ ُكونُوا ْ قَ َّوام‬ َ ‫ٱل‬ ‫لل َّ َش َه َد َآء ِبٱل ِق ْس ِط َوال ي ِر َمنك ْم‬ ‫يا أيهآ‬ ‫ني‬ ِ ِ ِ ْ ْ ُ ْ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ َّ ‫ٱعدلُوا ْ ُه َو أقْ َر ُب ل‬ ََّ‫ٱلل َّ إ َّن ٱلل‬ َ ْ ‫ى َو َّٱت ُقوا‬ َ‫لت ْقو‬ ٰ ِ ُ ِ ‫شنآن قومٍ عۤ أال تع ِدلوا‬ ِ َ ََْ َ ٌ َ ‫خ ِبري بِما تعملون‬

O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do. [al-Mâ’idah 5:8]

In the following pages, I expound on some of the issues that enjoy manifest and decisive support from the scriptures, tradition, and the practice of the mainstream community. I begin with the concepts that emphasize fair and compassionate treatment of non-Muslims. Then, I address some concepts that may be seen as detractors from that ethos. I explain why they are not, and how the entire corpus of rulings, when put together, is fair and coherent.

Justice

Refraining from all forms of injustice is the hallmark of the Islamic value system and the bedrock of its theory. Any concept, legal code, or human behavior must be brought into line with this foundational matrix and find a place within it. Otherwise, it is not Islamic. Interaction with non-Muslims is not an exception to this rule, because there are no exceptions. ‘Abdullâh ibn ‘Amr narrated from the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬that he said:

َّ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ً َ َ ُ ً ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ”.‫ائَة الَن ِة‏‬ ِ ‫“‏من قتل نفسا معاهدا لم يرح ر‬

“Whoever killed a mu‘âhid (a covenanted non-Muslim) shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise.123

He ‫ ﷺ‬also said,

123 al-Bukhâri. 62

Agreements

ً َ ُ َ َ ََ ً ُ َ َ َّ َ َ ٌ ‫ع َد ِم ِه َف َقتَلَ ُه فَأَنَا بَر‬ ”.‫المقتُول كفِرا‬ ‫يء ِم َن القاتِ ِل َوإِن اكن‬ ‫“من أمن رجال‬ ِ

“If someone entrusts a person with his life and then that person kills him, then I have no association with the killer, even if the victim was a disbeliever.”124

In another report, he ‫ ﷺ‬said,

ََ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ‫“أل َم ْن ظل َم ُم َعا ِه ًدا أ ْو انتَق َص َه أ ْو كفه ف ْوق َطاق ِت ِه أ ْو أخذ ِمنه شيئًا‬ َ َ‫يج ُه يَ ْو َم الْقي‬ ُ ‫ب َغ ْي طيب َن ْفس فَأنَا َحج‬ ”.‫ام ِة‬ ِ ٍ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ

“If anyone wrongs a mu‘âhid, detracts from his rights, burdens him with more work than he is able to do, or takes something from him without his consent, I will plead for him (the mu‘âhid) on the Day of Resurrection.”125

Abu Shurayḥ narrated that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬also said,

ْ ْ ُ ُْ ‫ يا رسول اهلل ومن؟‬:‫والل َّ ال يُؤ ِم ُن” قيل‬ ،‫“والل َّ ال يُؤ ِم ُن‬ ِ ْ ،‫والل َّ ال ي َّؤ ِمن‬ ِ ِ ُ َ ََ ُُ ُ ”.‫ “الي ال يأمن جاره بوائِقه‬:‫قال‬

“By Allah, he does not have faith; by Allah, he does not have faith; by Allah, he does not have faith.” It was asked: O Messenger of Allah, who is that? He replied: The one whose neighbor is not safe from his annoyance.”126

Al-Qurṭubi commented on this hadith in his Tafseer (exigesis), explaining, “This is general in meaning and applies to all neighbors.”127-xxvi We are ordered to be fair, even with those who transgress against us. Allah says,

ْ َّ ُ َ ْ َ َ ُ ْ ُ ْ ْ ُ ْ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َّ َ ْ َ َ َ ‫لتق َوى‬ ِ ‫…وال ي ِرمنكم شنآن قومٍ ع أال تع ِدلوا اع ِدلوا هو أقرب ل‬

…and do not let the enmity and hatred of others make you swerve from justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety [al-Mâ’idah 5:8] 124 Reported by al-Nasâ’i, and by al-Bukhâri in his book al-Tareekh and authenticated by al-Albâni in Ṣaḥeeḥ al-Jâmi’. 125 Reported by Abu Dâwood; classed as ṣaḥeeḥ by al-Albâni in Ṣaḥeeḥ Abi Dâwood. 126 Agreed upon. 127 Abu ‘Abdillâh, Muhammad ibn Aḥmad al-Qurṭubi, Al-jâmi‘ li aḥkâm al-Qur’ân, ed. Aḥmad al-Bardooni and Ibrâhim Aṭfeesh (Cairo: Dâr al-Kutub al-Miṣriyyah, 1964), 5:183. 63

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Individual Accountability

Since stereotyping is a terrible form of injustice, Allah teaches us to avoid it. He says,

ْ ْ َ َ ّ ُْ َْ َ ‫َو ِم ْن أَ ْهل الْكتَاب َم ْن إن تَأ َمنْ ُه بق‬ ‫ار يُ َؤ ِدهِ ِإلْك َو ِمَن ُهم َّم ْن ِإن تأ َمنه‬ ‫نط‬ ِ ِ َ َ ً َ ٍ ْ َ َ َ ِ ْ ُ َ َّ ِ َ ْ َ ِ ّ َ ُ َّ ِ َ َ‫ك بأ َّن ُه ْم قَالُوا ْ لَيْس‬ ِ ‫ار ال يؤ ِد ُ ِه ِإلك ِإال ما دم ُت علي ِه قائِما ذل‬ ٍ ْ َ ‫بِ ِد َين‬ ََ َ ََُ ٌ َ َ ّّ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َِ َ ْ َ ‫علينا ِف األ ِم ِيني س ِبيل ويقولون ع الل ّ الك ِذب وهم يعلمون‬

Among the People of the Book are some who, if entrusted with a hoard of gold, will (readily) pay it back; others, who, if entrusted with a single silver coin, will not repay it unless you constantly stand demanding it, because, they say, “There is no call on us (to keep faith) with these ignorant (pagans).” But they tell a lie against Allah, and they know it.128 [Âl ‘Imrân 3:75]

The Prophet promised the Christians of Najran that none of them would be held accountable for the crimes of another.129-xxvii This is an integral part of the Divine guidance. Allah says,

َ ْ َ ُّ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ ٌ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َّ ٰ ‫خ َر‬ ٰ ‫ى ۚ ُث َّم ِإ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ازرة ِوزر أ‬ ‫ب ك نف ٍس ِإل عليها ۚ ول ت ِزر و‬ ‫ول تك س‬ ِ ُ َ ُ ُ ِّ َ ُ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َّ ُ ِِّ َ َ ُ ََْ ُ ْ ‫ربكم مر ِجعكم فينبئكم بِما كنتم ِفي ِه تت ِلفون‬

And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ. [al-An‘âm 6:164]

Respect for Humanity

The Messenger of Allah taught us by example to respect everyone’s humanity when he stood during the funeral procession of a Jew. He remained standing until the corpse was buried, even though people informed him it was the funeral of a Jew. To that he ‫ ﷺ‬responded, 128 This translation is adapted from that of Dr. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Quran, as found on quranyusufali.com. 129 Aḥmad al-Ya‘qoobi, “Tareekh al-Ya‘qoobi,” n.d., 1:138. Accessed July 1, 2021, http://islamport.com/w/tkh/Web/364/138.htm. 64

Agreements

“Isn’t it a soul?”130

ً َْ َْ ”‫“ألي َست نفسا؟‬

This would not be unexpected of the Messenger who conveyed to us Allah’s statement,

ْ َ ْ َ ِّ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َّ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ِّ َّ َ ِّ ُ َ‫حر َو َر َز ْقن‬ ‫ات‬ ‫حلنَاه ْم ِف الب وال‬ ‫ولقد كرمنا بن آدم و‬ ِ ‫اهم من الطيب‬ ِ ً ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َّ ِّ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َّ َ َ ِ ٰ ‫وفضلناهم‬ ‫ري ممن خلقنا تف ِضيل‬ ٍ ‫ع ك ِث‬

And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference. [al-‘Isrâ’ 17:70]

How can we not have respect for humans when Allah made the angels prostrate before their father? The Quran tells us that humans have a transcendentally special place in this universe.

ُ ْ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َّ َ َ َ ُ َ ‫ت فيه ِمن ُّروح َف َق ُعوا‬ َ ‫ل َساج ِد‬ ‫ين‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫فإِذا سويته َونفخ‬ ِ

And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down to him in prostration.131 [al-Ḥijr 15:29; Ṣâd 38:72]

Coexistence and Sharing Life’s Mundane Exchanges and Pursuits ‘Â’ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported that at the time the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬died, his armor was mortgaged with a Jew for thirty sa‘s (measures) of barley.132 It may seem superfluous to include this. However, this is not simply about the permissibility of financial dealings with non-Muslims; it is about sharing those human activities across religious backgrounds without setting up any partitions. It is rather unlikely that the Prophet did not find a single Muslim to get 130 Agreed upon. 131 This translation is adapted from that of Saheeh International, as found on quran.com. 132 Agreed upon. 65

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

barley from by mortgaging his armor. It also shows us that his fair and pleasant dealings with the Jews in Madinah lasted until the end of his life. They considered the testimony of the non-Muslim expert witness like that of the Muslim.133-xxviii They accepted the oath of the non-Muslim in litigation against a Muslim, whether he is the defendant134-xxix or even the claimant.135-xxx And while some fuqahâ’ disliked or even prevented partnership with non-Muslims, the stated reason was that they may engage in transactions that are not compliant with Islam. This is why the vast majority permitted it, given this concern could be mitigated. The Prophet’s guide during his most significant earthly trip, the Hijrah, was a non-Muslim. While we are encouraged to surround ourselves with believers who assist us in our religious commitment, we are also told to trust those who deserve our trust, regardless of their religion. Allah says,

ْ َ َ ّ َ ‫َو ِم ْن أَ ْهل الْكتَاب َم ْن إن تَأ َمنْ ُه بق‬ ‫ار يُ َؤ ِد ِه ِإلْك‬ ‫نط‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ٍ ِِ

Among the People of the Book are some who, if entrusted with a hoard of gold, will (readily) pay it back.136 [Âl ‘Imrân 3:75]

And not to grant it to those who do not deserve it, regardless of their religion. Allah says,

َ ُ َ ََ َ ُ ْ َ ِّ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َّ َ ْ ‫ك َم َب‬ َّ ‫ي‬ ‫اس بِما أراك‬ ‫كتاب بِالق ِلح‬ ‫الل َّ ۚ َول‬ ِ ‫انل‬ ِ ‫ِإنا أنزلا ِإلك ال‬ َ ْ ِّ ُ َ ً‫ني َخصيما‬ َ ‫خائن‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫تكن لل‬

Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth so you may judge between people by that which Allah has shown you. And do not be for the deceitful an advocate. [al-Nisâ’: 105] 133 Abu al-‘Abbâs Aḥmad ibn Idrees al-Qarâfi. Al-Dhakheerah (Beirut: Dâr alGharb al-Islâmi, 1994), 10:240. 134 Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Daqeeq al-‘Eed. Iḥkâm al-Aḥkâm (Cairo: Maṭba‘at al-Sunnah al-Muḥammadiyyah, n.d.), 2:225. 135 Aḥmad Ibn Ḥamdân, Al-ri‘âyah al-ṣughrâ, 2:1276. Retrieved from Shamilah [computer software]. 136 This translation is by Dr. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Quran, as found on quranyusufali.com. 66

Agreements

Let us remember that the deceitful here was from the Ansâr,137 the people who sheltered and supported the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.

Generosity

Exchanging gifts and invitations with non-Muslims is part of the Prophetic tradition. Al-Ṭabarâni reported that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬accepted a gift from al-Muqawqis, the chief of the Copts, and ‘Umar sent a gift to his non-Muslim brother, as al-Bukhâri reported. The Prophet ‫ﷺ‬ was invited by a Jew to a meal of barley bread and rancid oil, and he accepted the invitation. Giving them charity is also part of that kindness to be extended to all people. Asmâ’ bint Abu Bakr related, My mother came to me during the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, and she was a pagan. I said to Allah’s Messenger (seeking his verdict), “My mother has come to me and she desires to receive assistance from me. Shall I extend kindness to her?” [This is not an unexpected question given the extreme hostility the unbelievers of Quraysh exhibited toward the believers.] The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬responded,

ُ َ َّ ”‫“‏ ن َع ْم ِص ِل أم ِك‏‬ ‫‏‬

“Yes, be kind to your mother. “138

The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬also said,

َ َ ِّ ُ ْ َ .‫ات ك ِب ٍد َر ْطبَ ٍة أج ٌر‏”‏‏‬ ِ ‫‏ ‏” ِف ك ذ‬ 

“There is a reward for serving any animate (living being).”139

Muslims can include non-Muslims in their will. In fact, Ibn Qudamah reports in al-Mughni the consensus on this ruling.140 It must be also noted here that while Muslims wish guidance to Islam for all people, Allah has taught us to give unconditional charity that is not merely 137 Muhammad ibn Jareer al-Ṭabari, Jâmi‘ al-Bayân, (Giza: Dâr Hajar, 2001), 7:462. 138 al-Bukhâri. 139 Agreed upon. 140 Muwaffiq al-Deen Abu Muhammad ‘Abdullâh ibn Aḥmad Ibn Qudâmah, Al-mughni, ed. Ṭâha al-Zayni et al. (Cairo: Maktabat al-Qâhirah, 1968), 6:217. 67

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

for the purpose of proselytizing, but to please Allah by looking after His dependents. As for their guidance, it is Allah’s prerogative. He says,

ْ َ َ َّ ٰ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َّ ْ ‫َ َ َ ُ َو َما تُنف ُقوا م ْن َخ‬ ‫ي‬ ۗ ‫اء‬ ‫ش‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ي‬ ‫د‬ ‫ه‬ ‫كن الل َّ ي‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫لي َس عليك هداهم ول‬ ٍ َّ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ُ ُ ََ ْ َ َ َ ْ َّ َ ُ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َ ‫ي يوف‬ ‫ف ِلنف ِسكم ۚ وما تن ِفق‬ ِ َ ‫ون ِإل اب ِت َغاء َوج ِه‬ ٍ ‫الل َّ ۚ َوما تن ِفقوا ِمن خ‬ ُْ ُ َ ‫ِإلْك ْم َوأنتُ ْم ل تظل ُمون‬

Not upon you, [O Muhammad], is [responsibility for] their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills. And whatever good you [believers] spend is for yourselves, [as long as] you do not spend except seeking the countenance of Allah. And whatever you spend of good, it will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged. [al-Baqarah 2:272]

The imam of the exegetes, Ibn Jareer al-Ṭabari, cites different reports and explains the verse thus, He (exalted is His mention) means by that, guiding the polytheists is ultimately not your responsibility, O Muhammad. So do not withhold charity from them to press them to accept Islam out of need; rather, Allah leads whomever He pleases of his servants to Islam by His guidance, so do not withhold charity from them.141-xxxi

Gentleness

Gentleness in speech and conduct is an Islamic etiquette to be upheld with all people. Allah says,

َ َ َْ َ َ ْ ً ْ َ َُُْ َ َ َ ْ َ ‫الل َّ َوبال ْ َو‬ َ ‫ون إ َّل‬ ‫الي ْ ِن إِح َسانا‬ ‫َوإِذ أخذنا ِميثاق بَ ِن إِ ْسا ِئيل ل تعبد‬ ِ ِ ِ َّ ُ ُ َ ْ ُْ َ َ‫ب َوالَت‬ َ ‫ام َوال ْ َم‬ ٰ ٰ ‫اس ُح ْسنًا‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ا‬ ‫س‬ ‫َو ِذي القر‬ ِ ‫ني َوقولوا لِلن‬ ِ ِ

And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel [enjoining upon them]: Do not worship except Allah; and do good to parents and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words]. [al-Baqarah 2:83]

This gentleness and speaking good words to people goes beyond niceness. When Ibn Wahb, the student of Imam Mâlik, was asked 141 al-Ṭabari, Jâmi‘ al-Bayân, 5:19.

68

Agreements

about backbiting against a Christian, he cited this verse to show its prohibition.142-xxxii Note that in Islamic discourse gheebah (backbiting) means speaking ill of them, albeit truthfully, in their absence. This gentleness was particularly emphasized when preaching. When Allah sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, He told them,

َ َّ َّ َّ َّ ً ُ َ َ ُ َ ٰ َ ْ‫ل قَ ْول لِّنًا ل َعل ُه َيتَ َذك ُر أ ْو َي‬ ‫فقول‬ ‫ش‬

And speak to him with gentle speech, that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah]. [Ṭâhâ 20:44]

Allah also says,

ْ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ ْ َ ِّ َ َ ‫ل‬ َ ِ ‫ال َ َسنَ ِة َو َجا ِدل ْ ُهم بالَّت‬ ٰ ‫ادع إ‬ ‫ة‬ ‫ظ‬ ‫ع‬ ‫و‬ ‫م‬ ‫ال‬ ‫و‬ ‫ة‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ر‬ ‫يل‬ ‫ب‬ ‫س‬ ‫ه‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ َ ِ َّ َ ِ َّ ِ ُ َ ْ َ َ‫ك ُه َو أَ ْعلَ ُم ب َمن َض َّل َعن َسبيله ۖ َو ُه َو أَ ْعلَ ُم بال ْ ُم ْهتَ ِدين‬ ‫أحسن ۚ ِإن رب‬ ِ ِ ِۖ ِ ِ

Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided. [al-Naḥl 16:125] Abu Hurayrah reported that Ṭufail, who was from the tribe of Daws, and his Companions said, “Allah’s Messenger, the tribe of Daws has disbelieved and has denied you, so invoke a curse upon them.” It was said [by the audience who expected that the Prophet would do so], “Daws is destroyed,” whereupon Allah’s Messenger supplicated:

ْ ً ْ َ ْ َّ ُ َّ ‫ت بِ ِه ْم‏‬ ِ ‫اللهم اه ِد دوسا َوائ‬ ‫‏‬

“Allah, guide aright the tribe of Daws and direct them to me.”143

We are told to be gentle even with those who are sly and offensive. It was reported that a group of Jews approached the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and greeted him with twisted pronunciation, and said “al-sâm ‘alaykum, O Muhammad!” (meaning, “may death and destruction come upon you”) instead of al-salâmu ‘alaykum. ‘Â’ishah heard them and responded by saying, ‘Assamu `Alaykum’ also,” The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬then said to ‘Â’ishah,

142 ‘Ali ibn Khalaf ibn Baṭṭâl. Sharḥ saḥiḥ al-Bukhâri (Riyadh: Maktabat al-Rushd, 2003), 9:247. 143 Agreed upon. 69

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

ِّ ُ ْ َ ْ ًَْ ْ ِّ ُّ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َ ”‫الرف َق يف الم ِر كه‬ ‫يب‬ ِ َّ ‫“مهل يا عئِشة ِإن الل‬

“Easy, ‘Â’ishah; Allah likes gentleness in all matters.”

She told him, “Did you not hear what they said?” He replied, “I did, and I responded by saying, ‘And upon you.’”144

In addition, if talking to them is futile, and they start to transgress, Allah teaches us to stay away from the ignorant and avoid altercation with them,

ْ ْ ْ ُ ْ ْ ْ ْ َ َ ‫الَاهل‬ ‫ني‬ ‫خ ِذ ال َعف َو َوأ ُم ْر بِال ُع ْر ِف َوأع ِرض َع ِن‬ ِِ

Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; but turn away from the ignorant. [al-A‘râf 7:199]

And we were told to avoid cursing even the deities they set up in place of, or in addition to, the One True God. Allah says,

ْ ُّ ُ َ َ ْ َْ ً ْ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َّ ْ ُّ ُ َ َ َ ُ ّ ّ ‫غ‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬ ‫د‬ ‫ع‬ ‫الل‬ ‫وا‬ ‫ب‬ ‫س‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ف‬ ‫الل‬ ‫ون‬ ‫د‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ون‬ ‫الين يدع‬ ‫ي ِعل ٍم‬ ِ ِ ‫وال تسبوا‬ ِ ِ ِ

Revile not those unto whom they pray beside Allah, lest they wrongfully revile Allah through ignorance. [al-An‘am 6:108]

In this verse, Allah also teaches us about the concept of reciprocation. While there is no similarity or commensurability between those deities and God, the polytheists believe in their divinity. So, if we do not want Allah’s name to be desecrated by them, we should use non-offensive, objective language when speaking about their gods.

Empathy

While generosity and gentleness are great manners, for some people, they could be simply a façade. For others, they may be wise qualities to have from a utilitarian standpoint because they earn us friends and improve people’s perception of us, and from an “evolutionary” standpoint, they are good for the species. They may also be about pursuing virtue and personal fulfillment. All of this is true. However, for a Muslim, practicing them should ultimately spring from a com144 Agreed upon. 70

Agreements

mitment to the Most Merciful, who taught us that we all came down from a single man, and out of a single womb. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ”‫اس ل يَرحه اهلل‬ ‫“من ل يرح ِم انل‬

“Allah will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to people.”145

And he ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ َ َ َ ٌ َ َ َ ََ ًَ َ َ ‫س لَم َي‬ َ ِ ‫وخ‬ ‫“خاب عبد‬ ”‫ش‬ ‫للب‬ ‫ة‬ ‫مح‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ه‬ ‫لب‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ف‬ ‫عال‬ ‫ت‬ ‫اهلل‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ع‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ

“Man is doomed and a loser if Allah does not put compassion for humankind in his heart.”146

There are countless Prophetic traditions stressing the same concept and enjoining mercy for everything “on earth.” There are also strong indications in the tradition about the permissibility of such manifestations of empathy with non-Muslims, including visiting their sick, consoling them when tragedy befalls them, and congratulating them on their happy occasions like marriage. Anas  reported that a young Jewish boy who was in the service of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬fell ill, so the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬went to visit him. He sat down by the boy’s head and said to him, “Embrace Islam.” The boy looked at his father who was sitting beside him. He told the boy: “Obey Abul-Qâsim.” So, he embraced Islam and the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬stepped out, saying, “Praise be to Allah, Who has saved him.” 147

Social Bonds Allah says,

ُ ُْ ََ َ ْ ْ ْ َ َْ َ ًْ َ ٰ َ ‫ح َسانًا َوب ِذي الْ ُق ْر‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ئ‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ش‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ب‬ ‫وا‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ش‬ ‫َواع ْبُ ُدوا الل َّ ول ت‬ ‫ب‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ال‬ ‫و‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ب‬ ‫و‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ْ ْ ْ ْ ْ ُُ َّ َ َ َْٰ ُ ۖ َ َ ‫ام َوال َم َسا ِك‬ ٰ َ َ‫َوالَت‬ ‫ب‬ ِ ‫ب َوالص‬ ِ ِ ‫اح‬ ِ ‫ار الن‬ ِ ‫ار ِذي القرب وال‬ ِ ‫ني وال‬

145 Agreed upon. 146 Reported by al-Dulâbi in al-Kunâ wal-Asmâ’. Al-Albâni said in al-Silsilah alSaḥeeḥah (456), “its chain is sound.” 147 al-Bukhâri. 71

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

ْ َ َ ُ ُ َ َْ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ُّ ‫الل َّ َل ُي‬ َّ ‫الَنب َوابْن‬ َ ‫ك ْم ۗ إ َّن‬ ‫ب َمن كن‬ ‫ان‬ ‫م‬ ‫ي‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ ‫و‬ ‫يل‬ ‫ب‬ ‫الس‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ‫ب‬ ِ ِ ِ ُ َ ً َُْ ً‫خورا‬ ‫متال ف‬

Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful. [al-Nisâ’ 4:36]

Ibn al-Qayyim explained, “The rights of everyone mentioned in this verse are binding, even if they were unbelievers.” 148-xxxiii Social bonds with non-Muslims are not forbidden. They may arise for reasons such as kinship or marriage, reasons of common interest such as partnership or trade, or other reasons and commonalities, such as being neighbors, of the same profession, or compatriots. Man is predisposed to love those who are kind to him, and he may even be unable to resist loving a well-mannered neighbor, let alone a compassionate wife. Neighborliness is shown to all people regardless of their religion. Al-Qurṭubi commented in his Tafseer, “I say: based on that, kind treatment of neighbors is enjoined and is recommended, whether they are Muslim or not […]. Kind treatment may be in the form of assistance, or it may be in the form of being kind, refraining from annoyance, and standing by them.”149-xxxiv Kindness toward one’s colleagues, coworkers, and compatriots is a branch of neighborliness. It is about being good and loyal to people with whom you share the same space. When it comes to family, Allah reminds Muslims that even if your parents strive to swerve you from your religion, you should still treat them kindly. Allah says,

148 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah (1997), 2:793. 149 al-Qurṭubi, Al-jâmi‘ li aḥkâm al-Qur’ân, 5:183. 72

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ْ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ً ْ َ ُ ُّ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ ْ َ ْ َّ َ َ ‫ي‬ ‫ووصينا الِنسان بو ِالي ِه‬ ِ ‫حلته أمه وه ْنا ع وه ٍن و َفِصال ِف عم‬ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َّ َ َ ْ ِ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ‫ع أَ ْن ت ُ ْش َك ب ما‬ َ ‫اه َد‬ َ ‫اك‬ ‫وإِن ج‬# ‫أ ِن اشكر ِل ولِو ِاليك ِإل الم ِصري‬ ِ ً ِ ْ َ َ ْ ُّ َ َ َ َْ ْ ُ َ َ َُْ ُ َ ٌْ ُ ‫احبهما ِف ادلنيا معروفا‬ ِ ‫ليس لك بِ ِه ِعلم فال ت ِطعهما َوص‬

And We have enjoined on the human (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship, upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years. So give thanks to Me and to your parents; unto Me is the final destination. But if they strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them, but behave kindly with them in this life. [Luqmân 31:14-15]

Ibn al-Qayyim  argued that needy relatives ought to be financially supported, regardless of their religion: What is supported by the evidence is the obligation of spending [on one’s relatives] even if they are of a different religion. This is because of the saying of Allah “And We have enjoined on the human (to be dutiful and excellent) to his parents … But if they strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them, but behave kindly with them in this life” [Luqmân 31:14-15]. There is no dutifulness in letting one’s father or mother live in destitution and hardship while he has abundant wealth. Allah has commanded joining the ties of kinship and considers their severance an enormity and has made the fulfillment of their rights an obligation, even if the kin are unbelievers.” 150-xxxv Ibn al-Qayyim  was arguing there that one ought to spend, not only on one’s non-Muslim ancestors and descendants, but even on one’s brothers and sisters.151 He mentioned several textual proofs for the enormity of shunning one’s kin, and then remarked, It is not kindness to kin to let a relative die of hunger, thirst, or nakedness, while his relative is of the richest people; maintaining one’s ties of kinship is mandatory, even if it is kinship with an unbeliever. To them is their religion, and to the benefactor is his.152-xxxvi

150 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah (1997), 2:792. 151 Of course, these rulings are controversial, even with Muslims, but mentioned in this section for completeness. 152 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah (1997), 2:792. 73

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Social Bonds to Be Maintained Despite an Unbeliever’s Indiscretion Allah says,

َْ ُ ْ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ‫ك ْم ف الْكت‬ ‫الل َّ يُكف ُر بِ َها‬ ‫وقد نزل علي‬ ِ ِ ‫ات‬ ِ ‫اب أن ِإذا س ِمعتم آي‬ ِ ِ ً ْ ُ َّ ْ َ ُ َ ٰ َّ َ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ‫يث غ‬ ‫ويستهزأ بِها فل تقعدوا معهم حت ي‬ ‫ي ِه ِإنكم ِإذا‬ ٍ ‫وضوا ِف ح ِد‬ َْ َ َ َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ُ ْ ِّ ً‫ين ف َج َه َّن َم ِ َجيعا‬ َ ِ ِ ‫مثلهم ِإن الل َّ جا ِمع المنافِ ِقني والكفِ ِر‬

And it has already come down to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah [recited], they are denied [by them] and ridiculed; so do not sit with them until they take up another subject. Indeed, you would then be like them. Indeed, Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell all together. [al-Nisâ’ 4:140]

The verse does not make light of ridiculing the verses revealed by God. It is obvious that it condemns those who stay in such a gathering without showing their disapproval of this wickedness. The verse also threatens the mockers at the end. However, what is striking is this statement, “until they take up another subject.” It allows believers to go back to the gathering when the unbelievers and hypocrites cease to mock the verses of Allah. The exact same statement was repeated in Soorat al-An‘âm [6:68]. The message could not be clearer. You will find the practical application of this guidance in this beautiful story: It has been narrated on the authority of ‘Usâmah bin Zaid that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬rode a donkey. It had on it a saddle, under which was a mattress made at Fadak (a place near Medina). He ‫ ﷺ‬seated ‘Usâmah behind him. He was going to the street of Banu Ḥârith ibn al-Khazraj to inquire about the health of Sa‘d b. ‘Ubâdah. This happened before the Battle of Badr. (He proceeded) until he ‫ ﷺ‬passed by a mixed company of people in which there were Muslims, polytheists, idol worshippers, and Jews. Among them were ‘Abdullâh b. Ubayy and ‘Abdullâh b. Rawâḥah. When the dust raised by the hoofs of the animal spread over the company, ‘Abdullâh b. Ubayy covered his nose 74

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with his mantle and said: Do not scatter the dust over us. (Not minding this remark), the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬greeted them, stopped, dismounted, invited them to Allah, and recited to them the Quran. ‘Abdullâh b. Ubayy said, “Man, if what you say is the truth, the best thing for you would be not to bother us with it in our assemblies. Get back to your place. Whosoever comes to you from us, tell him (all) this.” ‘Abdullâh b. Rawâḥah said, “Nay, come to us in our gatherings, for we love (to hear) it.” [The narrator said:] (At this), the Muslims, polytheists, and Jews began to rebuke one another until they were determined to come to blows. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬continued to pacify them. When they were pacified, he mounted his donkey and came to Sa‘d b. ‘Ubâdah. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “Sa‘d, haven’t you heard what Abu Ḥubâb (referring to ‘Abdullâh b. Ubayy) has said? He has said such and such.” Sa‘d responded, “Messenger of Allah, forgive and pardon. God has granted you a sublime position, (but so far as he is concerned,) the people of this settlement had decided to make him their king by making him wear a crown and a turban (in token thereof), but God has circumvented this by the truth He has granted you. This has made him jealous, and his jealousy (must have) prompted the behavior that you have witnessed.” So, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬forgave him (Ibn Ubayy).153-xxxvii

Notice how they were mixing, and how the Prophet “pacified them” and did not leave until they had calmed down, and how gentle he was with them before and after their indiscretions. Notice how after all that, he referred to ‘Abdullâh ibn Ubayy by his kunyah, “Abu Ḥubâb,” which was a sign of respect. This was also in part to not hurt his tribesman, Ibn ‘Ubâdah. It was the unbelievers during that time who feared the effects of mingling with the believers. They used to say,

153 Agreed upon. This is Muslim›s wording. 75

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

َْ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َ ْ ‫َل ت َ ْس َم ُعوا ل ِ َ ٰه َذا الْ ُق‬ ‫آن َوالغ ْوا ِفي ِه ل َعلك ْم تغ ِلبُون‬ ‫ر‬ ِ

Do not listen to this Qur’an and speak noisily during [the recitation of] it, that perhaps you will overcome. [Fuṣṣilat 41:26]

The beautiful story of the Prophet’s behavior teaches us civility even with uncivil people. A coworker who speaks or behaves inappropriately should still be treated with civility. Of course, there is a place for firmness. There is a time when we must leave a gathering to save our faith. However, there will be still room to interact civilly with that person about work or even sit in a gathering where he/she is present.

The Solemn Pledge – Tying the Knot

Out of all social bonds, this one is very special. It is based on free choice. It is most serious and consequential. Allah called it a solemn pledge/covenant. Allah has allowed Muslim men to marry non-Muslim women if they are from the People of the Book. He says,

ُ َّ ٌّ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ ِّ َّ ُ ُ َ َّ ُ َ ْ َ ْ ‫اب ِحل لك ْم‬ ‫كت‬ ِ ‫الوم أ ِحل لكم الطيبات وطعام‬ ِ ‫الينْ أوتوا ال‬ ْ ُ َ ُ َ َ ۖ ْ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ َّ ٌّ ْ ُ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ ُْ َ َ َ‫ات ِمن‬ ‫ات والمحصن‬ ِ ‫َّوطع ُامكم ْ ِحل لهم ۖ والمحصنات ِمن المؤ ِمن‬ ُ ُ َُْ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ‫ين أوتُوا الكت‬ َ ‫ور ُه َّن ُمْصن‬ َ ‫وه َّن أُ ُج‬ َ‫ني َغ ْي‬ َ ‫ال‬ ‫اب ِمن قب ِلكم إِذا آتيتم‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ َ َ ْ َ َّ ُ ُ َ َ َ ‫ان‬ ٍ ‫مسافِ ِحني ول مت ِخ ِذي أخد‬

This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. And [lawful in marriage are] chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking [secret] lovers. [al-Mâ’idah 5:5]

Still, interreligious marriages are not encouraged in Islam. People should look for commonalities when they seek a life partner. The journey of life is full of challenges, and the initial attraction may fade away with the test of time. Muslims, in particular, live their lives 76

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according to their religious teachings, which guide their actions from the beginning of the day to the end of the night, and constitute a major component of their identity and lifestyle. In addition, in Islam, spouses help one another to serve God by waking each other up for prayers, supporting one another during long days of fasting, attending religious ceremonies together, and so forth. More importantly, they should raise their children jointly and harmoniously, without creating confusion for the children or causing them distress. Despite these vital considerations, Muslim men in Muslim lands were allowed to marry Jewish and Christian women because of the commonalities between the value systems that allow some degree of harmony and common purpose. This meant that a Muslim man may take such a woman as a life partner and establish a relationship of love and compassion with her. Allah says about marriage,

َ ُ َ ِّ ً َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َْ ‫اجا لت ْسكنُوا إِلْ َها َو َج َعل‬ ‫َو ِم ْن آيَاتِ ِه أن خل َق لكم ِّم ْن أنف ِسكم أزو‬ ً َ ْ َ َ ً َّ َ َّ ُ َ ْ َ ...‫حة‬ ‫بينكم مودة ور‬

And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy… [al-Room 30:21]

This also means that a Muslim man willingly accepts a non-Muslim family as the maternal kin of his children, permitting the expected bonds of affection and closeness to develop between his children and them. Some argue that Islam holds an unjustifiable double standard when it bars the Muslim woman from marrying non-Muslim men. This is perhaps because the justification for it has not been expressed. The distinction between the rulings for men and women on this matter is because of the undeniable differences between the roles of husbands and wives within the household. In most cases, it would be easier for a Muslim man to practice his religion while being married to a non-Muslim woman than for a Muslim woman married to a non-Muslim man to practice hers. For example, a Muslim woman is prohibited from having intercourse during her menstrual periods, and for up to 40 days postpartum, and on days on which she is fasting, and this 77

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

restriction may not necessarily be honored by a non-Muslim husband. Muslim men must avoid all forms of injustice toward their wives, including any form of religious compulsion for non-Muslim wives; they are meant to allow their wives to worship God as instructed by their religion. In Aḥkâm Ahl al-Dhimmah, Ibn al-Qayyim explained that a Muslim man must avoid marital relations with his wife if she is required to refrain from that during her mandatory fasting, and may not have any form of intimacy during her period, even what is allowed in his religion,154 if it is forbidden in hers. He may not even prevent her from bringing the cross into his home.155 Muslims believe in the Divine origin of Judaism and Christianity and are required to revere Prophets Moses and Jesus (‘alayhima al-salâm [] – peace be upon them both), but the opposite is not true for Jews and Christians, who may not recognize the Quran and Prophet Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬. Finally, Islam ensures the commitment of its followers to its tenets by way of necessary legislation, and while it permits Muslim men to marry Jewish and Christian women, it does not force those women to accept such marriages.

Goodwill for All and the Golden Rule

Having goodwill for all people should not be controversial. After all, this is what the Quranic story of Prophet Joseph  teaches us. After being thrown into the bottom of the well by his own brothers, when he had full power to avenge himself, he did not hesitate to tell them:

ُ َ َّ ُ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ‫اح‬ َّ ‫ك ْم َو ُه َو أَ ْر َح ُم‬ ‫ني‬ ‫ثيب عليكم الوم يغ ِفر الل ل‬ ِ ِ ‫الر‬ ِ ‫لت‬

No blame will there be upon you today. Allah will forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful. [Yoosuf 12:92]

Moreover, after being unjustly thrown into prison for years by the non-believing ruler of Egypt, Joseph did not hesitate to (unconditionally) provide the ruler with a detailed plan to save the Egyptian people from famine. 154 In Islam, intercourse is forbidden during the menstrual period. Aside from this, other expressions of love and intimacy are permitted. 155 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah (1997), 2:822-823. 78

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In the following hadith, the Prophet clearly states that the Golden Rule applies to all people:

ْ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ َّ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َّ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ‫ح َز َح‬ َ‫ فَلْتَأتِ ِه َمنيَّتُ ُه َو ُهو‬،‫ال َ َّن َة‬ ‫ل‬ ‫خ‬ ‫د‬ ‫ي‬ ‫و‬ ‫ار‬ ‫انل‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ع‬ ‫“فمن أحب ْأن يز‬ ِ ِْ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ َ ُّ ُ َ ُ ُْ َّ َ َ َ ».‫الي يب أن يؤت ِإيل ِه‬ ِ‫هلل َوالَ ْوم‬ ِ ‫اس‬ ِ ‫أت ِإىل انل‬ ِ ِ ‫يؤ ِمن بِا‬ ِ ‫ ول‬،‫اآلخ ِر‬

“Whoever wishes to be delivered from the fire and enter the garden should die with faith in Allah and the Last Day and should treat all people as he wishes to be treated by them.”156

The very missionary nature of Islam stems from a desire to share its beauty and promise with all of humanity. Allah said to His Messenger,

َ ‫ح ًة للْ َعالَم‬ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ‫ني‬ ِ ِ ‫وما أرسلناك إِل ر‬

And We have sent you (O Muhammad) solely as a mercy for al-‘Âlameen (all that exists). [al-Anbiyâ’ 21:107]

Allah says,

ْ ْ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ‫حس‬ ٰ‫ان َوإيتَا ِء ِذي الْ ُق ْر َب‬ ‫ال‬ ِ ‫إِن الل َّ يأمر بِالعد ِل و‬ ِ ِ

Indeed, Allah orders justice and excellent conduct and giving to relatives [al-Naḥl 16:90]

In his interpretation of this verse Makki Ibn Abi Ṭâlib (d. 437 AH) said, Part of iḥsân (excellence) is to love for all the children of Adam what you love for yourself, and to hate for them what you hate for yourself; if someone is a believer, you would love for him to have more faith, and if he is an unbeliever, you would love for him to become a believer and consequently your brother in faith.157-xxxviii Among the practical applications of this concept in our legal tradition is that a Muslim who has incurred a debt to reconcile between people is entitled to zakât. In the authorized position in the Ḥanbali school,

156 Muslim. For a detailed discussion of the haith traditions that pertain to the golden rule, see Justin Parrott, “The Golden Rule in Islam: Ethics of Reciprocity in Islamic Traditions” (Master of Research dissertation, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, 2018), 26-58, http://hdl.handle.net/2451/43458. 157 Makki Ibn Abi Ṭâlib al-Qaysi al-Qayrawâni al-Qurṭubi, Al-hidâyah ila buloogh al-nihâyah fi ‘ilm ma‘âniy al-Qur’ân, ed. al-Shâhid al-Bushaykhi et al. (Sharjah: Sharjah University, 2008), 6:4076. 79

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he/she would be entitled to it whether s/he had incurred that debt to reconcile between disputants who were Muslims or covenanted non-Muslims.158-xxxix This is a nation that wants civil good and peace among not only its own people, but among all peace-loving people. It is no wonder, then, that Muslims brought about reconciliation among the disputant Christians in Jerusalem when the former became its rulers. In The Preaching of Islam, Sir Thomas Arnold writes, Michael the Elder, Jacobite Patriarch of Antioch, writing in the latter half of the twelfth century, could approve the decision of his co-religionists and see the finger of God in the Arab conquests even after the Eastern churches had had experience of five centuries of Muhammadan [i.e., Muslim] rule. After recounting the persecutions of Heraclius, he writes: “This is why the God of vengeance, who alone is all-powerful, and changes the empire of mortals as He will, giving it to whomsoever He will, and uplifting the humble—beholding the wickedness of the Romans who, throughout their dominions, cruelly plundered our churches and our monasteries and condemned us without pity—brought from the region of the south the sons of Ishmael [i.e., Muslims], to deliver us through them from the hands of the Romans. And, if in truth, we have suffered some loss, because the catholic churches, that had been taken away from us and given to the Chalcedonians, remained in their possession; for when the cities submitted to the Arabs, they assigned to each denomination the churches which they found it to be in possession of (and at that time the great church of Emessa and that of Harran had been taken away from us); nevertheless it was no slight advantage for us to be delivered from the cruelty of the Romans, their wickedness, their wrath and cruel zeal against us, and to find ourselves at peace.”159 As promised, this book is not about omission or commission. There are many concepts related to loyalty and disavowal that we cannot simply ignore, even for the cause of reciprocity. Here are some with an explanation of why they are expected, fair, and not conducive to hostility with any unhostile sinners and unbelievers. 158 Manṣour ibn Yoonus al-Buhooti, Kash-shâf al-qinâ‘ (Beirut: Dâr al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, n.d.), 2:281. 159 T.W. Arnold, The Preaching of Islam, 2nd ed. (London: Constable & Company Ltd, 1913), 47. 80

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Salvific Exclusivity

After all the points made above, the concept of salvific exclusivity,160 while not exclusive to Islam, causes many people to suspect it as a catalyst of hate and animosity. It seems that in Europe, the only way to move beyond hostilities between the different religious groups has been to undermine the place of religion or deny that any one of them may be superior to any other. This theological relativism is not accepted by Islam, and the concept of salvific exclusivity seems to be ingrained in the scriptures and tradition. I discuss here some nuances about it and explain why, when appropriately understood, it should not lead to hostility. Dividing people into believers and non-believers is but a depiction of reality, not a construction of it. Let us keep in mind that the point of reference here is a particular religion. As for the claim that this division warrants oppression, there is nothing in the scriptures that justifies oppressing anyone, regardless of their religious affiliation. It is the role of enlightened scholars to transfuse the values of fairness and compassion into the consciousness of the public. Also, most non-Muslims are not waiting for us to grant them visas to enter Paradise, nor do we possess that authority. Being kind, courteous, and ethical when dealing with the non-aggressive adherents of other faiths is an injunction of our religion, but treating them with kindness and justice does not require that we approve of their faith. There is no need to include this matter in every discussion or to consider it a prerequisite to win peoples’ hearts, for it deprives them of the chance to consider personal acceptance of Islam (through conversion), which is the ultimate success (in our belief). It also distracts all of us from opening a fruitful discourse that focuses on preventing oppression, demanding equity, actualizing security, and working toward social justice, economic growth, caring for those in

160 Salvific exclusivity contends that salvation and eternal bliss in the hereafter are only granted to the believers in a particular creed. This section clarifies the nuanced Islamic position on this matter and addresses the issue of accountability. 81

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

need, protecting society from the agreed-upon evils, and even protecting the environment, which is the collective inheritance of humanity. Moreover, if we feel that extending to the People of the Book the status of believers who are granted salvation is necessary for harmony in our homelands, the Muslims in India, China, Europe, and many African countries are probably no less in need of winning over the Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, and pagans in those lands. In that case, should we deny the existence of disbelief altogether? What would eemân (faith) be if no disbelief exists? Every ideology and religion must have boundaries that separate it from the other ideologies and religions. Whoever accepts them as truths and adheres to them becomes a believer in them, and whoever denies them becomes a disbeliever in them. Hence, disbelief in any particular thing is the opposite of faith in it, and the two concepts are interdependent. A religion makes a claim to the ultimate Truth. While postmodern relativism made valuable contributions in relativizing human intellectual output, the same cannot be applied to Religion. Without denying the presence of truths and the utility of dialectics in discovering them, humans should be humble about the output of their intellect. The Divine/Transcendent is not subject to this human fallibility. A religion that claims a Divine origin is either true or false (in its original version, although it might be thereafter adulterated by human error or intent). And while most of our interpretation of it is subject to error, some religious certainties are beyond reinterpretation. If they are false, the religion itself must be false. You cannot be Muslim and deny resurrection or Christian and deny Christ. As we recognize the existence of disbelief, we must also recognize the existence of heresy. The difficulty in explaining salvific exclusivity within the currently dominant intellectual milieu of post-modernist relativism is understandable. However, doing away with Truth and certitude will impoverish the human experience and undermine Faith as the chief giver of meaning and purpose. As for some people striving to describe every person with eemân, this is contrary to numerous proofs in the Quran and Sunnah, as well 82

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as the unanimous agreement of the ummah. In fact, it has been agreed upon by every Divine Revelation. Allah the Exalted says,

َ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َّ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ِّ َ ُ َ َ ُ ُ ُُ ‫ٱلل َّ َو ُر ُس ِل ِه‬ ِ ‫إِن‬ ِ ْ ‫ٱلل َّ َورس ِل ِه َوي ِريدون أن ي َفرقوا بي‬ ِ ‫ٱلُين يكف ُرون ِب‬ َ ٰ َ ْ َ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َُ َْ ُُْ ََ َْ ُ ُْ َ ُ َ ‫ويقولون ن ُؤ ِمن بِبع ٍض ونكفر بِبع ٍض َوي ِريدون أن يت ِخذوا بي ذلِك‬ ً ُّ ً َ َ َ ً َْ َْ ْ ًّ َ َْ ُ َ َ ‫َس ِبيال * أ ْول ٰـ ِئك ه ُم ٱلك ِف ُرون َحقا َوأعتَدنا لِلك ِف ِرين عذابا م ِهينا‬

Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to discriminate between Allah and His messengers and say: “We believe in some and disbelieve in others,” and wish to adopt a way in between – Those are the disbelievers, truly. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment. [al-Nisâ’ 4:150-151]

And,

ُ ُْ ََ ْ ُ َ َ ً َ ْ َْ َ ََْ َ َ ‫اآلخ َر ِة ِم َن‬ ِ ‫اإلسالمِ ِدينا ْفلن يقبل ِمنه َوه َو ِف‬ ِ ‫ومن يبت ِغ غي‬ َ‫الَاسين‬ ِ ِ

And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. [Âl ‘Imrân 3:85]

And,

ً

ُ ‫َو َمن ل َّ ْم يُ ْؤمن بالل َّ َو َر‬ َ ‫ول فَإنَّآ أَ ْعتَ ْدنَا لِلْ َكفِر‬ ‫ين َس ِعريا‬ ‫س‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ

And whoever has not believed in Allah and His Messenger – then indeed, We have prepared for the disbelievers a Blaze. [al-Fatḥ 48:13]

And,

ْ َ ْ َٰ َ ُُْ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ ََُْ َ َ ‫ٱلل َّ وأنتم تشهدون‬ ِ ‫يأهل ٱل‬ ِ ‫ات‬ ِ ‫اب لِم تكفرون بِآي‬ ِ ‫كت‬

O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah while you witness [their truth]? [Âl ‘Imrân 3:70]

The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

83

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

َ َ ُ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َّ ‫“و‬ ْ ٌ َ َ َُ َْ َ ‫هذهِ األ َّم ِة ي ُه َو ِد ٌّي َوال‬ ِ َ َِّ ‫الي نفس مم ٍد َ ِبي ِدهِ ال يس َّمع ِ ُب أحْد ِمن‬ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ْ ُ ْ ْ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ َ‫ن‬ ٌّ ِ ‫ص‬ ‫اب‬ ِ ِ‫ ث َّم يموت َولم يؤ ِمن ب‬،‫ان‬ ِ ‫ ِإال كن ِمن أصح‬،‫الي أر ِسلت بِ ِه‬ َّ “ ‫ار‬ ِ ‫انل‬

“By the One in Whose Hand is Muhammad’s soul, no one of this nation,161 Jew or Christian, will hear of me then die without believing in that with which I have been sent, but he will be one of the people of Hell.”162

The proofs regarding this are beyond being accommodated here, but the ijmâ‘ (consensus) confirming the disbelief of anyone—from no matter which nation—who does not believe in the Messenger of Allah and follow him, was reported by many verifying scholars like Ibn Ḥazm in Marâtib al-Ijmâ‘, ‘Iyâd in al-Shifâ, al-Ghazâli in al-Iqtiṣâdxl and Ibn Taymiyyah in al-Fatâwâ. If you are standing at a multifurcation with your fellow human beings, and you see the path to salvation and prosperity and see them seeking another, is it not mercy here to tell them of the loss that awaits them? Islam is not the only religion that upholds the concept of faith and disbelief, and that people are believers or disbelievers. In fact, the Torah, the Evangel, and the scriptures before them all confirm this. However, what worries many people about the terms disbelief and disbeliever is that during an era of history, like that of the Crusades or the Thirty Years’ War in Europe, they implied “those whose blood can be spilt.” The history of Muslim nations, according to countless testimonies by non-Muslim historians, thinkers, and even “hawkish” politicians, reflects the tolerant ideology of this belief system—even if violations occurred as a result of human error or corruption in applying the Divine instruction. People may still ask, doesn’t believing that another person deserves eternal damnation by God for their disbelief dehumanize them and 161 In Islam, people belong to either ummat al-ijâbah (the nation who responded to the call to enter Islam) or ummat al-da‘wah (the nation that is to be called to Islam). The first is the Muslim nation and the second is all of humanity. It is the second sense that is meant here. 162 Muslim. 84

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harden the hearts against them, which leads to treating them with animosity and oppression? This is, of course, a fair question. As for the eternity of damnation, while this is the mainstream position of Muslim scholars, it is not a matter of consensus among all of them, and as we discussed earlier, we find imams like Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim leaning toward its temporality. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah’s optimistic theodicy may have motivated him to reevaluate the evidence concerning this matter. It is also known that some of the Sufi mystics did not believe in eternal torment. However, what may be more practically relevant here and more accepted by the mainstream views are other concepts that are important to grasp for a better understanding of this issue. First, who is subject to punishment? Only those who rejected the Truth after it was clearly presented to them in a way they can comprehend. Imam al-Ghazâli argued, The majority of the Roman and Turkish Christians in these times are included in the mercy [of Allah]—God willing. I mean those who are in the far away peripheries of the Roman and Turkish lands, whom the call [to Islam] did not reach. For there are three types: A type whom the very name of Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬did not reach, so they are excused. A type whom his name and description reached, as well as the miracles manifested by him, and those are the ones who are close to Muslim lands and mix with Muslims, and they are the deviant disbelievers. A third type that is between the other two, the name of Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬reached them, but not his description and true qualities; they only heard from childhood that a deceptive liar named Muhammad claimed to be a prophet, just like our children hear that a liar called al-Muqaffa‘ claimed that Allah sent him and falsely asserted his prophethood. To me, these are like the first type, for those neither heard his name nor the false claims against him, and these heard the opposite of his true qualities, and such would not motivate them toward further investigation. 163-xli

163 Abu Ḥâmid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazâli, Faiṣal al-tafriqah, ed. Maḥmood Biju (Beirut: Dâr al-Bayrooti, 1993), 84. 85

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

It is interesting that Sh. Muhammad Rashid Reda considered the people of America during his time of the first kind.164-xlii The fairest position on this is to recognize the concept and avoid any blanket statements, as Imam Ibn al-Qayyim stated, The establishment of the plea differs with times, places, and individuals. The plea may be established against the unbelievers in some times, not others, and in some places, not others, and it may be also established on someone, not another, either because of his lack of intellect and discernment, like the child and the insane, or his lack of understanding, like the one who does not understand the speech [language], and no interpreter was present to translate for him.”165-xliii Imam Ibn Taymiyyah speaks specifically here about the Jews and Christians whose scriptures—we believe—have been altered, and says that they will be judged based on what they received: As for those whose time is far from the time of Christ or Moses, and some accounts about them reach them, but not others, the plea becomes established against them concerning what has reached them only. Additionally, if they disagree on the interpretation of parts of the Torah or Gospel, whoever among them sought the truth and excelled in finding it should not be subject to torment, even if they were mistaken, far removed from the truth, and misguided, just like those who seek the truth from among the ummah of Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬.166-xliv

While we are confident that the truth of Islam will shine before a diligent, sincere seeker, we realize that many non-Muslims do genuinely believe in the truth and superiority of their religions. When we asked them to take an oath in a Muslim court, we requested them to swear by Allah who saved Moses if they were Jewish or let Jesus bring the dead to life if they were Christians. We even asked them to take the oath at a church or by the altar.167-xlv 164 Muhammad Rasheed Riḍâ, Tafseer al-manâr (Cairo: al-Hay’ah al-Miṣriyyah al-‘âmmah li-l-Kitâb, 1990), 1:338. 165 Shams al-Deen Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Ṭareeq al-hijratayn wa bâb al-sa‘âdatayn, 2nd ed. (Cairo: Dâr al-Salafiyyah, 1394), 414. 166 Taqi al-Deen Aḥmad ibn ‘Abd al-Ḥaleem Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-jawâb al-ṣaḥeeḥ li man baddala deen al-Maseeḥ, 2nd ed., ed. ‘Ali ibn Ḥasan, ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Ibrâheem, and Ḥamdân ibn Muhammad (Riyadh: Dâr al-‘Âṣimah, 1419/1999), 2:301. 167 Manṣoor ibn Yoonus al-Buhooti, Sharḥ muntaha al-irâdât (Beirut: ‘Âlam al-Kutub, 1414/1993), 3:614-615. 86

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Second, Islam teaches us that people’s spiritual condition is more fluid than we think. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ َّ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ ْ َ ُ َْ َّ ْ ‫ي ُه إِن أ َح َدك ْم لَع َمل بِ َع َم ِل أه ِل الَن ِة َح َّت َما‬ ‫الي ال إِل غ‬ ‫“فو‬ ِ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ْ ْ َ َ ُ ْ َ َّ ُ ٌ َ َّ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ ُ ‫كت َاب فيختم ل بِعم ِل‬ ِ ‫ي َكون بينه وبينه ُا ِإال ِذر َاع ثم يس ِبق علي ِه ال‬ ْ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ‫انلار َح َّت ما‬ َّ ‫ك ْم َلَ ْع َم ُل ب َع َمل أ ْهل‬ ‫د‬ ‫ح‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫إ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ل‬ ‫خ‬ ‫د‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ار‬ ‫انل‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ه‬ ‫أ‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ ِ ُ َ ِ ْ ْ َ َ ُ ْ َ َّ ُ ٌ َ َّ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ِ ُ َ َ َ ُ ‫كتاب فيختم ل بِعم ِل‬ ِ ‫يكون بينه وبينها إِال َِذراع ث ْم يس ِبق ع ُلي ِه ال‬ ْ ُ ْ َ َّ ‫أه ِل الَن ِة فيَدخل َها‏»‏‬

“By the One beside Whom there is none other worthy of worship! One of you will do deeds of the people of Paradise, until there is between him and it but a forearm span, then he is overcome by what is written for him, and he is sealed off with the deeds of the people of the Fire, so that he enters it. And indeed, one of you will do deeds of the people of the Fire, until there is between him and it but a forearm span, then he is overcome by what is written for him, and he is sealed off with the deeds of the people of Paradise, so that he enters it.”168

While this hadith must be understood within the framework of Divine justice and compassion, it tells us that we cannot tell without Divine Revelation who goes to paradise and who does not. Imam al-Ghazâli said, Even when he [the scholar] sees an unbeliever, it would not be allowed for him to treat him arrogantly for it is conceivable that the unbeliever accepts Islam and he concludes his life in a state of faith, and that [Muslim] scholar goes astray, and he concludes his life in a state of disbelief. 169-xlvi Allah reminds us that we can never lose hope even for the worst of people. He said to the believers about the disbelievers of Quraysh who tortured them and condemned them without pity,

168 al-Tirmidhi, on the authority of Abdullâh ibn Mas ‘ood. 169 al-Ghazâli, Iḥyâ’ ‘Uloom al-Deen, 3:364. 87

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

َّ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ُ ‫ين َع َد ْيتُم ِّمنْ ُهم َّم َو َّد ًة ۚ َو‬ َ ‫ال‬ ٌ ‫الل َّ قَ ِد‬ ‫َعس‬ ۚ ‫ير‬ ِ ‫الل َّ أن يعل بينكم َوبي‬ ٌ ‫الل َّ َغ ُف‬ ُ ‫َو‬ ٌ ‫ور َّرح‬ ‫يم‬ ِ

Perhaps Allah will put, between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them, affection. And Allah is competent, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [al-Mumtaḥanah 60:7]

If I am not one who receives revelation from God, I cannot predict my own destination, let alone that of anyone else. All I am required to do is be just with all people and kind to those who do not oppress me because of my religion. The knowledge of my and their final abodes belongs to God alone and has no bearing on how I should treat them.

Loving the Unbelievers for Their Unbelief

This is the religious love (love because of the religion or brotherhood of faith), not the natural love we feel for a good neighbor, a compassionate wife, or a caring mother. As for religious love, it is only expected that when someone loves a group of people because of their faith—a faith that entails rejection of Islam—this person cannot have faith in their heart. About this, the absolute implication of the following verse applies.

َّ َ ْ َ ْ ْ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ْ ُ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ ْ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ‫الظالم‬ ‫ني‬ ‫الل َّ ال يه ِدي القوم‬ ‫ومن يتولهم ِمنكم ف ِإنه ِمنهم إِن‬ ِِ

And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people. [al-Mâ’idah 5:51].

These verses do not speak of loving certain individuals, but groups of unbelievers. The common denominator here is disbelief. If the love is because of that denominator, then it is incompatible with faith.170-xlvii

Loving Unbelievers Hostile to Allah and His Religion

To love those who are hostile to Allah and His religion is forbidden. Unlike the previous case, the love here is not of a religious nature: 170 See: Ibn ‘Âshoor, Al-taḥreer wal-tanweer, 3:217. 88

Agreements

it is not because of their disbelief, but for worldly bonds or gains. In this case, loving them does not amount to disbelief, but it is certainly forbidden.171-xlviii Allah says,

ْ ْ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ ُّ َ ُ َ ُ ُْ ً َْ ُ َ ‫الل َّ َو َالَ ْومِ ال َ ِخ ِر يوادون َمن حاد الل َّ ورس‬ ‫ول َول ْو‬ ِ َ ِ‫تد قوما يؤ ِمنون ب‬ ِ ‫ال‬ ْ ْ ْ ُ َ َْ ْ ْ ُ َ َ ُ َ ْ‫ري َت ُهم‬ َ ‫خ َو َان ُه ْم أ ْو َعش‬ ‫كنوا آباءهم أو أبناءهم أو ِإ‬ ِ

You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who [viciously]172 oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. [al-Mujâdilah 58:22]

And,

َ ُ َ َّ َ َّ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ُ ُ ‫ين اتذ َوا ِدينَك ْم ه ُز ًوا َول ِعبًا ِّم َن‬ ‫ال‬ ‫يا أيها ال‬ ِ ‫ين آمنوا ل تتخذوا‬ ْ ِ ُ ُ َ َّ ُ ْ َ ْ ُ ِْ َ َ َ ُ‫الل َّ إن ُكنتم‬ َ ‫اء ۚ َو َّات ُقوا‬ َ ‫ك َّف‬ َ َ‫ار أ ْو ِل‬ ‫كتاب ِمن قب ِلكم وال‬ ِ ِ ‫الين أوتوا ال‬ ِ َ‫ُّم ْؤمنني‬ ِِ

O you who have believed, do not take as allies those who have taken your religion in ridicule and amusement among the ones who were given the Scripture before you, nor the disbelievers. And fear Allah , if you should [truly] be believers. [al-Mâ’idah 5:57]

Siding with non-Muslims against Muslims

A Muslim who gives victory to the unbelievers, by fighting with them and aiding them in their oppression of Muslims, is like them; Allah says,

ْ ُ َّ َ َ َّ َّ ُ َ َُْ َّ ُ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َ ُ َ ‫يم كنتُ ْم قالوا كنا‬ ‫ين ت َوفاه ْ ُم َ ال َمالئِكةَ ظال ِ ِم أن َف ِس ِه ْم قالوا ِف‬ ‫ال‬ ِ ‫ِإن‬ ْ ُ َ َْ ُ َ ْ َ‫ك ْن أ ْر ُض الل َّ َواس َع ًة َفتُ َهاج ُروا فيها‬ َ َ ‫ُم ْستَضع ِفني ِف ال ُر ِض قال ْوا ألم ت‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ً ْ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ‫اءت َم ِصريا‬ ‫ولك مأواهم جهنم وس‬ ِ ‫فأ‬

Indeed, those whom the angels take [in death] while wronging themselves, [the angels] will say, “In what [condition] were

171 See: Ibn ‘Âshoor, Al-taḥreer wal-tanweer, 3:218. 172 See the reason behind this insertion in the chapter “Can Muslims Be Friends with Non-Muslims and Love Them?” 89

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

you?” They will say, “We were oppressed in the land.” [The angels] will say, “Was not the earth of Allah spacious [enough] for you to emigrate therein?” For those, their refuge is Hell – and evil it is as a destination. [al-Nisâ’ 4:97].

This ayah was revealed in reference to the believers who participated in the Battle of Badr on the side of the polytheists, in order to appease their fathers. A person who deserts the community of believers to join another community has severed all connections between him/ her and Allah. Allah says,

َ َّ َ َٰ ْ ْ َ َ ُ ْ ُْ َ ‫اء من ُدون ال ْ ُم ْؤمن‬ َ ‫ون الْ َكفِر‬ َ َ‫ين أَ ْو ِل‬ ‫ني َو َمن يف َعل ذلِك‬ ‫ل ي َّت ِخ ِذ المؤ ِمن‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ َ َّ ْ َ ُ َ ََْ ُ ْ َ ُ ُ ُ ُۖ ِّ َ ُ َ ً َ ُ ْ ُ ْ ‫ش ٍء ِإل أن ت َّتقوا ِمنهم تقاة ۗ ويذركم‬ ۗ ‫الل َّ نف َسه‬ ‫الل َّ ِف‬ ‫فلي َس ِم َن‬ ِ ُ ‫َوإ َل الل َّ ال ْ َمص‬ ‫ري‬ ِ ِ ِ

Let not believers take disbelievers as allies instead of [taking fellow] believers [as allies]. And whoever [of you] does that has nothing with Allah, except when taking precaution against them in prudence. And Allah warns you of Himself, and to Allah is the [final] destination. [Âl ‘Imrân 3:28]

The person who betrays the believers and fights alongside their enemies or assists them does so either because he favors the disbelievers and their religion over the believers and their religion, or because of worldly gains or other motives. In the first case, there is no controversy that he has fallen into disbelief, and in the second, the act would be an enormous and disgraceful sin, but not an act of disbelief. The following story about Ḥâṭib supports this distinction. Al-Bukhâri reported from ‘Ali : Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬sent me, al-Zubair and al-Miqdâd, saying, “Proceed till you reach Rawdat Khâkh, where there is a lady carrying a letter. Take that (letter) from her.” So, we set out with our horses at a gallop till we reached the Rawdah, and there we found the lady and said to her, ““Take out the letter.” She replied, “I have no letter.” We responded, “Take out the letter, or else we will take off your clothes.” So, she took it out of her braid, and we brought the letter to Allah’s Messenger ‫ﷺ‬. The letter was addressed from Ḥâṭib ibn Abi Balta‘a to some pagans of Makkah (Mecca), telling them about what Allah’s Messenger 90

Agreements

intended to do. Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬said, “O Ḥâṭib! What is this?” Ḥâṭib replied, “O Messenger of Allah! Do not make a hasty decision about me. I was a person not belonging to Quraysh, but I was an ally to them from outside and had no blood relation with them, and all the Emigrants who were with you have got their kinsmen (in Makkah) who can protect their families and properties. So, I wanted to do them a favor so that they might protect my relatives. I did not do this to apostatize from my religion, nor did I do it to choose disbelief after Islam.” Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬said to his Companions. “As regards him, he has told you the truth.” ‘Umar exclaimed, “O Messenger of Allah! Allow me to chop off the head of this hypocrite!” The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said, “He has participated in the Battle of Badr, and—how can you tell?—perhaps Allah looked at those who witnessed Badr and said, “O people of Badr, do what you like, for I have forgiven you.” Then Allah revealed the verse: “O you who believe! Take not my enemies and your enemies as allies ...” [al-Mumtaḥanah 60:1]xlix

This does not mean, however, that we never fight alongside non-Muslims. It is known that the Prophet was involved in an alliance with the mainly non-Muslim tribe of Khuzâ‘ah. It is also reported by Dhi Mikhbar that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َْ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ُ َ ُ ُ ً ْ‫وم ُصل‬ َ ‫الر‬ ُّ ‫ون‬ ”.‫ فتَغ ُزون أنتُ ْم َوه ْم َع ُد ًّوا ِم ْن َو َرائِك ْم‬،‫حا آ ِمنًا‬ ‫ال‬ ِ ‫“ستص‬ “You will make a secure peace with the Romans, then you and they will fight an enemy behind you.”173

It is about the purpose of the alliance. If it is one like the Alliance of Virtue (ḥilf al-fuḍool), then we would certainly partake in it.174

173 Abu Dâwood. 174 The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said, ”.‫“لقد شهدت في دار عبد الله بن جدعان حلفا ما أحب أن لي به حمر النعم ولو أدعى به في الإسلام لأجبت‬ “I was witness to an alliance in the house of ‘Abdallâh ibn Jud‘ân that was more beloved to me than a herd of red camels [an ancient Arabian metaphor for wealth], and were I to be invited to join it now in the time of Islam, I would most certainly join it.” Reported by Aḥmad and others, about this agreement that took place in the pre-Islamic era and was attended by Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬before he received Revelation. 91

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Taking Them in Place of the Believers as One’s Closest Friends

What if they are not hostile and one is not loving them for their deen (religion) or supporting them against Muslims, but one makes them one’s closest friends in place of the believers, surrounding oneself with them and distancing oneself from the believers? This is still condemnable. Allah says,

َ ُ ْ ُْ َّ ‫َّل َي‬ َ ‫اء من ُدون ال ْ ُم ْؤمن‬ َ ‫ون الْ َكفِر‬ َ َ‫ين أَ ْو ِل‬ ‫ني‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ؤ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫خ‬ ‫ت‬ ِ ِ ِ ِِ ِ ِ ِ

Let not believers take disbelievers as allies instead of [taking fellow] believers [as allies]. [Âl ‘Imrân 3:28]

While someone may have non-Muslims among their closest friends, separating from the community of believers and surrounding oneself with non-Muslims in place of Muslims is a sign of one’s weak faith and lack of commitment to Islam. He or she will not find someone to remind them of Allah when they forget, or to correct them when they err. Such a person shall say on the Day of Resurrection,

َّ َ ْ َ َ ً َ ً ُ ْ َّ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ْ ْ ِّ ‫ لقد أ َضل ِن َع ِن اذلك ِر َبع َد إِذ‬،‫تذ فالنا خ ِليال‬ ِ ‫يا ويلت لتن لم أ‬ ً ُ َ ْ ْ ُ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ِ َ ‫ان خذوال‬ ِ ‫لنس‬ ِ ‫جاء ِن وكن الشيطان ِل‬

Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one as a friend. He led me away from the remembrance after it had come to me. And Satan is forever, to humankind, a deserter. [al-Furqân 25:28-29]

Deserting Islamic Teachings to Please non-Muslims

He who obeys the non-Muslims in their creedal or moral choices or worldviews, which conflict with Islam, has committed an enormity that may be at times an act of disbelief. Allah says,

ُ َ ْ َ ً ْ ُ ْ ْ ُ َ َ ِّ َ ْ ُ ْ ْ َ ‫فاص ِب ِلك ِم ربك وال ت ِطع ِمنهم آثِما أو كفورا‬

So be patient for the decision of your Lord and do not obey from among them a sinner or a disbeliever. [al-Insân 76:24] 92

Agreements

He also says,

َ ُ َّ َ َ َّ َ‫ول م ْن َب ْعد َما تَب‬ َ ‫ي‬ َُ ‫ي‬ َ ْ ‫ل ال ْ ُه َدى َو َيتَّب ْع َغ‬ ‫َو َم ْن يُشاقِ ِق الرس‬ ‫يل‬ ‫ب‬ ‫س‬ ِ ِ ِ ْ ِ ِ ً َ ‫ال ْ ُم ْؤمن‬ َ ‫ني نُ َو ِّ ِل َما تَ َو َّل َونُ ْص ِل ِه َج َه َّن َم َو َس‬ ‫اءت َم ِصريا‬ ِِ

And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers – We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination. [al-Nisâ’ 4:115]

And He says,

َْْ ْ ُ ُ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ َ ‫يعك ْم ِف َبع ِض الم ِر‬ ‫لين ك ِرهوا ما نزل الل سن ِط‬ ِ ِ ‫ذلِك بِأنهم قالوا ل‬

That is because they said to those who disliked what Allah sent down, “We will obey you in part of the matter.” And Allah knows what they conceal. [Muhammad 47:26]

As for the one who obeys them in sin, while admitting of his sin, or emulates them, while being cognizant of his error, he will be guilty of the lesser form of polytheism, for the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ َ َ ََ ْ ”‫“ َم ْن تش َّبه بِق ْومٍ ف ُه َو ِمن ُه ْم‬

“He who emulates a people is one of them.”175

As we explain later, this is emulation in that which is abominable or characteristic of their religious practices, or out of admiration of their religion, or due to defeatism and inferiority. Imam Ibn ‘Aqeel stated, If you wish to know the place of Islam in the hearts of the people of your time, do not look at their crowding at the doors of the mosques or their shouting “labbayk!” at the station [in hajj], but rather, look at their agreement with the enemies of Sharia.176-l

175 Abu Dâwood. 176 Muhammad Ibn Mufliḥ, Al-âdâb al-shar‘iyyah (Cairo: Âalam al-Kutub, n.d.), 1:237. 93

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Failing to Migrate Despite Being Unable to Practice the Religion Openly

Those in this situation who can migrate and fail to do so have clearly failed in the practice of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’. Imam Ibn Qudâmah says in al-‘Umdah, “Hijrah (migration) is mandatory for those who cannot openly practice their religion in the abode of war, and it is recommended for those who can [practice it there].”177-li This is the position, not only of the Ḥanbalis, but also of the Ḥanafis, Shâfi‘is, and some Mâlikis. The authorized view of the Mâlikis and Ibn Ḥazm require migration to Muslim lands even when Muslims are capable of openly practicing their deen in non-Muslim lands. Of course, they all agree that those who are unable to practice their deen openly and can migrate must migrate. Allah says,

ُ َ ُ َ ُ َ َّ ُ ُ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ َّ َّ ‫يم كنتُ ْم قالوا كنا‬ ‫ين ت َوفاه ُم ْال َ َملئِكة ظ َال ِ ِم أنف ِس َِه ْم قالوا ِف‬ ‫ال‬ ِ ‫ِإن‬ َۖ ً َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ ْ ُ َ َْ ُ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُ ‫اجروا‬ ِ ‫مستضع ِفني ِف الر‬ ِ ‫الل َّ و‬ ِ ‫ض ۚ قال ْوا ألم تكن أرض‬ ِ ‫اسعة فته‬ ْ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ ٰ َ ُ َ َ ً‫ت َمصريا‬ ‫ولك مأواهم جهنم وساء‬ ِ ‫ِفيها ۚ فأ‬ ِ ۖ

Indeed, those whom the angels take [in death] while wronging themselves – [the angels] will say, “In what [condition] were you?” They will say, “We were oppressed in the land.” [The angels] will say, “Was not the earth of Allah spacious [enough] for you to emigrate therein?” For those, their refuge is Hell – and evil it is as a destination. [al-Nisâ’ 4:97]

Today, the entire world is an abode of ṣulḥ (conciliation) by default, as a result of the United Nations Charter. However, Muslims should always be ready to migrate to a Muslim majority land if they fear for their deen (religion) or that of their children.

Religious Walâ’ and Religion as an Identity Maker Allah says,

177 Hatem al-Haj, ‘Umdat al-Fiqh Explained: A Commentary on Ibn Qudamah’s The Reliable Manual of Fiqh (Riyadh: IIPH, 2020), 2:451. 94

Agreements

َ ُ ْ َ َّ َ ُ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ُ َ َ ُ ُ ُ ُّ َ َ َّ ‫الصالة َو ُيؤتون‬ ‫الين ي ِقيمون‬ ِ ‫الين آمنوا‬ ِ ‫ِإنما و ِلكم الل َّ ورسول و‬ َّ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ َّ ‫الل‬ ‫ ومن يتول‬،‫الزكة وهم را ِكعون‬ ِ ‫الل َّ ورسول و‬ ِ ‫الين آمنوا ف ِإن ِحزب‬ َ ُ َْ ُ ُ ‫هم الغ ِالون‬

Your ally is none but Allah and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed – those who establish prayer and give zakah, and they bow [in worship]. And whoever is an ally of Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed – indeed, the party of Allah – they will be the predominant. [al-Mâ’idah 5:55 & 56]

As I mentioned earlier, most researchers find religious identity to be one of the most influential among all of our identity makers, and it is, for many, the most influential by far. This phenomenon is not exclusive to Islam. Using religion as an identity is a common human practice. Evangelicals in America are one example. However, excessiveness in this respect is not only detrimental to interfaith relations, but to the very religion that is being identified with, and to the spiritual state of those who adhere to it. The first half of the creed of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’, which is walâ’ (loyalty), should not pose any concern for non-Muslims if they understand what it actually means. Yet, the reality is that many of them dislike the formidable bonds that unite this ummah. This would be expected of imperialists who want to divide and conquer, and of extreme globalists who want to dissolve any and all substantive cultural distinctions between people. The discussion on the caliphate, for example, bothers many non-Muslim ideologues and Islamophobes. This could be a natural fear of the adversary’s strength, but it still does not justify them censuring the Muslims for striving to actualize some semblance of unity that is suitable for their geopolitical realities. This is especially hypocritical when some in the European Union reject Turkey’s membership in what they see as a preserve of “Christendom,” because Turkey is a Muslim nation that incorporates Islamic values in its laws and social norms. One may argue that most European politicians do not speak this language. This may be true. However, they have a free discourse about their union, and they should let Muslims have one about the caliphate as well. Ul95

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

timately, the caliphate does not have to be styled after the Umayyad or Abbasid ones. Muslims will have to answer many questions about its shape. Does it consist of a central, federal, or confederal government? What is the plausibility of that? Could the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) serve that purpose, if it took gradual steps toward becoming more like the European Union, allowing Muslim and non-Muslim states to join if they wished to? Still—since history testifies to excessiveness in this allegiance (just as with tribalism, nationalism, and racism) that actually led to horrendous conflicts that would recurrently flare up after dying down—should we not excuse them? Perhaps those who fear the thought of a caliphate should be excused. until we clarify the pure Islamic edition of this allegiance to them and abide by it ourselves. The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬stripped this religious allegiance from its potential prejudice. He said,

ً ُ‫اك َظال ًما أَ ْو َم ْظل‬ َ ‫ص أَ َخ‬ ْ ُ ْ ‫“ان‬ ”‫وما‬ ِ

“Support your brother, whether [he is] an oppressor or one being oppressed.”

And when a man asked, “O Messenger of Allah, I can support him if he is oppressed, but how do I support him when he is an oppressor?” He ‫ ﷺ‬responded,

ُّ ُ ُّ ُ َ َ ‫الظلْم؛ فَ َذ‬ ُ ْ َ‫اك ن‬ ”‫ص َك ِإيَّ ُاه‬ ‫“تكفه َع ِن‬ ِ

“By deterring him from oppression. That is supporting him.”178

How beautiful and excellent are his teachings! It is an allegiance that does not require its patrons to transgress or to endorse falsehood. In fact, verses of the Quran were revealed that defended a Jew who was wrongly accused of theft by a Muslim claimant. So, Allah (st) said to His Messenger:

178 al-Bukhâri, on the authority of Anas. 96

Agreements

َ ُ َ ََ َ ُ ْ َ ِّ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َّ َ ْ ‫ك َم َب‬ َّ ‫ي‬ ‫اس بِما أراك‬ ‫كتاب بِالق ِلح‬ ‫الل َّ ۚ َول‬ ِ ‫انل‬ ِ ‫ِإنا أنزلا ِإلك ال‬ َ ْ ِّ ُ َ ً‫ني َخصيما‬ َ ‫خائن‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫تكن لل‬

Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth so you may judge between people by that which Allah has shown you. And do not be an advocate for the deceitful. [al-Nisâ’ 4:105]

Let us remember that the deceitful one here was from the Anṣâr, who sheltered and supported the Companions. Furthermore, convicting the Jew—one of the Jews of Madinah, many of whom had plotted, provoked the polytheists, and incited the hypocrites against the Muslims—of this crime would have averted the potential discord between the Anṣâr. These verses came so that Allah, the Glorified, may say to the Muslim community that justice between people, all people, is the essence of the Divine Way, and consequently supersedes every consideration of worldly interests. Related to this, in a later chapter I also discuss what allegiance to the ummah means to Muslim minorities, and how it does not mean betrayal of their compatriots at times of conflict. If we have the proper understanding of this allegiance, effectively explain it, and candidly act on it, we are not required to apologize to Islamophobes about our loyalty to the Muslim community, and they have no right to interrogate us about it, nor about our desire for unity, even if it scares them. We are responsible for our actions and statements, not for their speculations and paranoia.

97

98

Controversies

The issues discussed here are somewhat controversial. This does not mean that there is no position that is clearly stronger than the others. There is. Naturally, it is, to me, what I support, as explained here below. • Do we hate the sin and disbelief or the sinners and disbelievers? • Can Muslims love non-Muslims and be friends with them?

• What is the extent to which interfaith activities may be taken? • What are the empirical referents of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’?

• Does having an Islamic reference point necessitate a clash of civilizations?

But first, some questions that may be fair to ask are: Why the ambiguity? Why did God allow all this controversy? Why weren’t His teachings clearer and more accessible to all? After all, we recognize that many scholars, let alone the Muslim general public, disagree over these topics. They have different interpretations and syntheses, sometimes resulting from (and leading to) contrasting worldviews. Well, the answer is not a simple one. To understand why we live in the “best of all possible worlds,” we must come to terms with the purpose of its creation. Allah says,

َّ ً َ ْ َ ُ َ ُ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ‫الي خل َق ال َم ْوت َوالَيَاة ِلَبْل َوك ْم أيُّك ْم أح َس ُن ع َمل‬ ِ

[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deeds [al-Mulk 67:2]

Part of the test is being tried by one another, as Allah says,

99

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

َ ُّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ ً َ ْ ْ ْ ْ ُ ً ‫ك بَص‬ ‫ريا‬ ‫َو َج َعلنَا َبع َضك ْم ِ َلع ٍض فِتنة أتص ِبون وكن رب‬ ِ

And We have made some of you [people] as trial for others – will you have patience? And ever is your Lord, Seeing. [al-Furqân 25:20]

The test does not end when we become Muslim. The scholars agree that we need guidance to Islam and guidance in Islam. To be deserving of Divine guidance, we need to purify our intentions by true devotion to Allah. We also need to constantly rehabilitate our fiṭrah (pure original disposition) and heal it from the ills of bias (hawa), ulterior motives (aghrâḍ), blind imitation (taqleed), habit (‘âdah), and conjecture (kharṣ). This can only be done through spiritual labor and immersion in the Revelation as understood and practiced by the first community.

Do We Hate the Sin and Disbelief or the Sinners and Disbelievers?

A central question to understanding the concept of barâ’ is whether the Muslim should hate the evil or the evil people? the sin or the sinners? disbelief or the disbelievers? You may find indications in the scriptures to support both propositions. The concept of hating for the sake of Allah is expectedly a very intricate one. Some of it is lost (or distorted) in translation. It is not the translation from language to language only: it is the translation from one worldview to another as well. When people hear the phrase “hate for God,” they think that Muslims are told to hate others. This translates in people’s minds as wanting to harm them. Maybe if they know that, in our literature, there is much talk about hating oneself, they will understand that it is not that kind of hate. Rather, it is the hate of lovers who want the best for themselves and humanity. In Madârij al-Sâlikeen, Ibn al-Qayyim quotes one of the righteous predecessors as saying, “You will not have proper understanding until you hate all people for Allah’s sake, then

100

Controversies

turn to yourself and hate that the most.”179-lii Ibn al-Qayyim elaborates on this and explains that you will do that when you compare His graciousness to our (human) failures, wickedness, and treachery. However, you will then remind yourself of His vast all-encompassing mercy and wish (and work) for their and your salvation. Our (religious) hate of sin is the hate of the haters and our (religious) hate of the sinners is that hate of the lovers. It is like when a teenager is using drugs, and stealing in order to buy those drugs, and his mother, in her pain and anger, tells him, “I hate you for what you’re doing to our family.” She truly hates his conduct and may hate him for causing harm to himself and others. After all, you should not have bad wishes for those you hate, and we wish all people the ultimate success. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah  said about this parental feeling toward the sinners, “Therefore, it is incumbent that the one who punishes people for their sins does that out of goodwill and mercy for them, like the parent when they discipline their child and the physician when they treat their patient, for the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said, ‘I am to you like a parent.’”180-liii When the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬supplicated for the destruction of certain Arab tribes that were killing and oppressing the believers, Allah revealed to him,

ِّ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ٌ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ َ ‫وب َعليْ ِه ْم أ ْو ي َعذ َب ُه ْم ف ِإن ُه ْم ظال ِ ُمون‬ ‫ليس لك ِمن الم ِر شء أو يت‬

Not for you, [O Muhammad, but for Allah], is the decision whether He should [cut them down] or forgive them or punish them, for indeed, they are wrongdoers. [Âl ‘Imrân 3:128]

So, the Prophet stopped supplicating against the oppressors, but continued to supplicate for the oppressed. The answer may also have to do with how we define human consciousness. There is the transcendental ego, but it is argued that we are a bundle or continuum of qualities and states that are being con179 Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Madârij al-Sâlikeen, ed. Muhammad al-Baghdâdi (Beirut: Dâr al-Kitâb al-‘Arabi, 1416/1996), 1:437. 180 Aḥmad ibn ‘Abd al-Ḥaleem ibn Taymiyyah, Minhâj al-sunnah al-nabawiyyah, ed. Muhammad Rashâd Sâlim (Riyadh: Jâmi‘at al-Imâm Muhammad ibn Sa‘ood, 1406/1986), 5:237. 101

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

stantly renewed by every act of intentionality. Both definitions are true in their own respect. To demonstrate the latter, let us ponder this statement of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬,

َ ُ َْ َ َ ٌ ْ ُ َْ َ َْ َ ْ ُ َْ َ َّ ‫“ال يَ ْزن‬ ‫سق َوه َو‬ ‫سق ِحني ي‬ ‫ وال ي‬،‫الز ِان ِحني يز ِن وهو مؤ ِمن‬ ِ ِ ِ َ َ ٌ ُْ ْ ٌ َ ْ ُ َّ َ ٌ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ‫ال ي‬ ”‫‏‬.‫اتل ْو َبة َمع ُروضة َبع ُ‏‏د‬ ‫ و‬،‫ش ُب ِحني يشبها وهو مؤ ِمن‬ ‫ و‬،‫مؤ ِمن‬

“The one who commits an act of illegal sexual intercourse is not a believer at the time of committing illegal sexual intercourse, a thief is not a believer at the time of committing theft, and a drinker [of alcoholic drink] is not a believer at the time of drinking. Yet, (the gate of) repentance is open thereafter.”181

And to demonstrate the first, let us ponder this: Abu Hurayrah said, “The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬came across me in one of the streets of Medina and at that time I was junub (in a state of major ritual impurity). So, I slipped away from him and went to take a [ritually purifying] bath. On my return the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said, “O Abu Hurayrah, where have you been?” I replied, “I was junub, so I disliked sitting in your company.” The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬exclaimed,

َ َ ْ ُ ْ َّ َ َ ْ ُ ُ ْ‫ال َين‬ ‫س”‏‏‬ ‫ج ُ‏‬ ‫ إِن المؤ ِمن‬،َّ ‫الل‬ ِ ‫‏”‏سبحان‬

“Subḥân Allah! A believer never becomes impure.”182

Abu Hurayrah was talking about his state of ritual impurity at the time, and the Prophet was pointing out to him that it is the transcendental ego that matters in this respect. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah wrote one of the fairest expositions that takes into consideration the concept of the human consciousness as a bundle of acts of intentionality, where he says that a man may be loved and hated simultaneously: loved in some respects and hated in other respects. There certainly is a difference between the action and the individual who performs it, and thus not everyone who practices an innovation, for instance, is called an innovator. Also, the individual may be excused due to ignorance, error, or forgetfulness. Yet, there cannot be complete separation between the action and its 181 Agreed upon. 182 Agreed upon.

102

Controversies

doer, whereby it would be said, a man should hate theft, but should love the thieves, and/or should not take a stand against them. If hate is meant to protect us from evil and the evil doers, 183 exaggerating the abstraction between the action and the actor may not serve that purpose. After all, in reality there is no evil that exists in abstraction from those who (would) do that particular evil. Even a platonic realist would not say that: to Plato, evil was a privation of good. A Muslim may be pressed to answer the following question: Do you love Christians? Christians are the group closest to us Muslims, according to nothing less than the text of the Quran itself. Still, the dilemma here is that the denominator is a creed or practice that a Muslim—a monotheist by definition—opposes, such as the trinity. The right and sensitive answer should be that we love our human family, our neighbors, and our compatriots, including those of other faiths. It is unfair to make the denominator something objectionable and then try to force me to proclaim my love for those who share that denominator. It would then imply that I love them for their belief in the trinity, which I consider to be a betrayal of Christ’s legacy, or for their disbelief in the prophethood of Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬. Yet, if I say no, the answer is easily misunderstood to mean that I would not love any Christians. Having said this, don’t we value the kindness of those non-Muslims who support our cause? Don’t we feel their kindness when they hold “We love Muslims” signs? I do not think anyone with a good nature would not appreciate that kindness. I think such a gesture is understood within the particular context of supporting a group of people suffering from discrimination. I would also understand if Muslims did the same in reverse circumstances. Religiously mandated hate entails worshiping Allah by loving what He loves and hating what He hates. It is hatred of the sinners, not in themselves, because we continue to wish them guidance, but insofar as they represent and embody sin. However, it is also important to clarify that this hatred coexists with other kinds of love, for example, the natural love. For instance, a righteous person hates gossip and gossipers, so does he hate his gossiping mother, who is the kindest, 183 Merrick, “Hating Evil,” 1. 103

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

most compassionate person toward him? Looking at the human being as a bundle of actions and convictions, the answer is yes, he will hate that trait of hers (some may say, “he should hate her insofar as she represents that ugly habit”) but will love her because of her compassion toward him and all her other merits. That is what is understood by the principle of “loving the Muslim in proportion to the good he exhibits and hating him in proportion to the evil he exhibits.”184-liv We must also remember that with the exception of two Quranic verses, all the others declared disavowal of sin, not of the sinners. One of these two verses is not completely clear:

َ ْ ِّ ْ َ ْ َ ٌ َََ ُ ‫ان ِّم َن الل َّ َو َر‬ َ ‫ال ْك َب أَ َّن‬ ٌ ‫الل َّ بَر‬ َّ ‫ول إ َل‬ َ ‫اس يوم ال‬ ‫يء ِّم َن‬ ‫ج‬ ‫انل‬ ‫س‬ ‫وأذ‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ُ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُْ ُ‫ول‬ ‫ش ِكني ۙ ورس‬ ِ ‫الم‬

And [it is] an announcement from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allah is disassociated from the disbelievers, and [so is] His Messenger. [al-Tawbah 9:3]

The meaning of “anna Allâha baree’un min al-mushrikeen wa rasooluhu” in 9:3 could also be interpreted as “Allah and His Messenger dissolve (treaty) obligations with the Pagans”—as in Yusuf Ali’s translation. The second verse is concerning Abraham’s people. Initially, he had said to them,

َ َْ ٌ ‫إنَّن بَ َر‬ ‫اء ِم َّما تعبُ ُدون‬ ِ ِ

Indeed, I am disassociated from that which you worship [alZukhruf 43:26]

And when they exceeded the limits in their tyranny and recalcitrant disbelief, he and those with him said,

ُ ْ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َّ َّ ‫الل‬ …ِ ‫ون‬ ِ ‫ِإنا برآء ِمنكم و ِمما تعبدون ِمن د‬

Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allah... [al-Mumtaḥanah 60:4].

However, our Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬was told by Allah, 184  Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 28:209. 104

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َ ُ َْ ٌ ‫فَإ ْن َع َص ْو َك َف ُق ْل إ ِّن بَر‬ ‫يء ِم َّما تع َملون‬ ِ ِ ِ

And if they disobey you, then say, “Indeed, I am disassociated from what you are doing.” [al-Shu‘arâ’ 26:216]

And,

ْ ُ َ َ ُ َّ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َْ ُ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ ‫وك فقل ِل ع َم َِل َولك ْم ع َملك ْم أنتُ ْم بَ ِريئُون ِم َّما أع َمل‬ ‫وإِن كذب‬ َ ُ َ ْ َ َّ ٌ َ َ َ ‫وأنا ب ِريء ِمما تعملون‬

And if they deny you, [O Muhammad], then say, “For me are my deeds, and for you are your deeds. You are disassociated from what I do, and I am disassociated from what you do.” [Yoonus 10:41]

And Allah said (quoting Lot ),

ُ َ َ ِّ َ َ َ ‫كم ِّم َن الْ َقال‬ ‫ني‬ ‫قال ِإن ِلعم ِل‬ ِ

He said, “Indeed, I am, toward your deed, of those who detest [it].” [al-Shu‘arâ’ 26:168]

This is why Abu Qilâbah  reported that Abu al-Dardâ’  passed by a man who committed a sin, and [some people] were insulting him, so he said, “what if he fell into a well, would you have not brought him out? They said, “yes.” He said, “then, do not insult your brother and thank God who protected you [from sin]. They said, “don’t you hate him?” He said, “I only hate his action, so if he quits, he is my brother.” 185-lv It was also reported by Abu Nu‘aym in Ḥilyat al-awliyâ’ that Ibrâheem ibn Ad-ham  said, I was passing through some cities, and I saw two people among the ascetics who travel through the land. One of them said to the other, “O brother, what did the people who love Allah inherit from their beloved?” The other said, “They inherited 185 See the “Chapter on Insulting the Sinners” in Abu Bakr ‘Abd al-Razzâq ibn Hammâm al-Ṣan‘âni, Muṣannaf ‘Abd al-Razzâq (Cairo: Dâr al-Ta’ṣeel, 1437), 10:232. While Abu Qilâbah did not meet Abu al-Dardâ’ , he met his wife. The chain is still disconnected, but the report is widely accepted, its meaning is in harmony with the preceding verses, and it was at least approvingly relayed by a scholar from the second generation.



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insight from the light of Allah the Exalted and empathy for those who disobey Him.” I said, “How can He have empathy for people who oppose their beloved?” He looked at me and said, “He abhorred their [sinful] deeds and had empathy for them that through admonition they may abandon their [sinful] deeds, and He felt empathy that their bodies might be burned in Hellfire. ‘The believer is not truly a believer until he loves for people what he loves for himself’.”186-lvi

A Muslim’s disavowal of sin is not limited to non-Muslims. When Khâlid ibn al-Waleed committed an error, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ َ ُ ْ َ ِّ ُ َّ ٌ ‫ك م َّما َصنَ َع َخ‬ ”‫ال‏‬ ِ ْ‫“‏الله َّم ِإن أب َرأ ِإل‬ ِ

“O Allah, I disavow before you what Khâlid has done,” and he repeated it twice.187

Loyalty and disavowal are essentially about our taking the side of good against evil and truth against falsehood. And while both conceptions about human consciousness are true, and complete separation between the act and the actor is not always possible, our recall of one or another depends on the circumstances, such as the person’s state, involvement in falsehood, and so forth. It is also wise to stress the dislike of the act, not the actor, when people are unable to grasp the nuances of these distinctions. Finally, if you ask, what should be the default? The answer is clear: the default should be the love of the human family, as we explain in the following chapter.

Can Muslims Be Friends With Non-Muslims and Love Them? Allah addressed His Messenger and said:

186 Abu Nu‘aym Aḥmad ibn ‘Abdullâh al-Aṣbahâni, Ḥilyat al-awliyâ’ wa ṭabaqât al-aṣfiyâ’, 2:271. Translation adapted from Abu Amina Elias, “Ibrahim on Love: Hate the Sin, Compassion for Sinners,” Daily Hadith Online, July 11, 2021, https://www. abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2012/07/08/love-sinner-hate-sin/. 187 al-Bukhâri. 106

Controversies

َْ َ ُ ُ ََ َ ْ َ َ َّ ٰ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ ‫آء َوه َو أعل ُم‬ ‫ٱلل َّ يه ِدي من يش‬ ‫كن‬ ِ ْ ‫ِإنك ال ته ِدي من أحببت ولـ‬ َ ‫بٱل ُم ْهتَ ِد‬ ‫ين‬ ِ

Indeed [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you love… [al-Qaṣaṣ 28:56]

The majority of the tafseer scholars hold that “whom you love” refers to Abu Ṭâlib, the Prophet’s uncle, who was a non-Muslim. The Prophet’s love of Abu Ṭâlib was beyond doubt. He even said to his son, ‘Aqeel, who was late to accepting faith,

ُ ْ ُ َّ َ ً ّ ُ َ ّ َ َ َ َ ً ّ ُ ْ َّ ُ َ ُ ّ ُ ّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ‫ت َأ ْعلَم‬ ‫ وحبا لما كن‬،‫ي حبا ل ِقرابتِك م ِِن‬ ِ ‫ إ ِ ِن أ‬،‫“يا أبا ي ِزيد‬ ِ ‫حبك حب‬ َ َّ ّ َ ّ ُ ْ ”.‫ب ع ِم إِياك‬ ِ ‫مِن ح‬

“O, Aba Yazid, I love you for two things: the kinship between us, and because of my Uncle [Abu Ṭâlib]’s love of you.”188

In any case, even without this level of specificity in the tafseer, the verse is clearly about someone whom the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬loves, and who has not received guidance yet. Also, as we said before, Allah has allowed marriage to women of the People of the Book, and He says about marriage,

َ ُ َ ِّ ً َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َْ ‫اجا لت ْسكنُوا ِإلْ َها َو َج َعل‬ ‫َو ِم ْن آيَاتِ ِه أن خل َق لكم ِّم ْن أنف ِسكم أزو‬ ً َ ْ َ َ ً َّ َ َّ ُ َ ْ َ ‫حة‬ ‫بينكم مودة ور‬

And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates, that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. [al-Room 30:21]

It is only natural that a man would love his compassionate wife. It would be completely unrealistic to expect or demand otherwise. That is why Ibn ‘Abbâs prohibited marriage to the women of combative nations (dâr al-ḥarb), even if they are from the People of the Book.189-lvii 188 Majma’ al-zawâ’id; al-Haythami commented, “Mursal, and its narrators are trustworthy.” Al-Dhahabi noted, “Narrated from different routes as mursal. These routes corroborate each other to make the report acceptable.” 189 al-Qurṭubi, Al-jâmi‘ li aḥkâm al-Qur’ân, 3:69. 107

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I would go so far as to argue that loving benevolent people is irresistible. In al-Busti’s Nooniyyah ode,190 his first advice was, َ ‫أَ حْ سِنْ إلى‬ ‫س تَسْت َعب ِ ْد قلو بَهم‬ ِ ‫الن ّا‬

ُ‫فطالما استعبد َ الإنسانَ ِإحسان‬

Be kind to people, and you captivate their hearts / For kindness always captivates people

Condemning that kind of love is not expected of a religion that burdens no soul beyond its capacity, let alone of a religion that teaches gratefulness. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah  said, “Instinctual passion, which is the natural love and hate, is not blameworthy in itself, but what is blameworthy is acting upon it [in defiance of Divine guidance].”191-lviii So how do we understand the verses that are cited to justify a general state of hatred toward the unbelievers and to forbid friendship with them? Let us start by one considered crystal clear by the proponents of that interpretation. Allah says,

ٌَ َ ٌ ُْ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ َْ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َ َّ َ َ َ ْ ‫ين َم َعه ِإذ قالوا ِلق ْو ِم ِه ْم‬ ‫ال‬ ِ ‫قد كنت لكم أس َوة ح َسنة ِف ِإبرا ِهيم و‬ ْ َ ََ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َّ ‫الل َّ كف ْرنا بِك ْم َو َب َدا بَينَنَا‬ ‫ِإنا برآء ِمنكم و ِمما تعبد‬ ِ ‫ون‬ ِ ‫ون ِمن َد‬ ً ْ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ُ ُ‫ح َده‬ ‫الل َّ و‬ ِ ِ‫وبينكم العداوة والغضاء أبدا حت تؤ ِمنوا ب‬

There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, “Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allah. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever, until you believe in Allah alone.” [al-Mumtaḥanah 60:4].

It is argued that this verse clearly indicates that this state of animosity is existent until they “believe in Allah alone.” This is powerful, particularly that the verse started by saying, “There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him.” Claiming that this should not be generalized would conflict with the purport of the verse. However, what is being missed here is that no one of any

190 ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Busti, Qaṣeedat ‘unwân al-ḥikam (Aleppo: Maktab al-Maṭboo‘ât al-Islâmiyyah, 1984), 36. 191 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 28:132. 108

Controversies

scholarly orientation, no matter how radical, abides by the apparent statement of this verse. After all, if animosity and hatred must “appear” toward all non-Muslims, there is no room for da‘wah (propagation of the religion). Additionally, the implications will come in direct conflict with many other verses and hadiths. The answer is found in the verses before and after this verse. A few verses before it, Allah says,

َ َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َّ ُ َ َ ِّ ُ َ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ‫اء تلقون إِلْ ِهم‬ ‫الين آمنوا ل تت ِخذوا عدوي وعدوكم أو ِل‬ ِ ‫يا أيها‬ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َّ َ ُ ْ ُ ِّ َ ْ َ ِّ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ َّ َ َ ْ ْۙ ‫اكم‬ ‫بِالمود ِة وقد كفروا بِما َ جاءكم من الق ي ِرجون الرسول وإِي‬ ُ ُ ُْ ‫الل َّ َر ِّبك ْم‬ ِ ِ‫أن تؤ ِمنوا ب‬

O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Messenger and yourselves [only] because you believe in Allah , your Lord. [al-Mumtaḥanah 60:1]

This is clearly addressing a particular situation and talking about aggressors who persecuted the believers. Of course, the similarity with the people of Abraham is clear. Shortly after that, Allah reminds us that this is not a general recommendation, but specific to the oppressive people who persecuted the believers, trying to swerve them from their religion. Allah says,

ُ ُْ َ ُ ُ َ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ُ َ ْ َ َّ ِّ ‫وك ْم ف‬ ‫ل ينه‬ ‫ين َول ْم ي ِر ُجوكم ِّمن‬ ‫ادل‬ ‫الين لم يقاتِل‬ ِ ‫اك َم الل َّ ع ِن‬ ِ ُ ُّ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُّ ‫الل َّ ِ ُي‬ َ‫ب ال ْ ُم ْقسطني‬ َ ‫وه ْم َو ُت ْقس ُطوا إ َلْه ْم ۚ إ َّن‬ ‫اركم أن تب‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ِدي‬

Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight 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. [al-Mumtaḥanah 60:8]192

Some of our greatest scholars attempted to reconcile verse 60:1 and similar verses forbidding mawaddah (affection) or muwâlâh (alliance) with verse 60:8, which commands birr (kindness). In fact, a scholar as discerning as Imam al-Qarâfi dedicated the 119th distinction 192 This translation is adapted from that of Dr. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Quran, as found on quranyusufali.com. 109

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

in his masterpiece al-Furooq to making this distinction.193 For him, there is no contradiction between showing birr and withholding mawaddah. It is, however, obvious from reading 60:1 and 60:8 that they are talking about two different groups of people: the enemies of Allah who persecute us because of our religion, and those unbelievers who simply do not. Whenever there is prohibition of mawaddah or muwâlâh in the Quran, you will find an indication in the same verse or its immediate context showing that this prohibition applies to the belligerent enemies of Allah and His religion. To say there is no contradiction in trying to interpret the referents of both verses 60:4 and 60:8 as one and the same group, is obviously untenable. Showing animosity and hatred and dealing kindly and justly are too hard to combine vis-à-vis the same person. In fact, the word tabarroohum (translated as dealing kindly) is used in the scriptures in the context of treating one’s own parents, indicating that it is a very lofty type of kindness. But why should verse 60:4 make the condition of changing this state of animosity their belief in Allah alone? This is because people who reach a certain level of criminality, cruelty, and inhumanity, cannot change by taking a few steps back, but rather would have to undergo a transformation that shakes their very ethical and emotional foundation and obliterates the very essence of this oppressive, godless attitude—and this can only be done by belief in Allah alone. So, what about the prohibition of taking disbelievers as friends, in the following verses?

ُ َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ْ ‫اء إن‬ َ َ‫است‬ َ َ‫ك ْم أَ ْو ِل‬ ‫ح ُّبوا‬ ‫الين آمن ْوا ل تت ِخذوا آباءكم وإخوان‬ ِ ‫يا أيها‬ ِِ ََ َ ْ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ َ ٰ َ ُ َ ْ ُ ِ ِّ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ ‫ولك هم الظالِمون‬ ِ ‫ان ۚ ومن يتولهم منكم فأ‬ ِ ‫اليم‬ ِ ‫الكفر ع‬

O you who have believed, do not take your fathers or your brothers as allies if they have preferred disbelief over belief. And whoever does so among you – then it is those who are the wrongdoers. [al-Tawbah 9:23]

And,

193 Abu al-‘Abbâs Aḥmad ibn Idrees al-Qarâfi, Al-furooq (Cairo: ‘Âlam al-Kutub, n.d.), 3:26. 110

Controversies

َ َّ َ ُّ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ ‫ين‬ َ ‫انل َص‬ َ ‫ال‬ َ َ‫ارى أَ ْو ِل‬ َّ ‫ود َو‬ ُ َ‫اء َب ْع ُض ُه ْم أ ْو ِل‬ ‫اء‬ ‫آمنُوا ال تت ِخذوا اله‬ ‫يا أيها‬ ِ َّ َ ْ َ ْ ْ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ْ ُ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ ْ ُ َّ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ‫الظالمني‬ ‫َبع ٍض ومن يتولهم ِمنكم ف ِإنه ِمنهم ِإن الل َّ ال يه ِدي القوم‬ ِِ

O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people. [al-Mâ’idah 5:51].

The context of these verses is essential in understanding their purports. The head of the exegetes, Ibn Jareer al-Ṭabari , reported that the first verse was revealed concerning those believers who would refuse to migrate and run away from the persecution of the unbelievers in Makkah and would instead attach to those unbelievers because of family ties; moreover, they would also inform the unbelievers of the strategic plans of the believers.194 The second verse was revealed concerning the leader of the hypocrites in Madinah, who sided with Banu Qaynuqâ‘ in their conflict with the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.195-lix And if you look at the following verse, it makes this explanation even clearer. Allah says,

َ ُ َ ُ ٌ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َّ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َْ َ ُ َُ ‫يه ْم يقولون نش أن ت ِصيبَنَا‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ون‬ ‫الين ِف قلوبهم مرض يسارع‬ ِ ‫فتى‬ ِ َ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ ْ ِ ْ َ ْ َ ِ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َِ ِ َ ََ ٌَ َ َ‫ع ما‬ ‫دائِرة فعس الل َّ أن َيأ ِت بِالفت َ ِح أو أم ٍر ِمن ِعن ِدهِ فيص ِبحوا‬ ُْ َ ُّ َ ‫أ‬ ‫سوا ِف أنف ِس ِه ْم نا ِد ِمني‬

So you see those in whose hearts is disease hastening into [association with] them, saying, “We are afraid a misfortune may strike us.” But perhaps Allah will bring conquest or a decision from Him, and they will become regretful over what they have been concealing within themselves. [al-Mâ’idah 5:52]

This is obviously not about having a non-Muslim friend; it is about defecting from the community or betraying it in favor of a warring enemy.196 That is why I am using the more correct translation, which 194 al-Ṭabari, Jâmi‘ al-Bayân, 11:383. 195 al-Ṭabari, Jâmi‘ al-Bayân, 8:505. 196 There is a misconception that there were no conflicts between the Prophet and the Christian tribes. Contrarily, there were many. The northern Christian tribes 111

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

translates awliyâ’ as allies, not friends. But even taking them as allies is not absolutely forbidden, if it does not entail betraying the community of the believers: we have discussed before how the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬made alliances with the tribe of Khuzâ’ah, which was still largely non-Muslim. The Quran needs to be understood holistically. Does it make a difference that, within the same locution, after, “…do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies,” Allah says,

َ ُ َ َّ َ َّ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ُ ُ ‫ين اتذوا َ ِدينَك ْم ه ُز ًوا َول ِعبًا ِّم َن‬ ‫الين آمنوا ل تتخذوا ال‬ ‫يا أيها‬ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َّ ُ ْ َ ْ ِ ُ ْ َ ِ ْ ُ ِ ُ َ َّ َ َ ‫ وإِذا ناديتم إِل‬...‫كتاب ِمن قب ِل َّكم والكفار أو ِلاء‬ ِ ِ ‫الين أوتوا ال‬ َ َّ َ ُ َ ً‫وها ُه ُز ًوا َولَعبا‬ ‫الصل ِة اتذ‬ ِ

“…do not take those who have taken your religion in ridicule and amusement among the ones who were given the Scripture before you, nor the disbelievers, as allies… And when you call to prayer, they take it in ridicule. [al-Mâ’idah 5:57-58]

Is the first verse about all Jews and Christians or those who clearly ridicule our religion and prayers? Should the nascent Muslim community have not been instructed to take pride in their religion and reject those who mock it and ridicule it? Of course not. Should the same rules apply to people who refrain from insulting our religion and community? Should they apply to those who are respectful? Of course not. So, what do all these verses mean? If we fail to understand the correct meaning from the verses themselves, and that they forbid allying with a hostile enemy, the absoluteness of the verses must be qualified. Here are the qualified versions: In Soorat Âl ‘Imrân 3:28, Allah says,

َ ُ ْ ُْ َّ ‫َّل َي‬ َ ‫اء من ُدون ال ْ ُم ْؤمن‬ َ ‫ون الْ َكفِر‬ َ َ‫ين أَ ْو ِل‬ ‫ني‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ؤ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫خ‬ ‫ت‬ ِ ِ ِ ِِ ِ ِ ِ

Let not believers take disbelievers as allies instead of [taking fellow] believers [as allies].

Al-Ṭabari says concerning this verse, “This means: O, believers, do not take the disbelievers as defendants and supporters, allying your-

who were allied with the Romans aggravated the newborn community of the believers in several instances, ambushing their caravans and killing their messengers. 112

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selves with their religion, and supporting them against the Muslims and relaying to them their secrets.”197-lx In the translation of the meaning, I would replace “rather than” with “instead of” as the same translators did here:

َ ُ َّ َ َ َّ ُ َ َ َََُْ َ ْ ُْ ُ َ ‫ون الْ َكفِر‬ َ َ‫ين أَ ْو ِل‬ ‫نده ُم‬ ‫ون المؤ ِم ِنني ۚ أيبتغون ِع‬ ‫د‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫اء‬ ‫الين يت ِخذ‬ ِ ِ ِ ً‫ِالْع َّز َة فَإ َّن الْع َّز َة ل َّ َجيعا‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ

Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with them honor [through power]? But indeed, honor belongs to Allah entirely. [al-Nisâ’ 4:139]

And here:

َ َ َ ْ ُ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ َ َ ‫اء من ُدون ال ْ ُم ْؤمن‬ ْ َ َ ۚ ‫ني‬ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ين‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ك‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫يا أيها‬ ِ ‫ال َين آمنوا َل تتَ ِخ ُذوا ال‬ ِِ ِ ْ َ ُ ُ ُ ْ َِ َ َّ ً‫ك ْم ُسلْ َطانًا ُّمبينا‬ َ ‫ل علي‬ ِ ِ ‫أت ِريدون أن تعلوا‬ ِ

O you who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allah against yourselves a clear case? [al-Nisâ’ 4:144]

You will also find the context of these verses to be defection and betrayal. For example, Ibn ‘Abbâs  said about verse 3:28, “It was revealed concerning the hypocrites ‘Abdullâh ibn Salool and his comrades, who used to ally with the Jews and polytheists and relay the news to them and wish for them to prevail over the messenger of Allah.”198-lxi Another verse that is commonly used as support for disavowal is the following one:

ْ ْ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ ُّ َ ُ َ ُ ُْ ً َْ ُ َ ‫الل َّ َو َالَ ْومِ ال َ ِخ ِر يوادون َمن حاد الل َّ ورس‬ ‫ول َول ْو‬ ِ َ ِ‫تد قوما يؤ ِمنون ب‬ ِ ‫ال‬ ْ ْ ْ ُ َ َْ ْ ْ ُ َ َ ُ َ ْ‫ري َت ُهم‬ َ ‫خ َو َان ُه ْم أ ْو َعش‬ ‫كنوا آباءهم أو أبناءهم أو ِإ‬ ِ

You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who [viciously] oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. [al-Mujâdilah 58:22]. 197 al-Ṭabari, Jâmi‘ al-Bayân, 6:313. 198 Abu Muhammad al-Ḥusayn ibn Mas‘ood al-Baghawi, Ma‘âlim al-tanzeel, ed. ‘Abd al-Razzâq al-Mahdi (Beirut: Dâr Iḥyâ’ al-Turâth, 1999), 1:427. 113

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This does not describe the disbelievers at large, but rather those who viciously oppose Allah and His Messenger. The word ḥâdda in the verse refers to vicious opposition, fighting, and animosity; some said it comes from ḥadeed (iron), since it is what is used in armed opposition; others said it comes from ḥadd (edge), when opponents are at the extreme ends of the spectrum of opposition.199 Abu Ṭâlib did not believe in the message, but he did not oppose it. Some may say that kindness does not necessitate affection, and if we are to partially accept that, the prohibition of affection in this verse is only regarding those who viciously oppose Allah and His Messenger. That is why Ibn ‘Abbâs used this verse and others to justify his position on prohibiting marriage to the women of combative nations, even if they are from the People of the Book.200-lxii Surely, there is a reason why “those who viciously oppose Allah” was used instead of “unbelievers.” Al-Qâsimi says about this verse, It is understood from the statement of Allah, “those who viciously oppose Allah and His Messenger” and His statement in the other verse “Do not take my enemy and your enemy as allies” [60:1], that what is intended are those at war with Allah and His Messenger, who are manifest in their animosity and hate. These are the ones Allah spoke of before [in the same chapter]; they converse privately about sin and aggression and disobedience to the Messenger.201-lxiii

Qualifying the absolute in one locution by the qualified in a different locution, while a nuanced issue, is part of our established hermeneutics. The verses used by some to forbid friendships mean that we, as Muslim groups or individuals, should not take non-Muslims—instead of other believers—as allies, if they continue to be hostile to the community of believers and fight us, trying to sway us from our religion. Muslims should have not aided the Spaniards during the inquisitions against their brothers. How often did these situations arise in history, and 199 See Abu Ḥayyân al-Andaloosi, Al-baḥr al-muḥeeṭ, ed. Ṣidqi Muhammad Jameel (Beirut: Dâr al-Fikr, 1420/1999), 5:451. 200 Abu al-Qâsim ‘Abd al-Kareem ibn Muhammad al-Râfi‘i, Al-‘azeez sharḥ al-wajeez, ed. ‘Ali Muhammad ‘Awaḍ and ‘Âdil Aḥmad ‘Abd al-Mawjood (Beirut: Dâr al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1997), 8:70. 201 Muhammad Jamâl al-Deen ibn Muhammad al-Qâsimi, Maḥâsin al-ta’weel, ed. Muhammad Bâsil (Beirut: Dâr al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1998), 9:180. 114

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continue to happen? The community of believers, regardless of their racial, ethnic, national, or other backgrounds, should have empathy for one another because of their shared faith. This does not mean they do not have empathy for others because of their shared humanity, but those who share the faith with them have another right on them, to not let them down when they seek their support concerning their commitment to the religion and the hardships they may encounter in this regard. Allah says,

ُ ُ َ َ ْ ْ ُ ْ َ ٰ َ َ َّ ُ ْ َّ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ِّ ‫ع ق ْومٍ بَينَك ْم َو َبينَ ُهم‬ ‫ين فعليكم انلص ِإل‬ ‫نصوك ْم ِف ادل‬ ‫َوإِ ِن است‬ ِ ُ ٌ َ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ ِّ ٌ ‫ون بَص‬ ‫ري‬ ‫ميثاق ۗ والل َّ بِما تعمل‬ ِ

And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do. [al-Anfâl 8:72]

Notice the condition at the end, which shows that even giving support to our oppressed coreligionists does not justify treachery or treason. The problem is that we often take verses as absolute and general in meaning, when they were revealed in the context of war between the believers and unbelievers, involving defection, treason, and so forth. In doing so, they no longer serve as a warning against betrayal of the believing community and the cause of God, but become a blanket prescription for animosity toward the rest of humanity. It is not, anymore, a warning against allying with a group whose common denominator is disbelief, but against allying with individual human beings who do not share with us the same faith. About these individual relationships, Ibn ‘Âshoor  stated in his elaborate explanation of al-walâ’, “The sixth situation: when one of the Muslims takes a particular disbeliever as a waliy because of their good companionship, kinship, or virtue or other reasons, without causing harm to the Muslims, and this is not forbidden.”202-lxiv Our natural love and friendship are extended by default to the human family and confirmed for those who are kind to us. Why not, when the Quran reminds us over and over again of our common origin and brotherhood? Allah says, 202 Ibn ‘Âshoor, Al-taḥreer wal-tanweer, 3:220. 115

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َ ُ َ ََ ٌ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ َُ َ َ ْ ‫وح أل ت َّتقون‬ ‫ِإذ قال لهم أخوهم ن‬

When their brother Noah said to them, “Will you not fear Allah?” [al-Shu‘arâ’ 26:106]

In other verses of the same chapter (The Poets), Allah mentions {their brother Hood} [26:124], {their brother Ṣâliḥ} [26:142], and even {their brother Looṭ [Lot],} [26:161] despite the fact that Lot  was not preaching to his own tribe. This is clearly the brotherhood in humanity. One may also understand that Lot was called “their brother” because after migrating to their land he became of them. And because the default is our common ancestry and our belonging to the human family, we should also act on behalf of humankind and and plead with God to save humanity. Allah says,

ُ َ ُ ٰ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َّ َ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ َْ ‫وط‬ ‫فلما ذهب عن ِإبرا ِهيم الروع وجاءته البش‬ ٍ ‫ى يا ِدلَا ِف قومِ ل‬

And when the fright had left Abraham and the good tidings had reached him, he began to argue with Us concerning the people of Lot. [Hood 11:74]

Although “arguing” here means pleading with Allah to spare the people of Lot, Abraham is clearly pleading for the People of Lot. Allah explains that Abraham did that because it was part of his character:

َ َ ْ َّ ٌ ‫يم أَ َّو ٌاه ُّمن‬ ٌ ‫لَل‬ ‫يب‬ ِ ِ ‫ِإن ِإب َرا ِهيم‬

Indeed, Abraham was forbearing, grieving [i.e., hurt by human suffering] and [frequently] returning [to Allah]. [Hood 11:75]

And when he was told,

َ َٰ ْ َ ْ ْ َ ُ َ ْ َ ‫يا إِبرا ِهيم أع ِرض عن هذا‬

O Abraham, give up this [plea]. [Hood 11:76]

It was not to condemn his forbearance and grief for human suffering or his affection for his fellow humans, but the reason was explicitly stated to be:

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َ ِّ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َّ ُ ُْ َ ٌ َ َ ْ ْ ‫ك َوإ َّن ُه‬ ‫ي َم ْردو ٍد‬ ‫يهم عذاب غ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫آ‬ ‫م‬ ِ ِ ِ ۖ ‫ِإنه قد جاء أمر رب‬

Indeed, the command of your Lord has come, and indeed, there will reach them a punishment that cannot be repelled. [Hood 11:76]

In summary of this point, I would say that a Muslim may certainly take an unhostile non-Muslim as a friend. Also, the default concerning our relationship with the children of our parents, Adam and Eve, is one of love and friendship. Such a default is further confirmed for those who are fair, virtuous, and kind. As for those who viciously oppose Allah and His Messenger and fight us to swerve us from our religion, we extend to them justice, not affection.

Interfaith Activities

It is hoped that no scholar of any caliber would argue against the need to have a constructive dialogue with members of the different faith communities concerning religion and the common good of humanity. What may be controversial is the extent to which interfaith activities may be taken. Should we have common prayers? Should we allow people of other faith groups to pray in our mosques? Should we have one house of worship for all religions? Let me begin by the following statement of Imam Ibn Qudâmah  in his Ḥanbali manual, al-‘Umdah: “If the people of the covenant (dhimmis) go out with them [to pray], they should not be prevented, and they should be ordered to be separate from the Muslims.”203 This single sentence by Imam Ibn Qudâmah would evoke disapproval by people on both ends of the debate over interfaith activities. Some would find the first part objectionable. Others would find the second part objectionable. First, you must keep in mind that this was in times and places where Muslims were the majority, and they would be going out with their imam or his deputy in the region to beseech God for rain. They would have a particular prayer that has a specific form with certain movements and recitations. Muslims are always ordered to line up for that, shoulder to shoulder, and leave no gaps 203 al-Haj, ‘Umdat al-Fiqh Explained (2020), 1:201. 117

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between them. It is sensible that their rows should not be interrupted by others who are not offering the same prayer. Peaceful coexistence and compassionate treatment of all people do not mean blurring the differences between the various religions. Each religious group may practice according to their own doctrines and teachings. Attempting to gloss over important differences in order to bring the religions closer to each other may end up destroying them all. Having one house of worship for all religions is an assault on all of them in favor of religious relativism, which can lead to agnosticism and, eventually, atheism. It must be said, however, that praying together in most interfaith activities nowadays does not involve any specific worship other than supplicating to God, which can be done in a mixed group. We also know that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬used to receive various delegations of non-Muslims in the masjid. It has also been reported that a delegation of the Christians of Najrân stayed over at his masjid. This is established in the authentic collections. It is controversial, however, whether the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬allowed them to pray in his masjid. This would undoubtedly be the ultimate form of principled tolerance. There are two interrupted reports that may, according to some scholars, corroborate each other in proving that he did. This is why Imam Ibn al-Qayyim accepted those reports, and said about the story, “And there is a proof in it on allowing the People of the Book to pray in the presence of Muslims and in their mosques, as well, as long as it is done occasionally.”204-lxv Those who choose to follow the position of Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (and I am one of them) must heed the ḍâbiṭ (overriding provision) added by him, which is that this practice may only be tolerated occasionally. Taking one part of his opinion and ignoring the other will make us in conflict, not only with Ibn al-Qayyim, but with the scriptures, tradition, and ongoing practice of the community. The Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA) is a body of scholars from different backgrounds that conducts research and issues its declarations after a rigorous discussion of the presented papers. Although its declarations are not infallible, they should engender more trust than individual fatwas. As a member of the organization and 204 Shams al-Deen Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Zâd alma‘âd fi hady khayr al-‘ibâd, 27th ed. (Beirut: Muassasat al-Risâlah, 1415/1994), 3:558. 118

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the committee that made the first draft of the following declarations, I choose to conclude this section by quoting AMJA (at length) on interfaith activities. XIV: Recommendations of the Session for Interfaith Dialogue Those in attendance at the meetings discussed recommendations proceeding from AMJA’s fourth training course, which focused on meeting with representatives of various religions (interfaith dialogue). They confirmed that the idea of debating and reaching out to other religions is a deeply-rooted part of Islamic heritage, with reference to fourth century meetings between al-Qadi Abi Bakr al-Baqalani and people of various faiths and their discussions in an atmosphere far from the hurling of accusations and the relay of objections that has predominated most debates in this day and age. The conference members examined these recommendations, revised some of the wording, and have resolved to present them in the form of the following decision: Interfaith dialogue, or meetings with representatives of other religions, is a general term, with a variety of meanings, some of which are lawful and some of which are prohibited:

If what is meant by it is to call others to the worship of Allah Most High, to place the evidence before His servants, to clarify the truth to those seeking guidance and to defend Islam against the assault of the stubborn and aggressive, this is a praiseworthy endeavor and an acceptable good deed. If what is meant by it is merely to announce the truth to nations ignorant of it and in circles in which it is denied, in order to remove the desolation in their hearts and to break down the barrier of aversion within their souls, enabling them to decide for themselves what they want thereafter, that in itself would be a praiseworthy endeavor and an acceptable good deed. If what is meant by it is an attempt to bring about a peaceful co-existence amongst people of different faiths, sparing lives, calming unrest, enabling people thereby to move freely about the land, in peace and security, empowering thereby the cause of truth so that the message might be spread and leaving no excuse for those who disagree, far from an atmosphere of tension, enmity and controversy, this too would be a legitimate intention and a praiseworthy goal. 119

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If what is meant by this is to come to a way of achieving the worldly welfare common to all humanity, especially for those who inhabit the same region or who have been brought together by common bonds making such cooperation necessary, there would be nothing wrong with that, nor would there be any blame on the people involved. Allah has made the earth to be shared between all of His servants: the good and the bad, Muslims and non-Muslims, the virtuous and the wicked. Allah Almighty has said, {And the earth He has put for the creatures.} [al-Raḥmân 55:10] He has also said, {To each—these as well as those—We bestow from the Bounties of your Lord. And the Bounties of your Lord can never be forbidden.} [al-Isra’ 17:20]. Indeed, this is the basis for community development and the stability of civilization. If what is meant by this is a syncretism of faiths, a blending of religions and an attempt to create a common sphere of belief that would transform the characteristics of the creed and could even lead to publishing the Quran with the books of other religions in one volume, this would be an affront to all religions. In fact, it is religious and cultural fraud that surpasses in seriousness and damage the commercial fraud criminalized by the organizations and laws of so many different cultures and civilizations.

The basic principle in interfaith meetings is that they are a scholarly endeavor and a talent in the art of making da`wah. It is based on knowledge of Shari`ah and should be accompanied by the ability to speak in public and an awareness of the customs, people, and system of the country. It is no place for the common Muslim or even those with a moderate amount of knowledge. Anyone who presides over this field must have sufficient knowledge to protect him from getting confused by misconceptions, enough faith to protect him from the lure of temptation, and debate skills that would enable him to assert the honor of the truth, to defend it and to repel the misconceptions of his adversaries.

It is necessary to affirm that the message of Islam represents the essence of all of the messages of the prophets in their original, complete, and final form, and that it is addressed to the whole of humanity, including the followers of prophets sent before the Final Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). 120

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The general rule when it comes to debating the People of the Book is that it be done in (a way) that is better, except with such of them as do wrong [29:46], and that the goal be to make the truth clear and obvious, to guide all of creation and to eliminate the misconception. Also, it should not be contaminated by inflammatory speech or an air of superiority, whether in the content of the speech or its method of delivery. Indeed, the people of Islam are the most knowledgeable of the truth and the most merciful of people to Allah’s creatures. The rule when conveying the message is to be clear and for the speaker to have insight. He should make sure of issues that are agreed upon amongst Muslims and begin with them. He should also present the evidence for issues of contention and not apologize for them. He should begin by establishing the principles before getting into secondary issues and connect the particulars of any case to the general aspects; and of course, he must have a good intention in all of this. The debater should not narrow anything broad. Whoever has taken an opinion on a subject should overlook it even if he is convinced that his is the more correct opinion, for the field of debate is wider than the field of juristic opinion. Kindness and justice are the basis for dealing with both Muslims and non-Muslims, and among them, the People of the Book have a special place. Examples of this can be found in Shari`ah—that their slaughtered meat is permissible for us and that their women are permissible for Muslim men to marry—two privileges other religions do not share. The kindness and justice a Muslim is ordered to show in his dealings with non-Muslims does not imply belief in their religions, nor does it require the Muslim to deny his belief that Islam abrogates the religions that came before it and that whosoever does not accept Islam will not attain salvation in the Hereafter.

There is nothing wrong with holding interfaith meetings in mosques or in other places of worship, as long as the sanctity of the mosque is respected and those praying therein are not disturbed. This is based on the correct opinion of scholars that it is permissible for non-Muslims to enter any mosque except the Holy Mosque in Makkah. There is nothing wrong, if the time for the prayer has arrived, for Muslims to pray in 121

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the places of worship belonging to other religions, as long as they avoid facing statues. They may also grant permission for non-Muslims to pray in their mosques as long as that does not become a regular practice. There is evidence for this in the rules and objectives of Shari`ah.

Whoever of the non-Muslims would like to join the Muslims in their prayer should not be prevented from doing so, if it seems that this would have the advantage of inclining their hearts. This is true on condition that they form a separate row, or at least that they remain at the end of one, so as not to break the continuity of the line. This in no way compromises the agreement that true Islamic faith is a condition for the validity of all good deeds and for their acceptance. There is nothing wrong with the mutual exchange of gifts between Muslims and non-Muslims that may take place in some of these meetings, for this is a general part of the kindness and just treatment we are ordered to show in our dealings with both Muslims and non-Muslims, as long as this does not deprive anyone of their rights, push anyone to do wrong or constitute support of falsehood.

There is nothing wrong with any communal prayer that occurs at the commencement or conclusion of these sessions, as long as it does not involve calling upon anything beside Allah or contain idolatrous phrasing, based on evidence related from some of the Companions and Followers of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that permission was granted for non-Muslims to attend the prayer of seeking rain. The participants in these discussions should agree on certain ground rules, including not infringing on participants’ particular beliefs and convictions. Of those shared activities permeating these meetings, some will fall into the category of acts of worship while others will be more along the lines of customs. It is not lawful to participate in any that fit into the category of worship, because this would fall somewhere in the range of innovation in worship and association in worship. There is nothing wrong with participating in anything belonging to the category of customs, if need be, in order to incline the hearts and to repair the general situation.

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There is nothing wrong with drawing up treaties of alliance at these meetings and similar events in order to aid participants and others who are suffering under oppression, or to cooperate in general good deeds which would be of common benefit to the whole of humanity. Evidence for this can be found in the Treaty of al-Fudoul and the Cooperation and Non-Aggression Pact with the Jews in Madinah.

Leaders of Muslim communities must show interest in interfaith dialogue and in training those active in da`wah who have shown competence in this capacity. They should be open to other communities and take advantage of these meetings to assert their social and civil rights or to seek any other benefits that might be gained for their community.205

Specific Empirical Referents of al-Barâ’

If al-walâ’ and al-barâ’ are about the feelings one should have regarding certain acts and actors, what are their empirical referents? In other words, how are they translated into action? While the empirical referents of al-walâ’ may not need much elaboration, those of al-barâ’ do. Jihad, the prohibition of assimilation, and particularly the prohibition of celebrating non-Muslim feasts, are some of the more popular and “provocative” teachings that are based on the concept of al-barâ’. There are also some misunderstood Prophetic traditions that need clarification. In this segment, I address these issues.

Jihad

Of course, no treatment of this subject would be complete without speaking about jihad. It is the most consequential referent of al-barâ’. Some Muslims believe in perpetual war with the unbelievers of all nations until they accept Islam or pay jizyah (tax). In our times, this is the position of a small minority, mainly youth, yet it is the position Islamophobes cite as the genuine and permanent Islamic position. In 205 AMJA›s Decisions and Recommendations of the Fifth Conference of the Assembly of Muslim Jurists in America (AMJA). Manama, Bahrain | Amja Online,» accessed August 12, 2021, https://www.amjaonline.org/declaration-articles/ decisions-and-recommendations-of-amjas-fifth-annual-convention/. 123

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the following pages, I explain the concept of jihad and the just war in Islam. Jihad (jihâd) is the struggle against all forms of evil and injustice, both within one’s own self (nafs) and against others. Thus, jihad is not limited to the use of military force, although such armed struggle is one form of it, and in that narrow sense, jihad has been practiced and sanctioned by all nations since the beginning of human existence. After all, there is no sizeable nation in our world that does not have an army, and in all nations, martyrdom is seen as the ultimate sacrifice. Sometimes the very people who criticize jihad are the people who wage war and keep it as an alternative instrument, if not a primary one, toward achieving national interests, or as Clausewitz said, “war is a continuation of politics by [or with] other means.”206 They are the same people who repeat unshyly, “all options [including the nuclear one] are on the table.” They are the same people who always remind the Palestinians, for instance, of the “facts on the ground”: facts that have only been brought into being through unjust war and occupation. Of course, Islam would not agree with that, but it has its own theory of just war. War, then, may be good or bad, depending on the motives and conduct of those who engage in it. We believe that armed struggle was prescribed in Islam to defend not only Muslims but also non-Muslims who suffer from oppression, as well as to support God’s cause of justice on Earth. It was also meant to protect the inalienable right to worship God, Who created us, in complete security; it is natural that He would want that right defended by and for His servants. There are, however, certain Quranic verses that may be taken out of context and wrongly interpreted as a declaration of endless war against the unbelievers. For example, Allah says:

ً َّ َ ُ َ ُ َ ُ َ ً َّ َ َ ْ ُ ْ ُ َ َ …‫ني كفة ك َما يقاتِلونك ْم كفة‬ ‫ش ِك‬ ِ ‫…وقاتِلوا الم‬

…and fight against the polytheists collectively as they fight against you collectively… [al-Tawbah 9:36] 206 Carl von Clausewitz, Michael Howard, and Peter Paret, On War (Princeton University Press, 1984), 87. 124

Controversies

And:

ْ َ ُ ُ ُْ ُ ُ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ُ ُّ َ ‫اقتُلُوا ال ْ ُم ْشك‬ …‫ني َحيْث َو َجدت ُموه ْم‬ ‫ف ِإذا انسلخ الشهر الرم ف‬ ِِ

And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them… [al-Tawbah 9:5]207

While the vast majority of Muslims do not think that we should be fighting perpetually against the rest of humanity, a small minority, made up mostly of youth inflamed by the real and perceived injustices committed against Muslim peoples, use these verses and others to urge, and in some cases actually to wage, jihad against all of their opponents, both Muslims and non-Muslims. Lacking any means to wage conventional wars, they resort to terrorism to pursue their agenda or to avenge themselves against the “enemies” who fight them. Such is the dilemma that Muslims are facing nowadays and that mars the name of jihad. It is true that the verses cited are the words of Allah, Most High. He also said,

ْ ْ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َّ ُ َ ‫الل َّ ْ َول بِالَ ْو َّمِ ال ُ ِخ ِر َول يَ ِّر ُمون َما َح َّر َم‬ ‫ين ل يُؤ ِمنُون ب‬ ‫ال‬ ِ ُ ‫قاتِلوا‬ ِ ِ َ َ ْ ُ ٰ َّ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ ِّ َ ُ ُ ُ َ َ َ ‫كتاب حت يعطوا‬ ‫الل َّ َو َر ُسول ول ي ِدين‬ ِ ‫ون ِدين الَق ِمن‬ ِ ‫الين أوتوا ال‬ ْ َ َ ُ ‫ال ْز َية َعن يَ ٍد َوه ْم َصا ِغ ُرون‬ ِ

Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth [that is, Islam], from those who were given the Scripture – [fight] until they give the jizyah (poll tax) willingly while they are humbled. [al-Tawbah 9:29]

He, the Exalted, also said,

207 Notice that the following verse says what may be rendered in English as, «And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah. Then deliver him to his place of safety» [al-Tawbah 9:6]. 125

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ََ َ ُ ُ ََ ُ ِّ َ ُ َ ٌ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ ٰ َّ ‫وه ْم َح‬ ‫وقاتِل‬ ‫ل َّ ف ِإ ِن انتَ َه ْوا فل‬ ِۖ ِ ‫ت ل تكون فِتن َّة َويكون ادلين‬ َّ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ‫الظالمني‬ ‫عدوان ِإل ع‬ ِِ

Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] religion [that is, worship] is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors. [al-Baqarah 2:193]

And the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َّ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ ْ َ َّ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ُ ‫ل ِإل‬ ‫“أ ِمرت أن أقاتِل انلاس حت يشهدوا أن ل إ‬ ‫الل َّ َوأن م َّم ًدا‬ ُ َُ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ِ َ َ َ َّ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ َ ُ ُ ‫ َو ُيق‬،َّ ‫ول الل‬ ‫ عصموا‬،‫ ف ِإذا فعلوا ذلِك‬،‫ ويؤت ْوا الزكة‬،‫يموا الصلة‬ ‫رس‬ ِ ِ َّ ْ ُ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ ِّ َ ََ ََ ْ ُُ َ َ َ ْ َ ِّ ”‫الل َّ تعال‬ ِ ‫ و ِحسابهم ع‬، ِ‫السلم‬ ِ ‫ إِل ِبق‬،‫ِمن ِدماءهم وأموالهم‬

“I was commanded to fight the people until they testify that none is worthy of worship except Allah, and (until) they believe in me and what I came with. If they do that, then they have safeguarded their blood and wealth from me, except according to it (Islam), and it is Allah who will judge them.”208

Not only that, but in previous scriptures, namely the Bible, much more than this is attributed to God, including the killing of infants and children, referred to in the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, and others.209 Certainly, we do not believe that those statements about 208 Agreed upon, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah. 209 For example, in the First book of Samuel 15: 1-3, Samuel said to Saul: I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. 2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys. According to Deuteronomy 20:10-18, God said: 10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies. 15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby. 16 However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. 17 Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites 126

Controversies

children and infants are from God, because it would be too hard to provide context that could explain them. In contrast, in Islam there is an explanatory context for every Quranic verse about fighting. First, it is important to note that Allah also says:

َ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َّ ُ َ‫َوإن َجن‬ ُ ‫السم‬ َّ ‫ع الل َّ ۚ إنَّ ُه ُه َو‬ ُ ‫يع الْ َعل‬ ‫يم‬ ‫حوا لِلسل ِم فاجنح لها وتوك‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ

And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon Allah. Indeed, it is He Who is the Hearing, the Knowing. [al-Anfâl 8:61]

And

َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ ُ ْ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َ ْ ‫ف ِإ ِن اعتلوكم فلم يقاتِلوكم وألقوا ِإلكم السلم فما جعل‬ ‫الل َّ لك ْم‬ ً َ ‫َعليْ ِه ْم َس ِبيل‬

So if they remove themselves from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not made for you a cause [for fighting] against them. [al-Nisâ’ 4:90]

Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬said,

ْ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ِّ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ َّ َ َ َ َ ُ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ُ ‫الل َّ ال َعا ِفيَة ف ِإذا ل ِقيتُ ُموه ْم‬ ‫اسألوا‬ ‫“يا أيها انلاس ال تتمنوا ِلقاء العدو و‬ َ ْ َ َ َّ َ ْ َّ َ ُ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُ ُّ ”‫وف‬ ِ ‫فاص ِبوا واعلموا أن النة تت ِظال ِل السي‬

“O people, do not wish to meet the enemy, and ask Allah for pardon. But if you meet them, be patient and know that paradise is under the shade of the swords.”210

Who should be connecting the dots and reconciling the seemingly conflicting reports? The scholars well-grounded in the tradition. One of them, namely Imam Ibn Taymiyyah , wrote a treatise on Qitâl al-kuffâr wa muhâdanatuhum [War and peace (treaties) with the dis-

and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God. In Numbers 31:17-18, It says that Moses said, “17 Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, 18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.” And in Joshua 6: 21, “They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it-men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.” (All quoted verses are from the New International Version). 210 Agreed upon, on the authority of ‘Abdullâh ibn Abi Awfâ. 127

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believers], in which he showed conclusively that the ‘illah (ratio legis/ legal basis) for fighting them is their aggression, not their disbelief. He pointed out that the texts implying an open fight against them can never be used as proof for fighting people at large, because they appear to contradict other evidences (some of which are mentioned above), the scholarly consensus, and even the life of the Messenger ‫ﷺ‬ himself.211 Some of them appear to suggest fighting the people at large until there is no religion on Earth except Islam – yet this is contrary to the consensus. Do you not see that the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬made peace and truces with non-Muslims? In fact, he said,

ُ ُ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َْ َ ْ ُّ ‫وك ْم َوات ْ ُر ُكوا‬ ”‫الت َك َما ت َركوك ْم‬ ‫“د ُعوا البشة ما ودع‬

“Leave the Abyssinians alone so long as they leave you alone, and leave the Turks alone as long as they leave you alone.”212

This clearly indicates that the command to fight does not apply to the people at large. Rather, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim  said in Hidâyat al-Hayârâ [Guiding the bewildered], When Allah sent His Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, most of the religions willingly submitted to him and to his caliphs after him. He never forced the religion upon anyone, and he would only fight those who fought and warred against him. As for those who made peace with him, he did not fight them or compel them to embrace his religion, out of compliance with the command of his Lord, Glorified and Exalted, Who says,

َ َّ َ‫ادلين قَد تَّب‬ ِّ ‫َل إ ْك َر َاه ف‬ ُّ ‫ي‬ ِّ َ ْ‫الر ْش ُد ِم َن ال‬ ‫غ‬ ِ ِ ۖ ِ

There is no compulsion in religion; truth has been made clear from falsehood. [al-Baqarah 2:256]213-lxvi

These verses and hadiths, which appear to enjoin fighting people at large, were referring to specific peoples during the Prophet’s time, or 211 Aḥmad ibn ‘Abd al-Ḥaleem ibn Taymiyyah, Qitâl al-kuffâr wa muhâdanatuhum, ed. ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abdullâh Âl Ḥamad (Riyadh: ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abdullâh Âl Ḥamad, 2004), 87-99. 212 Abu Dâwood, deemed ḥasan by al-Albâni in Ṣaḥeeḥ al-Jâmi‘. 213 Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Hidâyat al-hayârâ, ed. Muhammad Aḥmad al-Ḥâj (Jeddah: Dâr al-Shâmiyyah, 1996), 1:237. 128

Controversies

to fighting in specific circumstances—such as defending the oppressed in accordance with the words of the Most High,

ِّ َ ُ َُ َ ْ ُ َ ََ َ ِّ َ َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ ‫ون ف‬ ‫ال َوالن َسا ِء‬ ‫ب‬ ‫س‬ ‫وما لكم ل تقاتِل‬ ِ ْ ‫يل‬ ِ ِ ‫الل َّ ْوالمستضع ِفني ِمن الرج‬ ِ ِ َ َ … ِ ‫وال ِول‬ ‫ان‬

And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children… [al-Nisâ’ 4:75]

Or to prevent tyrants from forcing those who embraced Islam to abandon worshipping Allah, the One and Only, as in the words of the Most High, {And fight them until there is no [more] fitnah (persecution to divert people from the worship of God)…} (al-Baqarah 2:193). Or preemptively against (genuine, not imaginary) enemy aggression, as the Muslims did when the Persians sent troops to arrest the Messenger of Allah ‫ﷺ‬, or the Romans incited their allies, the Christians of Shâm (the Levant or Greater Syria), against the Muslims. The Christians blocked the Muslims’ roadways and surrounded their trade caravans, and the ally of the Romans, Shurahbeel ibn ‘Amr al-Ghassâni, killed al-Ḥârith ibn ‘Amr al-Azdi, who was the Prophet’s emissary to the ruler of Buṣra.214 Muslim scholars in the past entertained the following question: Is the default in international relations peace or warfare? Some viewed peace as the default, while others believed it was warfare,215 although some of the latter may have been referring to the situation at their time, when they had no stable borders or statehood as we know it. Empires were constantly fighting against each other to expand their territories (as can be seen in any infographics showing the changes in the map of Europe over the last one thousand years.) Those who held the view that there was no time limit for jihâd al-ṭalab (offensive jihad) did so during a time when the modus operandi was “If 214 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Hidâyat al-hayârâ, 1:237. 215 See: Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Bâbarti, al-‘Inâyah sharḥ al-hidâyah (Cairo: Maktabat Muṣṭafa al-Bâbi al-Ḥalabi, 1970), 5:441; Yoosuf ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Kâfi fi fiqh ahl al-Madeenah (Riyadh: Maktab al-Riyâḍ al-Ḥadeethah, 1980), 1:466. And for the argument on behalf of peace being the default, see: Ibn Taymiyyah, Qitâl al-kuffâr wa muhâdanatuhum, 87-99. 129

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

you don’t conquer Rome, Rome conquers you.” If we were to pose this question to them again, using different wording, asking, “Do we prefer peace or warfare?”, perhaps all of them would answer in favor of peace. Did not the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬say, in addition to all the aforementioned?

َ ْ ِّ ُّ ُ ٌ َ َ َّ ْ ْ َ ُْ َ ْ ‫الرف َق َو ُيع ِطي َعليْ ِه َما ال يع ِطي َع ال ُعن ِف”‏‏‬ ‫يب‬ ِ ‫‏ “ ِإن الل َّ ر ِفيق‬

“Indeed, Allah is gentle and loves gentleness, and He grants because of gentleness what He does not grant because of harshness, nor what He grants because of anything else.”216

If a nation that essentially rules with justice makes peace with us, grants security to the Muslims within its borders, and does not persecute us, then why should we fight them? If our objectives are that no one is deprived of the right to worship their Lord in peace, that no tyrant subjugates any of the creation of Allah, and that no one threatens the interests of our ummah, and we can attain all that peacefully, is fighting still justified? Would choosing it in these circumstances embody the gentleness that Allah loves in all matters? Can’t Muslim nations positively influence non-Muslim ones without war? Don’t we complain that the opposite happens all the time—that non-Muslim nations negatively influence Muslim nations even when there is peace between them? Perhaps, if Muslim nations have the military, economic, cultural, and most importantly spiritual power necessary, they can influence the non-Muslim ones in a good way! Is military confrontation the only way to have this tadâfu‘ (counterbalance) between nations? I would say no. In our times, in particular, this is not feasible, let alone wise. We have not looked yet at the essence of the matter in question: war. Was war one thousand years ago the same as war today? This is not an insignificant inquiry, because applying the legislative rulings correctly is contingent upon understanding the current reality in the place where these specific rulings are to be applied. In our era, we have stable nation-states with largely fixed and distinct borders, in contrast to previous eras when peoples did not rule themselves. Instead, they 216 Agreed upon, on the authority of ‘Â’ishah, and this is the wording of Muslim. 130

Controversies

were ruled by dynasties and factions whose sovereignty would expand and then contract, only to be occupied by another. In the past, the ruling factions fought on the battlefield, but this fighting largely spared ordinary people, farmers, women, and the weak. Furthermore, after the battle, these people could enjoy the rule of a just nation that replaced the tyranny they had lived under for decades or centuries. This would bring them joy, just as the Christians of Shâm were overjoyed when the Muslims liberated them from Rome and its allies. But nowadays, the price of warfare is widespread chaos, corruption, and tragedy that do not differentiate between soldiers and civilians: bombs and rockets are not like arrows and spears. If Imam Ibn Taymiyyah ruled that a catapult could not be used except for the necessary jihad (to repel the enemy) because its missiles (rocks) may kill women and children,217-lxvii what would he say about modern weapons of war? In the past, jihad was sometimes necessary to secure the deliverance of da‘wah to the entire creation, for it removed the obstacles, such as the tyrants and their oppressive regimes, that were preventing it. In our times, the deliverance of the da‘wah is possible through the jihad of articulation and the tongue, via broadcasts, satellite channels, and especially the Internet, which delivers information in written, audible, and audiovisual formats. Furthermore, the du‘ât (those who invite others to Islam) can travel to distant lands, mix with their people, and invite them, while enjoying security throughout. Islam is undoubtedly a universalist religion. It also talks about inalienable rights. However, its universalism may be less imposing than that of liberal hegemony and its social engineering projects. So, whether it is the missionary universalism of Islam, Christianity, or Liberalism, we have to find a way to spare humanity the catastrophic consequences of armed conflicts. To conclude this point, we can never deny the virtue of jihad and martyrdom in Islam and its inculcation of the values of courage, dignity, honor, and sacrifice in its followers. However, we must also be confident that Islam decisively prefers peace over war. 217 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 24:269. 131

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

The default for the relationship with United Nations member states is that of peace. 218 All the Muslim states who signed the charter of this organization committed themselves to peace with the rest of the signatory states. Such a covenant is acceptable in Islam and makes all the world, by default, a land of muwâda’ah (peace). The Ḥanafi fuqahâ’ declared that al-muwâda’at al-mutlaqah (a peace treaty without an agreed-upon term) is one of the types of valid treaties.219-lxviii There is a difference of opinion on this issue among the Shâfi‘i and Ḥanbali schools, but Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, a Ḥanbali, chose the Ḥanafi position, and Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, another famous Ḥanbali jurist and disciple of Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, made a strong case for the validity of such treaties.220 Imam al-Shâfi‘i has himself explicitly stated that such a treaty is valid if the parties are given the option to terminate the treaty at will.221 ‘Uthmân ibn ‘Affân made a treaty with the Nubians that stated: We (Muslims) shall not wage war against you, prepare for war against you, or attack you, as long as you observe the conditions of the treaty between us and you… But it will not be incumbent upon the Muslims to drive away any enemy who may encounter you, or to prevent him from you, between the limits of the territory of Ulwah and Aswan.222

There is another pertinent discussion here, which is that the war that Islam deems justifiable, at times, is an ethical war that must also be Sharia-complaint. It is a war where the civilians, or to be more precise, all non-combatants, are spared. Abu Dâwood reported from Anas that when they had to go to war, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬would instruct them not to kill “an older man, a child, or a woman,” and he would say, “Do righteousness and show kindness, for Allah loves those who are kind.” Ibn Mâjah added that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬forbade killing the ‘aseef, which is best translated as a non-combatant attached to the army. 218 See footnote 117. 219 See ‘Alâ’ al-Deen al-Kâsâni, Badâ’i‘ al-ṣanâ’i‘, 2nd ed. (Beirut: Dâr al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1986), 7:109. 220 See Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al-Qayyim, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah (Beirut: Dâr al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyah, 2002), 1:336-344. 221 See Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shâfi‘i, Al-umm (Cairo: Dâr al-Fikr, 1961), 4:110. 222 See Muhammad Hamidullah, Muslim Conduct of State, 1970, 291. 132

Controversies

Having clarified what jihad is and is not, let us briefly address the issue of terrorism.

Terrorism Is Not Jihad

All this discussion about jihad may contribute in one way only to ending the plague of terrorism, and that is by countering the misinformation efforts of its patrons about our religion. However, a common stereotype of someone who may partake in mass-scale terrorism in the name of our religion is: a disenfranchised Muslim youth, who may or may not be religious, but is certainly misinformed, and who embarks on “defending the religion and avenging the ummah.” Now, to help stop him, we need to not only counter the misinformation (or disinformation), but also to address his disenfranchisement by showing him a path to supporting the ummah in a more productive and, yes, sharia-compliant way. Our ancestors waged jihad to replace failing and unjust regimes with a rising and fairer one. Guided by Divine wisdom, they built a beautiful civilization out of the elements of those former empires, and in doing so they invigorated the trajectory of human civilization. We do not confront power for the mere deconstruction of hierarchies, but for improvement and reform. We used force to heal the world, not to tear it apart. And we should never use it for a lower end. We are not vandals or barbarians. We are not imperial seekers of power—at least, we should not be. We are also not postmodern deconstructionists obsessed with demolishing all power structures. We are Muslims who were sent as a mercy for the creation. We do not lose hope in our fellow human beings. Our prophet did not lose hope in ‘Umar, and when ‘Umar lost hope in Suhayl and wanted to cut out his tongue to prevent him from inciting hostility against Islam, he ‫ ﷺ‬told him, “you never know what Suhayl may do for Islam one day.” And Suhayl later did Islam a great service by staving off apostacy in Makkah after the death of the Prophet. He did so with the very tongue that ‘Umar had wanted to cut out. Our youth should be taught all that. However, it is not all their fault. Muslims and non-Muslims are responsible for this disenfranchisement. Many Muslims claim that if the West stopped their military 133

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interventions in Muslim countries, their meddling in those countries’ affairs, and their support of tyrannical regimes that serve Western interests, terrorism would stop. Some add that the West also needs to stop their discriminatory domestic policies and Islamophobic rhetoric and work to end the inequality their own Muslim citizens suffer. And, of course, any conversation on the relationship between the West and Muslims always has an elephant in the room—the plight of the Palestinian people at the hands of a state that enjoys “blind” Western support, or at least seems to most Muslims to do. I agree with all this. However, we, Muslims, are not free of guilt; in fact, we should begin with the self. Are we not indirectly responsible for any part of this madness? Are we, the 99% of the ummah, just victims who got caught in the middle between the hegemony of the West and the madness of the fanatics? Are the Muslims in the Muslim-majority countries not responsible in any way for the unbearable environment they have collectively created, which has pushed many otherwise benign youths into extremism? Are we, the Muslims of the West, doing our best to have functional, inclusive, and supportive communities? I think not. We are free to criticize all the wrong in the world. However, we would be hypocritical if we did not start with our own. Let us work smarter, braver, and harder, and pray for peace for our home-planet.

Assimilation: Can Muslims Imitate non-Muslims? One of the most commonly cited hadiths is:

َ َ َ ََ َ ْ »‫“م ْن تش َّبه بِق ْومٍ ف ُه َو ِمن ُه ْم‬

“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”223

There should be no surprise here that a Muslim should not be wearing a yarmulke. However, this hadith is used by some to forbid wearing neckties or even using certain utensils. Is this what it means? We have to ask ourselves whether the Prophet and the Companions had special attires, or they just wore whatever their non-believing 223 Abu Dâwood.

134

Controversies

tribesmen wore? It does not seem that there is much scholarly disagreement that the garments that are forbidden to wear are those that are indicative of the religious affiliation of a certain non-Muslim group, like the yarmulke. It is clear then that this hadith does not apply to all forms of imitation. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah  commented, This hadith at the very least implies that it is forbidden to imitate them … This may be interpreted as referring to total imitation, which implies kufr, and the prohibition of imitation in particular elements of that. It may also be interpreted to mean that he is like them to the extent that he imitates them, whether it is in disbelief, sin, or that which is characteristic of them [i.e., characteristic of disbelief and sin]; the ruling will be in accordance with that.224-lxix

It is clear, then, that imitating them in that which amounts to disbelief is disbelief, and imitating them in sin is sinful. What about imitating them in that about which the Sharia is neutral, such as worldly affairs and customs like food, attire, furnishings, dwellings, and so forth? As we said before, it could be characteristic of them, such as the yarmulke or their religious celebrations, and in this case, it would be forbidden. But what if it is not? What is the ratio legis of the prohibition in the hadith? Is it the mere imitation of them? Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said it is.225 But what does imitation mean? He elaborates on that by pointing out that one may do something similar to another for one of three reasons:226-lxx 1- A mere coincidence, and that is not an act of imitation. This applies to all the shared human heritage that is not characteristic of any religious group. There should be no harm in this whatsoever, and we have pointed out that the Prophet dressed like his fellow tribesmen and kept many of their customs. 2- Copying them because they want to be like them, and that is not uncommon among defeated nations, as Ibn Khaldoon astutely re224 Aḥmad ibn ‘Abd al-Ḥaleem ibn Taymiyyah, Iqtidâ’ al-ṣirâṭ al-mustaqeem mukhâlafah aṣ-ḥâb al-jaḥeem, ed. Nâṣir al-‘Aql, 7th ed. (Beirut: Dâr ‘Âlam al-Kutub, 1999), 1:270-271. 225 Ibn Taymiyyah, Iqtidâ’, 1:270-271. 226 See: Ibn Taymiyyah, Iqtidâ’, 1:270-271. 135

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

marked.227-lxxi A Muslim may imitate the non-Muslims, at the expense of his/her own identity, in that which is not indicative of their religion; such people do so because of a feeling of inferiority or inclination toward them. This should be forbidden based on the hadith above.228 3- Copying them for a purpose other than mere imitation. This is the intricately nuanced area in the middle. If there is a need or valid purpose for this imitation, then it is simply seeking our shared human wisdom, and there should not be any condemnation of that. After all, the Prophet copied the strategy of the trench from the Persians, and ‘Umar and the other rightly guided Caliphs copied many aspects of Persian bureaucracy. These matters are not controversial. Most scholars divide the object of imitation into three categories: worship, customs, and conducting worldly affairs. They show leniency regarding the third, but sometimes, the line between the second and third categories is not completely clear. Additionally, many of the customs copied across cultures have some benefit or advantage for which they are copied. Sometimes, the benefit may be attested to by Islam itself. For example: certain corporate ethics, standards of transparency, or anti-plagiarizing rules. These are results of human development. It does not matter who was first in promoting those standards. The values that drive them are Islamic values. Here we may say, “Wisdom is the lost property of the believer.”229 There is no doubt that we can learn and transfer unideologized natural sciences from any people. The problem arises in the humanities, social sciences, and some concepts in life sciences that are mixed with cultural and ideological baggage that is discordant with Islam, if not entirely antithetical. It seems that the middle position in this regard is to let the discerning teach these sensitive topics in those disciplines of knowledge that need “filtering” to those who are not 227 ‘Abd al-Raḥmân ibn Muhammad ibn Khaldoon, Diwân al-mubtada’ wal-khabar fi tareekh al-‘arab wal-barbar wa man ‘âṣarahum min dhawee al-sha’n al-akbar, ed. Khaleel Shehada, 2nd ed. (Beirut: Dâr al-Fikr, 1988), 1:184. 228 Ibn Taymiyyah, Iqtidâ’, 1:271. 229 A variant “The wise statement is…” was reported by al-Tirmidhi from the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬through a chain that is deemed weak, but the meaning of the text is validated by the scholars. 136

Controversies

as discerning. Al-‘Allâmah al-Akhdari said the following in his Sullam about the science of logic,

‫ل‬ ِ ‫بِه ِ عَلى ثَلاثَة ٍ أَ ق ْوا‬

‫ل‬ ِ ‫و َالخل ُ ُْف في جَوازِ الاشْ ت ِغا‬

The disagreement on the permissibility of its use / amounts to three views

ِ ّ‫الص‬ َ ‫لاح و‬ َ ‫ن‬ ‫َالن ّواوي ح َرّما‬ ُ ْ ‫فَاب‬

‫ل قَوْم ٌ يَن ْب َغي أَ ْن يُعْلَما‬ َ ‫و َقا‬

Ibn al-Salah and al-Nawawi made it unlawful / others said it ought to be learned

ْ ‫جَوَازُه ُ ل ِسال ِ ِم الق َر يحَة‬

َ ُ ‫و َالقَو ْلَة ُ المَشْه ُورَة‬ ْ ‫الصّ حِيح ة‬

The popular and right position / is its permissibility for the competent

‫تاب‬ ِ ِ ‫س َن ّة ِ و َالك‬ ّ ُ ‫س ال‬ ِ ِ‫مُمَار‬

َ ‫لِيَه ْت َدي بِه ِ ِإلى‬ ‫واب‬ ِ ّ‫الص‬

He who follows the Sunnah and the Book / to be guided to what is correct.230

It must be said, however, that, in reality, our children are exposed to those sciences all the time without any Islamic “filters.” The duty of the Muslim communities, particularly the Muslim minorities, is to have a vibrant discourse where those sciences interface with Islam. This will prepare the Muslim youth with the power of discernment and provide them with their own “filters.” While Ibn Taymiyyah was critical of Aristotelian logic, this should not be seen as a condemnation of these sciences in general, which he mastered. The dominant trends in any science may be critiqued; after all, sciences evolve through such educated criticism. The truths should be accepted, and the untruths should be rejected. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah  said, But the truth must be accepted from anyone who speaks of it; it is well-known of the speech of Mu‘âdh ibn Jabal reported by Abu Dâwood in his Sunan, “Accept the truth from anyone who presents it, even if he is an unbeliever.” (Or he said ‘wicked’).231-lxxii 230 Aḥmad ibn Umar al-Ḥâzimi, Sharḥ sharḥ al-Quwaisini ‘ala al-sullam al-munawraq, 2:20. Retrieved from Shamilah [computer software]. 231 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 5:101. 137

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

It remains to be said that there is a whole genre of hadiths from the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬where he commands us to do things to differ or set ourselves apart from the polytheists and the People of the Book, such as growing our beards, trimming our moustaches, dyeing our hair, praying while wearing sandals,232 etc. These matters are good in and of themselves, so we would not stop growing our beards, for example, if non-Muslims started to grow them. However, the command to set ourselves apart from them must also be heeded. It was important for the small nascent Muslim community in the midst of a sea of non-Muslims to develop their distinctive character. After all, this is the generation that was entrusted with the task of changing the human trajectory. These considerations will wax and wane depending on the state of the ummah. During times of weakness, preservation of identity is prioritized, and during times of strength, openness and inclusivity are expected. In these times, cultural distinctiveness is endangered by the homogenizing force of globalization. While such forces are not necessarily conspiratorial, and may be largely organic, all nations and peoples should be concerned with preserving their identity and essence. Muslims living as minorities will need to strike the right balance between distinction and integration. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah  said, “All the reports about emulating them [the People of the Book] were in the period immediately after the migration. This was later abrogated. “233-lxxiii He goes on to explain that this was not in fact “abrogation,” as we understand it, but change of rulings due to the change in consequential variables. He explained, Likewise, nowadays, if a Muslim is in the land of war or the land of disbelief that is not a land of war, he would not be required to distinguish himself from them in the external appearance, because of the harm that may ensue from that. Contrarily, it would be recommended for him or even required to resemble them in their external appearance, if there is a religious benefit in that, such as calling them to the religion, learning about their internal affairs to report that to 232 Abu Dâwood reported from Aws ibn Thâbit al-Ansâri that the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said: “ ‫خف َافِه ِ ْم‬ ِ َ ‫“خ َالِف ُوا الْيَه ُود َ ِفإنّه ُ ْم لا يُصَل ّونَ في ن ِع َالِه ِ ْم و َلا‬ “Act differently from the Jews, for they do not pray in their sandals or their shoes.” 233 Ibn Taymiyyah, Iqtidâ’, 1:471. 138

Controversies

the Muslims, repelling their harm from Muslims, or similar good causes.234

It is important to notice here that he is mixing a group of scenarios that have the same ruling, which is that a Muslim in any of those scenarios is not required to set himself apart from them in the external appearance. There is an obvious difference between a spy in the land of war who is hiding his identity to report their internal affairs to Muslims and another person who is calling them to the religion (and obviously not hiding his identity). In the segment on Muslim minorities, we explain in detail how they must not be (or be perceived to be) a fifth column in their own countries. I meant to quote the complete statement of the imam here to show that he is mixing different scenarios that share one ruling, but in different contexts and for different purposes. It must also be noted that he was talking about styles of dress, and he did not mean that we may sacrifice the obligations of the deen, such as covering one’s ‘awrah (nakedness), to assimilate with non-Muslims. If such is a must to avoid harm, then such would not be a land of security where Muslims may live and raise their progeny. They would, then, need to look for another place on Allah’s vast earth where they can practice their religion without fear. Moreover, someone may argue that times are different now, and no one gets harmed by looking a certain way. If we are meant to contextualize the statements of the Revelation, we must, a priori, contextualize the statements of mortals, no matter how great they were/are. This is true. I would like to point out, though, that avoidance of harm is not the only cause that Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned, and then I would leave it to the good judgment of people to determine how to strike the right balance between distinction and integration. What is important to remember is that this ruling is subject in some of its applications to the consequential variables, and the different sunan (ways) of the Prophet, as we discuss in the segment of Muslim minorities, do not abrogate one another, but rather apply to different circumstances to best produce their intended religious objectives. 234 Ibn Taymiyyah, Iqtidâ’, 1:471. 139

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“Push Them To the Narrowest Part of the Road”

Abu Hurayrah  narrated that the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said:

َ ُ َْ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َّ ‫ارى ب‬ َ ‫ َوإ َذا لَقيتُ ْم أَ َح َد ُه ْم ف‬، ِ‫الس َلم‬ َ ‫ود َو َّانل َص‬ ،‫يق‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ط‬ ‫“ل تبدؤوا اله‬ ِ ٍ ِ ِ َِ ْ َ َ ِ َ ْ َ ُ ُّ ”.‫فاضطروه ِإل أضي ِق ِه‬

“Do not initiate the greeting of peace with a Jew or a Christian, and if you meet one of them on the road, make him take the narrowest part of it”235

This hadith is reported by Muslim. It is not mutawâtir (continuously recurrent), however, and certainty in the traceability of a hadith to the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬is only conferred by mutawâtir, according to the majority of uṣooli scholars. Having said that, authentic reports are binding to believe in and act on. This hadith is reported by Muslim, one of the two most authentic collections. However, the hadith has variant versions, and in some, it mentions the Jews only, in others it mentions the polytheists (mushrikeen), in others, it mentions People of the Book, and in still others, it does not reveal the referent of the command (in addition to other variations in the body of the hadith). All versions came from one narrator, Suhayl ibn Abi Ṣâliḥ who reported all the variant reports to verifying narrators and was the only one to report “make him take the narrowest part of it”; his accuracy has been questioned.236 There is no doubt this hadith has posed a challenge for scholars to interpret. None of the scholars well-grounded in knowledge would interpret this to mean pushing them to the narrowest part of the road, as suggested by some researchers.237 It is not even linguistically accurate. We find Sh. Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, for instance, saying that the hadith should be interpreted as commanding that a Muslim should not make way for them; rather, the Muslim should keep going in the 235 Muslim. 236 See for a detailed exposition of the variant reports of the hadith and Suhayl›s inconsistency in it: Ḥâkim al-Muṭairi, Al-i‘lâm bi-ḥadeeth lâ tabda’o al-mushrikeen bil-salâm (Broadcasting the assessment of the hadith: Do not greet the polytheists with peace first). Accessed January 12, 2021. http://www.dr-hakem.com/portals/ Content/?info=TmpJMUpsTjFZbEJoWjJVbU1RPT0rdQ. 237 Shavit, “The Polemic on al-wala’ wa’l-bara’,” 24-49. 140

Controversies

direction in which he was headed, and he argued that it was never reported from the Prophet or the Companions to have “pushed” the Jews of Madinah when they crossed paths.238 Sh. al-Qaraḍâwi took a different approach and limited the scope of the hadith to warring disbelievers, citing that it would be otherwise in conflict with the Quranic teachings.239 I find the position of Sh. al-Qaraḍâwi stronger. I would also add that even then, it would be situational. If we assume this is a general guidance, not specific to a particular occasion, we will have to disregard any conflict between this and the countless verses and hadiths that teach gentleness and good treatment. Can this be the same religion that teaches,

َّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َّ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ِّ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ‫ال ت َ ْست‬ ‫الي بَينَك‬ ‫ه أحسن ف ِإذا‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ف‬ ‫اد‬ ‫ة‬ ‫ئ‬ ‫ي‬ ‫الس‬ ‫ال‬ ‫و‬ ‫ة‬ ‫ن‬ ‫س‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ي‬ ‫و‬ ‫و‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ َّ َ َّ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ َّ َ ُ َ َ ٌ َ ٌّ َ ُ َّ َ َ ٌ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ‫الين صبوا وما يلقاها إِال‬ ِ ‫حيم وما يلقاها إِال‬ ِ ‫وبينه عداوة كأنه و ِل‬ ٍّ َ ُ َ ‫يم‬ ٍ ‫ذو حظ ع ِظ‬

And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. [Fuṣṣilat 41:34]

There is no doubt in my mind that these verses and the countless similar ones are the basis of the Islamic system of ethics. There is no doubt that they are the default teachings with respect to treating others. There is no doubt that the few reports that appear to be in sharp contrast must be contextualized. It is biased or lazy to fail in that, when we have enough context to interpret them in a way that makes the Islamic teachings consistent and coherent. If we agree that exchanging gifts with non-Muslims is permissible, how do we do that and then force them to the narrowest part of the road? How does a religion allow a man to share the same bed with a woman and push her father (or her) to the narrowest part of the road? How do we rationalize that the Prophet would have responded to a Jewish man’s invitation to bread and rancid oil, and on his way to visit another Jew, who was ill, he ‫ ﷺ‬hypothetically could have pushed 238 Shavit, “The Polemic on al-wala’ wa’l-bara’,” 24-49. 239 Shavit, “The Polemic on al-wala’ wa’l-bara’,” 24-49. 141

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a third one to the side of the road or forced him to take the narrower side? What birr (kindness) are we then commanded to treat them with? Some people may still try to find a way to reconcile all this. The difficulty is not a modern one. It seems that someone of the caliber of Sufyân ibn ‘Uyaynah was not able to reconcile this.240 Al-Qurṭubi reports that when he was asked about initiating the greeting of peace with the Jews and Christians, he permitted it and cited “Allah forbids you not....” [al-Mumtaḥanah 60:8]. Sufyân did not disregard the hadith, but knew it had a certain context. Al-Qurṭubi reports in the same section how other Companions and the salaf would initiate the greeting of peace all the time, like Abu Umâmah , or when warranted, like Ibn Mas‘ood who had a Christian companion and would greet him with salâm, and when asked about this, he replied, “It is the right of companionship.”241 So, we claim that this report and any other like it must have a special context to be reconcilable with the purports of the Quran and the rest of the Sunnah. This claim would have been justifiable without any additional proofs. However, there are plenty of them. For example, Anas bin Mâlik narrated that a Jew passed by Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬and said, “As-samu ‘alaika.” Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬said in reply, “Wa ‘alaika (same be upon you).” Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬then said to his Companions, “Do you know what he (the Jew) said? He said, ‘al-samu ‘alaika’ (which means ‘let death be upon you’ but sounds similar to ‘let peace be upon you’).” They said, “O Allah’s Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, shall we kill him?” The Prophet said, “No. When the People of the Book greet you, say: ‘Wa ‘Alaikum’ (same be upon you).” 242-lxxiv Now, knowing this context completely changes the narrative. The Prophet was teaching them restraint and forbearance. These texts must be understood against the backdrop of the entire seerah of the Prophet and his traditions. 240 al-Qurṭubi, Al-jâmi‘ li aḥkâm al-Qur’ân, 11:112. 241 al-Qurṭubi, Al-jâmi‘ li aḥkâm al-Qur’ân, 11:112. 242 al-Bukhâri 142

Controversies

There is another report of this injunction that may also shed light on its intent and special circumstances, and that it was in the context of war. It is reported in the Musnad of Aḥmad from Abu Baṣrah that the Messenger said,

َ َّ ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ َّ َّ َ ُ َ ،‫فإذا َسلموا َعليْك ْم‬ ‫‌“ ِإنا‌غدون ِإل يهود فل تبدؤوهم ب‬ ِ ، ِ‫السلم‬ ُ ِْ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ ْ”‫كم‬ ‫فقولوا وعلي‬

“We are marching to the Jews in the morning, so do not initiate the greeting of peace with them. If they greet you first, say ‘and upon you’.”243

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim reports that Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said that “the order to not initiate the greeting of peace with the Jews was given by the Prophet concerning the Jews of Banu Qurayzah when he was marching to fight them because greeting them with peace guarantees them security and he was marching to fight them [because of their treason].”244-lxxv The scholars of uṣool distinguish between the directives of the Prophet in his capacity as a prophet and those in his capacity as a judge or ruler. The latter must be understood more so within their specific context. That is why Imam Ibn al-Qayyim argued that when it is clear they are greeting us with peace, we can reply with the greeting of peace (and peace be upon you).245-lxxvi Many of the Companions, like Ibn ‘Abbâs, Ibn Mas‘ood, Abu Umamah, Abu al-Dardâ’, Abu Burdah, Faḍâlah ibn ‘Obayd, and others, used to initiate the greeting of peace with all people, including the People of the Book.246-lxxvii This was also the position of ‘Alqamah, al-Nakha‘i, and al-Awzâ‘i, who said, “If you initiate the greeting, the righteous had done that before you, and if you don’t, the righteous had done that before you.”247-lxxviii After all, this is what is consistent with the Quranic guidance in the following verses: 243 Musnad Aḥmad, and deemed authentic by al-Arna›ooṭ; al-Haythami stated in Majma’ al-Zawâ’id, “its narrators are those of the authentic collections.” 244 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah, 3:1326. 245 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah, 1:425. 246 See the “Chapter on Greeting the People of the Covenant” in Abu Bakr ‘Abdullâh ibn Muḥammad al-Kufi Ibn Abi Shaybah, Muṣannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (Riyadh: Maktabat al-Rushd, 1409), 5:248. 247 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Zâd al-Ma‘âd, 2:388. 143

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

ِّ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ ُ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ ُّ َ َ َّ َ ُ ِّ ُ َ َ ٰ ‫وإِذا حييتم بِت ِحي ٍة فحيوا بِأحسن ِمنها أو ردوها ۗ ِإن الل َّ كن‬ ‫عك‬ ْ َ ‫ش ٍء َح ِسيبًا‬

And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed, Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant. [al-Nisâ’ 4:86]

And,

َ ْ َ ْ َّ ُ ُ ْ َ ُ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َ َُْ ‫َوإِذا َس ِم ُعوا اللغ َو أع َر ُضوا عنه َوقالوا لَا أع ْ َمالَا َولك ْم أع َمالك ْم‬ ُ َْ َ ٌ َ َ َ ‫ك ْم َل نَبْتَغ الَاهل‬ ‫ني‬ ‫سلم علي‬ ِِ ِ

And when they hear ill speech, they turn away from it and say, “For us are our deeds, and for you are your deeds. Peace be upon you; we do not seek the ignorant.” [al-Qaṣaṣ 28:55]

And,

َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َّ ٰ َ ْ َّ ُ َ َ َ ُ ْ َ ‫ال ْر ِض َه ْونًا َوإ َذا َخ‬ ‫اطبَ ُه ُم الَا ِهلون‬ ‫الين يمشون ع‬ ِ ‫و ِعباد الرح ِن‬ ِ ً‫قَالُوا َس َلما‬

And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say, “Peace!” [al-Furqân 25:63]

And,

َ ُ ْ ُ َّ ٌ ْ َ َ ُ ٰ َ َّ ِّ َ َ ْ َ‫ون* ف‬ ٌ ‫اص َف ْح َعنْ ُه ْم َوقُ ْل َس َل‬ ‫م‬ ‫َو ِقي ِل ِه يا رب ِإن هؤل ِء قوم ل يؤ ِمن‬ ۚ َ َ َْ َ َ ‫ف َس ْوف يعل ُمون‬

And [ Allah acknowledges] his saying, “O my Lord, indeed these are a people who do not believe.” So turn aside from them and say, “Peace.” But they are going to know. [al-Zukhruf 43:88-89]

Spreading the greeting of peace is also a hallmark of the Prophetic guidance. ‘Abdullâh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Âs  reported: A man asked the Messenger of Allah ‫ﷺ‬, “Which act in Islam is the best?” He ‫ ﷺ‬replied,

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ْ َْ َ َ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ ُ ْ ُ َ ْ‫ع َم ْن َع َرف‬ ”‫ت َو َم ْن ل ْم تع ِرف‬ ‫ وتقرأ السالم‬،‫“تط ِعم الطعام‬

“To feed (the needy) and extend the greeting of peace to those whom you know and those you do not know.”248

This is why Muhammad ibn Ziyâd said, I used to hold Abu Umâmah’s hand, on his way home, and he would not pass by anyone, Muslim or Christian, young or old, except that he would say, “Peace be upon you,” and when he gets to the door of his house, he would turn and look at us and say, “Son, our Prophet commanded us to spread the greeting of peace between us.”249-lxxix

Can one hadith with variant versions repeal or even be taken as a caveat to all this? I hope that we have shown that these reports, when traceable to the Prophet, were directives to the Companions to manage certain situations. Showing dignity before a sworn enemy is the value that is taught here. We need to learn this value. However, as we discuss later in the chapter about reciprocity, changes in human behavior patterns must also be considered when we seek to realize the proper application of these values in a different world.

Celebrating non-Muslim Feasts, Festivals, or Holidays

The issue of celebrating non-Muslim feasts (eids), festivals, and holidays is another controversial issue. There are, also, many types of celebrations, and they are not all the same. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah  defines eid (‘eed) as “a name for a recurrent public gathering of a certain form, whether it recurs annually, monthly, or weekly, that combines certain characteristics: (1) a recurrent day like Eid al-Fiṭr and Jumu‘ah, (2) a public gathering, and (3) the subsequent acts, which include acts of worship and other customs.”250-lxxx We will follow this taxonomy in our discussion. First, someone may ask, why would a religion forbid people from celebrating certain feasts and enjoying themselves in a wholesome 248 Agreed upon. 249 al-Aṣbahâni, Ḥilyat al-awliyâ’, 6:112. 250 Ibn Taymiyyah, Iqtidâ’, 1:496. 145

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way? The answer to this is that feasts have been largely symbolic of certain events or beliefs that are related to religion. You will find the most significant celebrations by every people to be based in the religion of that people. There is no doubt that Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, Eid al-Adha (al-aḍḥa), and other feasts are all based in religion. It is natural that an important objective of any established religion is for its people to preserve their identity and avoid glossing over important distinctions between the faiths, while earnestly seeking good relations with all people and extending kindness to all. Moreover, some festivals—Halloween, for example—may be celebrations of concepts and behaviors that are offensive to the religion. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ َ ً َ ِّ ُ َّ َُ ”‫يدنا‬ ‫يدا َوهذا ِع‬ ‫“ ِإن ِلك ق ْومٍ ِع‬

“Every nation has a feast, and this is ours251.”

This emphasizes the already established concept that most major celebrations are religious in origin. There is another hadith where the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

ْ َ ُ ََْ َّ ُ ‫األض َح وع‬ ُ ‫ ع‬:‫نهما‬ ُ ‫خبري م‬ ”‫يد ال ِف ْطر‬ ‫يد‬ ِ ٍ ‫“إن اهلل أبدلكم‬ ِ ِ

“Allah has given you in their stead something better: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.”252

This is his statement to the people of Madinah regarding the feasts they celebrated before Islam. Notice “in their stead.” This hadith could be used to support the prohibition of celebrating any eids (in the first meaning mentioned by Ibn Taymiyyah: recurrent public festivals) since they have been replaced with Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr. There are different types of celebration, however, and there is no problem in non-recurrent celebrations, whether they are national, local, or family events. They are basically not recurrent, so not “eids” or festivals. All that matters in this case is whether the celebration is wholesome and for a wholesome reason. Recurrent celebrations are not all the same type, either. There are private ones like birthdays 251 Agreed upon. 252 Reported by al-Nasâ’i.

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and wedding anniversaries, and there are public ones. The public celebrations could be clearly religious or not. As for the public religious celebrations of non-Muslims, celebrating those clearly compromises a Muslim’s identity. Often the concept behind these events is in disharmony with our Islamic teachings. How could we celebrate Easter, for instance, when we do not believe that Jesus ‫ ﷺ‬was killed, crucified, or buried, in the first place? We also do not believe that he is the son of God. Not only that, but as Muslims, we are not supposed to celebrate as eids any religious feasts innovated by Muslims. The Messenger of Allah said,

َ ُْ َ َ َ َْ َ ْ َ َ ٌّ َْ ”.‫“م ْن أح َدث ِف أم ِرنا هذا َما لي َس ِمنه ف ُه َو َرد‬

“He who innovates something in this matter of ours [i.e., Islam] that is not of it will have it rejected [by Allah].”253

There is unanimity among the scholars that the religious feasts of non-Muslims may not be celebrated by Muslims. As for the non-religious celebrations, many scholars prevented any celebration of recurrent public feasts aside from the two Muslim feasts. They cited the hadith mentioned above about them being substituted for by the two Muslim feasts. You should also ponder the fact that too many others would undoubtedly compete with Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Moreover, the competition will not be fair when you have the other feasts convenient to celebrate because in the countries where they are celebrated people are given these days off as holidays. In such regions, this is usually not the case for our eids, which are often neglected when they fall on a weekday. We must not forget, either, that the Islamic feasts have great significance in what they celebrate. Eid al-Fitr is a celebration of success in the test of submission throughout Ramadan, while Eid al-Adha commemorates Ibrâheem’s (Abraham’s) example of sacrifice. Many of the other holidays have unwholesome concepts, or at least they may be days revered by some and reviled by others. For example, many native peoples of America find it hard to celebrate Thanksgiv253 Agreed upon. 147

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ing. Some holidays may be commercially hyped to get people to buy certain commodities. Having said that, it is harder to call the celebration of those non-religious feasts haram, due to the lack of religious symbolism in them. These celebrations do not contain any obvious religious rituals and are not meant to be means to the pleasure of Allah. Additionally, the imitation that is forbidden is when one imitates non-Muslims concerning their religious practices or practices specific to particular religious groups. Some Muslims in Muslim majority countries are keen on importing all the Western celebrations. However, their reasons are different from those of Muslims in the West. For these Muslims, importing such customs may be an indication of cultural defeat and the feeling of inferiority. Taking all of the above into consideration, the celebration of those feasts may be makrooh. Depending on the context, the need for celebration, and the presence of any negative connotations and practices, such karâhah (being disliked) may be either mitigated, or elevated to impermissibility. As for personal recurrent celebrations imported from non-Muslim cultures, they are also controversial. Birthdays and wedding anniversaries fall into this category. These are not public celebrations, but there is concern expressed by some scholars that celebrating them is an imitation of non-Muslims. However, as aforementioned, all “imitation” is not categorically forbidden. Based on this, I find no substantial basis to say it is haram to celebrate them. I do, however, understand the concern of those who would prohibit their celebration. Importing too many foreign customs may be an indication of cultural defeat and should raise concern. The subliminal messages in those customs may be too hard to recognize and to counter. The answer is to promote confidence in Muslim cultures. This may require more than speeches, writing, and lessons; it demands a concerted effort to give our people reasons to love and revere their cultures and to resist the globalization of one culture at the expense of others.

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How To Deal With Family and Friends During Those Celebrations?

If it is a feast that you do not celebrate, such as the non-Muslim religious feasts, you will need to make it clear that you are Muslim and that Christmas or Easter, for instance, are not your feasts. If you do this wisely and tactfully, it should not bring about too much resentment. Having said that, there are social (and sometimes political) circumstances and considerations that make the complete avoidance of those celebrations quite difficult. Here are some scenarios that would not constitute a form of forbidden celebration: 1. One may wish people well and wish them to enjoy their vacation time or their family gathering or any other generic greetings and well-wishes, which are not specific to the particular occasion.254 If some of our jurists did in fact prohibit greeting non-Muslims on the occasion of un-Islamic religious feasts, their rationale was that it is either a sign of acceptance of falsehood or a means to such acceptance. We believe that generic greetings and well-wishes do not necessarily signify that acceptance, particularly in our times, as they have become expected common courtesies. Such matters, without the presence of specific scriptural proofs, are subject to ijtihâd. Don’t we see that the jurists have disagreed in the past on accepting gifts from non-Muslims on the day of their feast and selling to them the supplies of such celebrations? Some viewed these acts as signs of acceptance and others did not. Regarding blocking the means to the acceptance of falsehood, we are also keen on doing that through the avoidance of celebration and specific greetings. As for generic greetings and well-wishes, they have become social expectations in our times, and that which is prohibited to block the means to evil may be permitted to open the means to a greater good. The balance is inextricably tied to social norms, and it revolves with them. 2. Accepting gifts from non-Muslims is the sunnah of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, who also used to reciprocate with better gifts. This is in case the gift 254 AMJA›s 11th Convention 2018 Istanbul Contemporary Dawah Issues in Non-Muslim Lands | AMJA Online (website), accessed May 09, 2021, https:// www.amjaonline.org/declaration-articles/amjas-11th-convention-2018-istanbulcontemporary-dawah-issues-in-non-muslim-lands/. 149

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is not related directly to their rituals they have on that day. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah stated that it is permissible to accept the gifts of the non-Muslims on their feasts, and he mentioned a report from ‘Ali , indicating that he accepted the gift of some non-Muslims on the day of al-Nayrooz (Nowruz: a Persian feast), and a report from ‘Â’ishah, who was asked about the Zoroastrians giving gifts to Muslims on their feast, and she said, “Whatever they slaughtered for the day, don’t eat it, but eat from their trees.”255-lxxxi 3. Muslims may use any personal, family, or Islamic occasions close to the times of gift-sharing to present their own gifts to family members and friends. This will mitigate the suspicion of miserliness or inconsideration.

4. If non-Muslim religious celebrations are the only times that the family members meet, they may visit their family, but should avoid the peak times as much as possible, and must completely avoid any religiously significant aspects of celebration. One may keep busy cleaning the kitchen, for example, or shoveling the snow. However, the Muslims’ intent should be clear that they are joining their kin, not celebrating those feasts.

Having presented all those concessions, I must caution that human beings are impressionable. They often follow their feelings against their sound judgment. Shaytân (Satan, the devil) will use those times and gatherings to remind new Muslims of the past and cause them trials in their religion. Individuals should do their own harm/benefit assessment and know that there is nothing equal to safety.

Al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’ in the Modern World

Abu Hurayrah reported that two individuals, a Jew and a Muslim, fell into dispute and began to abuse one another verbally. The Muslim said, “By Him Who favored Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬over all people.” The Jew said, “By Him Who favored Moses over all people.” Thereupon, the Muslim 255 Ibn Taymiyyah, Iqtidâ’, 2:52. 150

Controversies

slapped the Jew in the face. The Jew went to Allah’s Messenger ‫ﷺ‬ and told him about this affair. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ َ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ ُ َ َ َُ َ ُ ِّ ‫ت‬ ‫اس يصع َقون فأكون أول م َن ي ِفيق فإِذ َا‬ ‫انل‬ ‫ن‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫وس‬ ‫م‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ون‬ ‫ي‬ ‫“‏ال‬ ِ َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َْ َ َ َْْ ٌِ َ َ ُ ْ‫اق َقبْل أم‬ َ ‫ب العر ِش فال أد ِري أكان ِفيمن ص ِعق فأف‬ ِ ‫موس ب‬ ِ ِ‫اطش ِبان‬ ِ ْ ‫َك َن م َّمن‬ ُ‫استَثْ َن الل‏ َّ”‏‬ ِ ِ

“Don’t make me superior to Moses, for humankind will swoon and I would be the first to recover from it, and Moses would be at that time seizing the side of the Throne256 and I do not know (whether) he would swoon and recover before me or Allah would make an exception for him.”257

How can we maintain peace and order in society as we continue to have intense and often opposing feelings? This story is an example of the abuse of religion that threatens the social order and civic good. Using religion to vent personal or national grievances is something we humans have always done. The Prophet’s response may be seen by some as simply an affirmation of a truth that has nothing to do with the civic good and peaceful coexistence. But it has everything to do with them, as well as with the moral and spiritual character of the practicing Muslim. If it is a truth—and it is if he ‫ ﷺ‬said it—it is a truth from an angle that prioritizes the civic good. After all, all Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬is greater than Prophet Moses ‫ ;ﷺ‬Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬is the one who told us that he is the best of humanity, and that had Moses been alive during his time, Moses would have had to follow Prophet Muhammad. The question now is whether we can make the public space safe for all people to coexist, cooperate, and collectively reach their potential as a society. Trivializing religion and then relativizing all truths is what modernity has come up with, so far. Can we provide a better solution? 256 The Revelation uses the language developed by humans to denote things and concepts within their experience; this is in order to point to things and concepts whose ontological realities are beyond human apprehension. This is not anthropomorphic; it is expectedly and prudently anthropic, conforming to the human categories of understanding, because the audience is humanity. See Hatem al-Haj, Between the God of the Prophets and the God of the Philosophers: Reflections of an Athari on the Divine Attributes (Hatem al-Haj, 2020), 40. 257 Agreed upon. 151

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We mainly focused in the previous discussions on individual practice. In the following chapter, we turn our attention to the relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims as groups. I talk about the non-Muslim minorities in Muslim lands, the Muslim minorities in non-Muslim lands, and whether the ascendence of “Islamists” to power in Muslim countries will necessarily lead to open ended wars and an inevitable and most destructive clash of civilizations.

Non-Muslim Minorities in Muslim Lands Allah says,

ََْ َ َ َْ ِ‫َوال ْرض َوض َع َها ِللنام‬

And the earth He laid [out] for all beings. [al-Raḥmân 55:10]

The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

ََ َ َ ْ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َّ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ ‫“أل َم ْن ظل َم ُم َعا ِه ًدا أ ْو انتَق َص َه أ ْو كفه ف ْوق َطاق ِت ِه أ ْو أخذ ِمنه شيئًا‬ َ َ‫يج ُه يَ ْو َم الْقي‬ ُ ‫ب َغ ْي طيب َن ْفس فَأنَا َحج‬ ”.‫ام ِة‬ ِ ٍ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ

“If anyone wrongs a mu‘âhid, detracts from his rights, burdens him with more work than he is able to do or takes something from him without his consent, I will plead for him (the muâhid) on the Day of Resurrection.”258

Imam al-Qarâfi said, What the entire ummah has agreed on is that when the enemies seek the People of the Covenant [covenanted non-Muslim minorities in Muslim lands] to attack them, it is binding on us to go out to war, armed with our mounts and weapons, and die in the quest of protecting those who have Allah’s covenant.259-lxxxii

In his tafseer of the verse “You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who viciously oppose Allah and His Messenger,” al-Qâsimi  said it means those at war with Allah and His Messenger, and then he said about non-Muslim citizens of Muslim-majority lands (the People of the Covenant), 258 Reported by Abu Dâwood; classed as ṣaḥeeḥ by al-Albâni in Ṣaḥeeḥ Abi Dâwood. 259 Aḥmadal-Qarâfi, Al-furooq, 3:26. 152

Controversies

Those are not included in the verse, since they are not in opposition to us in the way we mentioned. Therefore, they are like us in rights and obligations. It is also permissible to marry them, partner in business with them, and visit their sick. The Prophet visited a sick Jew and presented Islam to him, so he converted, as al-Bukhâri reports. It is incumbent upon the Muslim leader to protect them, prevent harming them, and rescue their captives […] Ibn al-Qayyim said in Ighâthat al-Lahfân in refutation of those zealots who are naturally averse to shar‘i concessions, “[an example] of that is the Prophet’s accepting invitations to meals, and a Jewish man hosted him and shared with him barley bread and rancid oil.260-lxxxiii

The equality in rights and obligations is a verbatim quotation from the Charter of Madinah ratified by the seal of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. In this charter, the Jews of Madinah were to have equal rights and obligations with the Muslims.261-lxxxiv The discussion above is a scriptural one. People may be more interested in the present and past practices as well as the prospects for the future of non-Muslim minorities in Muslim-majority states. It is beyond the scope of this book to prove that, in the Middle Ages, religious minorities fared better under the caliphate than they did under Christendom. I would consider this a fact, as I acknowledge that the same is not true in our times (more on this later). Despite this, as in the case of all major world civilizations, ours was not without its own blunders. There is no doubt that there were errors (and crimes) committed by Muslim rulers and communities in the past. As I said, there will be no attempt here to defend our entire history. However, here is an attempt at understanding some of the broader contexts of these blunders. The Muslim states were not always an honest reflection of the Islamic values of governance.262 Most Muslims, particularly Islamists, would agree with this insofar as it relates to their injustice against Muslims. However, we tend (maybe out of pride) to turn a blind eye 260 al-Qâsimi, Maḥâsin al-ta’weel, 8:70. 261 See al-‘Umari’s defense of its authenticity: Al-seerah al-nabawiyyah al-ṣaḥeeḥah, 1:276. 262 For more on this, please refer to my earlier discussion in the chapter titled “Scriptures, Tradition, and History.” 153

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to the despotism practiced by Muslim rulers against their non-Muslim subjects, which caused many of the latter to become disloyal. Many Islamists think that the corruption of the rulers spares the non-Muslim minorities that are supported by the “international community.” This is not completely true in the present, let alone the past, when Muslim states were not under the influence of the “international community.” “Eastern” despotism is not a new phenomenon. There is in fact a difference between the East and West in their tolerance of despotism that was pointed out by ‘Amr ibn al-‘Âṣ . ‘Amr heard al-Mustawrid al-Qurashi say, “I heard Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬say, ‘The Last Hour will come (when) the Romans would form a majority (or prevail) amongst people.’” ‘Amr said to him, ‘Verify what you are saying!’ He said, “I only say what I heard from Allah’s Messenger ‫ﷺ‬.” Thereupon Amr said, “If you say that, it is a fact, for they [the Romans] have four qualities. They are the most forbearing in trials; the quickest to rebound after affliction, and to reattack after flight; and the kindest to the needy, the orphaned, and the weak; and fifth, they have the good quality of being the most resistant to the oppression of kings.”263-lxxxv Due to the rapid expansion of the Muslim state eastward and its quick incorporation of the Persian bureaucracy, Muslim states were thereafter heavily influenced by this historical development, which was undoubtedly a mixture of good and evil.264 This “Eastern” despotism and tolerance thereof was not characteristic of the unruly, tribal pre-Islamic Arabs. It was certainly not consistent with the Islamic prescription for good governance we find throughout the Quran and Sunnah and in the statements of the Companions, like ‘Umar’s statement, “When did you start enslaving people, when their mothers gave birth to them free?” with which he rebuked ‘Amr ibn al-‘Âṣ , the governor of Egypt at the time, when his son beat a Coptic Egyptian.265-lxxxvi

263 Reported by Muslim. 264 Muhammad al-Mukhtâr al-Shanqiṭi. Al-azma al-dustooriyah fi al-ḥaṣârah al-Islamiyah (Doha: Muntada al-‘Alâqât al-‘Arabiyah wal-Dawlitah, 2018), 326. 265 Ibn ‘Abd al-Ḥakam, ‘Abd al-Raḥmân. Futooḥ Miṣr wal-Maghrib (Cairo: Maktabat al-Thaqâfah al-Deeniyyah, 1415), 195. The chain of this report is interrupted. There are corroborative reports; however, the scholars of hadith may still deem this unauthentic. Nonetheless, the harmonious meaning, popularity, and widespread acceptance of the report make its citation suitable. 154

Controversies

It was also attributed to ‘Ali  that he said to Mâlik al-Ashtar when he dispatched him to Egypt to become its governor, Transfuse your heart with love, mercy, and gentleness for your subjects, and do not be with them like a wild predator, for they are two types: a brother in faith or a an equal in creation… For you are above them, and the one who appointed you is above you, and God is above him. God has sought from you the fulfillment of their needs and has tried you with them.266-lxxxvii

Does this mean they did not have to pay jizyah? No, for they did. However, the concept of jizyah also needs some light shed on it. In his book titled Al-aqbâṭ: hal sâ‘adoo al-Muslimeen fi fatḥ Misr? (Copts: Did they assist the Muslims in conquering Egypt?), the Coptic author Nabeel Luqa pointed out in a chapter dedicated to the taxes under the Byzantine rule that the jizyah was only one tenth of what the Byzantine rulers collected from the Egyptians. When you also factor in those who were exempt from the jizyah, it becomes obvious that it was never an undue burden on the people of conquered territories. Because of this and other manifestations of the justice of Muslim rule, the Christian inhabitants of Egypt welcomed the Muslim conquest and “when in 645 [AH] the Byzantines landed an army in the [Nile] Delta and tried to reconquer the country, the native Christians actively joined in repulsing them.”267 In the modern context, when we hear the word jizyah, or hear about any of the laws regulating the peaceful presence of non-Muslim minorities in the Muslim lands, we may consider this to be a form of religious discrimination. This presentism is rampant in our dealing with history. The reality of the matter is that unlike the ethnocentric empires, the Islamic state was an empire of faith, theocentric, although not theocratic.268 266 Mawârid al-dham’ân li duroos al-zamân by ‘Abd al-‘Azeez al-Salmân, 4:37. Retrieved from Shamilah [computer software]. The original source of this report is the Shia authored book Nahj al-Balâghah which contains many forged reports. However, it does also contain many truths, as Imam Ibn Taymiyyah pointed out, befitting of the honorable place of ‘Ali . During the time this book was authored, there is no reason to think that any of the narrators would have had a partisan or cultish interest in forging this statement. 267 J. J. Saunders, A History of Medieval Islam (London: Routledge, 2002), 53. 268 Theocracy is government by divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided. A government led by practicing Muslims, informed by their religious values, does not make that claim. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said to one of his commanders, 155

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

This does not mean that Islam has a rigid system of governance that cannot accommodate the changes in current world conditions and the nature of the nation-states that are based on sharing a specific geographic location. (At least for now, this seems to be the feasible system of governance.) The concept of jizyah itself is not a fixed one. The jurists indicated that the head of state may or may not demand jizyah in his treaties. The Prophet never demanded any jizyah from the Jews of the Madinah. When the Christians of Banu Taghlib found it objectionable to pay jizyah, ‘Umar took double the zakat from those of them who had wealth.269 ‘Umar’s agents, with approval from him, exempted many non-Muslims from the jizyah when they participated with them in defending the Muslim lands. ‘Utbah ibn Farqad exempted the people of Azerbaijan270-lxxxviii and Surâqah ibn ‘Amr exempted the people of Armenia.271-lxxxix It is because of these reports and because the head of state has the right to make peace with or without jizyah, many contemporary scholars like Abu Zahrah and al-Qaraḍâwi argued that there would be no jizyah collected in the modern Muslim states. Abu Zahrah posited that zakat may be collected from them. Dr. ‘Abd al-Kareem Zaydân said in Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimmah, ِ َ ‫الل ّه ِ و َ�ل‬ ِ ‫ل‬ ‫كنْ َأنْزِل ْه ُ ْم عَلَى‬ ٍ ْ‫حص‬ َ ْ ‫و َِإذ َا ح َاصَرْتَ َأه‬...“ َ ِ ‫الل ّه ِ فَلا َ تُنْزِل ْه ُ ْم عَلَى ح ُ ْكم‬ َ ِ ‫ن ف ََأر َاد ُوك َ َأ ْن تُنْز ِلَه ُ ْم عَلَى ح ُ ْكم‬ ِ ْ ُ‫ح‬ ”َ‫الل ّه ف ِيه ِ ْم َأ ْم لا‬ َ ّ ‫ك فإِ َ َن‬ َ ِ ‫كم‬ َ َ ‫ك لا َ ت َ ْدرِي َأتُصِ يبُ ح ُ ْكم‬ “When you besiege a fort and the besieged want you to let them out in accordance with Allah's Command, do not let them come out in accordance with His Command, but do so at your (own) command, for you do not know whether or not you will be able to carry out Allah's behest with regard to them.” [Muslim, on the authority of Buraydah] Not only that, but the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said about himself, ‫نحْوِ م َا‬ َ ‫ و ََأقْضِيَ لَه ُ عَلَى‬،ٍ‫ن بِ ح َُجّ تِه ِ مِنْ بَعْض‬ َ َ ‫ضك ُ ْم َأ ْن يَكُونَ َألْح‬ َ ْ‫ل بَع‬ ّ َ َ ‫ و َلَع‬،َ‫تخ ْتَصِ م ُون‬ َ ‫ و َِإ َن ّك ُ ْم‬،ٌ ‫“إِ ن َّمَا َأن َا بَشَر‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ”ِ‫ن الن َّار‬ َ ‫ فإِ َ ن َّمَا َأقْطَ ُع لَه ُ قطْع َة ً م‬،ْ‫ فَلا َ ي َْأخُذ‬،‫شي ْئًا‬ َ ‫ضي ْتُ لَه ُ منْ حَقّ َأخِيه‬ َ َ ‫ فَم َنْ ق‬،ُ‫َأسْمَع‬ «I am only a human being, and you people have disputes. May be someone amongst you can present his case in a more eloquent and convincing manner than the other, and I give my judgment in his favor according to what I hear. Beware! If ever I give (by error) somebody something of his brother›s right then he should not take it, as I [would] have only given him a piece of [Hell]fire.» [al-Bukhâri and Muslim from Umm Salamah] 269 Abu Yoosuf, Ya‘qoob ibn Ibrâheem, Al-kharâj (Cairo: al-Maktabah al-Azhariyyah, n.d.), 133. 270 Muhammad ibn Jareer al-Ṭabari, Târeekh al-Ṭabari, 2nd ed. (Beirut: Ma Dâr al-Turâth, 1967), 4:155. 271 al-Ṭabari, Târeekh al-Ṭabari, 4:156. 156

Controversies

In our times, in Muslim countries, there are People of the Covenant from whom the jizyah is not taken. This can be justified by arguing that these People of the Covenant participate in defending Muslim lands. Such participation either removes the jizyah after its obligation or bars its obligation in the first place.272-xc

There is also another concept upon which some of the modern Muslim thinkers based the equality of all subjects of a modern Muslim state. Thinkers like Ṭâriq al-Bishri  and Muhammad Saleem al-‘Awwa argue that the basis of the distinctive status of Muslims in the theocentric Muslim states of the past was the establishment of the social contract during those times on the authority of the conquest (fatḥ). This was not different from the rest of the world empires, which were largely ethnocentric. The difference is that in the Muslim state, the formative identity was not race or ethnicity, but religion. All the Muslim countries were later colonized and subsequently liberated by their original inhabitants, Muslims and non-Muslims. They and many others argue that a new social contract that is sensitive to the new realities of today’s world, its developments, and the nation-states should now be forged, particularly that Muslim leaders, as we said, were given a lot of flexibility in crafting social contracts with the conquered nations and peoples, and even more with those that did not fight. This argument should never negate the right of the majority to be informed by their convictions in administering their own societies. The idea that societies should have no formative thesis other than secularism, humanism, and human rights is a modern one. And it is still a debatable one. In fact, Europe, the bastion of this notion, is witnessing a resurgence of nationalist movements that want to take the continent back to its Christian identity and values. What happens to Muslims and other religious (and ethnic) minorities will largely depend on the winners of the final showdown between the progressives and conservatives. If conservatism wins, it will largely depend on which strain of conservatives wins. One of the wiser conservatives of 272 ‘Abd al-Kareem Zaydân, Aḥkâm al-Dhimmiyeen wal-Musta’maneen fi Dâr al-Islam (Baghdâd and Beirut: Dâr al-Quds and Mu’assasat al-Risâlah, 1982), 157. 157

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Europe, Sir Roger Scruton, said, “But all coherent societies are based on discrimination—a society is an ‘in-group’, however large and however hospitable it may be.”273 If the theses of his likes prevail, and not those of the more radical supremacists, European Muslims will soon need to adjust to living in a predominantly Christian continent. I believe it may be a positive development. It may protect those minorities from radicalization or disintegration into the nothingness of godlessness. An atheist West will not be any kinder to Muslims anywhere than a Christian West. The defeat of Christianity there will be disastrous to Muslim minorities in the West and Muslim majorities everywhere. We, Muslims, should not shy away from asserting our distinctive values. However, we should also avoid double standards. Those of us who promote Islamism in Muslim countries and demand that the West divorce its Christian heritage will seem hypocritical. It is better that we all work toward a world in which majorities have the right to proclaim and assert their values, as long as that does not entail oppression or marginalization of the minorities.274

Muslim Minorities in non-Muslim Lands

The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬migrated from Makkah to Madinah, and when he was able to return safely to Makkah, his hometown and the sanctuary of the first House of worship, he did not return to live there. Only a minority of his Companions died in Madinah, the city of the Prophet, where his blessed body is buried. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said,

َ َ ُ َ ْ ُ ْ َ ُ َ ً ْ َ َ ُّ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ ُ ً َ َ ”‫“وج ِعلت لا األرض كها مس ِجدا وج ِعلت تربتها لا طهورا‬

“The whole earth has been made a mosque for us, and its dust a purifier.”275 273 Roger Scruton, “The Religion of Rights,” Catholic Education Resource Center, accessed July 16, 2021, https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/controversy/politicsand-the-church/the-religion-of-rights.html. 274 I understand that this proposition may be too abstract and amorphous. It is for political philosophers, and more so, political scientists, to develop those aspirations and give them form and texture. 275 Agreed upon. 158

Controversies

To us, Muslims, “the land is the land of God, and the people are His servants.”276 A Muslim feels in unison with the deserts of Arabia, the forests of Amazonia, and the great plains of the American Midwest. They all celebrate the praises of their Lord277—ours. The West278 is obviously anxious to the point of agitation about the growing presence of Muslims in its midst. I cannot deny that Muslims, particularly recently, have contributed to fomenting this anxiety. One may say, which West? This is a valid question. I mean the conservative West, which also represents most of the religious/ ethnic majorities, with respect to the issue of immigration in particular. Yet and still, which conservative West? There are many strands. Some are wiser than others. I said in the preface that the world so badly needs compassionate conservatism. It would be hypocritical to wish for that in Muslim countries only. So, if we exclude white supremacists and their likes, there is plenty of room to share some objectives with the conservatives and have a dialogue. Their anxiety may be partially founded. However, what they do not see is that Islam is Christianity’s last hope. Islam served in the past to foment a Christian European identity by providing a common enemy. It is hoped that we can move beyond the militarized medieval hostilities. It is hoped that the “Carthage must be saved” logic of the staunch Roman conservative and talented military commander, Scipio Nasica, prevails over the “Carthage must be destroyed” logic.279 If our World chose that, Islam can still save Christianity in the West by providing a challenging antithesis. 276 This is the wording of a hadith reported by Aḥmad; however, its chain was deemed weak, although its َ meaning ْ َ ُ ِّ َ ُ َّ is sound. َّ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ ِّ َ ُ َ ْ ‫الس ْب ُع َو َاأل ْر ُض َو َمن فِيه َّن َوإن ِّمن‬ 277  … ِ ‫ش ٍء إِال يسبح بِمده‬ ‫تسبح ل السماوات‬ ِ ِ The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise… [al-‘Isrâ’ 17:44] 278 Although the term “West” is used for rhetorical reasons, much of what is discussed in this chapter also applies to some non-Muslim majority countries in the East, such as India, China, Myanmar, Singapore, and others. 279 According to classical historian John Briscoe, when Cato declared that “Carthage must be destroyed,” Scipio Nasica “argued against the declaring of war on Carthage. As ambassador to Africa in 152 [BCE] he persuaded Masinissa to withdraw from disputed territory.” John Briscoe, Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum, Publius, Oxford Classical Dictionary (published online March 7, 2016), https:// doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.1872. 159

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

The presence of large Muslim minorities in non-Muslim lands is not a recent phenomenon,280 but the concepts of nation-states and secular governments are relatively new. There is a pressing need to normalize and harmonize the relationship between those minorities and their respective countries. This effort is a major part of the needed ijtihâd-based tajdeed (renewal of the religion); we need an authentic and realistic formula to reconcile religious and national allegiances. It is important here to begin by pointing out that classical jurists classified the world into the abodes of peace, war, and treaty, giving them descriptive names according to the conditions of their times. The treaties signed by Muslim countries, as members of the United Nations and signatories to other international covenants such as the Geneva Conventions, make the default classification for the whole world dâr al-‘ahd (abode of treaty), which could also be referred to as dâr al-ṣulḥ (abode of conciliation). Wherever Muslims have the right to practice their religion, the suggested term would be dâr al-amn (abode of security). This is the dominant thinking among contemporary Islamic scholars. Muslims in non-Muslim countries must not be, or even be seen by their compatriots to be, a Trojan horse or potential traitors. Islam instills in us aversion to treason, which is a most ugly quality. Allah says,

ََ ْ َْ ْ َ ًَ َ َْ َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ ‫الل َّ َل ُي‬ َ ‫ع َس َوا ٍء ۚ إ َّن‬ َّ ‫اف‬ ٰ ‫ب‬ ‫م‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ل‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫انب‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ة‬ ‫ان‬ ‫ي‬ ‫خ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ن‬ ‫وإِما ت‬ ٍ‫م‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِْ َ‫الَائنني‬ ِِ

If you (O Muhammad) fear treachery from any people, throw back (their covenant) to them (so as to be) on equal terms (that there will be no more covenant between you and them). Certainly, Allah does not like the treacherous. [al-Anfâl 8:58]

When some Muslims were unable to emigrate to Madinah, Allah told the believers in Madinah to support them if they were persecuted by their tribes because of their religion. He added an important 280 This segment is based on the position of the majority that allows Muslims to live in non-Muslim lands as long as they can practice their religion. The discussion of this ruling will not be covered in this book. 160

Controversies

contingency, though: that the tribe should not be party to a covenant with the Muslims in Madinah.

ُ ُ َ َ ْ ْ ُ ْ َ ٰ َ َ َّ ُ ْ َّ ُ ُ ْ َ َ َ ِّ ْ ‫وك‬ ‫ع ق ْومٍ بَينَك ْم َو َبينَ ُهم‬ ‫ين فعليكم انلص إِل‬ ‫ادل‬ ‫ف‬ ‫م‬ ‫َوإِ ِن استنص‬ ِ ِ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ُ َ ٌ َ ِّ ٌ ‫ون بَص‬ ‫ري‬ ‫ميثاق ۗ والل َّ بِما تعمل‬ ِ

And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do. [al-Anfâl 8:72]

These verses mean that Muslims who are citizens of non-Muslim majority countries should not betray the trust that comes with the covenant of citizenship, and the same applies to those who are granted visas to enter specific countries. Allah says,

ُ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ َ ‫آمنُوا أ ْوفوا بِال ُعقو ِد‬ ‫الين‬ ِ ‫يا أيها‬

O you who believe! Fulfill (your) contracts… [al-Mâ’idah 5:1]

And,

َ َ ْ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُّ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ََْ َ ْ َ‫ان َب ْع َد ت‬ ّ ‫يدها‬ ‫ك‬ ‫و‬ ‫م‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ال‬ ‫وا‬ ‫ض‬ ‫نق‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫م‬ ‫دت‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫إ‬ َ ‫الل‬ ‫د‬ ‫ه‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫وأوفوا بِع‬ ِ

And fulfill the Covenant to Allah when you have covenanted and break not the oaths after you have confirmed them. [alNaḥl 16:91]

Ibn Qudâmah says about the Muslims who are given security to enter dâr ḥarb (abode of war): “Whoever enters their land with their promise of security will have in turn given them a binding promise of security from him.”281-xci Scholars have even extended some of those principles to the lands of sworn enemies when entered without covenants. Muhammad ibn Ḥasan al-Shaybâni said in al-Siyar, If it happens that a company of Muslims pass through the enemy’s front lines by pretending to be messengers carrying official documents from the Muslim Caliph—or if they are just allowed to pass through the enemy lines—they are not allowed to engage in any hostilities with the enemy troops. Nor are they entitled to seize any of their money or property 281 al-Haj, ‘Umdat al-Fiqh Explained (2020), 2:449. 161

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

as long as they are in the enemy’s area of authority. This also applies if the Muslims are truly trusted by the other party.282-xcii

This is all about the abode of war itself, not that of treaty. Muslims were a minority twice during the time of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. In Makkah, they were a minority among an extremely hostile majority. Those who emigrated to Abyssinia were also a minority that was accommodated and granted security by the just system of the host country. Should we learn from their experience? Of course. As we explained in the segment on assimilation, these models are all applicable in comparable circumstances. As for the first model, we must remember that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬did not attempt to impose any of his laws on Meccans or overthrow the sociopolitical structure of the city from within. He continued to uphold those of their laws that were consistent with the Divine guidance and original human disposition, such as the assistance of the oppressed that they agreed on in the Alliance of Virtue (ḥilf al-fuḍool).283 It was reported that a man from Zubayd was seeking to sell his camels. Abu Jahl offered to buy them for only one third of their value, and the rest of the people in the market refrained from offering the man more than that, out of fear from (or respect for) Abu Jahl. The man looked for someone to advocate for him, and he was told to seek the assistance of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, who offered him assistance, and went to Abu Jahl and warned him of repeating such acts of injustice. Abu Jahl submissively listened to the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, and when he was rebuked for that by the chieftains of Quraysh, he told them, “I saw to his right and left men with spears ready to attack me.”284-xciii The Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, although he was part of an oppressed minority at that time, did not 282 Sharḥ al-siyar al-kabir by Muhammad b. Aḥmad al-Sarakhsi, p. 507. Retrieved from Shamilah [computer software]. 283 The Prophet said, ”.‫“لقد شهدت في دار عبد الله بن جدعان حلفا ما أحب أن لي به حمر النعم ولو أدعى به في الإسلام لأجبت‬ “I was witness to an alliance in the house of ‘Abdallâh ibn Jud‘ân that was more beloved to me than a herd of red camels [an ancient Arabian metaphor for wealth], and were I to be invited to join it now in the time of Islam, I would most certainly join it.” Reported by Aḥmad and others about this agreement that took place in the pre-Islamic times and attended by the prophet ‫ ﷺ‬before he received revelation. 284 Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Sayyed al-Nâs, ‘Uyoon al-Athar (Beirut: Dâr al-Qalam, 1414/1993), 1:132. 162

Controversies

opt to just let the polytheists resolve their own conflicts or trivialize the concern of the Zubaydi man by saying that the greater concern was saving them from disbelief and paganism. There are certain values that are always worth our adherence to them and advocacy for them. Before his blessed migration, the Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬left ‘Ali behind in Makkah to return the trusts people had left with him. It had been thirteen years since his ministry started, and his reputation as the Truthful and Trustworthy remained spotless. At the same time, he prayed at the Ka‘bah and made ṭawâf around it while it was surrounded by hundreds of idols, which he did not touch. Even when he returned to make ‘umrat al-qaḍâ’,285 he would not touch their idols. As for Muslims’ stay in Abyssinia, they were an exemplary migrant community. It was even reported, albeit with questionable chains, that Ja‘far, al-Zubayr and other Companions fought alongside al-Najâshi (the Abyssinian ruler) against an enemy of his. While it is possible that al-Najâshi at that time may have been Muslim, the regime he headed was not Islamic. Fighting is not permitted in Islam except in a war sanctioned by God for His cause, a fact that should be obvious and expected. He gave us those souls, and we may only sacrifice them for His cause or in self-defense. However, based on these reports, some scholars maintained that fighting would be permitted for Muslim minorities in a non-Muslim land, if their country was attacked.286-xciv This would be a case of self-defense. Al-Najâshi was also used by Imam Ibn Taymiyyah  as an example of a Muslim who works within an un-Islamic system, to the best of his capacity, to promote the Divine cause of justice. The other example used by the imam in this regard is that of Prophet Yoosuf , who presided over the Egyptian treasury and would have had to abide by the royal rules, which may have not always been in compliance with the Divine law.287-xcv They both did their best to serve the Divine cause and promote the welfare of the people they lived among. 285 The first minor pilgrimage (‘umrah) to be actually performed by the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬after the Hijrah. 286 Abu Bakr Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Sarakhsi, Al-Mabsooṭ (Beirut: Dâr al-Ma‘rifah, 1414/1993), 10:98. 287 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-Fatâwa, 19:217-219. 163

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

Based on the above, Muslims must comply with the laws of their countries, albeit without disobeying the Divine imperatives. It is rare that such a conflict arises, since most of those secular laws only restrict mubâḥ (permissible) acts, which is also within the power of the authorities in Muslim countries, as long as certain conditions are fulfilled. In non-Muslim countries, accepting to be a party to the social contract among the citizens of that country means giving up some of our freedoms. Also, when a true conflict arises, there is often a way out, particularly in countries whose laws respect human freedoms and rights. For example, one may decline to partake in an unjust war on religious grounds. Shaykh Salman Alodeh (Salmân al-‘Audah), a contemporary Ḥanbali scholar, said, Muslims living in non-Muslim countries must comply with the laws and regulations of the country they have been entrusted, through valid visas, to enter. At the same time, they must avoid whatever contradicts Islamic teachings. If they are obliged by law to uphold something that is contrary to Islamic teachings, they must adhere to the minimum required by law. One of the best approaches for Muslims living in these countries is patient perseverance (ṣabr). As long as they agree to live in a non-Muslim country, they must never rebel against the people living in that area where they chose to reside, even it seems too hard for them to endure.288

Finally, the Sharia is what we live by in our individual worship and conduct, but it is not enforceable as a public law outside of the jurisdiction of Muslim states, wherein it guides the authorized legislatures and judiciaries. Yet, it is the Sharia that taught us to do good to all people. It is the Sharia that taught us about our common origin and human fraternity. It is the Sharia that taught us about the special honorable place of human beings among all creatures and creation. It is the Sharia that taught us to honor our contracts and forbade us from participating in treason and treachery. It is the Sharia that taught us neighborliness. It is the Sharia that taught us that Lot became a brother of the people of his host tribe when he migrated to their land and lived in their midst. It is the Sharia that showed 288 From the shaykh’s website: Islamtoday.net. 164

Controversies

us how Joseph continued to have goodwill for the people of Egypt despite being thrown in jail by some of them. Which country, then, would not want its Muslim subjects to properly learn and scrupulously follow their Sharia?

Does Having an Islamic Reference Point Necessitate a Clash of Civilizations?

Another way this question is asked nowadays is whether the Islamists’ rise to power will inevitably lead to a clash of civilizations and further destabilize our world. The answer to this is dependent on what “Islamist” refers to289 and what “destabilize” means. It also depends on the shape of the “world” and its current and future shapers. Is it a unipolar or multipolar world? Is it the world of Samuel Huntington, the Harvard professor and author of Clash of Civilizations or Richard Bulliet, the Columbia professor and author of Islamo-Christian Civilization? Of course, any sincere and principled Muslims will work for the interests of their people, pursue their justifiable rights, and prepare for “Huntington’s world.” This should not necessarily destabilize the world, although it may create temporary tensions—and even be “disruptive” in a positive way, it is hoped—in the course of realizing just peace and balance of powers in the world of John Mearsheimer, the most notable political scientist of the realist school of thought. Of course, there is a tiny but potent fraction of Islamists who believe in waging a perpetual war with all peoples until they concede to accepting Islam or paying jizyah. One may surmise that if those rise to power, they will likely cause havoc and much bloodshed. ISIS is one example. However, ISIS is also a clear example of the impossibility of those brands becoming established and causing much harm to the world beyond chaos and destruction to the local (mainly Muslim) populations. The fact that the vast majority of Muslims abhor the mention of ISIS and despise the very name290 is uncontestable. 289 See the detailed discussion in footnote 48. 290 Muslims detest the fact that this group has hijacked the honorable name of “Islamic state,” so, Arabic-speaking Muslims refer to ISIS as Da‘esh, which is a pejorative term. 165

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

The reader may think now that I am leading them to accepting the rise of “political Islam” as an alternative to spare the world from “jihadist Islam.” This is not true. First, political Islam, while its proponents share some commonalities, is not a monolith or a uniform group that has the same understanding of what Islamism means. They may agree on some ends and means, but the differences between them are enormous—even within the same group. What does the normalization of Islam’s place in the public space mean? Does Islam prescribe a specific system of governance and provide a detailed manifesto for the theories and practices of governance? While no one of any scholarly status believes that Islam tells us in detail how to govern, eliminating the need for rational thought or even for borrowing techniques and procedures from other nations and cultures, the disagreement between the proponents of political Islam on the nature of Islamic guidance in this respect is still huge. On one end, you find people proposing a theory that is very close to a secular conception of the state with Islam providing some guiding values and informing the conscience of the policymakers. On the other end of the spectrum, you find the more conservative conception that claims there are thousands of texts in the Quran and Sunnah that govern this area. Somewhere in the middle, most moderates believe that Islam provides agile guidelines and principles, not detailed instructions, allowing great flexibility in application. Also, these groups disagree on the enforceability of such guidelines. Do they have to be enshrined in the constitution? Should they be left to the conscience of the policymakers, who themselves will be informed by their religious values, like Mike Pence said he was? Also, when it comes to the means, there, also, political Islam is not a monolith. There are those in this space who are in fact closer to “reformist Islam.” They simply agree that political involvement may be used as one tool among many toward the realization of the objective of allowing the religion to inform the collective conscience of the ummah. They understand that Islam is first and foremost a religion that seeks to reconnect humans with their Creator. They realize that the ultimate social and political reforms they want to achieve are a result of the prerequisite spiritual, moral, and intellectual reform that 166

Controversies

is more important and more urgently needed. Many of them believe that Islam should permeate through the body of the ummah like water through the petals of roses. They do not support solid hierarchical structures replacing the current hierarchies, but a horizontal movement of individuals and institutions working to reinvigorate the Muslim consciousness with the spiritual, moral, social, and intellectual energies of Islam. They are willing to work within a system of righteous governance, even if it is dominated by ideological opponents. When this latter understating of Islamism prevails, and its adherents rise to power, they would have already been tempered by their cumulative experiences, exposures, and lively discourse. If they are able to bring about a true Islamic renaissance to our communities, their empowerment will mean a great good for the world.

167

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The Way Forward

I think there are certain principles that can reduce the spectrum of disagreement and controversy and bring more people from the peripheries toward the virtuous center. Once that center has been energized and gained the needed momentum, it will attract more people to it. In my assessment, the main principles that should be invoked for that cause are honesty and moderation, invoking the generalities of the Revelation and its overarching principles, and a fine understanding of the concept of renewal of the religion, particularly with respect to reciprocity in dealing with the “other.”

Honesty and Moderation

Like many other essential concepts, the subject of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ is suffering in our times from the polarization and extremism that poison our Muslim public discourse. The moderate voices are muted by the screaming from the left and right. The right uses the left’s blatant dismissal of the scriptures and tradition to degrade their position. The left uses the right’s misconstrued understanding of the tradition, unrealistic unwillingness to adapt, and harshness, to degrade their position. The truth and a nuanced, realistic, and orthodox direction are the victims of this atmosphere. It is completely fine for the fatwa to agree with the political agenda. After all, the assumption that politicians are naturally sinister and all they endorse must be evil, is faulty and dangerous. However, the scholars will doom themselves to ignominy and irrelevance “… and wretched is that bargain,” if they accept to be mobilized and controlled by those agendas, whether directly or indirectly, through their own political calculations and self-serving positioning.

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The scholars we need are those who are conscious of God, well grounded in the tradition, and aware of the new global realities. They will realize the objectives of the Sharia without being dismissive of its sources and principles. They will provide sound mechanisms for their “adapted” fatwas. They will avoid errors of omission and commission in their new synthesis.

The Generalities of the Quran and Sunnah

Ibn Taymiyyah opined, “A person must have overarching universals through which the particulars will be assessed, so that he or she may speak with knowledge and justice. Additionally, they must learn the context of the particulars. Otherwise, they will continue to be in falsity and ignorance concerning the particulars and ignorance and injustice concerning the universals, thereby leading to great corruption.”291-xcvi One vital step toward correcting the departures from the scriptures in our history is to affirm the generality of the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah and apply them to all people as they were meant to. This should be the clear default. Allah says,

ْ ْ َ َ ّ ُْ َْ َ ‫َو ِم ْن أَ ْهل الْكتَاب َم ْن إن تَأ َمنْ ُه بق‬ ‫ار يُ َؤ ِد ِه ِإلْك َو ِمَن ُهم َّم ْن ِإن تأ َمنه‬ ‫نط‬ ِ ِ َ َ ً َ ٍ ْ َ َ َ ِ ْ ُ َ َّ ِ َ ْ َ ِ ّ َ ُ َّ ِ َ َ‫ك بأ َّن ُه ْم قَالُوا ْ لَيْس‬ ِ ‫ار ال يؤ ِد ُهِ إِلك إِال ما دم ُت علي ِه قائِما ذل‬ ٍ ْ َ ‫بِ ِد َين‬ ََ َ ََُ ٌ َ َ ّّ َ ُ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ َِ َ ْ َ ‫علينا ِف األ ِم ِيني س ِبيل ويقولون ع الل ّ الك ِذب وهم يعلمون‬

Among the People of the Book are some who, if entrusted with a hoard of gold, will (readily) pay it back; others, who, if entrusted with a single silver coin, will not repay it unless you constantly stand demanding it, because, they say, “There is no call on us (to keep faith) with these ignorant (pagans).” But they tell a lie against Allah, and they know it.292 [Âl ‘Imrân 3:75]

This is a clear condemnation of the behavior of some of the People of the Book who did not keep faith with the gentiles. We would be deserving of the same if we follow their example. 291 Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo‘ al-fatâwâ, 19:203. 292 This translation is adapted from that of Dr. Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Quran, as found on quranyusufali.com 170

The Way Forward

Allah says,

ُ ُْ ََ َ ْ َ ْ ْ َ َْ َ ًْ َ ُ ُ‫اعب‬ ٰ َ ‫ح َسانًا َوب ِذي الْ ُق ْر‬ َّ ‫ا‬ ‫ئ‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ش‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ب‬ ‫وا‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ش‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫الل‬ ‫وا‬ ‫د‬ ‫و‬ ‫ب‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ال‬ ‫و‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ب‬ ‫و‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ْ ْ َ َ ْ ُْ ۖ ْ َ ْ َ َ ََْ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ ٰ ٰ ‫والت‬ ‫احب‬ ِ ‫ني والار ِذي القرب والار النب والص‬ ِ ‫ام والمسا ِك‬ ْ َ َ ِ َ ُّ ُ ِ َ َ ِ َّ ْ ُ ُ َ ْ َ ْ َ ِ َ َ َ َ ْ َّ َ ‫الَنب‬ ‫يب من كن‬ ‫يل وما ملك‬ ‫ب‬ ‫الس‬ ‫ن‬ ‫اب‬ ‫و‬ ِ ‫ت أيمانكم ۗ إِن الل َّ ل‬ ِ ِ ِ‫ب‬ ِ ِ ُ َ ً َُْ ً‫خورا‬ ‫متال ف‬

Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful. [al-Nisâ’ 4:36]

Ibn al-Qayyim  commented, “The rights of everyone mentioned in this verse are binding, [according to all] even if they were unbelievers.”293-xcvii Allah also says,

َ َ َْ َ َ ْ َ ً ْ َ َُُْ َ َ َ ْ َ‫اق ب‬ َ ‫الل َّ َوبال ْ َو‬ َ ‫ون إ َّل‬ ‫الي ْ ِن ِإح َسانا‬ ‫د‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ع‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ل‬ ‫يل‬ ‫ئ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫س‬ ‫إ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫وإِذ أخذنا ميث‬ ِ ِ ِ ْ َ ِ َ َ َ ْ ِ َ ِٰ َ ْ ُ ْ ِ َ َّ ُ ُ َ ً‫اس ُح ْسنا‬ َ َ ٰ ‫و ِذي القرب والت‬ ِ ‫ني وقولوا لِلن‬ ِ ‫ام والمسا ِك‬

And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them] Do not worship except Allah; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words]. [al-Baqarah 2:83]

When Imam Ibn Wahb , the great student of Imam Mâlik , was asked about backbiting against a Christian, he cited the end of this verse as evidence of its prohibition.294-xcviii Whenever the scholars invoked the overarching principles of Islamic ethics, their fatwas came consistent with the spirit and letter of the scriptures. Without clear specific evidence, there is no reason at all to limit the application of any of the Islamic moral codes to Muslims. 293 Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Aḥkâm ahl al-dhimmah (1997), 2:793. 294 Ibn Baṭṭâl, Sharḥ Saḥiḥ al-Bukhâri., 9:247. 171

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The Change of Fatwa and the Concept of Reciprocity

This is an important concept, particularly for our generation. The attitude of others toward us should not be inconsequential. We should not be outdone in courtesy and kindness. The way people interact with each other in our times is different from how they interacted centuries ago. Whether this is a genuine development or a need for the civic good in a world that is getting increasingly more urban and condensed and more interconnected, is a secondary issue. The reality is that intercommunal relations have improved overall in modernity, and the nation-state cannot afford tense relations between its subjects. Circumstantial changes are the major catalyst of the change of fatwa.295 We have an excellent example here with respect to interpersonal relations. As we have explained before, much of the harsh tone between the early Muslims and surrounding disbelievers was set by the disbelievers, not the Muslims. Allah says:

َّ ُ ُ ‫اس ُح ْسنًا‬ ِ ‫َوقولوا لِلن‬

And speak to people good [words]. [al-Baqarah 2:83]

The Prophet differentiated in his treatment between Abu Jahl and al-Muṭ‘im ibn ‘Adiy, for instance. In fact, the prophet’s poet, Hassân ibn Thâbit eulogized al-Muṭ‘im, who died without accepting Islam, by saying: ‫بِدَم ٍْع و َِإ ْن أَ ن ْز َف ْتِه ِ فَاسْ كُبِي الدّم َا‬

‫حي‬ ِ َ ‫أَ ي َا عَيْنُ فَابْكِي سَيّد َ الْقَو ْ ِم و َاسْ ف‬

O, eye, cry [over] the [death of the] master of [his] people and shed / tears, and if you deplete the tears, then shed blood And,

295 For more on the scope and guidelines of this concept, see: Hatem al-Haj, “Shari›ah in Today›s World: Renewing Islamic Discourse,” Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, accessed July 16, 2021, https://yaqeeninstitute.org/hatem-al-haj/ shariah-in-todays-world-renewing-islamic-discourse. 172

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‫مجْدُه ُ ال ْيَوْم َ مُطْعِم َا‬ ِ ‫م ِنْ الن ّا‬ َ ‫س أَ بْقَى‬

‫حدًا‬ ِ ‫مجْدٌ يُخلِد ُ الدّه ْر َ و َا‬ َ َ‫فَلَو ْ ك َان‬

Had glory made anyone of the people immortal / al-Muṭ‘im’s glory would have made him so296

Ibn ‘Abbas  said, “If Pharaoh said to me: ‘May Allah bless you,’ I would reply, ‘And you.’”297-xcix Abu Burdah wrote a letter of greeting to a man of the People of the Covenant, and when he was asked about it, he explained, “He had greeted me.”298-c Ibn Mas‘ood was asked about a similar situation, and he said, “It is the right of companionship.”299-ci Of course, the concept of reciprocity is not unqualified. We do have a steady value system, and as in the case of religious traditions, we have certainties and constants that cannot be violated. It was reported that ‘Amr ibn al-‘Âṣ and Shuraḥbeel ibn Ḥasanah sent the head of an enemy to Abu Bakr , who promptly condemned that. They said, “They do that to us.” Whereupon he said, “Are you then to follow the sunnah of the Persians and Romans!? Let no head be ever carried to me again. Letters and reports are sufficient for me.”300-cii Likewise, if some Christians assure us that we (as Muslims) are (like them) promised salvation and eternal bliss, we cannot reciprocate by assuring them of the same, because we simply do not have that jurisdiction. As I indicated before, the nation-states of our times are probably here to stay, but even that is not a matter of certainty. 301 It is likely, though, that they will see some changes allowing majority populations more freedom of self-expression. The world is a place of constant change, and the concept of reciprocity gives us the flexibility to not be outdone—and to not appear to be outdone—in kindness, not only at the individual level, but also at the communal level. 296 ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Hishâm. Sirat Ibn Hishâm. Edited by Muṣṭafa al-Saqqa et al. 2nd ed. (Cairo: Maktabat Muṣṭafa al-Bâbi al-Ḥalabi, 1375/1955), 1:380. 297 Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad; Authenticated by al-Albâni. 298 Muṣannaf ibn Abi Shaybah, 5:249. 299 Muṣannaf ibn Abi Shaybah, 5:259. 300 al-Nasâ’i. 301 I am aware of the critiques of the modern nation state, including Wael Hallaq’s recent momentous work, The Impossible State. While I sympathize with many of the contentions, motives, and aspirations of these critics, and believe there is much to learn from them, I do not see that they provide a viable alternative—at least for now. 173

174

Conclusions

Here are the essential conclusions of the foregoing discussion: 1. Al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ (loyalty and disavowal) is an authentic Islamic concept that has been marred by misunderstandings and misapplications. Without negating other bonds, the religious fraternity is the most noble of them.

2. Walâ’, specifically the religious walâ’, is about the love of God, the ultimate good, and all the goodness and virtue espoused by Him. It is to be applied to individuals and groups insofar as they embody those values, and it would apply to Muslims because of their embodiment of the virtue of belief in God and His Messenger, and submission to His will. It would not apply to them when they represent the opposite values of disbelief, immorality, or injustice, whether the object of that injustice is a Muslim or not. 3. Barâ’, specifically the religious barâ’, is about distancing oneself from all forms of opposition to and disbelief in God and the vices and evils that He condemned. It is to be applied to individuals and groups insofar as they embody those failings, not to their transcendental egos for whose salvation we continue to pray. Our natural feeling about the children of our parents, Adam and Eve, is one of love and friendship. Such feelings are confirmed for those who are fair and virtuous. As for those who viciously oppose Allah and His Messenger and oppress us, we treat them with justice, not affection.

4. Neither al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ nor salvific exclusivity are concepts exclusive to Islam. Every ideology and religion must have its own tenets. Whoever accepts them as truths becomes a believer, and whoever denies them becomes a disbeliever. However, no one who does not receive revelation from God can predict their own destination in the hereafter, let alone that of anyone else. Therefore, no matter 175

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

what their final abode may be, we must treat all people on earth with justice and mercy.

5. If we conflate the scriptures, tradition, and history together, we may end up defending the indefensible or tainting the scriptures with human indiscretions and transgressions. A loving but critical examination of the tradition in light of the scriptures is what we need to exonerate the Revelation without impugning the tradition. 6. Whenever the scholars invoked the overarching principles of Islamic ethics, their fatwas came consistent with the spirit and letter of the revelation and serving its objectives. Without clear specific evidence, there is no reason at all to limit the application of the Islamic moral codes to Muslims.

7. Any anecdotal reports that seem in conflict with the Islamic values of justice and mercy and the innumerable generalities of the Quran and Sunnah endorsing them must be investigated for their traceability to the Prophet. If they were traceable, their context must be studied. Invariably, they will be reconciled with the basic Islamic principles and fitted into its coherent moral philosophy.

8. Justice, individual accountability, gentleness, empathy, respect, generosity, goodwill, and reciprocity are basic Islamic values to be observed by default with all of humanity. Joining the ties of kinship has a paramount place in Islam, regardless of the religion of one’s kin. Neighborliness and the wider concept of compatriotism are among the social bonds that are sanctioned and promoted by Islam. 9. Loving the unbelievers for their unbelief (or the wicked for their wickedness) or loving those who are hostile to Islam and Muslims, siding with them in their oppression of Muslims or others, taking them as confidants to the exclusion of the believers, deserting Islamic teachings to earn their acceptance, imitating them in that which is reprehensible or out of inferiority, and failing to leave their company or emigrate when we cannot openly practice our religion are all abominations that compromise our faith. 10. Human consciousness can be perceived as a bundle of acts of intentionality, which perfectly allows us to say that a man may be 176

Conclusions

loved and hated simultaneously: loved in some respects and hated in others. We do not hate the transcendental egos of our fellow brethren in humanity for whose salvation and prosperity we continue to pray. We advocate for them before God and implore Him for their guidance and salvation.

11. Non-Muslim minorities fared better under the caliphate than did religious minorities in Christendom throughout the Middle Ages. This does not mean that great injustices were not at times committed against them. Aside from religious fanaticism, which no religionists have been immune to, “Eastern despotism” was incorporated to some extent into the Muslim states along with Persian bureaucracy. However, the great emphasis placed by the Revelation on just and kind treatment of the covenanted non-Muslims, and the great flexibility in the legal framework of Sharia, will enable us to accommodate the requirements of the modern nation-state concerning religious minorities without denying the majority the right to self-expression. 12. Muslim minorities do not seek to enforce the Sharia on their non-Muslim compatriots because it is simply unenforceable outside Muslim jurisdiction. Sharia, however, is, in part, what we live by in our individual worship and conduct. It is the Sharia that taught us about our common origin and human fraternity and the transcendental place of man in this universe. It is the Sharia that nurtured in us goodwill, generosity, empathy, and neighborliness. It is the Sharia that requires us to do good to all people, to honor our contracts and refrain from treachery. Which country, then, would not want its Muslim subjects to properly learn and scrupulously follow their Sharia?

13. No minority, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, should strip the majority of the right to live by their values and to be informed by them in all spheres of life, as long as that does not entail oppression of the minorities or denying them freedom of religion. Compassionate conservatism is the only way for the world to avoid spiraling into complete godless decadence.

14. Islam may be Christianity’s last hope in its struggle to survive modernity. In the past, it unified Christian Europe against a common 177

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

enemy. We hope that in the future, it will provide the “Christian” West with an exciting antithesis. An atheist West will not be any kinder to Muslims anywhere than a Christian West (or more realistically, a secular West with a Christian ethos). The final defeat of Christianity in the West will be disastrous to Muslims everywhere. 15. Invoking the generalities of the revelation and its overarching principles, including reciprocity, with honesty and moderation, and with a fine understanding of the sphere of their operation, will allow those God-fearing scholars who are well grounded in the tradition to forge a nuanced, realistic, and orthodox direction forward which will ensure that we will not be outdone, nor appear to be outdone, in kindness.

When properly understood and practiced, the concept of al-walâ’ wal-barâ’ should not lead to hostility and aggression; rather, it would be a force of good and a catalyst of virtue in our world. Let us reclaim the proper understanding of it and practice it with dignity and within a framework of justice, mercy, and love for humanity.

178

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‘Asqalâni (al-), Aḥmad ibn Ḥajar. Fatḥ al-Bâri fi Sharḥ Ṣaḥeeḥ al-Bukhâri. Beirut: Dâr al-Ma‘rifah, 1379 AH. Bâbarti (al-), Muhammad ibn Muhammad. Qaṣeedat ‘unwân al-ḥikam. Cairo: Maktabat Muṣṭafa al-Bâbi al-Ḥalabi, 1970.

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187

188

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬ ‫‪  ii‬ابن عاشور في التحرير والتنوير‪ :‬وليس في مادة (ب غ ض) إلا معنى جنس‬ ‫‌ا�لكراهية فلا سبيل إلى معرفة اشتقاق لفظها من مادتها‪ .‬نعم يمكن أن يرجع فيه إلى‬ ‫طر يقة القلب‪ ،‬وهو من علامات الاشتقاق‪ ،‬فإن مقلوب بغض يكون غضب لا غير‪،‬‬ ‫فالبغضاء شدة ‌ا�لكراهية غير مصحوبة بعدو‪ ،‬فهي مضمرة في النفس‪.‬‬

‫‪  iii‬أبو هلال العسكري في الفروق اللغو ية‪‌‌:‬ال ْفرق بَين‌ا�ل ْك َرَاه َة والبغض أَ نه قد أتسع‬ ‫بالبغض م َا لم ي َت ّس�ِع ب ِا�ل ْك َرَاهَة ِ ف َقيل أبغض زيدا أَ ي أب ْغض إكرامه ونفعه وَل َا يُق َال أكره‬ ‫بِهَذ َا ال ْمَعْنى كَمَا اتَ ّسع بِلَفْظ الْم َحب ّة ف َقيل أحب زيدا بِمَعْنى أحب إكرامه ونفعة وَل َا يُق َال‬ ‫أريده فِي هَذ َا ال ْمَعْنى وَم َ َع هَذ َا ف َِإن‌ا�ل ْك َرَاه َة تسْتَعْمل فِي م َا ل َا يسْتَعْمل ف ِيه ِ‌البغض فَيُق َال‬ ‫طع َام وَل َا يُق َال أبغضهكَمَا تَقول أحبه و َالْمرَاد أَ ن ِ ّي أكره أكلهكَمَا أَ ن المُرَاد بِقَو ْل ِك‬ ‫أكره هَذ َا ال َ ّ‬ ‫طع َام أَ َن ّك تُر ِيد ُ أكله أَ و شِر َاءَه ُ‪.‬‬ ‫ُأرِيد هَذ َا ال َ ّ‬ ‫‪  iiii‬في السنة لعبد الله بن أحمد‪« :‬عن سلمة بن كهيل قال‪ :‬اجتمعنا في الجماجم»‪،‬‬ ‫أبو البختري وميسرة وأبو صالح وضحاك المشرقي وبكير الطائي فأجمعوا على أن الارجاء‬ ‫بدعة‪ ،‬والولاية بدعة والبراءة بدعة والشهادة بدعة‪».‬‬ ‫‪  iiv‬في طبقات الحنابلة لابن أبي يعلى عن الإمام أحمد‪« :‬والولاية بدعة والبراءة‬ ‫بدعة‪ ،‬وهم الذين يقولون نتولى فلانا ونتبرأ من فلان‪ ،‬وهذا القول بدعة فاحذروه‪».‬‬

‫‪  vv‬في السنة لعبد الله بن أحمد عن أبي البختري قلت لشر يك عن علي رضي الله‬ ‫عنه فذكره قال «الارجاء بدعة‪ ،‬والشهادة بدعة‪ ،‬والبراءة بدعة «‬

‫‪  vvi‬ابن القيم في إعلام الموقعين‪ :‬فإن الشر يعة مبناها وأساسها على الحكم ومصالح‬ ‫العباد في المعاش والمعاد ‪ ،‬وهي عدل كلها ‪ ،‬ورحمة كلها ‪ ،‬ومصالح كلها ‪ ،‬وحكمة كلها‬ ‫; فكل مسألة خرجت عن العدل إلى الجور ‪ ،‬وعن الرحمة إلى ضدها ‪ ،‬وعن المصلحة‬ ‫إلى المفسدة ‪ ،‬وعن الحكمة إلى البعث ; فليست من الشر يعة وإن أدخلت فيها بالتأو يل ;‬ ‫فالشر يعة عدل الله بين عباده ‪ ،‬ورحمته بين خلقه ‪ ،‬وظله في أرضه ‪ ،‬وحكمته الدالة عليه‬ ‫وعلى صدق رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم أتم دلالة وأصدقها ‪ ،‬وهي نوره الذي به أبصر‬ ‫المبصرون ‪ ،‬وهداه الذي به اهتدى المهتدون ‪ ،‬وشفاؤه التام الذي به دواء كل عليل ‪،‬‬ ‫وطر يقه المستقيم الذي من استقام عليه فقد استقام على سواء السبيل ‪.‬‬

‫‪189‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫‪  vvii‬ابن تيمية في مجموع الفتاوى‪ :‬فعل المأمور به صادر عن القوة الإرادية الحبية‬ ‫الشهو ية وترك المنهي عنه صادر عن القوة ا�لكراهية البغضية الغضبية النفر ية والأمر‬ ‫بالمعروف صادر عن المحبة والإرادة والنهي عن المنكر صادر عن البغض وا�لكراهةكذلك‬ ‫الترغيب في المعروف والترهيب عن المنكر والحض على هذا والزجر عن هذا ولهذا لا‬ ‫تكف النفوس عن الظلم إلا بالقوة الغضبية الدفعية وبذلك يقوم العدل والقسط في الحكم‬ ‫والقسم وغير ذلك كما أن الإحسان يقوم بالقوة الجذبية الشهو ية‪.‬‬

‫‪  vviii‬والنوع الثالث‪ :‬أن يأمر الشارع بشيء ليمتحن العبد هل يطيعه أم يعصيه ولا‬ ‫يكون المراد فعل المأمور بهكما أمر إبراهيم بذبح ابنه فلما أسلما وتله للجبين حصل المقصود‬ ‫ففداه بالذبح وكذلك {حديث أبرص وأقرع وأعمى لما بعث الله إليهم من سألهم الصدقة‬ ‫فلما أجاب الأعمى قال الملك‪ :‬أمسك عليك مالك فإنما ابتليتم؛ فرضي عنك وسخط على‬ ‫صاحبيك} ‪ .‬فالحكمة منشؤها من نفس الأمر لا من نفس المأمور به وهذا النوع والذي‬ ‫قبله لم يفهمه المعتزلة؛ وزعمت أن الحسن والقبح لا يكون إلا لما هو متصف بذلك بدون‬ ‫أمر الشارع والأشعر ية ادعوا‪ :‬أن جميع الشر يعة من قسم الامتحان وأن الأفعال ليست لها‬ ‫صفة لا قبل الشرع ولا بالشرع؛ وأما الحكماء والجمهور فأثبتوا الأقسام الثلاثة وهو الصواب‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ل أَ حَدًا مِنْه ُ ْم ج ََن ّة ً وَل َا ن َار ًا‌ولا‌نشهد‌عليهم‌بكفر ولا بشرك وَل َا بنِِف َا ٍ‬ ‫‪  iix‬وَل َا نُنْز ِ ُ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ تَع َالَى‬ ‫م َا ل َ ْم ي َ ْظهَر ْ مِنْه ُ ْم شَيْء ٌ م ِنْ ذَل ِ َ‬ ‫ك و َنَذَر ُ سَر َائ ِر َه ُ ْم ِإلَى َ‬

‫ن ‌أَ حْك َام َ‌ال ُد ّن ْيَا عَلَى ‌ال َ ّ‬ ‫‪‌  xx‬ابن حجر في فتح الباري‪ :‬وَك ُُل ّه ُ ْم ‌أَ جْم َع ُوا عَلَى أَ َ ّ‬ ‫ظاهِرِ و ََالل ّه ُ‬ ‫يَت َو َلَ ّى ال َس ّر َائ ِر َ‪.‬‬

‫ن ُأن َاسًا‌ك َانُوا‌يُؤْخَذ ُونَ‌ب ِال ْوَح ِْي فِي‬ ‫‪  xxi‬قال عمر بن الخطاب – رضي الله عنه‪ِ « :‬إ َ ّ‬ ‫حي َ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ‪ ،‬و َِإ َن ّمَا ن َأْ خُذ ُكُم ُ الْآنَ بِمَا َظه َر َ‬ ‫ن ال ْو َ ْ‬ ‫س َل ّم َ‪ ،‬و َِإ َ ّ‬ ‫الل ّه ُ عَلَيْه ِ و َ َ‬ ‫ع َ ْهدِ رَسُو ِ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ صَلَ ّى َ‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫لَنَا م ِنْ أَ عْمَا�لِكُمْ‪ ،‬فَم َنْ أَ ظْ ه َر َ لَنَا خَيْر ًا أَ م َِن ّاه ُ و َق ََر ّب ْنَاه ُ‪ ،‬و َلَي َ‬ ‫ْس ِإلَي ْنَا م ِنْ سَر ِيرَتِه ِ شَيْءٌ‪َ ،‬‬ ‫الل ّه ُ‬ ‫يُحَاسِب ُه ُ فِي سَر ِيرَتِه ِ‪ ،‬وَم َنْ أَ ظْ ه َر َ لَنَا سُوءًا ل َ ْم ن َأْ مَن ْه ُ و َل َ ْم نصدقه‪ ،‬وإن قال‪ :‬إن سريرته حسنة‪”.‬‬ ‫ج‬ ‫ُب ‌الْ حجَ ّا َ‬ ‫ن ‌رَج ُلًا ‌يَس ُ ّ‬ ‫ن سِير ِي َ‬ ‫‪  xxii‬في حلية الأولياء وطبقات الأصفياء‪ :‬سَم �ِ َع اب ْ ُ‬ ‫ل عَلَيْه ِ فَق َالَ‪« :‬مَه ْ أَ ُ ّيهَا َ‬ ‫خرَة َك َانَ أَ صْ غ َر ُ‌ذَن ٍْب عَم ِل ْت َه ُ ق ُ َّط‬ ‫ك لَو ْ ق َ ْد و َافَي ْتَ الْآ ِ‬ ‫ل ف َِإ َن ّ َ‬ ‫الر ّج ُ ُ‬ ‫ف َأَ ق ْب َ َ‬

‫ن‬ ‫ل ِإ ْن أَ خَذ َ م ِ َ‬ ‫ن الله َ تَع َالَى حَكَمٌ ع َ ْد ٌ‬ ‫ج و َاع ْل َ ْم أَ َ ّ‬ ‫ك م ِنْ أَ ْعظَ ِم ‌ذَن ٍْب ع َمَلَه ُ الْ حجَ ّا ُ‬ ‫أَ ْعظَم َ عَلَي ْ َ‬ ‫َب أَ حَدٍ‪.‬‬ ‫ك بِس ِّ‬ ‫اج م َِم ّنْ ظَلَم َه ُ فَلَا تَشْغِل َنّ ن َ ْفسَ َ‬ ‫اج لم َِنْ ظَلَم َه ُ فَسَو َ‬ ‫ْف ي َأْ خُذ ُ لِلْح َ َج ّ ِ‬ ‫الْ حجَ ّ ِ‬

‫‪  xxiii‬وشهد عند عمر رضي الله عنه شاهد فقال ائتني بمن يعرفك فأتاه برجل‬ ‫فأثنى عليه خيرا ً فقال عمر أنت جاره الأدنى الذي يعرف مدخله ومخرجه قال لا فقال‬ ‫‪190‬‬

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬

‫كنت رفيقه في السفر الذي يستدل به على مكارم الأخلاق فقال لا قال فعاملته بالدينار‬ ‫والدرهم الذي يستبين به ورع الرجل قال لا قال أظنك رأيته قائما في المسجد يهمهم‬ ‫بالقرآن يخفض رأسه طورا ً ويرفعه أخرى قال نعم فقال اذهب فلست تعرفه‪.‬‬

‫َت‬ ‫اب‪ :‬ل َا تَظ ُُنّ بِكَل ِمَة ٍ خَرَج ْ‬ ‫ط ِ‬ ‫ن الْخ َ ّ‬ ‫ل ع ُم َر ُ ب ْ ُ‬ ‫‪  xxiv‬في مداراة الناس لابن أبي الدنيا‪ :‬قَا َ‬

‫تجِد ُ‌لَهَا‌فِي‌ا ْل�خَيْر ِ‌مَح ْمَل ًا‪.‬‬ ‫سل ِ ٍم شَرًّا و َأَ ن ْتَ ‌ َ‬ ‫م ِنْ ف ِ ِيّ م ُ ْ‬

‫ل‏ ‏» م َا تَق ُولُونَ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَق َا َ‬ ‫ل عَلَى رَسُو ِ‬ ‫ل م َ َّر رَج ُ ٌ‬ ‫ل‪ ،‬قَا َ‬ ‫‪  xxv‬ع َنْ س َ ْه ٍ‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫فِي هَذ َا‏»‏‏؟‏ قَالُوا حَر ّ ٌ‬ ‫ل أَ ْن يُسْتَم َ َ‏ع‪.‬‏‬ ‫شف َ َع أَ ْن يُش َ َ ّفعَ‪ ،‬و َِإ ْن قَا َ‬ ‫كحَ‪ ،‬و َِإ ْن َ‬ ‫خطَبَ أَ ْن يُن ْ َ‬ ‫ِي ِإ ْن َ‬ ‫ل ‏»‏ م َا تَق ُولُونَ فِي هَذ َا « ‏؟ قَالُوا حَر ّ ٌ‬ ‫ِي‬ ‫ن فُق َرَاء ِ ال ْمُسْل ِمِينَ فَق َا َ‬ ‫ل مِ َ‬ ‫سكَتَ فَم ََر ّ رَج ُ ٌ‬ ‫ل ث َُم ّ َ‬ ‫قَا َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ‬ ‫ل رَسُو ُ‬ ‫ل أَ ْن لا َ يُسْتَم َ َ‏ع‪.‬‏ فَق َا َ‬ ‫شف َ َع أَ ْن لا َ يُش َ َ ّفعَ‪ ،‬و َِإ ْن قَا َ‬ ‫ح و َِإ ْن َ‬ ‫ك َ‬ ‫خطَبَ أَ ْن لا َ يُن ْ َ‬ ‫ِإ ْن َ‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ل هَذَا‏”‏‏‪.‬‏‬ ‫ض مِث ْ َ‬ ‫صلى الله عليه وسلم‏”‏هَذ َا خَيْر ٌ م ِنْ م ِلْ ء الأَ ْر ِ‬

‫‪  xxvi‬ع َن مجالد‪ ،‬ع َن الشعبي قال‪ :‬شهدت شر يحا ً وجاءته امرأة تخاصم رجلا ً‬ ‫فأرسلت عينيها فبكت فقلت‪‌:‬يا‌أبا‌أمية‌ما‌أظن‌هذه‌البائسة ِ‌إ َلّا‌مظلومة؛ فقال‪ :‬يا شعبي‪:‬‬ ‫إن إخوة يوسف “ج َاؤ ُوا ْ أَ ب َاه ُ ْم عِشَاء يَبْكُونَ”‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxvii‬في مجموع الفتاوى لابن تيمية‪ :‬فينبغي للعالم أن يتدبر أنواع هذه المسائل وقد‬ ‫يكون الواجب في بعضها ‪ -‬كما بينته فيما تقدم ‪ :-‬العفو عند الأمر والنهي في بعض الأشياء؛‬ ‫لا التحليل والإسقاط‪ .‬مثل أن يكون في أمره بطاعة فعلا لمعصية أكبر منها فيترك الأمر‬ ‫بها دفعا لوقوع تلك المعصية مثل أن ترفع مذنبا إلى ذي سلطان ظالم فيعتدي عليه في‬ ‫العقوبة ما يكون أعظم ضررا من ذنبه ومثل أن يكون في نهيه عن بعض المنكرات تركا‬ ‫لمعروف هو أعظم منفعة من ترك المنكرات فيسكت عن النهي خوفا أن يستلزم ترك ما‬ ‫أمر الله به ورسوله مما هو عنده أعظم من مجرد ترك ذلك المنكر‪ .‬فالعالم تارة يأمر وتارة‬ ‫ينهى وتارة يبيح وتارة يسكت عن الأمر أو النهي أو الإباحة كالأمر بالصلاح الخالص‬ ‫أو الراجح أو النهي عن الفساد الخالص أو الراجح وعند التعارض يرجح الراجح ‪ -‬كما تقدم‬ ‫ بحسب الإمكان فأما إذا كان المأمور والمنهي لا يتقيد بالممكن‪ :‬إما لجهله وإما لظلمه‬‫ولا يمكن إزالة جهله وظلمه فربما كان الأصلح ا�لكف والإمساك عن أمره ونهيه كما‬ ‫قيل‪ :‬إن من المسائل مسائل جوابها السكوت كما سكت الشارع في أول الأمر عن الأمر‬ ‫بأشياء والنهي عن أشياء حتى علا الإسلام وظهر‪ .‬فالعالم في البيان والبلاغ كذلك؛ قد‬ ‫يؤخر البيان والبلاغ لأشياء إلى وقت التمكن كما أخر الله سبحانه إنزال آيات وبيان أحكام‬ ‫إلى وقت تمكن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم تسليما إلى بيانها‪ .‬يبين حقيقة الحال في‬ ‫هذا أن الله يقول‪{ :‬وما كنا معذبين حتى نبعث رسولا} والحجة على العباد إنما تقوم بشيئين‪:‬‬ ‫‪191‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫بشرط التمكن من العلم بما أنزل الله والقدرة على العمل به‪ .‬فأما العاجز عن العلم كالمجنون‬ ‫أو العاجز عن العمل فلا أمر عليه ولا نهي وإذا انقطع العلم ببعض الدين أو حصل‬ ‫العجز عن بعضه‪ :‬كان ذلك في حق العاجز عن العلم أو العمل بقولهكمن انقطع عن العلم‬ ‫بجميع الدين أو عجز عن جميعه كالجنون مثلا وهذه أوقات الفترات فإذا حصل من يقوم‬

‫بالدين من العلماء أو الأمراء أو مجموعهما كان بيانه لما جاء به الرسول شيئا فشيئا بمنزلة‬ ‫بيان الرسول لما بعث به شيئا فشيئا ومعلوم أن الرسول لا يبلغ إلا ما أمكن علمه والعمل‬ ‫به ولم تأت الشر يعة جملة كما يقال‪ :‬إذا أردت أن تطاع فأمر بما يستطاع‪ .‬فكذلك المجدد‬ ‫لدينه والمحيي لسنته لا يبلغ إلا ما أمكن علمه والعمل به كما أن الداخل في الإسلام لا‬ ‫يمكن حين دخوله أن يلقن جميع شرائعه و يؤمر بها كلها‪ .‬وكذلك التائب من الذنوب؛‬ ‫والمتعلم والمسترشد لا يمكن في أول الأمر أن يؤمر بجميع الدين ويذكر له جميع العلم فإنه‬ ‫لا يطيق ذلك وإذا لم يطقه لم يكن واجبا عليه في هذه الحال وإذا لم يكن واجبا لم يكن‬ ‫للعالم والأمير أن يوجبه جميعه ابتداء بل يعفو عن الأمر والنهي بما لا يمكن علمه وعمله‬ ‫إلى وقت الإمكان كما عفا الرسول عما عفا عنه إلى وقت بيانه ولا يكون ذلك من باب‬ ‫إقرار المحرمات وترك الأمر بالواجبات لأن الوجوب والتحريم مشروط بإمكان العلم‬ ‫والعمل وقد فرضنا انتفاء هذا الشرط‪ .‬فتدبر هذا الأصل فإنه نافع‪ .‬ومن هنا يتبين سقوط‬ ‫كثير من هذه الأشياء وإن كانت واجبة أو محرمة في الأصل لعدم إمكان البلاغ الذي‬ ‫تقوم به حجة الله في الوجوب أو التحريم فإن العجز مسقط للأمر والنهي وإن كان واجبا‬ ‫في الأصل والله أعلم‪ .‬ومما يدخل في هذه الأمور الاجتهادية علما وعملا أن ما قاله العالم‬ ‫أو الأمير أو فعله باجتهاد أو تقليد فإذا لم ير العالم الآخر والأمير الآخر مثل رأي الأول‬ ‫فإنه لا يأمر به أو لا يأمر إلا بما يراه مصلحة ولا ينهى عنه إذ ليس له أن ينهى غيره‬ ‫عن اتباع اجتهاده ولا أن يوجب عليه اتباعه فهذه الأمور في حقه من الأعمال المعفوة‬ ‫لا يأمر بها ولا ينهى عنها بل هي بين الإباحة والعفو‪ .‬وهذا باب واسع جدا فتدبره‪.‬‬ ‫‪  xxviii‬ابن القيم في أحكام أهل الذمة‪ :‬وأما الغيار فلم يلزموا به في عهد النبي ‪ -‬صلى‬ ‫الله عليه وسلم ‪ -‬وإنما اتبع فيه أمر عمر رضي الله عنه‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxix‬ابن تيمية في الجواب الصحيح لمن بدل دين المسيح‪ :‬الثاني‪ :‬أنه قال‪{ :‬وَل َا‬ ‫ن ظَلَم ُوا} [العنكبوت‪‌.]64 :‬فالظالم‌لم‬ ‫ن ِإ َلّا ال َ ّذ ِي َ‬ ‫اب ِإ َلّا ب َِال ّتِي ِهي َ أَ حْ سَ ُ‬ ‫ل الْكِت َ ِ‬ ‫تُجَادِلُوا أَ ه ْ َ‬ ‫‌يؤمر‌بجداله‌بالتي‌هي‌أحسن‪ ،‬فمن كان ظالما مستحقا للقتال غير طالب للعلم والدين فهو‬ ‫من هؤلاء الظالمين الذين لا يجادلون بالتي هي أحسن‪ ،‬بخلاف من طلب العلم والدين‪،‬‬ ‫ولم يظهر منه ظلم‪ ،‬سواء كان قصده الاسترشاد‪ ،‬أو كان يظن أنه على حق يقصد نصر‬ ‫‪192‬‬

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬

‫ما يظنه حقا‪ ،‬ومن كان قصده العناد يعلم أنه على باطل و يجادل عليه فهذا لم يؤمر‬ ‫بمجادلته بالتي هي أحسن‪� ،‬لكن قد نجادله بطرق أخرى نبين فيها عناده وظلمه وجهله‬ ‫جزاء له بموجب عمله‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxx‬ابن القيم في حادي الأرواح إلى بلاد الأفراح‪ :‬ومن عرف الرب تبارك وتعالى‬

‫بصفات جلاله ونعوت كماله من حكمته ورحمته وبره وإحسانه وغناه وجوده وتحببه إلى‬ ‫عباده وإرادة الأنعام عليهم وسبق رحمته لهم لا يبادر إنكار ذلك إن لم يبادر إلى قبوله‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxxi‬ابن تيمية في الجواب الصحيح‪ :‬وأما من بعد عهده بالمسيح وبلغته بعض أخباره‬ ‫دون بعض أو بموسى وبلغه أخباره دون بعض فهؤلاء قامت عليهم الحجة بما بلغهم من‬ ‫أخبارهم دون ما لم يبلغهم من أخبارهم وإذا اختلفوا في تأو يل بعض التوراة والإنجيل‬ ‫فمن قصد الحق واجتهد في طلبه لم يجب أن يعذب وإن كان مخطئا للحق جاهلا به ضالا‬ ‫عنهكالمجتهد في طلب الحق من أمة محمد – صلى الله عليه وسلم‪.‬‬ ‫‪  xxxii‬ابن تيمية في الجواب الصحيح لمن بدل دين المسيح عن الهدنة‪ :‬و َالصواب‬ ‫هو القول الثالث‪ ،‬وهو أنها تجوز مطلقة ومؤقتة‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxxiii‬ابن تيمية في مجموع الفتاوى‪ :‬ولهذا أباح في الجهاد الواجب ما لم يبحه في‬ ‫غيره‪ ،‬حتى أباح رمي العدو بالمنجنيق‪ ،‬وإن أفضى ذلك إلى قتل النساء والصبيان‪ ،‬وتعمد‬ ‫ذلك يحرم‪.‬‬ ‫‪  xxxiv‬مجموع الفتاوى‪‌:‬وكثيرا‌ما‌يتولى‌الرجل‌بين‌المسلمين‌والتتار‌قاضيا‌بل وإماما‬ ‫وفي نفسه أمور من العدل يريد أن يعمل بها فلا يمكنه ذلك‪ ،‬بل هناك من يمنعه ذلك‬ ‫ولا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعها‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxxv‬مجموع الفتاوى‪« :‬وقد عرف النصارى كلهم إني لما خاطبت التتار في إطلاق‬ ‫الأسرى وأطلقهم غازان وقطلوشاه‪ ،‬وخاطبت مولاي فيهم‪ ،‬فسمح بإطلاق المسلمين‬ ‫قال لي‪� :‬لكن معنا نصارى أخذناهم من القدس فهؤلاء لا يطلقون‪ ،‬فقلت له‪ :‬بل جميع‬ ‫من معك من اليهود والنصارى الذين هم أهل ذمتنا فإنا نفتكّهم‪ ،‬ولا ندع أسيرا لا من‬ ‫أهل الملة ولا من أهل الذمة‪ ،‬وأطلقنا من النصارى من شاء الله فهذا عملنا وإحساننا‬ ‫والجزاء على الله‪».‬‬

‫‪  xxxvi‬القرطبي في تفسيره‪ :‬قلت‪ :‬وعلى هذا ‪:‬فالوصية بالجار مأمور بها ‪ ،‬مندوب‬ ‫إليها ‪ ،‬مسلما ً كان ‪ ،‬أو كافرا ً ‪ ،‬وهو الصحيح ‪ ،‬والإحسان قد يكون بمعنى المواساة ‪،‬‬ ‫وقد يكون بمعنى حسن العشرة ‪ ،‬وكف الأذى والمحاماة دونه ‪ ،‬روى البخاري عن‬ ‫‪193‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫عائشة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ‪( :‬ما زال جبر يل يوصيني بالجار حتى ظننت أنه‬ ‫سيورثه) ‪ ،‬وروي عن أبي شريح أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ‪( :‬والله لا يؤمن والله‬ ‫لا يؤمن والله لا يؤمن) قيل ‪ :‬يا رسول الله ومن ؟ قال ‪( :‬الذي لا يأمن جار ُه بوائق َه)‬ ‫‪ ،‬وهذا عام في كل جار ‪ ،‬وقد أ َ‬ ‫كّد عليه السلام ترك إذايته بقسمه ثلاث مرات ‪ ،‬وأنه‬ ‫لا يؤمن الإيمان الكامل من آذ َى جار َه ‪ ،‬فينبغي للمؤمن أن يحذر أذى جاره ‪ ،‬وينتهي‬ ‫َ‬ ‫وحضّ ا العباد عليه” ‪.‬‬ ‫عما نهى الله ورسوله عنه ‪ ،‬ويرغب فيما رضياه ‪،‬‬

‫‪  xxxvii‬تاريخ اليعقوبي‪ :‬فقال العاقب‪ :‬يا رسول الله ‪ -‬صلى الله عليه وسلم ‪ -‬إنا‬ ‫نخاف أن تأخذنا بجناية غيرنا‪ .‬قال فكتب‪ :‬ولا يؤخذ أحد بجناية غيره‪ .‬شهد على ذلك‬ ‫عمرو بن العاص والمغيرة بن شعبة وكتب علي بن أبي طالب‪ .‬فلما قدموا نجران أسلم‬ ‫الأيهم وأقبل مسلماً‪.‬‬

‫ن ال ْعَد َالَة ِ‬ ‫ن الْق َاس ِ ِم ل َا ب ُ َ ّد فِي الْق َافَة ِ م ِ َ‬ ‫ل م َال ِكٌ و َاب ْ ُ‬ ‫‪  xxxviii‬القرافي في الذخيرة‪ :‬قَا َ‬ ‫ي�خ ْب َر ُ‬ ‫ن الْق َائ َِف عِنْدَه ُ عِلْم ٌ ُ‬ ‫حدِ اسْ ت ِحْ سَان ًا ل ِأَ َ ّ‬ ‫ن الْق َاس ِ ِم ال ْعَد َالَة َ م َ َع أَ َن ّه ُ يَكْتَفِي ب ِال ْوَا ِ‬ ‫و َاشْ تَر ََط اب ْ ُ‬ ‫ل الْق َائ ُِف ال ْوَاحِد غير ال ْعدْل‪.‬‬ ‫ل قَو ْلُه ُ‌و َِإ ْن‌ك َانَ‌ك َاف ِرًا وَع َنْ م َال ِكٍ يُقْب َ ُ‬ ‫ِيب يُقْب َ ُ‬ ‫طب ِ‬ ‫بِه ِ فَه ُو َ ك َال َ ّ‬ ‫سل ِ ِم و َالذ ِّ ِم ّ ِيّ ك َالْح ُ ْكم ِ بَيْنَ ال ْمُسْل ِمِينَ‬ ‫ن الْح ُ ْكم َ بَيْنَ ال ْم ُ ْ‬ ‫ل ف ِيه ِ‪ :‬إ َ ّ‬ ‫سادِسَة َ عَشْرَة َ‪ :‬ق ِي َ‬ ‫‪  xxxix‬ال َ ّ‬ ‫سم ُوع َة ٌ عَلَى ال ْمُسْل ِمِينَ‪ ،‬كَيَمِينِ‬ ‫ك مَ ْ‬ ‫ن يَمِينَ ال ْمُشْر ِ ِ‬ ‫َاب بِيمَِينِه ِ‪ ،‬و َال ِاكْ تِف َاء ِ بِهَا‪ ،‬و َأَ َ ّ‬ ‫فِي ال ِاحْتِس ِ‬ ‫ل م ِنْ َ‬ ‫ن أَ يْمَانَه ُ ْم ل َا ت ُ ْسم َ ُع عَلَى ال ْمُسْل ِمِينَ كَشَه َادَتِه ِ ْم‬ ‫س ع َنْ م َال ِكٍ ‪ :‬أَ َ ّ‬ ‫الن ّا ِ‬ ‫سل ِ ِم عَلَيْه ِ وَم َنْ نَق َ َ‬ ‫ال ْم ُ ْ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ن فِي‬ ‫اف ال ِْإجْمَاع ال َ ّذ ِي ل َا يُعْر َُف غَي ْرُه ُ؛ ل ِأَ َ ّ‬ ‫فَق َ ْد أَ خْ طَأَ ق َ ْطع ًا فِي هَذ َا ال ِْإطْ لَاقِ‪ ،‬بَلْ ه ُو َ خِل َ ُ‬ ‫ف‪‌،‬و َِإ ْن‌ك َانَ‌ك َاف ِرًا‪ ،‬و َا َ َلل ّه ُ أَ ع ْلَم ُ‪.‬‬ ‫َت تَو َ ُجّه َ الْيم َِينِ عَلَى ال ْم ُ َ ّدعَى عَلَيْه ِ ح َل َ َ‬ ‫َات‪ :‬إذ َا اق ْتَض ْ‬ ‫الْخُصُوم ِ‬

‫‪  xxxx‬ابن حمدان في الرعاية الصغرى في الفقه‪ :‬و يُقبل في المال وما يقصد به كبيع‬ ‫وخيار فيه‪ ،‬ورهن‪ ،‬وشفعة‪ ،‬وإجارة‪ ،‬وشركة‪ ،‬وإتلاف مال‪ ،‬وضمانه‪ ،‬وفسخ عقد معاوضة‪،‬‬ ‫وحوالة‪ ،‬وغصب‪ ،‬وصداق‪ ،‬وصلح‪ ،‬وقرض‪ ،‬ووصية بمال ‪-‬وقيل‪ :‬لمعيّن‪ -‬ووقف عليه‪،‬‬ ‫ودعوى رق مجهول النسب‪ ،‬وتسمية المهر ونحوه‪ :‬رجلان‪ ،‬ورجل وامرأتان‪ ،‬ورجل‬ ‫ويمين المدّعي بما ادّعى‌وإن (‌كان)‌كافرًا أو امرأة ً‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxxxi‬قال أبو جعفر الطبري في تفسيره‪« :‬يعني تعالى ذكره بذلك‪ :‬ليس عليك يا‬ ‫محمد هدى المشركين إلى الإسلام‪ ،‬فتمنعهم صدقة التطوع‪ ،‬ولا تعطيهم منها ليدخلوا في‬ ‫الإسلام حاجة منهم إليها‪ ،‬و�لكن الله هو يهدي من يشاء من خلقه إلى الإسلام فيوفقهم‬ ‫له‪ ،‬فلا تمنعهم الصدقة»‬

‫‪194‬‬

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬

‫‪  xxxxii‬شرح صحيح البخارى لابن بطال‪ :‬عن النبى عليه السلام قال‪( :‬من خلع‬ ‫جلباب الحياء فلا غيبة فيه) وفسره ابن سعدان قال‪ :‬معناه من عمل عملا قبيح ًا كشفه‬ ‫للناظرين‪ ،‬ولم يرع وقوفهم عليه فلا باس بذكره عنه من حيث لايسمع؛ لأنهكمن أذن فى‬ ‫ذلك �لكشفه عن نفسه‪ ،‬فأما من استتر بفعله فلا يحل ذكره لمن رآه؛ لأنه غير آذن فى ذكره‬

‫‌وإن‌كان‌كافرًا‪ .‬وقد سئل ابن وهب عن غيبة النصرانى‪ ،‬فقال‪ :‬لا وقولوا للناس حسنًا‬ ‫وهو من الناس (أيحب أحدكم أن يأكل لحم أخيه ميتًا فكرهتموه) فجعل هذا لهم مثلا‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxxxiii‬قال الله تعالى‪{ :‬واعبدوا الله ولا تشركوا به شيئا وبالوالدين إحسانا وبذي‬ ‫القربى واليتامى والمساكين والجار ذي القربى والجار الجنب والصاحب بالجنب وابن‬ ‫السبيل وما م�لكت أيمانكم} [النساء‪ ]63 :‬وكل من ذكر في هذه الآية فحقه واجب وإن‬ ‫كان كافرا‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxxxiv‬القرطبي في تفسيره‪ :‬قلت‪ :‬وعلى هذا ‪:‬فالوصية بالجار مأمور بها ‪ ،‬مندوب‬ ‫إليها ‪ ،‬مسلما ً كان ‪ ،‬أو كافرا ً ‪ ،‬وهو الصحيح ‪ ،‬والإحسان قد يكون بمعنى المواساة ‪،‬‬ ‫وقد يكون بمعنى حسن العشرة ‪ ،‬وكف الأذى والمحاماة دونه ‪ ،‬روى البخاري عن‬ ‫عائشة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ‪( :‬ما زال جبر يل يوصيني بالجار حتى ظننت أنه‬ ‫سيورثه) ‪ ،‬وروي عن أبي شريح أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ‪( :‬والله لا يؤمن والله‬ ‫لا يؤمن والله لا يؤمن) قيل ‪ :‬يا رسول الله ومن ؟ قال ‪( :‬الذي لا يأمن جار ُه بوائق َه)‬ ‫‪ ،‬وهذا عام في كل جار ‪ ،‬وقد أ َ‬ ‫كّد عليه السلام ترك إذايته بقسمه ثلاث مرات ‪ ،‬وأنه‬ ‫لا يؤمن الإيمان الكامل من آذ َى جار َه ‪ ،‬فينبغي للمؤمن أن يحذر أذى جاره ‪ ،‬وينتهي‬ ‫َ‬ ‫وحضّ ا العباد عليه” ‪.‬‬ ‫عما نهى الله ورسوله عنه ‪ ،‬ويرغب فيما رضياه ‪،‬‬

‫‪  xxxxv‬والذي يقوم عليه الدليل وجوب الإنفاق‪ ،‬وإن اختلف الدينان‪ ،‬لقوله تعالى‪:‬‬ ‫{ووصينا الإنسان بوالديه حسنا} [العنكبوت‪{ ]8 :‬وإن جاهداك على أن تشرك بي ما ليس‬ ‫لك به علم فلا تطعهما وصاحبهما في الدنيا معروفا} [لقمان‪ ، ]51 :‬وليس من الإحسان‬ ‫ولا من المعروف ترك أبيه وأمه في غاية الضرورة‪ ،‬والفاقة‪ ،‬وهو في غاية الغنى‪ ،‬وقد ذم‬ ‫الله ‪ -‬تبارك وتعالى ‪ -‬قاطعي الرحم‪ ،‬وعظم قطيعتها‪ ،‬وأوجب حقها وإن كانت كافرة‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxxxvi‬قال تعالى‪{ :‬واتقوا الله الذي تساءلون به والأرحام} [النساء‪ ]1 :‬وقال‬ ‫تعالى‪{ :‬والذين ينقضون عهد الله من بعد ميثاقه و يقطعون ما أمر الله به أن يوصل}‬ ‫[الرعد‪ ، ]52 :‬وفي الحديث‪« « :‬لا يدخل الجنة قاطع رحم» «‪« « ،‬والرحم معلقة بساق‬ ‫العرش تقول‪ :‬يا رب‪ ،‬صل من وصلني‪ ،‬واقطع من قطعني» «‪ ،‬وليس من صلة الرحم‬

‫‪195‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫ترك القرابة تهلك جوعا‪ ،‬وعطشا‪ ،‬وعريا‪ ،‬وقريبه من أعظم الناس مالا‪ ،‬وصلة الرحم‬ ‫واجبة وإن كانت لكافر‪ ،‬فله دينه وللواصل دينه‪.‬‬

‫ن َ‬ ‫الن ّب ِ َيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَكِبَ‬ ‫ن ز َيْدٍ‪ ،‬أَ خْبَرَه ُ أَ َ ّ‬ ‫ن ُأسَام َة َ ب ْ َ‬ ‫‪  xxxxvii‬ع َنْ ع ُْروَة َ‪ ،‬أَ َ ّ‬ ‫ن ع ُبَادَة َ فِي‬ ‫سعْد َ ب ْ َ‬ ‫َف وَر َاءَه ُ ُأسَام َة َ و َه ُو َ يَع ُود ُ َ‬ ‫تح ْت َه ُ قَط ِيف َة ٌ فَدَك َِي ّة ٌ و َأَ ْرد َ‬ ‫َاف َ‬ ‫حِمَار ًا عَلَيْه ِ ِإك ٌ‬ ‫ن ال ْمُسْل ِمِينَ‬ ‫ط مِ َ‬ ‫س ف ِيه ِ أَ خْلا َ ٌ‬ ‫ِث ب ْ ِن الْخَزْر َِج وَذ َاك َ قَب ْ َ‬ ‫بَنِي الْحا َر ِ‬ ‫ل و َق ْعَة ِ ب َ ْد ٍر ح ََت ّى م َ َّر بِمَجْل ِ ٍ‬ ‫ن رَو َاح َة َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ ب ْ ُ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ ب ْ ُ‬ ‫و َال ْمُشْرِكِينَ ع َبَدَة ِ الأَ وْث َا ِ‬ ‫ن ُأب َ ٍّى و َفِي ال ْمَجْل ِ ِ‬ ‫س عَبْد ُ َ‬ ‫ن و َالْيَه ُودِ ف ِيه ِ ْم عَبْد ُ َ‬ ‫ل لا َ تُغَب ِّر ُوا عَلَي ْنَا‬ ‫ن ُأب َ ٍّى أَ نْف َه ُ بِرِد َائِه ِ ث َُم ّ قَا َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ ب ْ ُ‬ ‫فَلَم ّا غَشِي َِت ال ْمَجْل َِس عَجَاج َة ُ ال َد ّ َاب ّة ِ خ ََم ّر َ عَبْد ُ َ‬ ‫‏‪.‬‏ فَسَ َل ّم َ عَلَيْهِم ُ َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ و َق َرأَ َ عَلَيْهِم ُ الْقُر ْآنَ‬ ‫الن ّب ِ ُيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ث َُم ّ و َق ََف فَنَز َ َ‬ ‫ل فَد َعَاه ُ ْم ِإلَى َ‬ ‫ح ً ّقا فَلا َ تُؤْذِن َا فِي‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫ن م ِنْ هَذ َا ِإ ْن ك َانَ م َا تَق ُو ُ‬ ‫ن ُأب َ ٍّى أَ ُ ّيهَا ال ْمَر ْء ُ لا َ أَ حْ سَ َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ ب ْ ُ‬ ‫فَق َا َ‬ ‫ل عَبْد ُ َ‬ ‫ن رَو َاح َة َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ ب ْ ُ‬ ‫ُص عَلَيْه ِ‏‪.‬‏ فَق َا َ‬ ‫ك فَم َنْ ج َاءَك َ م َِن ّا فَاقْص ْ‬ ‫جِعْ ِإلَى رَحْل ِ َ‬ ‫مجَالِسِنَا و َا ْر �‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ل عَبْد ُ َ‬ ‫ل فَاسْ ت َ َّب ال ْمُسْل ِم ُونَ و َال ْمُشْرِكُونَ و َالْيَه ُود ُ ح ََت ّى ه َُم ّوا أَ ْن‬ ‫ك‏‏‪ .‬قَا َ‬ ‫ِب ذَل ِ َ‬ ‫نح ُ ّ‬ ‫مجَالِسِنَا ف َِإ َن ّا ُ‬ ‫ا ْغشَنَا فِي َ‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫سعْدِ ب ْ ِن‬ ‫ل عَلَى َ‬ ‫الن ّب ِ ُيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُخ َ ّف ِضُه ُ ْم ث َُم ّ رَكِبَ د َا َب ّت َه ُ ح ََت ّى دَخ َ َ‬ ‫يَت َوَاثَب ُوا فَل َ ْم ي َز َ ِ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ن ُأب َ ٍّى ‪ -‬قَا َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ ب ْ َ‬ ‫ل أَ بُو حُب َ ٍ‬ ‫سعْد ُ أَ ل َ ْم ت َ ْسم َعْ ِإلَى م َا قَا َ‬ ‫ى َ‬ ‫ل‏‪« ‬‏ أَ ْ‬ ‫ع ُبَادَة َ فَق َا َ‬ ‫اب ‪ -‬يُر ِيد ُ عَبْد َ َ‬ ‫الل ّه ُ ال َ ّذ ِي أَ ْعطَاك َ‬ ‫ْف عَن ْه ُ ي َا رَسُو َ‬ ‫ل اع ُ‬ ‫كَذ َا وَكَذ َا‏»‏‏‏‪ .‬قَا َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ لَق َ ْد أَ ْعطَاك َ َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ و َاصْ ف َحْ ف َو َ َ‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫ك ب ِالْحَقّ ِ‬ ‫الل ّه ُ ذَل ِ َ‬ ‫ح أَ ه ْ ُ‬ ‫و َلَقَدِ اصْ طَل َ َ‬ ‫ل هَذِه ِ ال ْب ُحَيْرَة ِ أَ ْن يُتَوِ ّجُوه ُ فَي ُع َِّصب ُوه ُ ب ِال ْعِصَابَة ِ فَلَم ّا ر َ َدّ َ‬ ‫ل بِه ِ م َا ر َأَ ي ْتَ ‏‏‪ .‬ف َعَف َا عَن ْه ُ َ‬ ‫الن ّب ِ ُيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏‪.‬‏‬ ‫ك ف َع َ َ‬ ‫ك فَذ َل ِ َ‬ ‫ال َ ّذ ِي أَ ْعطَاك َه ُ شَر ِقَ بِذَل ِ َ‬

‫‪  xxxxviii‬وقيل في قوله‪{ :‬بالعدل} بألا يعبد إلا الله وحده لا شر يك له فهذا هو‬ ‫العدل الحق‪{ :‬والإحسان} هو أن تعبدهكأنك تراه فإن لم تره فإنه يراك‪ .‬ومن الإحسان‬ ‫أن تحب لولد آدم كلهم ما تحب لنفسك وتكره لهم ما تكره لنفسك‪ ،‬إن كان مؤمنا ً‬ ‫أحببت له أن يزداد إيماناً‪‌،‬وإن‌كان‌كافرا ً أحببت له أن يؤمن فيكون أخاك في الإسلام‪.‬‬ ‫‪  xxxxix‬في كشاف القناع عن متن الإقناع‪( :‬أحدهما‪ :‬من غَرِم َ لإصلاح ذات‬ ‫البين)‪ ،‬ولو كان الإصلاح (‌بين‌أهل‌ذمة)‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxl‬الغزالي في الاقتصاد في الاعتقاد‪ :‬الرتبة الأولى‪ :‬تكذيب‌اليهود‌والنصارى‌وأهل‬ ‫‌الملل كلهم من المجوس وعبدة الأوثان وغيرهم‪ ،‬فتكفيرهم منصوص عليه في الكتاب‬ ‫ومجمع عليه بين الأمة‪ ،‬وهو الأصل وما عداه كالملحق به‪.‬‬ ‫‪  xxli‬الغزالي في فيصل التفرقة بين الإسلام والزندقة‪« :‬أكثر نصارى الروم والترك‬ ‫في هذا الزمان تشملهم الرحمة ‪-‬إن شاء الله تعالى‪ ،-‬أعني‪ :‬الذين هم في أقاصي الروم‬ ‫والترك‪ ،‬ولم تبلغهم الدعوة‪ ،‬فإنهم ثلاثة أصناف‪ :‬صنف لم يبلغهم اسم محمد ‪-‬صلى الله عليه‬ ‫وسلم‪ -‬أصل ًا‪ ،‬فهم معذورون‪ .‬وصنف بلغهم اسمه ونعته‪ ،‬وما ظهر عليه من المعجزات‪،‬‬ ‫‪196‬‬

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬

‫وهم المجاورون لبلاد الإسلام‪ ،‬والمخالطون لهم‪ ،‬وهم ا�لكفار الملحدون‪ .‬وصنف ثالث‬ ‫بين الدرجتين‪ ،‬بلغهم اسم محمد ‪-‬صلى الله عليه وسلم‪ -‬ولم يبلغهم نعته وصفته‪ ،‬بل سمعوا‬ ‫أيضًا منذ الصبا أن كذاب ًا ملبسًا اسمه محمد ادعى النبوة‪ ،‬كما سمع صبياننا أن كذاب ًا يقال‬ ‫له‪ :‬المقفع‪ ،‬ادعى أن الله بعثه وتح َ ّدى بالنبوة كاذب ًا‪ .‬فهؤلاء عندي في معنى الصنف‬

‫الأول‪ ،‬فإن أولئك مع أنهم لم يسمعوا اسمه لم يسمعوا ضد أوصافه‪ ،‬وهؤلاء سمعوا ضد‬ ‫أوصافه‪ ،‬وهذا لا يحرك داعية النظر في الطلب‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxlii‬رشيد رضا في تفسير المنار‪ :‬وعن الإمام الغزالي أن الناس في شأن بعثة النبي‬ ‫صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم‪ -‬أصناف ثلاثة‪ :‬من لم يعلم بها بالمرة ‪-‬أي‪ :‬كأهل أمريكا لذلك‬‫العهد‪ -‬هؤلاء ناجون حتم ًا (أي‪ :‬إن لم تكن بلغتهم دعوة أخرى صحيحة)‪ .‬ومن بلغته‬ ‫الدعوة على وجهها ولم ينظر في أدلتها إهمال ًا أو عناد ًا أو استكبار ًا‪ ،‬وهؤلاء مؤاخذون‬ ‫حتم ًا‪ .‬ومن بلغته على غير وجهها أو مع فقد شرطها‪ ،‬وهو أن تكون على وجه يحرك‬ ‫داعية النظر‪ ،‬وهؤلاء في معنى الصنف الأول‪ .‬هذا معنى عبارته المطابقة لأصول الكلام‪.‬‬

‫‪‌ xxliii‬ابن القيم في طر يق الهجرتين‪ :‬قيام‌الحجة‌يختلف‌باختلاف‌الأزمنة‌والأمكنة‬ ‫‌والأشخاص فقد تقوم حجة الله على ا�لكفار فى زمان دون زمان وفى بقعة وناحية دون‬ ‫ُأخرى كما أنها تقوم على شخص دون آخر‪ ،‬إما لعدم عقله وتمييزه كالصغير والمجنون وإما‬ ‫لعدم فهمه كالذى لا يفهم الخطاب ولم يحضر ترجمان يترجم له‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxliv‬ابن تيمية في الجواب الصحيح‪ :‬وأما من بعد عهده بالمسيح وبلغته بعض أخباره‬ ‫دون بعض أو بموسى وبلغه أخباره دون بعض فهؤلاء قامت عليهم الحجة بما بلغهم من‬ ‫أخبارهم دون ما لم يبلغهم من أخبارهم وإذا اختلفوا في تأو يل بعض التوراة والإنجيل‬ ‫فمن قصد الحق واجتهد في طلبه لم يجب أن يعذب وإن كان مخطئا للحق جاهلا به ضالا‬ ‫عنهكالمجتهد في طلب الحق من أمة محمد – صلى الله عليه وسلم‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxlv‬البهوتي في شرح منتهى الإرادات‪( :‬و يقول يهودي) غلظ عليه باللفظ‬ ‫(والله الذي أنزل التوراة على موسى وفلق له البحر وأنجاه من فرعون وملأه و يقول‬ ‫نصراني) غلظ عليه بلفظ (والله الذي أنزل الإنجيل على عيسى وجعله يحيي الموتى و يبرئ‬ ‫الأكمه والأبرص و يقول مجوسي ووثني) ‪( ...‬و يحلف ذمي بموضع يعظمه) كما يغلظ‬ ‫عليه بالزمان‪ .‬قال الشعبي لنصراني‪ :‬اذهب إلى البيعة‪ .‬وقال كعب بن سوار في نصراني‪:‬‬ ‫اذهبوا به إلى المذبح»‬ ‫‪  xxlvi‬الغزالي في إحياء علوم الدين‪ :‬بل‌لو‌نظر‌إلى‌كافر‌لم‌يمكنه‌أن‌يتكبر‌عليه إذ‬ ‫يتصور أن يسلم الكافر فيختم له بالإيمان و يضل هذا العالم فيختم له با�لكفر‪.‬‬ ‫‪197‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫‪  xxlvii‬ابن عاشور في التحرير والتنوير‪ :‬الحالة الأولى‪ :‬أن يتخذ المسلم جماعة ا�لكفر‪،‬‬ ‫أو طائفته‪ ،‬أولياء له في باطن أمره‪ ،‬ميلا إلى كفرهم‪ ،‬ونواء لأهل الإسلام‪ ،‬وهذه‬ ‫الحالة كفر‪ ،‬وهي حال المنافقين‪ ،‬وفي حديث عتبان بن مالك‪ :‬أن قائلا قال في مجلس‬ ‫رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‪« :‬أين مالك بن الدخشن؟» فقال آخر‪« :‬ذلك منافق لا‬ ‫يحب الله ورسوله» فقال النبيء صلى الله عليه وسلم‪« :‬لا تقل ذلك أما سمعته يقول لا إله‬ ‫إلا الله يبتغي بذلك وجه الله» فقال القائل‪« :‬الله ورسوله أعلم فإنا نرى وجهه ونصيحته‬ ‫إلى المنافقين» ‪ .‬فجعل هذا الرجل الانحياز إلى المنافقين علامة على النفاق لولا شهادة‬ ‫الرسول لمالك بالإيمان أي في قلبه مع إظهاره بشهادة لا إله إلا الله‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxlviii‬ابن عاشور في التحرير والتنوير‪ :‬الحالة الثانية‪ :‬الركون إلى طوائف ا�لكفر‬ ‫ومظاهرتهم لأجل قرابة ومحبة دون الميل إلى دينهم‪ ،‬في وقت يكون فيه ا�لكفار متجاهرين‬ ‫بعداوة المسلمين‪ ،‬والاستهزاء بهم‪ ،‬وإذا هم كما كان معظم أحوال ا�لكفار‪ ،‬عند ظهور‬ ‫الإسلام مع عدم الانقطاع عن مودة المسلمين‪ ،‬وهذه حالة لا توجب كفر صاحبها‪ ،‬إلا‬ ‫أن ارتكبها إثم عظيم‪ ،‬لأن صاحبها يوشك أن يواليهم على مضرة الإسلام‪ ،‬على أنه من‬ ‫الواجب إظهار الحمية للإسلام‪ ،‬والغيرة عليه‪ ،‬كما قل العتابي‪ :‬تود عدوي ثم تزعم أنني ‪...‬‬ ‫صديقك إن الرأي عنك لعازب‪ .‬وفي مثلها نزل قوله تعالى‪ :‬يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا‬ ‫الذين اتخذوا دينكم هزوا ولعبا من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قب�لكم وا�لكفار أولياء [المائدة‪:‬‬ ‫‪ ]٩‬قال ابن عطية‪ :‬كانت كفار قريش من المستهزئين» وفي مثل ذلك ورد قوله تعالى‪:‬‬ ‫إنما ينهاكم الله عن الذين قاتلوكم في الدين وأخرجوكم من دياركم [الممتحنة‪ ]٩ :‬الآية وقوله‬ ‫تعالى‪ :‬يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا بطانة من دونكم لا يألونكم خبالا [آل عمران‪]٨١١ :‬‬ ‫الآية نزلت في قوم كان‪ ،‬بينهم وبين اليهود‪ ،‬جوار وحلف في الجاهلية‪ ،‬فداوموا عليه في‬ ‫الإسلام فكانوا يأنسون بهم ويستنيمون إليهم‪ ،‬ومنهم أصحاب كعب بن الأشرف‪ ،‬وأبي‬ ‫رافع ابن أبي الحقيق‪ ،‬وكانا يؤذيان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‪.‬‬ ‫‪  xxlix‬عن علي – رصي الله عنه ‪ :-‬بعثني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنا والزبير‬ ‫والمقداد فقال انطلقوا حتى تأتوا روضة خاخ فإن بها ظعينة معها كتاب فخذوا منها قال‬ ‫فانطلقنا تعادى بنا خيلنا حتى أتينا الروضة فإذا نحن بالظعينة قلنا لها أخرجي الكتاب‬ ‫قالت ما معي كتاب فقلنا لتخرجن الكتاب أو لنلقين الثياب قال فأخرجته من عقاصها‬ ‫فأتينا به رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فإذا فيه من حاطب بن أبي بلتعة إلى ناس بمكة‬ ‫من المشركين ي�خبرهم ببعض أمر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال رسول الله صلى‬ ‫الله عليه وسلم يا حاطب ما هذا قال يا رسول الله لا تعجل علي إني كنت امرأ ملصقا‬ ‫‪198‬‬

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬

‫في قريش يقول كنت حليفا ولم أكن من أنفسها وكان من معك من المهاجرين من لهم‬ ‫قرابات يحمون أهليهم وأموالهم فأحببت إذ فاتني ذلك من النسب فيهم أن أتخذ عندهم‬ ‫يدا يحمون قرابتي ولم أفعله ارتدادا عن ديني ولا رضا با�لكفر بعد الإسلام فقال رسول‬ ‫الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أما إنه قد صدقكم فقال عمر يا رسول الله دعني أضرب عنق هذا‬

‫المنافق فقال إنه قد شهد بدرا وما يدر يك لعل الله اطلع على من شهد بدرا فقال اعملوا‬ ‫ما شئتم فقد غفرت �لكم فأنزل الله السورة يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا عدوي وعدوكم‬ ‫أولياء تلقون إليهم بالمودة وقد كفروا بما جاءكم من الحق إلى قوله فقد ضل سواء السبيل‪.‬‬

‫‪‌  ll‬إذا ‌أردت ‌أن ‌تعلم ‌محل ‌الإسلام ‌من ‌أهل ‌الزمان فلا تنظر إلى زحامهم في‬ ‫أبواب الجوامع‪ ،‬ولا ضجيجهم في الموقف بلبيك‪ ،‬وإنما انظر إلى مواطأتهم أعداء الشر يعة‪.‬‬ ‫‪  lli‬وتجب الهجرة على من لم يقدر على إظهار دينه في دار الحرب وتستحب لمن‬ ‫قدر على ذلك‪.‬‬

‫‪  llii‬ابن القيم في المدارج‪« :‬لن تفقه كل الفقه حتى تمقت الناس في ذات الله‪ ،‬ثم‬ ‫ترجع إلى نفسك فتكون لها أشد مقتا‪».‬‬

‫‪  lliii‬ابن تيمية في منهاج السنة النبو ية‪ :‬ولهذا ينبغي لمن يعاقب الناس على الذنوب‬ ‫أن يقصد بذلك الإحسان إليهم والرحمة لهم‪ ،‬كما يقصد الوالد‌تأديب‌ولده‪ ،‬وكما يقصد‬ ‫الطبيب معالجة المر يض ; فإن النبي ‪ -‬صلى الله عليه وسلم ‪ -‬قال‪« :‬إنما أنا �لكم بمنزلة الوالد»‪.‬‬

‫‪  lliv‬ابن تيمية في مجموع الفتاوى‪ :‬وإذا‌اجتمع‌في‌الرجل‌الواحد خير وشر وفجور‬ ‫وطاعة ومعصية وسنة وبدعة‪ :‬استحق من الموالاة والثواب بقدر ما فيه من ال�خير واستحق‬ ‫من المعادات والعقاب بحسب ما فيه من الشر فيجتمع في الشخص الواحد موجبات‬ ‫الإكرام والإهانة‪.‬‬ ‫‪  llv‬مصنف عبد الرزاق كتاب الجامع باب سباب المذنب‪ :‬عن أبي قلابة أن أبا‬ ‫الدرداء مر على رجل قد أصاب ذنبا ‪ ،‬فكانوا يسبونه ‪ ،‬فقال ‪ « :‬أرأيتم لو وجدتموه في‬ ‫قليب ألم تكونوا مستخرجيه ؟ « ‪ ،‬قالوا ‪ :‬بلى ‪ ،‬قال ‪ « :‬فلا تسبوا أخاكم ‪ ،‬واحمدوا الله‬ ‫الذي عافاكم « ‪ ،‬قالوا ‪ :‬أفلا تبغضه ؟ قال ‪ « :‬إنما أبغض عمله ‪ ،‬فإذا تركه فهو أخي «‪.‬‬

‫‪  llvi‬في حلية الأولياء وطبقات الأصفياء عن إبراهيم بن أدهم‪ « :‬كنت مارا في‬ ‫بعض المدن فرأيت نفسين من الزهاد والسياحين في الأرض‪ ،‬فقال أحدهما للآخر‪ :‬يا أخي‬ ‫‌ما‌ورث‌أهل‌المحبة من محبوبهم فأجابه الآخر‪ .‬ورثوا النظر بنور الله تعالى والتعطف على‬ ‫أهل معاصي الله قال‪ :‬فقلت له‪ :‬كيف يعطف على قوم قد خالفوا محبوبهم؟ فنظر إلي ثم‬ ‫‪199‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫قال‪ :‬مقت أعمالهم وعطف عليهم ليردهم بالمواعظ عن فعالهم‪ ،‬وأشفق على أبدانهم من‬ ‫النار‪ ،‬لا يكون المؤمن مؤمنا حقا حتى يرضى للناس ما يرضى لنفسه‪».‬‬

‫‪  llvii‬القرطبي في تفسيره‪ :‬وأما‌نكاح أهل الكتاب إذا كانوا حربا فلا يحل‪ ،‬وسئل‬ ‫‌ابن ‌عباس عن ذلك فقال‪ :‬لا يحل‪ ،‬وتلا قول الله تعالى‪ »:‬قاتلوا الذين لا يؤمنون بالله‬ ‫ولا باليوم الآخر‪.‬‬

‫ْض ال َ ّذ ِي فِي‬ ‫ب و َال ْبُغ ُ‬ ‫ْس ال ْه َو َى ‪ -‬و َه ُو َ الْح َ ُ ّ‬ ‫‪  llviii‬ابن تيمية في مجموع الفتاوى‪« :‬و َنَف ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ك و َِإ َن ّمَا يُلَام ُ عَلَى ات ّبَِاعِه ِ‪».‬‬ ‫ك ق َ ْد ل َا يمُْل َ ُ‬ ‫ن ذَل ِ َ‬ ‫س ‪ -‬ل َا يُلَام ُ عَلَيْه ِ؛ ف َِإ َ ّ‬ ‫الن ّ ْف ِ‬

‫‪  llix‬عن عبادة بن الوليد بن عبادة بن الصامت‪ ،‬قال‪‌:‬لما‌حاربت‌بنو‌قينقاع‌رسول‬ ‫‌الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‪ ،‬تشبث بأمرهم عبد الله بن أبي‪ ،‬وقام دونهم‪ .‬ومشى عبادة بن‬ ‫الصامت إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‪ ،‬وكان أحد بني عوف بن الخزرج من له‬ ‫حلفهم مثل الذي لهم من عبد الله بن أبي‪ ،‬فخلعهم إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‪،‬‬ ‫وتبرأ إلى الله وإلى رسوله من حلفهم‪ ،‬وقال‪ :‬يا رسول الله أتبرأ إلى الله وإلى رسوله من‬ ‫حلفهم وأتولى الله ورسوله والمؤمنين‪ ،‬وأبرأ من حلف ا�لكفار وولايتهم‪ .‬ففيه وفي عبد‬ ‫الله بن أبي نزلت الآيات في المائدة‪{ :‬يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا اليهود والنصارى أولياء‬ ‫بعضهم أولياء بعض} [المائدة‪ ]١٥ :‬الآية‬ ‫‪  llx‬الطبري في تفسيره‪ :‬ومعنى ذلك‪‌:‬لا‌تتخذوا‪‌،‬أيها‌المؤمنون‪‌،‬ا�لكفار َ‌ظهرًا‌وأنصار ًا‬ ‫‌توالونهم‌على‌دينهم‪‌،‬وتظاهرونهم‌على‌المسلمين‌من‌دون‌المؤمنين‪ُ ،‬‬ ‫وتدل ّونهم على عوراتهم‬

‫‪  llxi‬عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما‪ :‬نزلت في المنافقين‪ :‬عبد الله بن أبي وأصحابه‬ ‫كانوا يتولون اليهود والمشركين و يأتونهم بالأخبار‪ ،‬ويرجون أن يكون لهم الظفر على‬ ‫رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‪.‬‬

‫تجِد ُ قَوْم ًا‬ ‫‪  llxii‬الرافعي في العزيز عن ابن عباس‪ :‬واستدل ثالثا ً بقوله تعالى‪{ :‬ل َا َ‬ ‫الل ّه َ وَرَسُولَه ُ}‪ .‬وجه الدلالة‪ :‬أن الله سبحانه‬ ‫يُؤْم ِن ُونَ ب َِالل ّه ِ و َال ْيَو ْ ِم الْآ ِ‬ ‫خر ِ‌يُوَا ُدّونَ م َنْ ح َا َدّ َ‬ ‫وتعالى شدد النكير على قوم آمنوا بربهم وباليوم الآخر يتحببون إلى من ناصب المسلمين‬ ‫العداء وعصوا الله واعتصموا بدارهم متربصين بالمسلمين الدوائر‪ .‬وإذا كانت هذه‬ ‫الصفات موجودة في الكتابية المحاربة كانت مندرجة تحت ما نهى عن مودتهم ومحبتهم‪.‬‬ ‫ق �لَك ُ ْم م ِنْ‬ ‫فكان ذلك نهيا ً عن نكاحها لما فيه من المودة قال تعالى‪{ :‬وَم ِنْ آي َاتِه ِ أَ ْن خ َل َ َ‬ ‫ل بَي ْنَك ُ ْم م َو َ َدّة ً وَرَحْم َة ً}‪ .‬ونوقش بأن الآية اقتضت‬ ‫سكُن ُوا ِإلَيْهَا وَجَع َ َ‬ ‫سك ُ ْم أَ ْزو َاج ًا لِت َ ْ‬ ‫أَ نْف ُ ِ‬ ‫النهي عن مودة أهل‌الحرب ولم تتعرض لتحريم النكاح وهو لا يثبت بالقياس فلا دلالة‬ ‫‪200‬‬

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬

‫فيها‪ .‬وكون عقد النكاح طر يقا ً إلى المودة لا يلزم منه تحريم النكاح‪ ،‬بل كراهته وقد‬ ‫قال بها جمهور الفقهاء‪.‬‬

‫الل ّه َ وَرَسُولَه ُ وقوله في‬ ‫‪  llxiii‬القاسمي في محاسن التأو يل‪ :‬يفهم من قوله تعالى ح َا َدّ َ‬ ‫آية أخرى لا ت َ ّتخِذ ُوا عَد ُ ّوِي و َعَد ُ َ ّوك ُ ْم أَ وْلِياء َ [الممتحنة‪ ، ]١ :‬أن المراد بهم المحاربون لله‬ ‫ولرسوله‪ ،‬الصادّون عن سبيله‪ ،‬المجاهرون بالعداوة والبغضاء‪ .‬وهم الذين أخبر عنهم قبل‬ ‫بأنهم يتناجون بالإثم والعدوان ومعصية الرسول‪.‬‬ ‫‪  llxiv‬ابن عاشور في التحرير والتنوير‪‌:‬الحالة‌السادسة‪‌:‬أن‌يتخذ‌واحد‌من‌المسلمين‬ ‫واحدا من الكافرين بعينه وليا له‪ ،‬في حسن المعاشرة أو لقرابة‪� ،‬لكمال فيه أو نحو ذلك‪،‬‬ ‫من غير أن يكون في ذلك إضرار بالمسلمين‪ ،‬وذلك غير ممنوع‪.‬‬

‫‪  llxv‬ابن القيم في زاد المعاد في هدي خير العباد‪ :‬وفيها‪‌ :‬تمكين ‌أهل ‌الكتاب من‬ ‫صلاتهم بحضرة المسلمين وفي مساجدهم أيضا إذا كان ذلك عارضا‪ ،‬ولا يمكنون من‬ ‫اعتياد ذلك‪.‬‬

‫‪  llxvi‬ابن القيم في هداية الحيارى في أجوبة اليهود والنصارى‪ :‬فلما بعث الله رسوله‬ ‫صلى الله عليه وسلم استجاب له ولخلفائه بعده أكثر أهل الأديان طوعا واختيارا‪ ،‬ولم‬ ‫يكره أحدا قط على الدين‪ ،‬وإنما كان يقاتل من يحاربه و يقاتله‪ ،‬وأما من سالمه وهادنه‬ ‫فلم يقاتله ولم يكرهه على الدخول في دينه امتثالا لأمر ربه سبحانه وتعالى حيث يقول‪‌:‬لا‬ ‫‌إكراه في الدين قد تبين الرشد من الغي‪ .‬وهذا نفي في معنى النهي‪ ،‬أي لا تكرهوا أحدا‬ ‫على الدين‪ ،‬نزلت هذه الآية في رجال من الصحابة كان لهم أولاد‪ ،‬قد تهودوا وتنصروا‬ ‫قبل الإسلام‪ ،‬فلما جاء الإسلام أسلم الآباء وأرادوا إكراه الأولاد على الدين‪ ،‬فنهاهم‬ ‫الله سبحانه وتعالى عن ذلك حتى يكونوا هم الذين يختارون الدخول في الإسلام‪.‬‬

‫‪  llxvii‬ابن تيمية في مجموع الفتاوى‪« :‬ولهذا أباح في الجهاد الواجب ما لم يبحه في‬ ‫غيره‪ ،‬حتى أباح رمي العدو بالمنجنيق‪ ،‬وإن أفضى ذلك إلى قتل النساء والصبيان‪ ،‬وتعمد‬ ‫ذلك يحرم‪”.‬‬ ‫‪  llxviii‬الكاساني في بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع‪( :‬وأما) بيان ما ينقض به‬ ‫عقد ‌الموادعة‪ ،‬فالجملة فيه أن عقد ‌الموادعة (إما) أن كان مطلقا عن الوقت‪( .‬وإما)‬ ‫أن كان موقتا بوقت معلوم فإن كان مطلقا عن الوقت فالذي ينتقض به نوعان‪ :‬نص‪،‬‬ ‫ودلالة فالنص‪ ،‬هو النبذ من الجانبين صر يحا‪.‬‬

‫‪201‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫‪  llxix‬ابن تيمية في اقتضاء الصراط المستقيم‪« :‬وهذا الحديث أقل أحواله أن يقتضي‬ ‫تحريم التشبه بهم ‪ ...‬فقد يحمل هذا على التشبه المطلق فإنه يوجب ا�لكفر‪ ،‬و يقتضي‬ ‫تحريم أبعاض ذلك وقد يحمل على أنه منهم في القدر المشترك الذي شابههم فيه فإن كان‬ ‫كفرا‪ ،‬أو معصية‪ ،‬أو شعارا لها كان حكمه كذلك‪».‬‬

‫‪  llxx‬ابن تيمية في اقتضاء الصراط المستقيم‪ « :‬والتشبه يعم من فعل الشيء لأجل‬ ‫أنهم فعلوه وهو نادر ومن تبع غيره في فعل لغرض له في ذلك إذا كان أصل الفعل‬ ‫مأخوذا عن ذلك الغير‪ ،‬فأما من فعل الشيء واتفق أن الغير فعله أيضا ولم يأخذه أحدهما‬ ‫عن صاحبه‪ ،‬ففي كون هذا تشبها نظر‪».‬‬ ‫‪  llxxi‬ابن خلدون في تار يخه‪‌‌« :‬الفصل الثالث والعشرون في أن المغلوب مولع أبدا‬ ‫بالاقتداء بالغالب في شعاره وز يه ونحلته وسائر أحواله وعوائده‬

‫ن الن ّفس أبدا تعتقد ا�لكمال في من غلبها وانقادت إليه إمّا لنظره‬ ‫والسّبب في ذلك أ ّ‬ ‫ن انقيادها ليس لغلب طبيعيّ إنّما‬ ‫با�لكمال بما وقر عندها من تعظيمه أو لما تغالط به من أ ّ‬ ‫هو �لكمال الغالب فإذا غالطت بذلك وات ّصل لها اعتقادا فانتحلت جميع مذاهب الغالب‬ ‫ن غلب الغالب لها ليس بعصبي ّة‬ ‫وتشبّهت به وذلك هو الاقتداء أو لما تراه والله أعلم من أ ّ‬ ‫ولا قو ّة بأس وإنّما هو بما انتحلته من العوائد والمذاهب تغالط أيضا بذلك عن الغلب وهذا‬ ‫راجع للأوّل ولذلك ترى المغلوب يتشب ّه أبدا بالغالب في ملبسه ومركبه وسلاحه في‬ ‫اتّ خاذها وأشكالها بل وفي سائر أحواله وانظر ذلك في الأبناء مع آبائهم كيف تجدهم‬ ‫ل قطر من الأقطار‬ ‫متشبّهين بهم دائما وما ذلك إلّا لاعتقادهم ا�لكمال فيهم وانظر إلى ك ّ‬ ‫كيف يغلب على أهله زيّ الحامية وجند السّلطان في الأكثر لأنّهم الغالبون لهم حت ّى‬ ‫أن ّه إذا كانت أمّة تجاور أخرى ولها الغلب عليها فيسري إليهم من هذا الت ّشب ّه والاقتداء‬ ‫حظ كبير كما هو في الأندلس لهذا العهد مع أمم الجلالقة فإن ّك تجدهم يتشبّهون بهم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫في ملابسهم وشاراتهم وا�لكثير من عوائدهم وأحوالهم حت ّى في رسم التّماثيل في الجدران‬ ‫والمصانع والبيوت حت ّى لقد يستشعر من ذلك الن ّاظر بعين الحكمة أن ّه من علامات‬ ‫الاستيلاء والأمر َلل ّه‪».‬‬

‫ل م َنْ تَك ََل ّم َ بِه ِ؛ وَك َانَ‬ ‫‪  llxxii‬ابن تيمية في مجموع الفتاوى‪ :‬و َ�لَك َِنّ الْح َقّ يُقْب َ ُ‬ ‫ل م ِنْ ك ُ ّ ِ‬ ‫ل فِي ك َلَامِه ِ‪ ».‬ال ْمَشْه ُورِ عَن ْه ُ؛ ال َ ّذ ِي رَو َاه ُ أَ بُو د َاو ُد فِي سُنَنِه ِ‪ :‬اق ْبَلُوا الْح َقّ‬ ‫ل يَق ُو ُ‬ ‫م ُع َاذ ُ ب ْ ُ‬ ‫ن جَب َ ٍ‬ ‫جر ًا‪.‬‬ ‫ل فَا ِ‬ ‫ل م َنْ ج َاء َ بِه ِ؛ و َِإ ْن ك َانَ ك َاف ِرًا ‪ -‬أَ ْو قَا َ‬ ‫م ِنْ ك ُ ّ ِ‬ ‫‪«  llxxiii‬اقتضاء الصراط المستقيم لمخالفة أصحاب الجحيم» (‪:)174 /1‬‬ ‫‪202‬‬

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬

‫ومما يوضح ذلك‪ :‬أن كل ما جاء من التشبه بهم‪ ،‬إنما كان في صدر الهجرة‪ ،‬ثم نسخ؛‬ ‫ذلك أن (‪ )1‬اليهود إذ ذاك‪ ،‬كانوا لا يتميزون عن المسلمين لا في شعور‪ ،‬ولا في لباس‪،‬‬ ‫لا بعلامة‪ ،‬ولا غيرها‪.‬‬ ‫ثم إنه ثبت بعد ذلك في الكتاب والسنة والإجماع‪ ،‬الذي كمل ظهوره في زمن عمر بن‬

‫الخطاب رضي الله عنه‪ ،‬ما شرعه الله من‌مخالفة‌الكافرين‌ومفارقتهم في الشعار والهدي‪.‬‬

‫وسبب ذلك‪ :‬أن المخالفة لهم لا تكون إلا مع ظهور الدين وعلوه كالجهاد‪ ،‬وإلزامهم‬ ‫بالجز ية (‪ )2‬والصغار‪ ،‬فلما كان المسلمون في أول الأمر ضعفاء؛ لم تشرع المخالفة لهم‪،‬‬ ‫فلما كمل الدين وظهر وعلا؛ شرع بذلك‪.‬‬

‫ومثل ذلك اليوم‪ :‬لو أن المسلم بدار حرب‪ ،‬أو دار كفر غير حرب؛ لم يكن مأمورا‬ ‫بالمخالفة لهم في الهدي الظاهر‪ ،‬لما عليه في ذلك من الضرر (‪ )3‬بل قد يستحب للرجل‪،‬‬ ‫أو يجب عليه‪ ،‬أن يشاركهم أحيانا في هديهم الظاهر‪ ،‬إذا كان في ذلك مصلحة دينية‪:‬‬ ‫من (‪ )4‬دعوتهم إلى الدين‪ ،‬والاطلاع على باطن أمرهم لإخبار المسلمين بذلك‪ ،‬أو دفع‬ ‫ضررهم عن المسلمين‪ ،‬ونحو ذلك من المقاصد الصالحة‬

‫‪  llxxiv‬عن هشام بن زيد بن أنس بن مالك‪ ،‬قال سمعت أنس بن مالك‪ ،‬يقول «م َ َّر‬ ‫يَه ُود ّ ٌ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ صلى الله عليه‬ ‫ل رَسُو ُ‬ ‫ك‏‪ .‬فَق َا َ‬ ‫سام ُ عَلَي ْ َ‏‬ ‫ل ال َ ّ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَق َا َ‬ ‫ِي ب ِرَسُو ِ‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫سام ُ عَلَيْك ‏‏َ»‏‪.‬‬ ‫ل ال َ ّ‬ ‫ل قَا َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏»‏أَ ت َ ْدر ُونَ م َا يَق ُو ُ‬ ‫ل رَسُو ُ‬ ‫‏»‏‪ .‬فَق َا َ‬ ‫ك ‏‏‬ ‫وسلم‏ ‏»و َعَلَي ْ َ‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫اب فَق ُولُوا و َعَلَيْك ُ ْم‏»‏‏‪.‬‏‬ ‫ل الْكِت َ ِ‬ ‫س َل ّم َ عَلَيْك ُ ْم أَ ه ْ ُ‬ ‫ل‏»‏ لاَ‪ِ ،‬إذ َا َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ أَ لا َنَقْتلُُه ُ قَا َ‬ ‫قَالُوا ي َا رَسُو َ‬ ‫ل َ‬

‫‪  llxxv‬قال ابن القيم في أحكام أهل الذمة‪ :‬وأما قول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم‪« :‬لا‬ ‫تبدؤوهم بالسلام» ‪ -‬وهذا لما ذهب إليهم ليحاربهم وهم‌يهود‌قر يظة ‪‌-‬فأمر‌ألا‌يبدؤوا‬ ‫‌بالسلام؛ لأنه أمان وهو قد ذهب لحربهم‪ .‬سمعت شيخنا يقول ذلك‪.‬‬ ‫‪  llxxvi‬قال ابن القيم في أحكام أهل الذمة‪‌:‬فلو‌تحقق‌السامع‌أن‌الذمي‌قال‌له‪:‬‬ ‫« سلام عليكم « لا شك فيه‪ ،‬فهل له أن يقول‪ :‬وعليك السلام‪ ،‬أو يقتصر على قوله‪« :‬‬ ‫وعليك؟ « فالذي تقتضيه الأدلة الشرعية وقواعد الشر يعة أن يقال‪ :‬له وعليك السلام‪،‬‬ ‫فإن هذا من باب العدل والله يأمر بالعدل والإحسان‪.‬‬

‫سفْيَانَ‪ ،‬ع َنْ ع ََم ّا ٍر ال ُد ّهْن ِ ِيّ‪،‬‬ ‫‪  llxxvii‬في مصنف ابن أبي شيبة‪ :‬ح َ َ ّدثَنَا وَكِيعٌ‪ ،‬ع َنْ ُ‬ ‫سلَام ُ‬ ‫اب‪ :‬ال َ ّ‬ ‫ل الْكِت َ ِ‬ ‫ل م ِنْ أَ ه ْ ِ‬ ‫ن اب ْ ِن ع ََب ّاسٍ‪ « :‬أَ َن ّه ُكَت َبَ ِإلَى رَج ُ ٍ‬ ‫ع َنْ رَج ُ ٍ‬ ‫ل‪ ،‬ع َنْ ك ُر َي ٍْب‪ ،‬ع َ ِ‬ ‫ك«‬ ‫عَلَي ْ َ‬

‫‪203‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫ِي‪،‬‬ ‫‪ - 94752‬ح َ َ ّدثَنَا جَر ِير ٌ‪ ،‬ع َنْ مَنْصُورٍ‪ ،‬ع َنْ ِإ ب ْر َاه ِيم َ‪ ،‬قَالَ‪«ِ :‬إذ َا كَتَب ْتَ ِإلَى الْيَه ُود ّ ِ‬ ‫و َ‬ ‫ن ا َت ّب َ َع ال ْهُد َى‬ ‫مجَاهِدٌ‪ :‬اكْ ت ُِب‪ :‬ال َ ّ‬ ‫سلَا ِم» و َقَا َ‬ ‫َالن ّصْر َان ِ ِيّ فِي الْحا َجَة ِ فَابْد َأْ ب ِال َ ّ‬ ‫ل ُ‬ ‫سلَام ُ عَلَى م َ ِ‬

‫الل ّهِ‪،‬‬ ‫ن ه َار ُونَ‪ ،‬قَالَ‪ :‬أَ خْبَر َن َا ال ْمَسْع ُود ُِيّ ‪ ،‬ع َنْ عَو ْ ِ‬ ‫‪ - 05752‬ح َ َ ّدثَنَا يَز ِيد ُ ب ْ ُ‬ ‫ن ب ْ ِن عَبْدِ َ‬ ‫سلَا ِم فَق َالَ‪« :‬ن َر ُ ُدّ‬ ‫ل الذ ِّ َمّة ِ ب ِال َ ّ‬ ‫ن عَبْدِ ال ْعَزِيز ِ ع َ َ‬ ‫ْب‪ ،‬ع ُم َر َ ب ْ َ‬ ‫كع ٍ‬ ‫ن َ‬ ‫ل مُحَم ّد ُ ب ْ ُ‬ ‫قَالَ‪ :‬سَأَ َ‬ ‫ن اب ْتِد َاء ِ أَ ه ْ ِ‬

‫ل أَ ن ْتَ ؟ قَالَ‪« :‬م َا أَ ر َى ب َأْ سًا أَ ْن نَبْد َأَ هُمْ»‪ ،‬قلُ ْتُ ‪:‬‬ ‫كي َْف تَق ُو ُ‬ ‫عَلَيْه ِ ْم وَل َا نَبْدَؤ ُهُمْ»‪ ،‬فَق ُل ْتُ ‪ :‬و َ َ‬ ‫ْف يَعْلَم ُونَ} [الزخرف‪« ]98 :‬‬ ‫الل ّهِ‪{ :‬فَاصْ ف َحْ عَنْه ُ ْم و َقُلْ سَلَام ٌ فَسَو َ‬ ‫لِم َ؟ قَالَ‪ :‬لِقَو ْ ِ‬ ‫ل َ‬

‫ن‬ ‫ل بْ ُ‬ ‫ن زِي َا ٍد الْأَ ل ْهَان ِ ِيّ‪ ،‬و َشُر َحْ ب ِي ُ‬ ‫ش‪ ،‬ع َنْ مُح َم ّدِ ب ْ ِ‬ ‫ن ع ََي ّا ٍ‬ ‫ل بْ ُ‬ ‫‪ - 15752‬ح َ َ ّدثَنَا ِإسْمَاعِي ُ‬ ‫سلَا ِم»‬ ‫ِي‪ ،‬وَل َا نَصْر َان ِ ٍيّ‪ِ ،‬إ َلّا بَد َأَ ه ُ ب ِال َ ّ‬ ‫م ُ ْسلِمٍ‪ ،‬ع َنْ أَ بِي ُأم َام َةَ‪« :‬أَ َن ّه ُك َانَ ل َا يَم ُر ّ بِم ُ ْسلِمٍ‪ ،‬وَل َا يَه ُود ّ ٍ‬

‫الل ّهِ‪ ،‬و َأَ ب َا ال َد ّ ْرد َاءِ‪،‬‬ ‫ن اب ْ ِن عَج ْلَانَ‪ :‬أَ َ ّ‬ ‫ل بْ ُ‬ ‫‪ - 25752‬ح َ َ ّدثَنَا ِإسْمَاعِي ُ‬ ‫ن ع ََي ّاشٍ‪ ،‬ع َ ِ‬ ‫ن عَبْد َ َ‬ ‫سلَا ِم»‬ ‫ك ب ِال َ ّ‬ ‫ل الش ِّرْ ِ‬ ‫ن ع ُبَيْدٍ‪« :‬ك َانُوا يَبْد َءُونَ أَ ه ْ َ‬ ‫و َفَضَالَة َ ب ْ َ‬

‫شعْب ِ ِيّ‪،‬‬ ‫ن ال َ ّ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ ب ْ ُ‬ ‫ن زِي َادٍ‪ ،‬قَالَ‪ :‬ح َ َ ّدثَنَا عَاصِمٌ‪ ،‬ع َ ِ‬ ‫‪ - 45752‬ح َ َ ّدثَنَا ع ُم َر ُ‪ ،‬قَالَ‪ :‬ح َ َ ّدثَنَا عَبْد ُ َ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ل لَهُ‪ :‬لم َ قلُ ْتَ لَه ُ؟ فَق َالَ‪:‬‬ ‫ل الذ ِّ َمّة ِ يُسَل ِ ّم ُ عَلَيْه ِ‪ ،‬فَق ِي َ‬ ‫ل م ِنْ أَ ه ْ ِ‬ ‫قَالَ‪ :‬كَت َبَ أَ بُو بُرْدَة َ ِإلَى رَج ُ ٍ‬ ‫سلَا ِم»‬ ‫ِ«إ َن ّه ُ بَد َأَ نِي ب ِال َ ّ‬

‫‪  llxxviii‬ابن القيم في زاد المعاد‪ :‬وقد اختلف السلف والخلف في ذلك‪ ،‬فقال‬ ‫أكثرهم‪ :‬لا يبدءون بالسلام‪ ،‬وذهب آخرون إلى جواز ابتدائهم كما يرد عليهم‪ ،‬روي ذلك‬ ‫عن ابن عباس‪ ،‬وأبي أمامة‪ ،‬وابن م�حيريز‪ ،‬وهو وجه في مذهب الشافعي رحمه الله �لكن‬ ‫صاحب هذا الوجه قال‪ :‬يقال له‪ :‬السلام عليك فقط بدون ذكر الرحمة‪ ،‬وبلفظ الإفراد‪،‬‬ ‫وقالت طائفة‪ :‬يجوز الابتداء لمصلحة راجحة من حاجة تكون له إليه‪ ،‬أو خوف من أذاه‪،‬‬ ‫أو لقرابة بينهما‪ ،‬أو لسبب يقتضي ذلك‪ ،‬يروى ذلك عن إبراهيم النخعي‪ ،‬وعلقمة‪ .‬وقال‬ ‫الأوزاعي‪ :‬إن سلمت فقد سلم الصالحون‪ ،‬وإن تركت فقد ترك الصالحون‪.‬‬

‫كن ْتُ آخُذ ُ بيَِدِ أَ بِي ُأم َام َة َ و َه ُو َ مُن ْصَر ٌَف‬ ‫‪  llxxix‬في حلية الأولياء عن محمد بن ز ياد‪ُ « :‬‬ ‫سل ِ ٍم وَل َا نَصْر َان ِ ٍيّ وَل َا صَغ ِيرٍ وَل َا كَب ِيرٍ ِإ َلّا قَالَ‪ :‬سَلَام ٌ عَلَيْك ُ ْم‬ ‫ِإلَى بَي ْتِه ِ فَلَا يَم ُر ّ عَلَى أَ ح َ ٍد م ُ ْ‬ ‫ن أَ خِي أَ م َرَن َا نَب ُِي ّنَا عَلَيْه ِ‬ ‫َاب ال َد ّارِ ال ْتَف َتَ ِإلَي ْنَا‪ ،‬ث َُم ّ قَالَ‪ :‬ي َا اب ْ َ‬ ‫سَلَام ٌ عَلَيْكُمْ‪ ،‬ف َِإذ َا انْت َهَ ى ِإلَى ب ِ‬ ‫سلَام َ بَي ْنَنَا»‬ ‫سلَام ُ‌أَ ْن‌ن ُ ْفشِيَ‌ال َ ّ‬ ‫ال َ ّ‬ ‫‪  llxxx‬ابن تيمية في اقتضاء الصراط المستقيم‪ :‬العيد ‌اسم لما يعود من الاجتماع‬ ‫العام على وجه معتاد‪ ،‬عائد‪ :‬إما بعود السنة‪ ،‬أو بعود الأسبوع‪ ،‬أو الشهر‪ ،‬أو نحو ذلك‪.‬‬ ‫فالعيد‪ :‬يجمع أمورا‪ :‬منها‪ :‬يوم عائد كيوم الفطر‪ ،‬و يوم‌الجمعة‪ .‬ومنها‪ :‬اجتماع فيه‪ .‬ومنها‪:‬‬

‫‪204‬‬

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬

‫أعمال تتبع ذلك من العبادات والعادات‪ ،‬وقد يختص ‌العيد بمكان بعينه‪ ،‬وقد يكون‬ ‫مطلقا‪ ،‬وكل هذه الأمور قد تسمى عيدا‪.‬‬ ‫‪  llxxxi‬ابن تيمية في اقتضاء الصراط المستقيم‪ :‬وأما قبول الهدية منهم يوم عيدهم‪،‬‬ ‫فقد قدمنا عن علي ‪-‬رضي الله عنه‪ -‬أنه أتي بهدية النيروز فقبلها‪ .‬وروى ابن أبي شيبة في‬

‫المصنف‪ :‬حدثنا جرير عن قابوس عن أبيه أن امرأة سألت عائشة‪ ،‬قالت‪ :‬إن لنا‌ أظآرا‬ ‫من المجوس‪ ،‬وإنه يكون لهم العيد فيهدون لنا‪ .‬فقالت‪« :‬أما ما ذبح لذلك اليوم فلا تأكلوا‬ ‫و�لكن كلوا من أشجارهم « وقال حدثنا وكيع عن الحسن بن حكيم‪ ،‬عن أمة عن أبي‬ ‫برزة‪ :‬أنهكان له سكان مجوس‪ ،‬فكانوا يهدون له في النيروز والمهرجان‪ ،‬فكان يقول لأهله‪:‬‬ ‫« ما كان من فاكهة فكلوه وما كان من غير ذلك فردوه»‪ .‬فهذا‌كله‌يدل‌على‌أنه‌لا‬ ‫‌تأثير ‌للعيد ‌في ‌المنع ‌من ‌قبول ‌هديتهم‪ ،‬بل حكمها في العيد وغيره سواء؛ لأنه ليس في‬ ‫ذلك إعانة لهم على شعائر كفرهم‪.‬‬ ‫‪  llxxxii‬القرافي في أنوار البروق في أنواء الفروق‪ :‬والذي إجماع الأمة عليه أن‬ ‫من كان في الذمة وجاء أهل الحرب إلى بلادنا يقصدونه وجب علينا أن نخرج لقتالهم‬ ‫با�لكراع والسلاح ونموت دون ذلك صونا لمن هو في ذمة الله‪.‬‬

‫‪‌  llxxxiii‬وأما ‌أهل ‌الذمة ‌الذين ‌بين ‌أظهرنا‪ ،‬ممن رضي بأداء الجز ية لنا وسالمنا‪،‬‬ ‫واستكان لأحكامنا وقضائنا‪ ،‬فأولئك لا تشملهم الآية‪ ،‬لأنهم ليسوا بمحادّين لنا بالمعنى الذي‬ ‫ذكرناه‪ ،‬ولذا كان لهم ما لنا‪ ،‬وعليهم ما علينا‪ ،‬وجاز التزوج منهم‪ ،‬ومشاركتهم‪ ،‬والاتجار‬ ‫معهم‪ ،‬وعيادة مرضاهم‪ .‬فقد عاد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يهودي ّا‪ ،‬وعرض عليه الإسلام‬ ‫فأسلم‪ -‬كما رواه البخاري‪ .‬وعلى الإمام حفظهم والمنع من أذاهم‪ ،‬واستنقاذ أسراهم‪...‬‬ ‫وقال ابن القي ّم في (إغاثة اللهفان) في الرد على المتنطعين الذين لا تطيب نفوسهم بكثير من‬ ‫الرخص المشروعة‪ :‬ومن ذلك أن النبيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يجيب من دعاه‪ ،‬فيأكل‬ ‫طعامه‪ .‬وأضافه يهوديّ ب�خبز شعير وإهالة سنخة‪ .‬وكان المسلمون يأكلون من أطعمة أهل‬ ‫الكتاب‪ .‬وشرط عمر رضي الله عنه ضيافة من مر بهم من المسلمين وقال‪ :‬أطعموهم مما‬ ‫تأكلون‪ .‬وقد أحل الله عز وجل ذاك في كتابه‪.‬‬

‫‪  llxxxiv‬أكرم العمري في السيرة النبو ية الصحيحة محاولة لتطبيق قواعد المحدثين‬ ‫في نقد روايات السيرة النبو ية‪« :‬كذلك فإن أسلوب الوثيقة ينم عن أصالتها «فنصوصها‬ ‫مكونة من جمل قصيرة بسيطة وغير معقدة التركيب‪ ،‬و يكثر فيها التكرار‪ ،‬وتستعمل كلمات‬ ‫وتعابير كانت مألوفة في عصر الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم قل استعمالها فيما بعد حتى‬ ‫أصبحت مغلقة على غير المتعمقين في دراسة تلك الفترة‪ .‬وليس في هذه الوثيقة نصوص‬ ‫‪205‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫تمدح أو تقدح فردا ً أو جماعة‪ ،‬أو تخص أحدا ً بالإطراء أو الذم لذلك يمكن القول بأنها‬ ‫‌وثيقة أصلية وغير مزورة»‪ .‬ثم إن التشابه ا�لكبير بين أسلوب الوثيقة وأساليب كتب النبي‬ ‫صلى الله عليه وسلم الأخرى يعطيها توثيقا ً آخر‪.‬‬

‫الل ّه ِ صلى الله‬ ‫ص سَمِعْتُ رَسُو َ‬ ‫ي عِنْد َ عَمْرِو ب ْ ِن ال ْع َا ِ‬ ‫ل ال ْمُسْتَوْرِد ُ الْق ُر َش ِ ُ ّ‬ ‫‪  llxxxv‬قَا َ‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫ساع َة ُ و ُ‬ ‫َالر ّوم ُ أَ كْ ث َر ُ َ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ل‏‏‪ .‬قَا َ‬ ‫ل لَه ُ عَم ْر ٌو أَ بْصِرْ م َا تَق ُو ُ‬ ‫س‏ ‏»‏‏‪ .‬فَق َا َ‬ ‫الن ّا ِ‬ ‫ل‏ «‏ تَق ُوم ُ ال َ ّ‬ ‫عليه وسلم يَق ُو ُ‬ ‫ن ف ِيه ِ ْم لَخِصَالا ً‬ ‫ك ِإ َ ّ‬ ‫ل لئَ ِ ْن قلُ ْتَ ذَل ِ َ‬ ‫الل ّه ِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَا َ‬ ‫ل م َا سَمِعْتُ م ِنْ رَسُو ِ‬ ‫أَ قُو ُ‬ ‫ل َ‬ ‫أَ رْبَع ًا ِإ َ ّنه ُ ْم لأَ حْلَم ُ َ‬ ‫شكُه ُ ْم ك ََر ّة ً بَعْد َ ف ََر ّة ٍ‬ ‫س عِنْد َ فِت ْنَة ٍ و َأَ سْرَعُه ُ ْم ِإفَاق َة ً بَعْد َ م ُصِ يبَة ٍ و َأَ ْو َ‬ ‫الن ّا ِ‬ ‫ك‏‪.‬‏‬ ‫ظلْم ِ ال ْمُلُو ِ‬ ‫حسَن َة ٌ جَم ِيلَة ٌ و َأَ مْن َعُه ُ ْم م ِنْ ُ‬ ‫ِيف وَخ َامِسَة ٌ َ‬ ‫يم وَضَع ٍ‬ ‫وَخَي ْر ُه ُ ْم لِم ِ ْ‬ ‫سكِينٍ و َيَت ِ ٍ‬

‫‪  llxxxvi‬ابن عبد الحكم في فتوح مصر والمغرب‪ :‬عن أنس إلى عمر بن الخطّاب‬ ‫فقال‪ :‬يا أمير المؤمنين‪ ،‬عائذ بك من الظلم‪ ،‬قال‪ :‬عذت معاذا‪ ،‬قال‪ :‬سابقت ابن عمرو‬ ‫بن العاص فسبقته‪ ،‬فجعل يضربنى بالسّوط‪ ،‬و يقول‪ :‬أنا ابن الأكرمين‪ ،‬فكتب عمر إلى‬ ‫عمرو يأمره بالقدوم عليه و يقدم بابنه معه‪ ،‬فقدم‪ ،‬فقال عمر‪ :‬أين المصرىّ ؟ خذ السوط‬ ‫فاضرب‪ ،‬فجعل يضربه بالسوط و يقول عمر‪ :‬اضرب ابن الألأمين‪ ،‬قال أنس‪ :‬فضرب‬ ‫حب ضربه فما أقلع عنه حتى تمن ّينا أنه يرفع عنه‪ ،‬ثم قال عمر‬ ‫فوالله لقد ضربه ونحن ن ّ‬ ‫للمصرىّ ‪ :‬ضع على ضلعة عمرو‪ ،‬فقال‪ :‬يا أمير المؤمنين‪ ،‬إنما ابنه الذي ضربنى وقد اشتفيت‬ ‫«‪ »3‬منه‪ ،‬فقال عمر لعمرو‪ :‬مذ كم تعب ّدتم الناس وقد‌ولدتهم‌أمّهاتهم أحرارا؟ قال يا أمير‬ ‫المؤمنين‪ ،‬لم أعلم ولم يأتنى‪.‬‬ ‫‪  llxxxvii‬عبد العزيز السلمان في موارد الظمآن لدروس الزمان عن علي‪« :‬وأشعر‬ ‫قلبك المحبة للرعية والرحمة بهم والرفق بهم ولا تكونن عليهم سبعا ضار يا يغتنم أكلهم‪،‬‬ ‫فإنما هم صنفان إما أخ لك في الدين أو نظير لك في الخلق‪».‬‬

‫‪  llxxxviii‬تاريخ الطبري‪ :‬هذا ما أعطى‌عتبة‌ب ْن‌فرقد‪ ،‬عامل عمر ب ْن الخطاب أمير‬ ‫المؤمنين أهل‌أذربيجان‪ -‬سهلها وجبلها وحواشيها وشفارها وأهل مللها‪ -‬كلهم الأمان على‬ ‫أنفسهم وأموالهم ومللهم وشرائعهم‪ ،‬على أن يؤدوا الجز ية على قدر طاقتهم‪ ،‬ليس على‬ ‫صبي ولا امرأة ولا زمن ليس في يديه شيء من الدنيا‪ ،‬ولا متعبد متخل ليس في يديه‬ ‫من الدنيا شيء‪ ،‬لهم ذلك ولمن سكن معهم‪ ،‬وعليهم قرى المسلم من جنود المسلمين يوما‬ ‫وليلة ودلالته‪ ،‬ومن حشر منهم في سنة وضع عنه جزاء تلك السنة‪.‬‬ ‫‪  llxxxix‬تاريخ الطبري‪ :‬هذا ما أعطى‌سراقة‌ب ْن‌عمرو عامل أمير المؤمنين عمر بن‬ ‫الخطاب شهربراز وسكان أرمينية والأرمن من الأمان‪ ،‬أعطاهم أمانا لأنفسهم وأموالهم‬ ‫وملتهم الا يضاروا ولا ينتقضوا‪ ،‬وعلى اهل أرمينية والأبواب‪ ،‬الطراء منهم والتناء ومن‬ ‫‪206‬‬

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬

‫حولهم فدخل معهم أن ينفروا لكل غارة‪ ،‬وينفذوا لكل أمر ناب أو لم ينسب رآه الوالي‬ ‫صلاحا‪ ،‬على أن توضع الجزاء عمن أجاب إلى ذلك إلى الحشر‪ ،‬والحشر عوض من جزائهم‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxc‬عبد ا�لكريم زيدان في أحكام أهل الذمة‪ :‬في البلاد الإسلامية في الوقت الحاضر‬ ‫ذميون لا تؤخذ منهم الجز ية في معظم الدول الإسلامية‪ ،‬ويمكن توجيه ذلك شرعا بأن‬

‫يقال‪ :‬الذميون في هذه الدول يشتركون مع المسلمين في الدفاع عن دار الإسلام‪ ،‬والمساهمة‬ ‫في هذا الواجب تسقط الجز ية بعد وجوبها أو تمنع وجوبها أصلا‪.‬‬ ‫‪ «  xxci‬ومن دخل دارهم بأمانهم فقد أمنهم من نفسه‪».‬‬

‫‪  xxcii‬الشيباني في السير ا�لكبير‪ :‬ولو أن رهطا من المسلمين أتوا أول مسالح أهل‬ ‫الحرب فقالوا‪ :‬نحن رسل الخليفة‪ .‬وأخرجوا كتابا يشبهكتاب الخليفة‪ ،‬أو لم يخرجوا‪ ،‬وكان‬ ‫ذلك خديعة منهم للمشركين‪ .‬فقالوا لهم‪ :‬ادخلوا‪ .‬فدخلوا دار الحرب‪ .‬فليس يحل لهم قتل‬ ‫أحد من أهل الحرب‪ ،‬ولا أخذ شئ من أموالهم ما داموا في دارهم‪ .‬لأن ما أظهروه‬ ‫لو كان حقا كانوا في أمان من أهل الحرب‪ ،‬وأهل الحرب في أمان منهم أيضا لا يحل‬ ‫لهم أن يتعرضوا لهم بشئ‪ ،‬هو الحكم في الرسل إذا دخلوا إليهم كما بينا‪.‬‬ ‫‪«  xxciii‬عيون الأثر» (‪ :)231 /1‬وذكر الواقدي عن يزيد بن رومان قال‪ :‬بينا‬ ‫رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جالسا في المسجد معه رجال من أصحابه أقبل رجل من‬ ‫بني زبيد يقول‪ :‬يا معشر قريش كيف تدخل عليكم المادة‪ ،‬أو يجلب إليكم جلب‪ ،‬أو‬ ‫يحل تاجر بساحتكم وأنتم تظلمون من دخل عليكم في حرمكم يقف على الحلق حلقة حلقة‪،‬‬ ‫حتى انتهى إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صحبه‪ ،‬فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه‬ ‫وسلم‪« :‬ومن ظلمك» ؟ فذكر أنه قدم بثلاثة أجمال كانت خيرة إبله‪ ،‬فسامه بها أبو جهل‬ ‫ثلث أثمانها‪ ،‬ثم لم يسمه بها لأجله سائم قال‪ :‬فأكسد علي سلعتي وظلمني‪ ،‬قال رسول الله‬ ‫صلى الله عليه وسلم‪« :‬وأين أجمالك» ؟ قال‪ :‬هي هذه بالحزورة‪ ،‬فقام رسول الله صلى‬ ‫الله عليه وسلم معه وقام أصحابه فنظر إلى الجمل فرأى جمالا فرها‪ ،‬فساوم الزبيدي حتى‬ ‫ألحقه برضاه‪ ،‬فأخذها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‪ ،‬فباع جملين منها بالثمن‪ ،‬وأفضل‬ ‫بعيرا باعه‪ ،‬وأعطى أرامل بني عبد المطلب ثمنه‪ ،‬وأبو جهل جالس في ناحية من السوق‬ ‫لا يتكلم‪ ،‬ثم أقبل إليه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال‪« :‬يا عمرو‪ :‬إياك أن تعود لمثل‬ ‫ما صنعت بهذا الأعرابي فترى مني ما تكره» فجعل يقول‪ :‬لا أعود يا محمد‪ ،‬لا أعود يا‬ ‫محمد‪ ،‬فانصرف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‪ ،‬وأقبل عليه أمية بن خلف ومن حضر‬ ‫من القوم فقالوا‪‌ :‬ذللت ‌في ‌يدي ‌محمد‪ ،‬فإما أن تكون تريد أن تتبعه وإما رعب دخلك‬

‫‪207‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫منه‪ ،‬قال‪ :‬لا أتبعه أبدا‪ ،‬إن الذي رأيتم من لما رأيت معه‪ ،‬لقد رأيت رجالا عن يمينه‬ ‫وشماله معهم رماح يشرعونها إلي‪ ،‬لو خالفته لكانت إياها‪ ،‬لأتوا على نفسي‪.‬‬ ‫‪«  xxciv‬المبسوط للسرخسي» (‪:)79 /01‬‬

‫وإذا كان قوم من المسلمين مستأمنين في دار الحرب فأغار على تلك الدار قوم من أهل‬

‫الحرب لم يحل لهؤلاء المسلمين أن يقاتلوهم؛ لأن في القتال تعر يض النفس فلا يحل ذلك‬ ‫إلا على‪ ،‬وجه إعلاء كلمة الله عز وجل واعزاز الدين‪ ،‬وذلك لا يوجد ههنا؛ لأن أحكام‬ ‫أهل الشرك غالبة فيهم فلا يستطيع المسلمون أن يحكموا بأحكام أهل الإسلام فكان قتالهم‬ ‫في الصورة لإعلاء كلمة الشرك‪ ،‬وذلك لا يحل إلا أن يخافوا على أنفسهم من أولئك‬ ‫فحينئذ لا بأس بأن يقاتلوهم للدفع عن أنفسهم لا لإعلاء كلمة الشرك‪ ،‬والأصل فيه‬ ‫حديث جعفر ‪ -‬رضي الله عنه ‪ ،-‬فإنه قاتل بالحبشة مع العدو الذي كان قصد النجاشي‪،‬‬ ‫وإنما فعل ذلك؛ لأنه لما كان مع المسلمين يومئذ آمنا عند النجاشي فكان يخاف على نفسه‬ ‫وعلى المسلمين من غيره‪ ،‬فعرفنا أنه لا بأس بذلك عند الخوف‪.‬‬ ‫‪«  xxcv‬مجموع الفتاوى» (‪:)712 /91‬‬

‫وكذلك ا�لكفار‪ :‬من بلغه دعوة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في دار ا�لكفر وعلم أنه‬ ‫رسول الله فآمن به وآمن بما أنزل عليه؛ واتقى الله ما استطاع كما فعل النجاشي وغيره‬ ‫ولم تمكنه الهجرة إلى دار الإسلام ولا التزام جميع شرائع الإسلام؛ �لكونه ممنوعا من‬ ‫الهجرة وممنوعا من إظهار دينه وليس عنده من يعلمه جميع شرائع الإسلام‪ :‬فهذا مؤمن‬ ‫من أهل الجنة‪ .‬كما كان مؤمن آل فرعون مع قوم فرعون وكما كانت امرأة فرعون بل‬ ‫وكما كان يوسف الصديق عليه السلام مع أهل مصر؛ فإنهم كانوا كفارا ولم يمكنه أن‬ ‫يفعل معهم كل ما يعرفه من دين الإسلام؛ فإنه دعاهم إلى التوحيد والإيمان فلم يجيبوه‬ ‫قال تعالى عن مؤمن آل فرعون‪{ :‬ولقد جاءكم يوسف من قبل بالبينات فما زلتم في شك‬ ‫مما جاءكم به حتى إذا هلك قلتم لن يبعث الله من بعده رسولا} ‪ .‬وكذلك النجاشي هو‬ ‫وإن كان ملك النصارى فلم يطعه قومه في الدخول في الإسلام بل إنما دخل معه نفر‬ ‫منهم؛ ولهذا {لما مات لم يكن هناك أحد يصلي عليه فصلى عليه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم‬ ‫بالمدينة خرج بالمسلمين إلى المصلى فصفهم صفوفا وصلى عليه وأخبرهم بموته يوم مات‬ ‫وقال‪ :‬إن أخا �لكم صالحا من أهل الحبشة مات} وكثير من شرائع الإسلام أو أكثرها‬ ‫لم يكن دخل فيها لعجزه عن ذلك فلم يهاجر ولم يجاهد ولا حج البيت بل قد روي أنه لم‬ ‫يصل الصلوات الخمس ولا يصوم شهر رمضان ولا يؤد الزكاة الشرعية؛ لأن ذلك كان‬ ‫يظهر عند قومه فينكرونه عليه وهو لا يمكنه مخالفتهم‪ .‬ونحن نعلم قطعا أنه لم يكن يمكنه‬ ‫‪208‬‬

‫‪Notes in Arabic‬‬

‫أن يحكم بينهم بحكم القرآن والله قد فرض على نبيه بالمدينة أنه إذا جاءه أهل الكتاب لم‬ ‫يحكم بينهم إلا بما أنزل الله إليه وحذره أن يفتنوه عن بعض ما أنزل الله إليه‪ .‬وهذا مثل‬ ‫الحكم في الزنا للمحصن بحد الرجم وفي الديات بالعدل؛ والتسو ية في الدماء بين الشر يف‬ ‫والوضيع النفس بالنفس والعين بالعين وغير ذلك‪ .‬والنجاشي ما كان يمكنه أن يحكم بحكم‬ ‫القرآن؛ فإن قومه لا يقرونه على ذلك وكثيرا ما يتولى الرجل بين المسلمين والتتار قاضيا‬ ‫بل وإماما وفي نفسه أمور من العدل يريد أن يعمل بها فلا يمكنه ذلك بل هناك من‬ ‫يمنعه ذلك ولا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعها‪.‬‬ ‫‪  xxcvi‬ابن تيمية في مجموع الفتاوى‪ :‬لا بد أن يكون مع الإنسان أصول كلية ترد‬ ‫إليها الجزئيات ليتكلم بعلم وعدل ثم يعرف الجزئيات كيف وقعت‪ .‬وإلا فيبقى في كذب‬ ‫وجهل في الجزئيات وجهل وظلم في الكليات فيتولد فساد عظيم‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxcvii‬قال الله تعالى‪{ :‬واعبدوا الله ولا تشركوا به شيئا وبالوالدين إحسانا وبذي‬ ‫القربى واليتامى والمساكين والجار ذي القربى والجار الجنب والصاحب بالجنب وابن‬ ‫السبيل وما م�لكت أيمانكم} [النساء‪. ]63 :‬وكل من ذكر في هذه الآية فحقه واجب‬ ‫وإن كان كافرا‪.‬‬

‫‪  xxcviii‬شرح صحيح البخارى لابن بطال‪ :‬عن النبى عليه السلام قال‪( :‬من خلع‬ ‫جلباب الحياء فلا غيبة فيه) وفسره ابن سعدان قال‪ :‬معناه من عمل عملا قبيح ًا كشفه‬ ‫للناظرين‪ ،‬ولم يرع وقوفهم عليه فلا باس بذكره عنه من حيث لايسمع؛ لأنهكمن أذن فى‬ ‫ذلك �لكشفه عن نفسه‪ ،‬فأما من استتر بفعله فلا يحل ذكره لمن رآه؛ لأنه غير آذن فى ذكره‬ ‫‌وإن‌كان‌كافرًا‪ .‬وقد سئل ابن وهب عن غيبة النصرانى‪ ،‬فقال‪ :‬لا وقولوا للناس حسنًا‬ ‫وهو من الناس (أيحب أحدكم أن يأكل لحم أخيه ميتًا فكرهتموه) فجعل هذا لهم مثلا‪.‬‬ ‫‪  xxcix‬في صحيح الأدب المفرد عن ابن عباس‪ :‬لو قال لي فرعون بارك الله فيك‬ ‫لقلت وفيك‪.‬‬ ‫‪  cc‬في مصنف ابن أبي شيبة‪ :‬عن الشعبي‪ ،‬قال‪ :‬كتب أبو بردة إلى رجل من أهل‬ ‫الذمة يسلم عليه‪ ،‬فقيل له‪ :‬لم قلت له؟ فقال‪« :‬إنه بدأني بالسلام»‪.‬‬

‫‪  cci‬في مصنف ابن أبي شيبة‪ :‬عن علقمة‪ ،‬قال‪ :‬أقبلت مع عبد الله من السيلحين‬ ‫فصحبه دهاقين من أهل ال�حيرة‪ ،‬فلما دخلوا ا�لكوفة أخذوا في طر يق غير طر يقهم‪،‬‬ ‫فالتفت إليهم فرآهم قد عدلوا‪ ،‬فأتبعهم السلام‪ ،‬فقلت‪ :‬أتسلم على هؤلاء ا�لكفار؟ فقال‪:‬‬ ‫«نعم صحبوني‪ ،‬وللصحبة حق»‪.‬‬ ‫‪209‬‬

‫’‪Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ‬‬

‫ل‬ ‫ن ال ْع َاصِ‪ ،‬و َشُر َحْ ب ِي َ‬ ‫ن عَم ْر َو ب ْ َ‬ ‫‪  ccii‬السنن ا�لكبرى للنسائي‪ :‬ع َنْ عُقْب َة َ ب ْ ِن عَامِر ٍ‪ ،‬أَ َ ّ‬ ‫الص ّدِيقِ‪ ،‬فَلَم ّا قَدِم َ عَلَى أَ بِي بَكْر ٍ‬ ‫ق ِإلَى أَ بِي بَكْر ٍ ِّ‬ ‫ق ال ْب ِ ْطرِ ي ِ‬ ‫س يَن ّا ٍ‬ ‫حسَن َة َ‪ ،‬بَع َثَاه ُ بَر ِيد ًا ب ِر َأْ ِ‬ ‫ن َ‬ ‫اب ْ َ‬ ‫ب َ‬ ‫ك بنَِا‪ ،‬قَالَ‪:‬‬ ‫س َل ّم َ‪ِ ،‬إ َ ّنه ُ ْم يَفْع َلُونَ ذَل ِ َ‬ ‫ل الله ِ صَلَ ّى الله ُ عَلَيْه ِ و َ َ‬ ‫س أَ ن ْك َرَه ُ فَق َالَ‪ :‬ي َا خ َلِيف َة َ رَسُو ِ‬ ‫ِالرأّْ ِ‬ ‫ِس و ُ‬ ‫س‪ ،‬ف َِإ َن ّمَا ي َ ْكف ِينِي الْكِتَابُ ‪ ،‬وا ْل�خَب َر ُ»‪.‬‬ ‫َالر ّو ِم؟‌ل َا‌يُحْمَل َنّ ِ‌إل َيّ‌ر َأْ ٌ‬ ‫«أَ فَاسْ ت ِنَان ًا بِف َار َ‬

‫‪210‬‬

Reader's Notes

211

Love and Hate in Islam: Revisiting the Doctrine of al-Walâ’ wal-Barâ’

212

Reader's Notes

213