The twenty-eighth âyat of Âl-i-’Imrân sûra purports, “Believers
should not love people other than Believers, i.e.disbelievers. A person who
likes them will not have lovedAllâhu ta’âlâ. It is permissible to be friends
with them outwardly in case of strong necessity in the Dâr-ul-harb.” The author of Tafsîr-i-kebîr[1] explains this âyat-i-kerîma very well,
and states, “This âyat-i-kerîma prohibits us from likingdisbelievers.” The hundred
and eighteenth âyat-i-kerîma of Âl-i-’Imrân sûra purports, “O
Believers! Do not be friends with non-Believers, disbelievers!” The twenty-second âyat-i-kerîma of Mujâdala
sûra purports, “If a person believes in Allâhu
ta’âlâ and in the Hereafter, he will not like the enemies of Allah
and His Messenger.” The
fifty-fourth âyat-i-kerîma of Mâida sûra purports, “O
Believers! Do not like Jews and Christians!” The first âyat of Mumtahina sûra purports, “O
Believers! Do not like My and your enemies.” The seventy-second âyat of Tawba sûra purports, “Believing
men and women like one another.” These âyat-i-kerîmas, too, forbid to like disbelievers.
There are three kinds of a Believer’s liking a
disbeliever. The first kind is his liking him on account of his disbelief. This
kind of liking is forbidden because it means to like his disbelief, his (wrong)
religion. A person who likes disbelief will become a disbeliever. This kind of
liking eliminates one’s îmân. The second kind of liking is to pretend to be
friends with the disbeliever only for the sake of getting on well with
everybody. This kind of friendship is not forbidden. The third kind is
something between the former two kinds. The person concerned is inclined
towards them (disbelievers). Though he knows that their religion is invalid, he
makes friends with them on account of his kinship or business relationship with
them. This kind of closeness is not permissible although it will not cause
disbelief. For this
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[1] Title of the book Tafsîr-i kebîr is Mefâtih-ul-ghayb. Its author, Muhammad Fakhr-ud-dîn Râzî, Shâfi'î, passed away in Hirât in 606 [A.D. 1209]
relationship will cause one to like their religion in
the course of time. The âyat-i-kerîma quoted above means this (third) kind of liking.
Should it be asked, “Does not this âyat-i-kerîma prohibit
from hating Believers and liking disbelievers? Will it not be permissible if
one likes Believers, too (that is, while liking disbelievers)?”; then, the other
âyat-i-kerîmas forbid it, too. Two Sahâbîs were captivated by men
of Musaylamat-ul-kezzâb.[1] When Musaylama
asked one of them, “Do you believe in
Muhammad’s prophethood?”, he said, “Yes.” This time the former asked, “Do you
believe that I am a Prophet also?” The answer was, “Yes,” again. Musaylama
believed that he was a prophet for the tribe of Benî Hanîfa and that Muhammad
‘alaihis-salâm’ was a prophet for the tribe of Qoureish. He set him free. When
they brought the other Sahâbî, he asked him the same questions. While answering
in the affirmative to the first question, this Sahâbî said, “I am deaf,” when
he was asked the second question. Musaylama killed him. When the event was
reported to Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ alaihi wa
sallam’, he stated, “The second one attained martyrdom on account
of his îmân. The first one utilized the permission given by Allâhu ta’âlâ.” The hundred and sixth âyat-i-kerîma of Nahl
sûra, which purports, “If a person whose heart is full with îmân says
(something that causes) disbelief
as a result of ikrâh [under duress], he will be pardoned,” gives permission for disbelief under duress.
Taqiyya
means to say (or do) the
opposite of what one has in one’s heart. This is also called Mudârâ,
which means to conceal one’s belief
and Madh-hab. It has various types: The first type is for a person who is among
disbelievers and therefore fears for his property or life to sympathize with
them though his heart does not like it. This (type of taqiyya) is permissible.
The second type is to say frankly what one has in one’s heart, which is
preferable. An
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[1] A liar who appeared with the claim of prophethood in Yemâma. Formerly he was a Believer. It was during the second year of Abû Bekr as-Siddîq’s ‘radiy-Allâhu anh’ caliphate when this person became a renegade and announced that he was a prophet. The Khalîfa sent an army under Khâlid bin Welîd’s command against this squalid apostate. Twenty thousand apostates were killed and two thousand Muslims tasted the flavour of martyrdom in the battle that took place between the two armies. Musaylama suffered a humiliating defeat and was killed by Wahshî, who accomplished the celebrated deed with the same sword he had used in martyring hadrat Hamzâ ‘radiy-Allâhu anh’, our Prophet’s blessed uncle.
example of this type is the way chosen by the Sahâbî
martyred by Musaylama. The third type embodies harmful deeds such as homicide,
fornication, usurpation, false witness, qazf of a chaste woman [imputing
unchaste motives to her], betraying Muslim women to disbelievers, which are
forbidden. The fourth type of taqiyya is permissible at places where there are
disbelievers. In Shâfi’î Madh-hab it is permissible also when one is among
cruel Muslims. The fifth type of taqiyya is done in order to protect one’s
property and it is permissible. The hadîth-i-sherîf, “The
Believer’s property is as valuable as his life,” confirms this fact. Another hadîth-i-sherîf in this connection is: “A personwho is killed in his
struggle for protecting his property attains martyrdom.” Property is extremely necessary for a person. For
instance, when water (is so scarce that it) is sold at exorbitant prices called
Ghaban-i-fâhish, it is not farz to make an ablution (for types of worship, e.g.
namâz, which require ablution). In such cases it becomes permissible to make
tayammum. The sixth type is the one which, as Imâm-i-Mujâhid[1] states, was employed during the initial years
of Islam. For at that time Muslims were lonely and weak. When an Islamic state
was established this rule was modified. There are scholars who say that taqiyya
is permissible till the end of the world. This inference of theirs is
preferable. For a Believer has to do his best to elude harms.
Ignorant pantheistics and Mulhids,
whose credal eclecticism has
exceeded the limits of belief laid down by Islam, do not hesitate to be friends
with disbelievers. They say, “The essence of Tasawwuf is to get on well with
everybody.” Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’ was the leader of
Awliyâ and said, “I am proud of poverty.” However, Allâhu ta’âlâ commanded
(him) as is purported in the seventy-fourth âyat of Tawba sûra: “O My Prophet! Make
Jihâd against disbelievers! Do hostility against them!” The way taken and guided by the Messenger of Allah
‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wa sallam’ was hostility towards disbelievers and Jihâd
against them. What kind of sufis are these people? They have strayed from the
way guided by the Messenger of Allah and wandered away into an altogether
different way. The way taken by these people is sheer aberration, which means
abandonment of the right way. It is stated plainly in Qur’ân al-kerîm and in hadîth-i-sherîfs that Allâhu ta’âlâ is
hostile against disbelievers. Is it possible for a person who sympathizes with
His
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[1] Mujâhid passed away in 104 [A.D. 723] in Mekka.
enemies to love Him? If disbelievers and fâsiqs were
not enemies of Allâhu ta’âlâ, Bughd-i-fillâh
(enmity for Allah’s sake) would
not be wâjib. It would not be the most superior way to make one attain Allâhu ta’âlâ and the most effective cause of perfection of îmân. It is stated
in a hadîth-i-sherîf, “If a person does not love Allâhuta’âlâ
and does not know enemies of Allâhu ta’âlâ as his
enemies, his îmân will not be true. If he loves Believers for Allah’s sake and
knows disbelievers as enemies, he will attain love of Allâhu ta’âlâ.” It is stated in another hadîth-i-sherîf, “If a
person loves Allah’s friends and knows His enemies as his enemies, too, and
gives for Allah’s sake and does not give, again for Allah’s sake, his îmân will
be mature.” And another hadîth-i-sherîf: “Become close to Allah
by doing hostility towards the disobedient!” Another
hadîth-i-sherîf states, “Allâhu
ta’âlâ intimated to a Prophet
throughWahy: Say to such and such âbid (a person
who worships very much): ‘By making zuhd in the world you have
provided peace for your nafs and made yourself valuable. What have you done for
Me?’ When the âbid asked, ‘Yâ Rabbî! What should be done for Thee,’ Allâhu
ta’âlâ said: ‘Have you done hostility to My enemy for My sake and
have you loved My darlings for My sake?’ ” A
person who loves should love whomever the darling loves and hate whomever the
darling hates. This state of love and hostility is not within his will. It is a
consequence of love. In this case, will and acquisition, which are necessary in
other sorts of behaviour, are not needed. It is an involuntary state. Friend’s
friends will look amiable. And friend’s enemies will seem unlovely. If a person
claims love for someone, he will not be believed unless he estranges himself
from his darling’s enemies. If he does not do so, he will be called a
hypocrite. Shaikh-ul-islâm Abdullah-i-Ansârî says: I do not like Abu-l-Hasan
Sem’ûn because he annoyed my master Hidrî. If a person annoys your teacher and
you are not upset by this, you must be lower than a dog. Allâhu ta’âlâ purports in the fourth âyat of Mumtahina sûra, “Take
lessons from the statements made by Ibrâhîm ‘alaihis-salâm’ and those Believers
who were with him! They saidto the disbelievers: ‘We are far from you and your
idols. We dislike your religion. There is enmity between you and us until you
believe in Allâhu ta’âlâ.’ ” And the
âyat-i-kerîma following it purports, “These
statements of theirs contain lessons for you and for those who wish love of
Allâhuta’âlâ and the blessings in the Hereafter.” Hence, this tabarrî [keeping away] is necessary for those who
wish to attain love of Allâhu ta’âlâ.
Allâhu ta’âlâ
purports, “To love disbelievers means not to love Allâhu ta’âlâ. One
could not love both of two opposites.” Two
enemies cannot be loved at the same time. If a person claims to love someone
and at the same time does not keep away from his enemies, this claim of his
will not be believed. The twenty-eighth âyat of Âl-i-’Imrân sûra purports, “Allâhu ta’âlâ threatens those who love
disbelievers with His torment.” This
grave threat shows how critical the offense is. One day they said to Khalîfa
’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anh’, “There is a Christian from the people of Hîra
here. He has a very strong memory and beautiful handwriting. He will be very
useful for you if you employ him as a secretary for yourself.” He refused and
said, “I cannot make friends with a non-Believer,” quoting the aforenamed âyat-i-kerîma. One day Abû Mûsal Esh’arî said to
Khalîfa ’Umar, “I have a Christian secretary. He is a great hand.” The Khalîfa
chided him, saying, “May Allah not perish you! Why don’t you employ a Muslim
secretary? Haven’t you heard the âyat, ‘O Believers! Do not like Jews
and Christians,’ in Mâida sûra?” (Abû
Mûsal Esh’arî relates the rest of the conversation as follows): “Upon this I
said, ‘His religion is his and his service as a secretary is mine.’ The Khalîfa
said, ‘Do not honour a person degraded by Allâhu ta’âlâ!
Do not cherish a person scorned by Allâhu ta’âlâ!
Do not get close to a person repelled by Allâhu ta’âlâ!’
When I finally said, ‘I am administering (official matters of) Basra with his
help,’ the Khalîfa commanded, ‘Now do what you would do if the Christian died!
Replace him immediately!’ ” Imâm-i-Rabbânî ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ anh’, who is
our Murshid and the cause of our happiness, states in the two hundred and
sixty-sixth letter, “Ibrâhîm ‘alaihis-salâm’ attained the rank of Halîlullah
and became the tree of Prophets owing to his strictly keeping away from the
enemies of Allâhu ta’âlâ. The fourth âyat of
Mumtahina purports, ‘There are lessons for you in Ibrâhîm
‘alaihis-salâm’.’ According to this faqîr,
none of the things that will make one close to Allâhu
ta’âlâ could equal tabarrî (keeping away from disbelievers). The
hostility which Allâhu ta’âlâ has against
disbelief and disbelievers originates from His Person. He Himself is hostile
towards idols such as Lât and Uzzâ and those who worship these idols. Burning
eternally in Hell is the retribution for this abominable deed. This is not the
case with the desires of nafs and all other sorts of sins. For the enmity and
wrath Allâhu ta’âlâ has for these things do not
come from Himself. His Wrath is one of His Attributes and His Torment is
one of His Deeds. Therefore, the punishment for these sins is not burning eternally in Hell. On the contrary, He will forgive these sins if He wishes.”