Summary of Sunni concepts | 16- Concepts about loyalty and disavowal

0:00 A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.

0:08 The reality of loyalty and disavowal (al-wala’ wa al-bara’).

0:11 Loyalty (al-wala’) is support, love, and closeness.

0:16 Its opposite is disavowal (al-bara’).

0:18 Which is distance, hatred, and enmity.

0:21 The loyalty and disavowal beloved to Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,

0:25 is to show loyalty and enmity for His sake, the Exalted.

0:29 There is no love or support except for the sake of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,

0:33 for His Messenger, peace be upon him,

0:36 and for the believers,

0:38 and for everyone and everything that Allah loves.

0:42 Disavowal and enmity are for everyone whom Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, has opposed,

0:46 hated, and distanced.

0:49 Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, says:

0:51 “Your guardian can be only Allah; and His messenger and those who believe, who establish worship and pay the poordue, and bow down (in prayer).” (5:55)

0:56 The restrictive particle "innama" (only) indicates

0:59 that it is mandatory to limit loyalty, love, and support

1:03 to those mentioned in the verse,

1:05 and to disavow all others.

1:09 The word of monotheism, "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah),

1:12 half of it is a disavowal of polytheism and its people—"La ilaha" (There is no god)—

1:17 and the other half is loyalty to monotheism and its people—

1:21 "illa Allah" (but Allah).

1:23 The hadith regarding loyalty and disavowal in the Holy Qur'an has been mentioned

1:27 more than three hundred and eighty times.

1:30 This is no surprise,

1:32 as it is the methodology of all the prophets,

1:35 for their loyalty and disavowal were based on creed.

1:39 It suffices as evidence for this the saying of Allah, the Exalted:

1:43 “There is a goodly pattern for you in Abraham and those with him, when they told their folk: Lo! we are guiltless of you and all that ye worship beside Allah. We have done with you. And there hath arisen between us and you hostility and hate for ever until ye believe in Allah only - save that which Abraham promised his father (when he said): I will ask forgiveness for thee, though I own nothing for thee from Allah - Our Lord! In Thee we put our trust, and unto Thee we turn repentant, and unto Thee is the journeying.” (60:4)

1:49 “There is a goodly pattern for you in Abraham and those with him, when they told their folk: Lo! we are guiltless of you and all that ye worship beside Allah. We have done with you. And there hath arisen between us and you hostility and hate for ever until ye believe in Allah only - save that which Abraham promised his father (when he said): I will ask forgiveness for thee, though I own nothing for thee from Allah - Our Lord! In Thee we put our trust, and unto Thee we turn repentant, and unto Thee is the journeying.” (60:4)

1:57 "We have disbelieved in you."

1:59 “There is a goodly pattern for you in Abraham and those with him, when they told their folk: Lo! we are guiltless of you and all that ye worship beside Allah. We have done with you. And there hath arisen between us and you hostility and hate for ever until ye believe in Allah only - save that which Abraham promised his father (when he said): I will ask forgiveness for thee, though I own nothing for thee from Allah - Our Lord! In Thee we put our trust, and unto Thee we turn repentant, and unto Thee is the journeying.” (60:4)

2:03 “There is a goodly pattern for you in Abraham and those with him, when they told their folk: Lo! we are guiltless of you and all that ye worship beside Allah. We have done with you. And there hath arisen between us and you hostility and hate for ever until ye believe in Allah only - save that which Abraham promised his father (when he said): I will ask forgiveness for thee, though I own nothing for thee from Allah - Our Lord! In Thee we put our trust, and unto Thee we turn repentant, and unto Thee is the journeying.” (60:4)

2:07 Consequently, any call that does not stem from the creed of loyalty and disavowal

2:13 is a call that contradicts the methodology of the prophets.

2:17 Loyalty and disavowal are application and action.

2:21 Loyalty and disavowal are not merely theoretical, academic concepts;

2:28 rather, they are a practical application for the believer in the reality of his life,

2:32 manifesting in his behavior and state.

2:35 The religion of Islam is entirely serious; there is no jest in it,

2:39 as the Exalted said: "Indeed, it is a decisive word, and it is not for amusement."

2:45 We are commanded to take it with strength, as Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, commanded.

2:50 For He said to Yahya, peace be upon him:

2:54 "O Yahya, take the Scripture with determination."

2:57 And He said to Musa, peace be upon him:

3:00 “And We wrote for him, upon the tablets, the lesson to be drawn from all things and the explanation of all things, then (bade him): Hold it fast; and command thy people (saying): Take the better (course made clear) therein. I shall show thee the abode of evil-livers.” (7:145)

3:07 "Take them with determination and order your people to take the best of it. I will show you the home of the defiantly disobedient."

3:12 [Note: Line 48 is the continuation of the verse].

3:15 The religion rejects the reduction of its commands to cold, abstract knowledge in the mind,

3:21 which evaporates and vanishes when the time for application arrives.

3:26 There is no value in Islamic studies, with all their various curricula and institutes,

3:31 if they do not yield action and a stance in the reality of life.

3:35 For the religion was only legislated for action,

3:38 and for it to transform in the heart of the Muslim into a state that yields movement and stances on the ground.

3:45 Especially regarding the creed of loyalty and disavowal, which is the firmest bond of faith.

3:52 It is for the sake of loyalty and disavowal

3:54 that the prophets, peace and blessings be upon them, and their followers were harmed, sometimes by killing,

4:00 sometimes by imprisonment and torture,

4:02 sometimes by exile and expulsion,

4:04 and sometimes by the confiscation of wealth.

4:08 For its sake, the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his Companions were besieged in the Shi'b for three years.

4:15 For its sake, Ibrahim, peace be upon him, disavowed his father,

4:19 offered himself to the fire, and his son for sacrifice.

4:24 For its sake, Hud, peace be upon him, challenged his people and said:

4:29 "I call Allah to witness, and you witness that I am free from what you associate with Him."

4:37 “Beside Him. So (try to) circumvent me, all of you, give me no respite.” (11:55)

4:42 For the sake of loyalty and disavowal,

4:44 the prophets and their followers abandoned their homelands, fleeing with their religion from the disbelievers.

4:50 For its sake, the market of Jihad was established to fight the enemies of Allah,

4:55 and souls and wealth were sacrificed for it.

4:58 Unfortunately, we see today many people and some students of knowledge,

5:03 despite the clarity of this issue,

5:06 showing loyalty to the enemies of Allah and loving their religion and systems that oppose the law of Allah,

5:12 and supporting them against the Muslims,

5:15 while bringing forth cold interpretations and justifications for their positions.

5:20 Moreover, they even denounce those who apply what they have learned

5:25 by declaring takfir upon those who support the polytheists against the Muslims.

5:29 Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.

5:33 The bond and connection in the Age of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah) and in Islam.

5:39 Islam’s view of bonds and connections differs from the fragmented views of the Jahiliyyah.

5:47 The Jahiliyyah sometimes makes the bond blood and lineage,

5:52 other times land and homeland,

5:55 thirdly, tribe and clan,

5:58 fourthly, race, ethnicity, and language,

6:01 fifthly, profession and social class,

6:04 sixthly, common interests,

6:07 or shared history or shared destiny,

6:11 and so on.

6:13 All these bonds are Jahili concepts,

6:17 whether they are separate or combined with one another.

6:21 As for Islam,

6:23 it places the bond of religion and creed above all these bonds and connections,

6:29 and on its basis, loyalty and disavowal are established.

6:32 The Exalted said:

6:34 "O mankind,

6:36 “O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware.” (49:13)

6:40 and We have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another."

6:45 “O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware.” (49:13)

6:49 "Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted."

6:52 And the Almighty and Majestic said:

6:54 “Thou wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan. As for such, He hath written faith upon their hearts and hath strengthened them with a Spirit from Him, and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's party. Lo! is it not Allah's party who are the successful?” (58:22)

6:58 “Thou wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan. As for such, He hath written faith upon their hearts and hath strengthened them with a Spirit from Him, and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's party. Lo! is it not Allah's party who are the successful?” (58:22)

7:03 “Thou wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan. As for such, He hath written faith upon their hearts and hath strengthened them with a Spirit from Him, and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's party. Lo! is it not Allah's party who are the successful?” (58:22)

7:09 “Thou wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan. As for such, He hath written faith upon their hearts and hath strengthened them with a Spirit from Him, and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's party. Lo! is it not Allah's party who are the successful?” (58:22)

7:13 "And supported them with a spirit from Him."

7:16 “Thou wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan. As for such, He hath written faith upon their hearts and hath strengthened them with a Spirit from Him, and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's party. Lo! is it not Allah's party who are the successful?” (58:22)

7:23 "Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him."

7:26 "Those are the party of Allah."

7:29 “Thou wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan. As for such, He hath written faith upon their hearts and hath strengthened them with a Spirit from Him, and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's party. Lo! is it not Allah's party who are the successful?” (58:22)

7:33 And He said regarding Ibrahim, peace be upon him:

7:36 “The prayer of Abraham for the forgiveness of his father was only because of a promise he had promised him, but when it had become clear unto him that he (his father) was an enemy to Allah he (Abraham) disowned him. Lo! Abraham was soft of heart, long-suffering.” (9:114)

7:39 “The prayer of Abraham for the forgiveness of his father was only because of a promise he had promised him, but when it had become clear unto him that he (his father) was an enemy to Allah he (Abraham) disowned him. Lo! Abraham was soft of heart, long-suffering.” (9:114)

7:43 “The prayer of Abraham for the forgiveness of his father was only because of a promise he had promised him, but when it had become clear unto him that he (his father) was an enemy to Allah he (Abraham) disowned him. Lo! Abraham was soft of heart, long-suffering.” (9:114)

7:49 When Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, wanted to define for the Muslims the Ummah that unites them throughout the ages,

7:56 He mentioned the messengers and their followers across different times,

8:00 then said: "Indeed, this, your Ummah, is one Ummah, and I am your Lord, so worship Me."

8:08 He did not say to the Arabs that your Ummah is the Arab Ummah,

8:13 as the nationalists proclaim,

8:15 nor to the Persians, Romans, or Jews,

8:18 that your Ummah is the Persian, Roman, or Jewish one.

8:23 For the Ummah of the Muslims, in the scale of Allah, the Exalted,

8:27 includes the followers of the messengers throughout the ages.

8:30 Whoever wishes for himself another path, let him take it,

8:34 but let him not say, "I am a Muslim."

8:38 Nationality.

8:41 The nationality of the Muslim is his creed,

8:46 not his country, race, color, or language.

8:50 Every believer in Allah, the Exalted, who affirms His oneness,

8:54 who testifies that there is no god but Allah,

8:57 and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,

8:59 carries the nationality for which he loves,

9:03 and based upon which he shows loyalty and enmity.

9:06 “Say: Shall I choose for a protecting friend other than Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, Who feedeth and is never fed? Say: I am ordered to be the first to surrender (unto Him). And be not thou (O Muhammad) of the idolaters.” (6:14)

9:10 The most famous bonds that contradict the creed of loyalty and disavowal in Islam.

9:17 Every bond upon which loyalty and disavowal are built,

9:22 and love and support,

9:24 other than the bond of monotheism and faith,

9:27 is one of the Jahili bonds mentioned earlier.

9:31 The most famous of these bonds are:

9:34 Arab nationalism, Persian chauvinism,

9:38 patriotism, and humanism,

9:41 and so on.

9:43 The holder of any of these bonds

9:46 limits his love, support, and loyalty to those who share the same bond,

9:52 even if he is a Christian or a Jew,

9:55 or a Batinite or a communist atheist.

9:59 Conversely, he shows enmity to those who differ with him in that bond,

10:03 even if he is a Muslim who affirms the oneness of Allah.

10:06 This is from the manifest misguidance, as we have clarified.

10:11 The bond of patriotism.

10:13 It is the most famous of the aforementioned Jahili bonds,

10:19 in which belonging to a single homeland is made

10:23 the scale for love and hatred,

10:25 and loyalty and enmity.

10:27 Whoever holds the nationality of this country or that,

10:30 receives love and loyalty,

10:32 even if he is a disbeliever or a hypocrite,

10:35 and is prioritized over others from different homelands

10:39 in honor, assistance, and support,

10:41 even if that distant person is a Muslim, a monotheist, pious, and righteous.

10:46 The contradiction of this concept

10:49 to the Islamic concept and the creed of loyalty and disavowal is not hidden.

10:53 This does not mean

10:55 that a person is to be blamed for loving his homeland,

10:58 and the country in which he was born and raised.

11:01 This is not the subject of our criticism or disapproval.

11:04 Rather, the criticism and the subject of disapproval

11:07 is in prioritizing loyalty to the homeland and its people

11:10 over loyalty to Islam and the Muslims.

11:13 If the citizen is righteous and pious,

11:16 then this is goodness upon goodness.

11:19 There is no blame on one who finds an inclination

11:21 toward a righteous Muslim from his relatives or fellow countrymen,

11:25 but it is not permissible to prioritize him over one who is more righteous than him,

11:29 even if he is distant.

11:31 The reality of loyalty to the homeland

11:34 according to the advocates of patriotism.

11:36 If we trace the concept of patriotism,

11:41 we would find its source in the secular West,

11:44 which separates the political relationship

11:47 from the religious relationship,

11:49 and replaces loyalty to Allah and the religion with it,

11:52 and prioritizes it over any other loyalty.

11:55 So what do the advocates of patriotism want,

11:58 and why do they call for loyalty to it above all else?

12:01 Is it the soil of the homeland,

12:04 or its buildings, or its people,

12:07 and so on?

12:09 It is an ambiguous concept,

12:11 behind which the hypocrites shield themselves,

12:14 those who hold influence in most countries,

12:17 to pass through it the enslavement of people in its name,

12:20 for their ruler who is unique in governing the country,

12:23 and for his clique surrounding him.

12:26 The reality of this call

12:28 is loyalty to the ruler and his state,

12:31 even if there is harm in that

12:34 to the homeland and the citizens living within it.

12:37 It is a distorted call in many

12:40 of the Muslim countries,

12:42 and its advocates are not truthful

12:44 in their claim of patriotism.

12:46 In reality, they are

12:48 enemies of the homeland,

12:50 and they care only for their personal interests,

12:53 even if that is through treason and collaboration

12:57 with the enemies of the homeland who are lying in wait for it.

13:00 Humanism.

13:04 This is another of the Jahili concepts

13:09 that contradicts the bond of creed and monotheism,

13:13 as it calls for replacing this bond

13:16 with the bond of religion,

13:18 because they claim it unites people

13:21 and does not divide them.

13:23 So every human, in their perception and claim,

13:26 is your brother, even if he is a disbeliever,

13:29 Whether they are an atheist or a Christian,

13:32 Or a Jew, a Buddhist,

13:35 Or a Hindu, and so on.

13:37 In their view, all of these people

13:40 Are your brothers.

13:42 This is a false call,

13:44 And it is unrealistic,

13:46 For it is impossible in reality to unite people

13:48 Around this bond,

13:50 While discarding the bond of religion.

13:52 That is contrary to the established ways (sunan) of Allah on earth.

13:56 Allah the Exalted says:

13:58 “And if thy Lord had willed, He verily would have made mankind one nation, yet they cease not differing,” (11:118)

14:03 "And they will continue to differ."

14:06 “Save him on whom thy Lord hath mercy; and for that He did create them. And the Word of thy Lord hath been fulfilled: Verily I shall fill hell with the jinn and mankind together.” (11:119)

14:08 "And for that He created them."

14:10 "And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled:"

14:12 "I will surely fill Hell with the jinn"

14:15 "And mankind, all together."

14:18 Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, has decreed

14:20 The perpetual struggle between the people of truth

14:22 And the people of falsehood.

14:24 “The likeness of that which they spend in this life of the world is as the likeness of a biting, icy wind which smiteth the harvest of a people who have wronged themselves, and devastateth it. Allah wronged them not, but they do wrong themselves.” (3:117)

14:26 Allah the Exalted says:

14:28 "And were it not for Allah checking"

14:30 "Some people by means of others,"

14:32 "There would have been demolished monasteries, churches,"

14:34 "Synagogues,"

14:36 "And mosques."

14:38 “Those who have been driven from their homes unjustly only because they said: Our Lord is Allah - For had it not been for Allah's repelling some men by means of others, cloisters and churches and oratories and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft mentioned, would assuredly have been pulled down. Verily Allah helpeth one who helpeth Him. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty -” (22:40)

14:41 "And Allah will surely support"

14:43 "Those who support Him."

14:45 "Indeed, Allah is Powerful, Exalted in Might."

14:48 Thus, this call to "humanity"

14:50 Contradicts the established ways of Allah,

14:52 Negates the creed of loyalty and disavowal (al-wala’ wa al-bara’),

14:55 And paralyzes the law of jihad in the path of Allah.

14:59 The zeal of the Age of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah).

15:02 Zeal (hamiyyah)

15:05 Is derived from heat and boiling water.

15:08 And furthermore,

15:10 Zeal for one's own self,

15:12 And zeal for the ties of the Age of Ignorance,

15:15 Its source is the heat of agitation from the soul

15:18 Due to the loss of its interest or the pursuit thereof.

15:21 And the zeal of the Age of Ignorance

15:23 Is what Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, mentioned in His saying:

15:26 “When those who disbelieve had set up in their hearts zealotry, the zealotry of the Age of Ignorance, then Allah sent down His peace of reassurance upon His messenger and upon the believers and imposed on them the word of self-restraint, for they were worthy of it and meet for it. And Allah is Aware of all things.” (48:26)

15:30 "The zeal of the Age of Ignorance."

15:32 It is, without a doubt,

15:34 Something that undermines the creed of loyalty and disavowal,

15:37 Since the one who possesses it prioritizes zeal for himself,

15:40 Or for his teacher,

15:42 Or for his tribe and group,

15:44 Or for his homeland.

15:46 He prioritizes zeal for all these things,

15:49 Or for one of them, over zeal for Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,

15:52 And for His religion.

15:54 Zeal for Allah the Exalted may be confused

15:56 With these Jahili zeals, or one of them,

16:00 As some people claim

16:02 That they have acted out of zeal for Allah the Exalted and His religion,

16:06 While in reality, they have risen up

16:08 Out of zeal for other than Allah the Exalted.

16:11 The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, condemned

16:14 The zeal of the Age of Ignorance

16:16 In the strongest terms by saying:

16:18 "Whoever boasts with the boast of the Age of Ignorance,"

16:21 "Tell him to bite his father's private part,"

16:23 "And do not use euphemisms."

16:26 Recorded by al-Nasa'i and Ahmad,

16:28 And authenticated by al-Albani.

16:31 His saying "boasts with the boast of the Age of Ignorance"

16:34 Means he took pride in his fathers and ancestors from the people of the Age of Ignorance,

16:38 And attributed himself to them.

16:40 It is also said that it refers to one who shows fanaticism for the people of his town,

16:44 Or his school of thought, or his method,

16:47 For in doing so, he has a branch of the Age of Ignorance within him.

16:51 And his saying "tell him to bite,"

16:53 Means insult him,

16:55 "His father's private part, and do not use euphemisms,"

16:57 Meaning, do not use metaphors.

16:59 It means say it to him explicitly without allusion,

17:03 "Bite your father's private part."

17:06 In this is a humiliation for him and a satire using ugly language,

17:10 To deter him from his heinous act,

17:13 So that he may be restrained and return his loyalty to the believers who hold fast to the rope of Allah and His Messenger,

17:19 And abandon this zeal of the Age of Ignorance.

17:24 The term "us and the other"

17:26 Is a deviant term

17:29 That has begun to appear in recent years in a way that dilutes the creed of loyalty and disavowal,

17:35 And confuses and obscures it.

17:38 For the one who says it is ashamed to openly describe those who have not entered Islam as disbelievers and polytheists.

17:44 The habit of those who obscure the truth

17:46 Is to propose alternative labels for the name of the disbeliever or the disbelievers,

17:51 Such as saying "non-Muslims" instead of that.

17:56 And when they saw that this label also contained some frankness and severity,

18:01 According to their perception,

18:03 They shifted from that to the term "the other."

18:06 They turned away from the Qur'an's naming of them as "disbelievers,"

18:10 And that is because of the discomfort in their chests regarding the verses that contradict the alleged call to "humanity."

18:17 And Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, says:

18:20 “(It is) a Scripture that is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) - so let there be no heaviness in thy heart therefrom - that thou mayst warn thereby, and (it is) a Reminder unto believers.” (7:2)

18:26 “(It is) a Scripture that is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) - so let there be no heaviness in thy heart therefrom - that thou mayst warn thereby, and (it is) a Reminder unto believers.” (7:2)

18:30 Just as the proponents of Jahili nationalism

18:33 Mean by the term "the other"

18:36 Someone who is not from the people of the homeland,

18:38 Even if he were a pious Muslim.

18:41 This is a meaning different from the previous one,

18:44 But it is an action that reinforces zeal and fanaticism for the homeland,

18:49 And destroys the creed of loyalty and disavowal,

18:52 Upon which loyalty and enmity must be based.

18:57 Sectarianism.

19:01 Sectarianism means the division of people in a society or state into two sects or several sects,

19:09 Whether because of religion, gender, ethnicity, language, and so on.

19:16 In the scale of the Shari'ah, it is of two types:

19:19 First, a praiseworthy sectarianism beloved to Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,

19:25 Which is that based on religion and creed.

19:29 The monotheistic believers are one sect,

19:32 And a nation distinct from all other people who oppose them from the nations of disbelief and hypocrisy.

19:38 This has been mentioned in more than one verse of the Book of Allah.

19:43 Allah the Exalted said, narrating about Shu'ayb, peace be upon him:

19:47 “And if there is a party of you which believeth in that wherewith I have been sent, and there is a party which believeth not, then have patience until Allah judge between us. He is the Best of all who deal in judgment.” (7:87)

19:56 “And if there is a party of you which believeth in that wherewith I have been sent, and there is a party which believeth not, then have patience until Allah judge between us. He is the Best of all who deal in judgment.” (7:87)

20:02 And Allah the Exalted said: "A party of the Children of Israel believed, and a party disbelieved."

20:11 And regarding the party of the believers versus the party of the hypocrites,

20:16 Allah the Exalted said:

20:18 “Then, after grief, He sent down security for you. As slumber did it overcome a party of you, while (the other) party, who were anxious on their own account, thought wrongly of Allah, the thought of ignorance. They said: Have we any part in the cause? Say (O Muhammad): The cause belongeth wholly to Allah. They hide within themselves (a thought) which they reveal not unto thee, saying: Had we had any part in the cause we should not have been slain here. Say: Even though ye had been in your houses, those appointed to be slain would have gone forth to the places where they were to lie. (All this hath been) in order that Allah might try what is in your breasts and prove what is in your hearts. Allah is Aware of what is hidden in the breasts (of men).” (3:154)

20:27 “Then, after grief, He sent down security for you. As slumber did it overcome a party of you, while (the other) party, who were anxious on their own account, thought wrongly of Allah, the thought of ignorance. They said: Have we any part in the cause? Say (O Muhammad): The cause belongeth wholly to Allah. They hide within themselves (a thought) which they reveal not unto thee, saying: Had we had any part in the cause we should not have been slain here. Say: Even though ye had been in your houses, those appointed to be slain would have gone forth to the places where they were to lie. (All this hath been) in order that Allah might try what is in your breasts and prove what is in your hearts. Allah is Aware of what is hidden in the breasts (of men).” (3:154)

20:37 So it is permissible to use "sectarianism" in this sense,

20:42 And to take pride in it without hesitation or shame,

20:46 Since there is no meeting point between the two parties, nor loyalty, nor love, nor support.

20:52 Rather, between them is disavowal and enmity.

20:55 So the believers should not pay attention to the suspicions of the misguided who alienate people from them by claiming they are "advocates of sectarianism,"

21:04 Seeking civil wars, because the disbelievers are not of our people.

21:09 Allah the Exalted says:

21:11 “He said: O Noah! Lo! he is not of thy household; lo! he is of evil conduct, so ask not of Me that whereof thou hast no knowledge. I admonish thee lest thou be among the ignorant.” (11:46)

21:14 And war with the disbelievers, when the conditions are met and the impediments are absent,

21:19 Is part of the jihad in the path of Allah,

21:22 Which is the peak of the hump of Islam.

21:25 It is strange that these misguided ones—from the Rawafid, secularists, liberals, and hypocrites—

21:32 Are sectarian to the core,

21:35 And they refuse to listen to the people of truth.

21:38 So why is it permissible for them while they are upon falsehood, and forbidden for the people of truth?

21:44 Likewise, the People of the Sunnah and the Community (Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah) are the Victorious Sect,

21:49 In contrast to the sects of the people of desires and innovations.

21:52 And affiliation with this praiseworthy sect, which is beloved to Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,

21:58 Is something that one should take pride in and call to.

22:02 The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

22:05 "A party of my Ummah will continue to be manifest upon the truth."

22:10 Recorded by Muslim.

22:13 And among the sectarianism that is also praised and not condemned

22:17 Is that which involves diversity within the ranks of the believers according to tasks and specializations,

22:23 As Allah the Exalted said:

22:25 “And the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may gain sound knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, so that they may beware.” (9:122)

22:30 “And the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may gain sound knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, so that they may beware.” (9:122)

22:36 “And the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may gain sound knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, so that they may beware.” (9:122)

22:41 And like His saying:

22:43 “And when thou (O Muhammad) art among them and arrangest (their) worship for them, let only a party of them stand with thee (to worship) and let them take their arms. Then when they have performed their prostrations let them fall to the rear and let another party come that hath not worshipped and let them worship with thee, and let them take their precaution and their arms. Those who disbelieve long for you to neglect your arms and your baggage that they may attack you once for all. It is no sin for you to lay aside your arms, if rain impedeth you or ye are sick. But take your precaution. Lo! Allah prepareth for the disbelievers shameful punishment.” (4:102)

22:47 "Let a party of them stand with you and let them take their arms."

22:52 “And when thou (O Muhammad) art among them and arrangest (their) worship for them, let only a party of them stand with thee (to worship) and let them take their arms. Then when they have performed their prostrations let them fall to the rear and let another party come that hath not worshipped and let them worship with thee, and let them take their precaution and their arms. Those who disbelieve long for you to neglect your arms and your baggage that they may attack you once for all. It is no sin for you to lay aside your arms, if rain impedeth you or ye are sick. But take your precaution. Lo! Allah prepareth for the disbelievers shameful punishment.” (4:102)

22:57 "And let another party come who have not yet prayed, and let them pray with you,"

23:03 "And let them take their precaution and their arms."

23:06 Second:

23:08 A condemned, forbidden sectarianism.

23:11 This includes all the sects of the people of disbelief and hypocrisy,

23:15 Just as it includes the sectarianism that leads to disagreement among Muslims and their factionalism and division,

23:22 Indeed, it may lead to the believers fighting one another,

23:26 In what is known as the wars of fitnah (strife) or civil wars.

23:30 So the believers must avoid these and be wary of them,

23:35 And strive to extinguish them,

23:37 As Allah the Exalted said:

23:39 "And if two parties among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two."

23:45 “And if two parties of believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them. And if one party of them doeth wrong to the other, fight ye that which doeth wrong till it return unto the ordinance of Allah; then, if it return, make peace between them justly, and act equitably. Lo! Allah loveth the equitable.” (49:9)

23:48 “And if two parties of believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them. And if one party of them doeth wrong to the other, fight ye that which doeth wrong till it return unto the ordinance of Allah; then, if it return, make peace between them justly, and act equitably. Lo! Allah loveth the equitable.” (49:9)

23:54 “And if two parties of believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them. And if one party of them doeth wrong to the other, fight ye that which doeth wrong till it return unto the ordinance of Allah; then, if it return, make peace between them justly, and act equitably. Lo! Allah loveth the equitable.” (49:9)

23:59 "Indeed, Allah loves the just."

24:08 Allah the Exalted said:

24:10 “Say: Shall I choose for a protecting friend other than Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, Who feedeth and is never fed? Say: I am ordered to be the first to surrender (unto Him). And be not thou (O Muhammad) of the idolaters.” (6:14)

24:18 “Say: Shall I choose for a protecting friend other than Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, Who feedeth and is never fed? Say: I am ordered to be the first to surrender (unto Him). And be not thou (O Muhammad) of the idolaters.” (6:14)

24:22 "And do not be of the polytheists."

24:25 The verse clarifies that singling out Allah with loyalty and monotheism, and disavowing polytheism and its people, is faith.

24:35 Indeed, it is the meaning of the word of monotheism:

24:38 "There is no god but Allah."

24:40 The first half is disavowal: "There is no god,"

24:44 And the other half is loyalty:

24:46 "But Allah."

24:48 And whoever takes a guardian other than Allah,

24:51 Exalting him and loving him as one loves Allah,

24:54 And showing loyalty and enmity based on him,

24:56 Has associated partners with Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, in loyalty.

25:00 And this type of polytheism

25:02 Has not received its share of attention, clarification, and warning,

25:06 As the polytheism of graves and the righteous has.

25:09 For loyalty to Allah the Exalted

25:12 Requires His unification and sincerity to Him in orientation and worship,

25:16 And in judgment and loyalty.

25:18 And this is not valid except by disavowing polytheism and the polytheists,

25:23 And everything that is worshipped besides Allah, the Almighty and Majestic.

25:27 And among the polytheism in loyalty that expels one from the fold of religion

25:31 Is showing loyalty to the disbelievers by loving them and their religion,

25:34 And supporting them against the Muslims.

25:37 The people of knowledge have counted this as one of the nullifiers of Islam.

25:42 The difference between tolerance and loyalty.

25:45 Some people confuse showing loyalty to the enemies of Allah, which is forbidden,

25:51 With being tolerant toward them to avert harm or bring about a benefit,

25:56 Or to achieve the justice and fairness that is commanded, even with enemies.

26:01 Allah the Exalted said:

26:05 "O you who have believed,"

26:08 “O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye do.” (5:8)

26:12 “O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye do.” (5:8)

26:17 “O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye do.” (5:8)

26:20 And He said: "Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion,"

26:26 “Allah forbiddeth you not those who warred not against you on account of religion and drove you not out from your homes, that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loveth the just dealers.” (60:8)

26:30 “Allah forbiddeth you not those who warred not against you on account of religion and drove you not out from your homes, that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loveth the just dealers.” (60:8)

26:33 "Indeed, Allah loves the just."

26:37 So showing loyalty to the disbelievers is one thing,

26:40 And being just and tolerant with them is another thing.

26:44 Nevertheless, they are confused by some Muslims

26:48 Who lack a pure understanding of the creed and its realities,

26:53 Just as they lack an intelligent awareness of the nature of the battle with the disbelievers and the hypocrites.

26:59 So they overlook those extensive Qur'anic directives

27:03 That forbid loving the disbelievers and showing them loyalty,

27:07 And command being wary of them,

27:10 Because they do not grasp the difference between Islam's call for tolerance in dealing with non-combatant disbelievers,

27:17 And showing kindness to them within the Muslim community, especially those who are closest.

27:22 Likewise, [one must show] tolerance and tact in dealing even with those among the disbelievers who are at war [with Muslims],

27:28 during times when the believers are weak.

27:31 They do not grasp the distinction between all of these matters.

27:34 [There is also] the issue of loyalty (wala'), which must be directed solely to Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,

27:39 and to His Messenger and the believers.

27:42 Some forms of showing loyalty to the disbelievers and the hypocrites.

27:48 There are forms and manifestations of showing loyalty to the disbelievers that expel one from the fold of the religion,

27:53 such as loving their religion, supporting them, and aiding them against the believers.

27:59 Below that, there are other forms of loyalty that are forbidden,

28:03 and which impair the perfection of the mandatory faith,

28:06 even if they do not nullify it entirely.

28:09 Among these, firstly:

28:12 Imitating the disbelievers in their outward appearance,

28:15 or their customs regarding food, drink, clothing, and the like.

28:20 Secondly:

28:21 Flattering them and attending their gatherings where they engage in falsehood without voicing disapproval.

28:28 Thirdly:

28:30 Congratulating them on their religious holidays and occasions.

28:35 Fourthly:

28:36 Defending and arguing on behalf of them and the hypocrites.

28:41 Loyalty and disavowal (wala' and bara') between excess and negligence.

28:46 Islam is the religion of balance, justice, and moderation between excess and negligence,

28:53 in all aspects of creed, worship, and conduct.

28:57 People, in their understanding and application of loyalty and disavowal, fall into two extremes and a middle path.

29:03 The first extreme:

29:05 Those who exaggerate and go to excess in the matter of loyalty and enmity,

29:09 judging anyone who engages in any interaction with the disbelievers as having committed disbelief and apostasy.

29:15 They fail to distinguish between loyalty that constitutes disbelief and loyalty that is forbidden without being an act of disbelief.

29:23 Indeed, they may even judge certain permissible actions—which involve tact and warding off the evil of the disbelievers—

29:30 as apostasy and disbelief,

29:32 without distinguishing between permissible tact and forbidden flattery.

29:37 The second extreme:

29:39 The people of negligence and apathy,

29:41 who have fallen into showing loyalty to the disbelievers and flattering them under the guise of tact and dissimulation (taqiyya),

29:48 without distinguishing between what is forbidden and what expels one from the fold of the religion.

29:53 To them, such actions are merely either permissible, forbidden, or disliked.

29:59 They do not recognize any form of loyalty that expels one from the fold of the religion.

30:03 The people of the middle path:

30:05 They are the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, from the Companions and those who followed them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment,

30:11 who believe in the obligation of loving Allah, His Messenger, and the believers,

30:17 and loving what Allah loves of faith and deeds,

30:21 and loving those whom Allah loves, from His prophets and their believing followers in every era.

30:28 Just as they believe in the obligation of disavowal and hating everyone and everything that Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, hates, such as polytheism and its people, and hypocrisy and its people.

30:38 As for the people of immorality and disobedience,

30:41 they show them loyalty in proportion to the faith they possess,

30:45 and they disavow them in proportion to the disobedience they commit.

30:49 They do not show them absolute loyalty,

30:52 nor do they show them absolute disavowal.

30:55 Rather, they show them the general loyalty due to the believers,

30:59 and they disavow the immorality and disobedience they persist in.

31:04 Likewise, they do not judge all instances of loyalty to the disbelievers with a single ruling;

31:09 rather, they hold that some of it expels one from the fold of the religion,

31:13 such as loving their religion and aiding them against the believers,

31:16 while some of it is merely forbidden,

31:19 without being an act of disbelief.

31:22 They are also balanced in their love for the Muslims and their hatred toward them.

31:27 They do not go to excess in loving certain individuals,

31:30 to the point of sanctification and clothing them in the garment of infallibility.

31:34 Nor do they go to excess in hating certain individuals,

31:37 to the point of oppressing them, depriving them of their rights, and failing to be just with them,

31:42 or accusing them of things they did not say, believe, or do.

31:49 The difference between peace with the disbelievers and normalization with them.

31:55 The permissible peace with a warring disbelieving enemy

31:58 is that which is concluded by a Muslim leader who submits to the law of his Lord,

32:03 if he sees, after consulting the people of authority and influence among the scholars and the wise,

32:08 that it achieves a benefit for the Muslims,

32:11 or wards off an evil from them.

32:13 It is a temporary peace,

32:15 until the Muslims gain strength,

32:17 at which point they cast their treaty back to their disbelieving enemy,

32:21 and then fight them so that the religion may be entirely for Allah.

32:25 It is a peace governed by the weighing of interests and harms and the fiqh of priorities,

32:31 and it is not a permanent peace.

32:33 It does not grant the disbeliever the right to permanent residence in the lands of the Muslims,

32:39 nor does the disbeliever transform through this peace from an enemy into a friend,

32:43 nor does the enmity toward him turn into loyalty.

32:47 Rather, the enmity toward him and the disavowal of him remain, even with the conclusion of a peace treaty.

32:53 As for the normalization with the disbelieving Jews that is being proposed today,

32:57 it is a different matter entirely, having no relation to peace in its aforementioned sense.

33:02 It is a betrayal of the religion of Islam and the Muslim Ummah for the following reasons:

33:08 Firstly, because it involves acknowledging the right of the occupying disbeliever to possess the lands of the Muslims permanently,

33:17 and this contradicts the objectives of the Shari'ah and the foundations of Islam,

33:21 because it involves suspending the rite of jihad in the path of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic.

33:27 Secondly, because it destroys the creed of loyalty and disavowal, which is the foundation of "There is no god but Allah,"

33:36 as it replaces love, brotherhood, and peace with the Jews with enmity and disavowal of them and their disbelief.

33:44 It compels the ruling regimes to silence anyone who declares their enmity and hatred toward them,

33:50 and to purge educational curricula and the media of everything that points to this enmity,

33:56 which Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, has explicitly stated in His Book.

34:00 “Thou wilt find the most vehement of mankind in hostility to those who believe (to be) the Jews and the idolaters. And thou wilt find the nearest of them in affection to those who believe (to be) those who say: Lo! We are Christians. That is because there are among them priests and monks, and because they are not proud.” (5:82)

34:07 Thirdly, because it is a contract of humiliation and disgrace, as the enemy in it is the superior party,

34:14 and it is the one that dictates its conditions to the Muslims and dominates their countries,

34:20 while everyone remains subject to it in permanent submission.

34:24 Fourthly, normalization allows the Jews to enter the lands of the Muslims,

34:30 and to manipulate their economy, media, and education,

34:34 and to control the resources of the country by investing in them and spreading usury,

34:40 and to occupy administrative positions in the country, making the children of the Muslims humiliated employees under their control.

34:47 Fifthly, opening the country to them allows for the spread of vice and corruption on earth.

34:54 For the Jews have never settled in a land without corrupting its morals and its economy.

35:00 Sixthly, normalization involves aiding the Jews against the mujahideen in Palestine,

35:06 and liquidating the jihad there,

35:09 and in that is support for the disbelievers against the Muslims,

35:14 and this is one of the nullifiers of Islam.

35:17 So how can it be said, after all of this,

35:20 that normalization with the Jews is a legitimate peace,

35:23 to be measured against the peace of the Prophet, peace be upon him, with the disbelievers of Quraysh,

35:28 or with the Jews in Medina?

35:31 The peace of the Prophet with Quraysh was only temporary,

35:35 and his treaty with the Jews in Medina was not

35:38 except while they were under the rule and control of Islam,

35:42 and they were among its inhabitants before his arrival, peace be upon him.

35:47 Yet, they betrayed the Messenger, peace be upon him,

35:52 and violated the treaty through this betrayal,

35:55 and this is their nature,

35:57 so he expelled them from it.

35:59 Furthermore, how can the permanent normalization of contemporary regimes with the Jews be measured

36:04 —regimes that reject the law of Allah and ruling by it,

36:08 and have suspended the rite of jihad—

36:10 against the temporary peace of the Prophet, peace be upon him, with them?

36:15 He was the one who submitted to the law of his Lord and was guided by His judgment,

36:19 and who strove in His path.

36:22 His peace with them was only until he gained the strength to confront them,

36:26 at which point he would cast their treaties back to them and fight them.

36:31 Normalization, in reality, is humiliation and betrayal of the Muslims,

36:35 and a selling of their homelands to the disbelievers,

36:38 and an endorsement of their presence there,

36:40 and a destruction of the creed of monotheism, which is based on loyalty to Allah alone,

36:45 and disavowal of polytheism and its people, whether they be Jews or Christians,

36:49 or any other sect that associates partners with Allah, the Exalted.

36:53 Whoever seeks to remove the enmity with the disbelievers

36:56 without calling them to Islam and bringing them into it,

37:00 is merely seeking to replace the religion of Allah that Muhammad, peace be upon him, brought,

37:06 and to introduce a new religion.

37:09 Loyalty and disavowal regarding the esoteric sects.

37:14 The esotericists, such as the Rafidah, the Ismailis, and the Druze,

37:20 as well as the extremist polytheistic Sufis and their likes among the people of heretical innovations that constitute disbelief—

37:25 none of these have any share in Islam,

37:29 and they are not among the people of the Qibla,

37:31 due to their falling into various forms of polytheism and disbelief that expel one from the fold of the religion.

37:37 They call upon others besides Allah,

37:39 they show loyalty to the enemies of Allah,

37:41 they claim the infallibility of their Imams and their knowledge of the unseen,

37:45 they allege the corruption of the Qur'an,

37:47 and they harbor hatred and enmity toward Ahl al-Sunnah,

37:50 indeed, they declare them to be disbelievers.

37:52 Some of these sects

37:54 declare the early forerunners among the Companions of the Messenger, peace be upon him, to be disbelievers.

38:00 So if they are in this state,

38:03 then they are like the disbelievers.

38:05 It is not permissible to show them loyalty, love, or support.

38:10 Rather, the duty regarding them is to hate them and disavow them and their polytheism.

38:15 This does not contradict the keenness to call them and guide them.

38:20 If they are guided and abandon their acts of disbelief,

38:23 they become our brothers,

38:25 entitled to the duty of love and support.

38:28 Someone might say:

38:30 "They do not manifest these beliefs of disbelief."

38:34 It is said to him:

38:36 "They manifest them in some of their books,

38:39 and when they are safe from punishment."

38:41 As for their state of weakness,

38:43 they conceal that as a form of dissimulation (taqiyya).

38:47 If they were to gain power in the lands of the Sunnah,

38:49 then they would reveal their true nature,

38:52 declare everyone who opposes them to be a disbeliever,

38:55 wage war against them,

38:57 and deem their blood and wealth lawful.

39:01 Despite the clear invalidity of the beliefs of these esotericists

39:05 and their malicious goals,

39:07 especially in recent years

39:09 in the regions of their influence and power,

39:12 there are still some among the people of the Sunnah

39:15 who think well of them and defend them,

39:18 and refuse to declare them disbelievers,

39:20 and even call for rapprochement with them,

39:23 and for standing in line with them against global disbelief.

39:26 This does not come

39:28 except from one who is ignorant of the reality of the esotericists

39:31 and their invalid beliefs,

39:33 or one who is heedless and naive, deceived by their lies and their dissimulation,

39:37 and their declaration of enmity toward the Jews and the Americans,

39:41 even though the relationship between the Rafidah and the Christians

39:44 is well-known throughout history,

39:46 and their alignment with them against Ahl al-Sunnah is well-known.

39:50 The Rafidah have never been known for any jihad against the Crusaders.

39:54 In the modern era,

39:56 evidence has appeared of these secret relationships between them.

40:01 Some of those who defend the Rafidah

40:04 know of their malice and hatred toward Ahl al-Sunnah,

40:08 but they justify their relationship with them

40:11 by claiming they are political stances and not creedal ones.

40:15 To them we say:

40:17 "Politics must not be at the expense of the creed, nor should it contradict it."

40:26 [It is the duty of] the people of the Sunnah...

Summary of Sunni concepts | 16- Concepts about loyalty and disavowal | Concepts (231-247)

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