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^egf*****-* Millat Ibrahim

(The Religion of Ibrahim)

And the Calling of the
Prophets and Messengers

and the Methods of the Transgressing Rulers in
Dissolving it and i urninj; the Cillers Away from it

Second Edition

by Abu Muhammad 'Asim Al-MaqdisI
At-Tibi(AM Publication*

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

\ ii i

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

[Translator's Forward] 1

[Introduction by Juhayman Al-'Utaybi] 4

[Declaration of Disavowal] 9

[Introduction] 10

Chapter: [Concerning the Clarification of the Millat Ibrahim] 33

Chapter: [The Difficulty in Adhering to the Millah of Ibrahim and a
Warning Against Following the Crooked Paths] 84

Chapter: [The Responsibilities in Adhering to the Millah of Ibrahim] 91

Chapter: [From the Methods of the Transgressing Rulers (Tughat) in
Dissolving the Millah of Ibrahim and Eliminating it Within the Selves of
the Callers (Du x at)] 152

Appendix: 169

Refuting the Doubts Related to the Event of Hatib ibn Abi BahVah 169

Translator's Forward to the Appendix 170

[The Text of the Event of Hatib:] 173

[Refuting the Doubts Regarding this Hadith:] 174

[Doubt 1: The Label of Faith (Iman) in the address:] 175

[Doubt 2: Outward Actions vs. Actions of the Heart] 178

[Doubt 3: The Meaning of, "Hatib has told the truth."] 181

[Doubt 4: What was Hatib telling the truth about?] 184

MillatIbrahTm

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[Doubt 5: What Excused the Declaration of Hatib's Disbelief (Takfir)?] ..186

[Doubt 6: Why Did the Misinterpretation (Ta'wil) of Hatib Prevent the
Declaration of his Disbelief (Takfir)?] 189

[Doubt 7: If Hatib Did Commit Disbelief (Kufr), Then Why Wasn't He
Approached to Perform Repentance (Tawbah)?] 192

[Doubt 8: Even if Hatib Was Excused from the Disbelief (Kufr), Why
Wasn't He Punished for Committing That Act?] 193

[Summary] 197

[Issue: The One Who Shows Islam While Spying on the Muslims for the
Disbelievers (Kuffar)] 199

A Notice Concerning a Huge Mistake 201

About the author: 208

III

Millat I brahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

[Translator's Forward]

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Verily, all praise is due to Allah and may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be
upon His Last Messenger, Muhammad and his family and his companions
until the Day of Judgment.

We present to the English reader, Millat Ibrahim, 1 by the noble Shaykh, Abu
Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, may Allah preserve him. This particular treatise has
been an influential and significant book with many of the contemporary
Islamic groups intent upon forming an Islamic state. Herein, the author draws
several parallels between the form of idolatry in the time of the Messenger of
Allah 1% §d§£ ! as%, and that which the apostate regimes have instituted from

fabricated laws and methodologies of falsehood in the lands of the Muslims,
which are the main obstacles to the formation of such a state.

In doing so, he touches upon the very basis of Tawhid and the obligation of
the slave not only to hold these false deities with contempt inwardly - be they
idols made of stone, or trees, or stars or the man-made legislations - but
outwardly as well. And while most Muslims are familiar with the concept of
having enmity towards the polytheists (Mushrikin) and their false deities,
within their hearts, there seems to be a pervasive lack of awareness regarding
the outward enmity and what is required to be demonstrated in terms of
aggression and hostility and warfare. And so, as the author points out,
although most Muslims are aware of certain aspects of the events of Ibrahim's
life, may the blessings of Allah be upon him, the various points of his Millah,
in terms of his enmity towards the people of Shirk and Kufr and his taking

1 Trans. Note: The title of the original Arabic book, in full, is Millat Ibrahim Wa Da'wat Al-
Aribiya' Wal-Mursalin Wa Asalib At-Tughat Fi Tamyi'iha Wa Sarf Ad-Du'ati Anha, which
translates as "The Religion of Ibrahim and the Calling of the Prophets and Messengers and
the Methods of the Transgressing Rulers in Dissolving it and Turing the Callers Away from
it." For the sake of brevity, we will refer to this work simply as Millat Ibrahim.

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

them and that which they worshipped as enemies, both inwardly and
outwardly, remain unclear to most. Therefore, the reader is encouraged to
pay close attention, throughout the book, to the Shaykh' s points because,
although there are many excellent books available in English regarding
Tawhid, this particular aspect has not been covered in the detail that it
deserves for the English reader.

As the author mentions in his introduction, this edition of Millat Ibrahim was
a follow-up to its initial publication. And subsequently, the Shaykh has
addressed some of the comments that had been made about the original book
and then included his refutation upon these comments within the
introduction to this second edition. This is a very valuable segment as it
provides a revealing glance into the mindsets of those who have objected to
this subject matter being put forth by the Shaykh, may Allah preserve him.

So the reader is advised to pay close attention to the points, which the
opposition has raised in relation to this book, as well as to the accompanying
refutation upon these points. And in this way, the reader will attain a more
comprehensive view of the nature of the dispute between those who call for
Millah of Ibrahim in its true form, and those who attempt to restrict its
application in our time by means of diluting it and creating ambiguities and
doubts concerning it. And to Allah are the grievances.

As for the translation, we have attempted to be as precise as possible to the
way in which the Shaykh has phrased many of his sentences and paragraphs.
However, there were instances wherein we rearranged the order of the words
to reflect the continuity and fluidity of English sentence structures. For
example, sentences such as: "And sufficient for us, in that, is the guidance of
the Prophet V% §Jd§ ! && in Makkah and how he would make the gods of
Quraysh (appear) foolish...", which is the literal word-for-word translation of
the Arabic text, have undergone a rearrangement of words, yet retaining the
same meaning: "And the guidance of the Prophet f£§d^ ! £P\J, in Makkah, is
sufficient for us in the way he would make the gods of Quraysh (appear)
foolish. . .", in order to serve the fluidity of the sentence.

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

There are also several passages of poetry, which have been translated and
arranged in English according to the Arabic method poetic prose. However,
although there was a great effort in reproducing the meaning of each couplet,
often the impact and style of the Arabic text was lost as was the rhythm and
rhyme.

One other change was the addition our own translator footnotes, which
we've denoted with "Trans. Note:" in order to differentiate ours from those
of the author. These notes were added in order to further clarify some of the
points of the Shaykh or to assist with lengthy explanations of translated words
of phrases etc. Because the Shaykh writes at such an academic level, it is
assumed that the reader is familiar with many of the texts and evidences for
the points, which he touches upon. So in those cases where the Shaykh has
alluded to a Hadith or a principle of Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh), we have
added various comments and references, which expand upon these points
with the intent of further explaining them. At times, these footnotes may
seem distracting; however, we hope that they will assist the reader with some
of the more ambiguous passages of the book. And finally, we've taken all of
the references that were used by the Shaykh within and text of the book itself,
and dropped them down into footnotes so that the reader could locate them
by scanning the bottom of each page.

Finally, we would like to thank all those who had assisted, in the translation
of this treatise. Indeed there were tireless efforts on some of their parts, which
they patiently offered as well as time and energy in the completion of this
project. Again, I ask Allah to reward them and protect them for their effort
and sincerity for the sake of Allah, the Most High.

And may Allah, the Most High, give victory to His soldiers and callers who
implement fully, and live their lives according to, the Millah of Ibrahim. And
all praise is due to Allah.

At-Tibyan Publications

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

Introduction by Juhayman Al-'Utaybi 2

All praise belongs to Allah: "The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance,
the Severe in punishment, the Bestower (of favours), none has the right to
be worshipped but He, to Him is the final return. None disputes in the
Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah
but those who disbelieve. So let not their ability of going about here and
there through the land (for their purposes) deceive you [O Muhammad,
their ultimate end will be the Fire of Hell]! The people of Nuh and the
confederates after them denied (their Messengers) before these, and every
(disbelieving) nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him, and
disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth. So I seized
them (with punishment), and how (terrible) was My punishment!" 3

And I testify that there is none worthy of being worshipped, except Allah
Alone, without any partner; and I testify that Muhammad is His Messenger
and Slave - the one who said:

"I have left you with two things after which you shall never go astray, as long as you
adhere to them: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah. And they shall never part until
they attend my Basin of Al-Kawthar ." 4

Amma Ba'd:

Thus, we intended to clarify our Manhaj with regards to holding onto these
two fundamentals which necessitates the one who holds onto them, that he
will never be misguided; and to clarify our proof upon that from the two, and
showing the deficiency of most of those who claim to hold steadfast to these
two (fundamentals). And we will suffice by mentioning some of their groups,
who appear to us to be amongst the closest of the groups who adhere to the

2 Taken and slightly edited from the words of Juhayman al-'Utaybi - may Allah accept him
as a martyr when he was killed in 1979- from the introduction of his book, "Raf Al-Iltibas 'An
Millati Man Ja'alahullah Imdman Lin-Nas". We have placed it here due to its relevance in this
topic.

3 Ghafir: 3-5

4 Narrated by Al-Hakim with an authentic chain.

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

Book and Sunnah; We ask Allah to make them from amongst those who listen
to the Word and follow the best thereof, and that their status (high position)
amongst the people does not deter them (from sincerely following the Truth);
and that they stand firm, as 'Abdullah Ibn Salam stood firm, when he
accepted the Truth which the Messenger of Allah came with (salutations be
upon him), even though he knew that his people would distort all his good
deeds into evil deeds, and that he would loose all his status which he held
amongst them. As was narrated by Al-Bukhari mentioning the incident of his
entering into Islam, until he had said:

O Messenger of Allah! The Jews are a slanderous people- and indeed, if they
know that I have become Muslim, then they will slander me."

So the Jews came, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked them, "What
type of a person is 'Abdullah Ibn Salam amongst you?"

They replied, "He is the best of us, and the son of the best of us! He is our
noble, the son of our noble!"

He said, "What would you think if he became Muslim?"

So they replied, "May Allah give him refuge from such a thing!"

So 'Abdullah came out, and said, "I bear witness that there is none worthy of
being worshipped, except Allah; and I bear witness that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah."

So they said, "He is the wretched one, the son of the wretched one!" And they
insulted him.

So he said, "O Messenger of Allah! This is what I had feared."

And (we ask Allah) to save them from the entrances of Shaytan, from which
he enters upon some of the scholars and callers, and deceives them due to the
large number of followers. And indeed, we have seen them holding on to a
part of Islam which is seventy-something branches; so sometimes, for

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

example, he takes twenty branches only, and he adheres to them, and is harsh
against those who contradict him in them- and from that, he gets some
supporters, and some enemies; But in reality, he has lost the true
fundamental (of La Ilaha Ilia Allah), and he deceives his own self, and deceives
others, while he and others think that they have fulfilled Islam.

Yet, the Messenger of Allah (salutations and peace be upon him) said,

"Indeed, none can fulfill the obligations of the Din of Allah, except he who surrounds
it from all sides." 5

And the reason for which we have distanced ourselves from the Jama'at
(groups), is because they think that disassociating from the mushrikin and
showing hostility to them, and speaking openly about the Truth, contains
hardship and difficulty, and will prevent the spreading of the Da'wah, and
will cause people to run away from it.

So there is amongst them those who are negligent regarding this
fundamental, and there are those who have completely forsaken it; But we
say that it is other than what they make it seem to be- Because Allah has lifted
hardship away from us, and has commanded us with this fundamental, and
if there was hardship in it, then He would not have commanded us with it!
And listen to His (Most High)'s Statement:

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"And strive hard (i.e. wage Jihad) in the Path of Allah as you ought to
strive. He has chosen you, and has not laid upon you in religion any
hardship, it is the religion of your father Ibrahim. It is He (Allah) Who has
named you Muslims both before and in this (the Qur'an), that the

5 Narrated by Al-Hakim, Abu Nu'aym, Al-Bayhaqi in "Ad-Dala'il", and the incident in which
this Hadith is a part of, was declared "Hasan" by Al-Hafith Ibn Hajar in "Al-Fat'h" (7/22).
Trans. Note: Also see "Kanz Al-'Ummal" (3/84).

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

Messenger (Muhammad) may be a witness over you and you be witnesses
over mankind! So perform As-Salat, give Az-Zakat and hold steadfast to
Allah. He is your Mawla (Patron, Lord, etc.), what an Excellent Mawla
(Patron, Lord, etc.) and what an Excellent Helper!" 6

So if Allah has ordered us with Jihad, and has clarified that there is no
hardship in it, and that that is the Millah of Ibrahim- then know that this
fundamental - Waging Jihad With the Life, and Following the Religion of
Ibrahim - it is this that differentiates the truthful one from the pretending
claimant. And listen to what Allah mentioned regarding the truthful ones:

"Only those are the believers who have believed in Allah and His
Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their
lives for the Cause of Allah. Those! They are the truthful." 7

And said regarding the pretending claimants:

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"Those who believe say: "If only a Surah (chapter) was sent down (for us)?
But when a decisive Surah (explaining and ordering things) is sent down,
and fighting (Qital) is mentioned (i.e. ordained) therein, you will see those
in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy) looking at you with a look of
one fainting to death. But it was better for them (hypocrites, to listen to

6 Al-Hajj: 78

7 Al-Hujurat: 15

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

Allah and to obey Him). Obedience (to Allah) and good words (were better
for them). And when the matter (preparation for Jihad) is resolved on, then
if they had been true to Allah, it would have been better for them." 8

And now we will clarify to you the Millah of Ibrahim - peace be upon him -
so that you can be upon clarity, and so that it will be apparent to you that it is
the differentiation between the Truth and Falsehood - contrary to what some
of them say, that Islam is a "modernistic" religion, so that they can mix the
East with the West, and so that they can imitate them, and live amongst them.

Muhammad: 21-22

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

[Declaration of Disavowal]

To the transgressing rulers (Tawaghit) of every time and place... to the
transgressing rulers (Tawaghit); the governors and the leaders and the Caesars
and the Kisrahs (Persian Emperors) and the Pharaohs and the Kings... to
their servants and their misguiding scholars QUlama)... to their supporters
and their armies and their police and their intelligence agencies... and their
guardians... to all of them collectively, we say: "Verily, we are free from you
and whatever you worship besides Allah." [Al-Mumtahinah, 4] Free from
your retched laws, methodologies, constitutions and values... free from your
repugnant governments, courts, distinguishing characteristics and media...
"We have rejected you, and there has become apparent between us and
you, enmity and hatred forever, until you believe in Allah Alone." [Al-
Mumtahinah, 4]

I will perform Jihad against And I will make fighting them
Your enemies as long as you my occupation
keep me (in existence),

And I will expose them at the And I will slice their strength
heads of the assemblies, with my tongue.

Perish in your rage, for my Of the secrets you withhold,
Lord is well knowing, and the evil of your souls

For Allah will support His And His Messenger along with
Religion and His Book, the knowledge and authority.

And the truth is a pillar, which Even if the Thaqalan (man and
no one can destroy Jinn) united (to do so).

(Ibn Al-Qayyim)

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

[Introduction]

All praise is due to Allah, the Guardian of the Pious and the One who brings
humiliation to the enemies of the religion.

And may the most perfect blessings and fullest peace be upon our Prophet;
our example, the one who said, "...verily, Allah has taken me as His Khalil
(i.e. friend) just as He took Ibrahim." 9

And to proceed: This is my book Millat Ibrahim, which I offer to the noble
readers in its new form after it had been distributed and published and
copied multiple times by the young men who distributed it in different
regions of the world, prior to my preparing it for publication. And that was
because I had given the manuscript, in my handwriting, to some of our
Algerian brothers in Pakistan. And at that time, it was a chapter from a book I
was compiling called Asalib at-Tughat Fil-Kayd Lid-Da'wah Wad-Du'at, during
a period in which I had been traveling between countries, leaving it
unfinished. So those brothers published the chapter with their modest
resources and this was the first time it emerged and was the cause for its
distribution.

Then, when Allah, the Most High, covered (the matter) with His favor and
generosity, I quickly prepared it for publication, especially due to the lengthy
period in which I was under arrest and imprisoned due to the wrath of the
enemies of Allah, regarding this book. So every time they would arrest a
brother, the first thing they would ask, was about this book; had he read it
and did he know its author?

And some of them would even say to those who responded in the
affirmative, "Then this is sufficient (to prove that) your ideology is Jihad-
oriented and you have weapons because we have not arrested any armed
group except that we found this book in their possession."

9 From a Hadith narrated by Muslim, narrated by Jundub ibn ^Abdullah, Marfu'an (i.e. raised
up in the chain to the Messenger of Allah fE%{{|£! SDv).

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

So all praise is due to Allah, the One who made it a thorn in the throats and a
pain in their chests and an ulcer in their livers (i.e. guts). And I ask Allah to
shelter us and for Him to round up the Taghut 10 with hook-shaped thorns
(Sa'dari). n

This, plus I have been waiting since the initial publication of this book, and its
subsequent publication, up until the time in which I write these sentences, for
advice or notices to reach me (regarding the book). And I waited anxiously to
hear the points and criticisms from several of those whose tongues have been
stretched concerning this call (Da'wah) and this book. And they have accused
us and lied upon us (by claiming that we said) something, which did not
come from us in even one day from the passed days, to the point where one
of them even gave a sermon (Khutbah) on Friday, in one of the Mosques of
Kuwait, in which he claimed that I said that I am the only one in this era who
is upon the Millah of Ibrahim. And he claimed that we declare the disbelief
(Takfir) of all of the people this way (i.e. by saying this) and he described us as
the contemporary Khawarij 12 and other than that from the lies that they are
not deceived with except due to their blind following (Taqlid) of the sightless.

10 Trans. Note: The word 'Taghut' is used here to describe the transgressing rulers who rule
by other than the Shari'ah of Allah. And a more comprehensive definition would be anything
that is worshipped besides Allah. A deeper, fuller definition is ahead in another footnote.

11 As-Sa'dan: A known thorn, which some of the Hadiths have mentioned. The hooks of Hell
are upon its description.

12 Trans. Note: The Khawarij: The astray sect, who rebelled against the Muslims and declared
the disbelief (Takfir) of those who committed sins. Al-Hafith, Ibn Hajar said, "As for the
Khawarij, they are the plural of 'Kharajah'; in other words, a group. And they are an
innovating people who were named that, due to their leaving the religion and their rebellion
against the best of the Muslims." [FathAl-Bari, Vol. 12/296] Ibn Hazm, may Allah be merciful
to him, said, "And a group from the companions of Al-Harith Al-Ibadi (i.e. from the original
'Tbadi' sect of the Khawarij) said, 'Verily, he who commits fornication (Zina) or theft or
slander; then the penalty (Hadd) is to be implemented upon him. Then the seeking of
repentance (i.e. his returning to Islam) is to be implemented upon him, due to what he
committed. Then if he repents (i.e. returns to Islam), he is left alone; but if he refuses to
repent, he is killed upon apostasy (Riddah)." [Al-Fisal Fi Al-Milal Wal-Ahwa Wan-Nihal, Vol.
3/124, published by Maktabat Dar Al-Kutub Al-Tlmiyyah, Beirut, I s ' Edition, 1416 H.]

MillatIbrahTm

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As for the seekers of truth, whose eyes have been brightened by the light of
the revelation, then they are aware of our (true) condition with them, just as
the poet said:

And if Allah wishes to spread a Which is needed, He makes an
good thing envious tongue available for it.

But despite the lengthy period in which this book had been distributed and
despite all of the argumentation and jealousy and the abundance of
disgraceful accusers, throughout this entire time, I have not been reached by
a single refutation or rebuttal or serious point or notice regarding this book.
Rather, all of what has reached me was general chirps from some of those
who oppose (us), which were transmitted verbally from their Shaykhs. This is
its summary:

> They said, "Allah described Ibrahim as being a glorifier (of Allah) and
forbearing, because he used to argue on behalf of the disbelievers (Kuffar)
of the people of Lut and this is contradictory to showing enmity and
disavowal towards them, which you (i.e. Abu Muhammad) mentioned
was from the basics of this Millah."

> And they said - and how odd is it, what they say, "We have been
commanded to follow the path of Muhammad 1% § d§ ! EkT>f> and his

Millah. But as for the Millah of Ibrahim, it is from the legislation (Shara ') of
those who came before us and the legislation (Shara ') of those who came
before us, is not legislation for us."

> And they say, "The verse from Al-Mumtahinah, in which the Millah of
Ibrahim is mentioned, was from the Madinah-period (Madaniyyah) so it
was revealed during a stage when the Muslims had a state." And they
testified (what amounts to declaring) that this great Millah will only be
apparent and followed in the existance of that state.

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

> And they said, "The Hadith regarding the breaking of the idols in Makkah
is a weak Hadith," and they rushed to that, seeking to reject the most
important thing that came in the book, by weakening that single Hadith.

And perhaps the intelligent reader would prefer us not to bring ourselves
down (to that level of discussion or) to address (their theoretical objections)
and the likes of these statements, whose reality is just as the poet said:

Ambiguities, which crumble like With truth they all are
glass in succession; shattered.

But I can see nothing to prevent us from confronting these (statements) due to
fear that they may affect some people or some of the beguiled ones may
accept them, especially when nothing else (i.e. of any significance) has
reached me. So I say in brief:

• Firstly: As far as His, the Most High's, statement about Ibrahim:

Then when the fear had gone away from (the mind of) Ibrahim, and the
glad tidings had reached him, he began to plead with Us (Our Messengers)
for the people of Lut. Verily, Ibrahim was, without doubt, forbearing, used
to invoke Allah with humility, and was repentant (to Allah all the time,
again and again). 13

So in this (verse), there is no such point of evidence that the arguers can use
for this falsehood, as the people of Tafsir have narrated that the arguing of
Ibrahim, for the people of Lut, was only for Lut and not for them (i.e. the
disbelievers), as they mentioned that when he heard the saying of the angels:

13 Hud, 74-75.

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

They said: "Verily, we are going to destroy the people of this [Lut's]
town..." 14

He said, "Do you see if there were fifty Muslims from them, would you
destroy them?"

They said, "No."

He said, "Then forty?"

They said, "No."

He said, "Then twenty?"

They said, "No."

Then he said, "Then ten; then five?"

They said, "No."

He said, "Then one?"

They said, "No."

He (Ibrahim) said: "But there is Ltit in it." They said: "We know better who
is there, we will verily save him [Ltit] and his family..." 15 - the verse. And
this is what the people of Tafsir mentioned, which the verses of the Book
indicate. 16

u Al-'Ankabut,31.

15 Al-Ankabut, 32.

16 Trans. Note: Narrated by At-Tabari in his Tafsir Vol. 15/403 from Sa x id ibn Jubayr and also
by Ibn Kathir Vol. 2/594; publication of Dar Al-Fayha', Damascus and, Dar As-Salam,
Riyadh, 2 nd Edition, 1418 H.]

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

So the most deserving types of interpretation (Tafsir) is the interpretation
(Tafsir) of the Qur'an by the Qur'an (itself). 17 So the verse in Surat Hud; the
former one, is explained by the verse in Al-'Ankabut, which was mentioned.
So it is a clarification and an explanation for it.

He, the Most High, said:

tiBK*fiKH#j

And when Our Messengers came to Ibrahim with the glad tidings they
said: "Verily, we are going to destroy the people of this [Lut's] town truly,
its people have been Thalimun (wrongdoers)." Ibrahim said: "But there is
Lut in it." They said: "We know better who is there, we will verily save him
[Lut] and his family, except his wife, she will be of those who remain
behind." 18

Then suppose that the arguing (of Ibrahim) was (in fact) for the people of Lut
themselves, then doesn't the knowledge concerning the reality of the Da 'wah
of the Prophets and the fact that they were the most merciful people to their
people, necessitate understanding this arguing upon the zeal and enthusiasm
of their being guided before they were destroyed?

Doesn't the sound reasoning dictate holding this unrestricted arguing and its
understanding, upon the light of the statement of the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! et>Sb,
who, when Allah sent the angel of the mountains to him so that he could
order him with whatever he wished, with respect to his people, when they

17 Trans. Note: Al-Hafith, Ibn Kathir said in the introduction to his Tafsir, "It someone asks
about the best methods of Tafsir, we reply that the best method is to interpret the Qur'an with
the Qur'an (itself). [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 1/19; publication of Dar Al-Fayha', Damascus and,
Dar As-Salam, Riyadh, 2 nd Edition, 1418 AH.] And Shaykh Al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah said, in
his treatise Usool At-Tafsir, "Then if a questioner asks, 'Then what is the best method of
interpretation {Tafsir)," then the answer is that the best method for that is for the Qur'an to be
interpreted by the Qur'an (itself)." [Majmu' Al-Fatawa, Vol. 7/195; publication of Maktabat Al-
TJbaykan, Riyadh, 1 st Edition, 1418 AH.]
i 8 Al-'Ankabut, 31-32.

MillatIbrahTm

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rejected his Da'wah? To which, he 1%§j$£ ! eoSb replied, "Rather, I hope that

Allah might bring out from them (lit. 'from their backs'), people who worship
Allah alone and not associating anything with Him." And this Hadith has
been narrated by the two Shaykhs. 19

Doesn't the (proper) etiquette towards the Prophets, and positive
assumptions regarding them, dictate this understanding? And (doesn't it
also) dictate negating such faulty understandings from them, which clash the
verses of the Book against one another, and blur the (message of the) Da 'wah
of the Prophets and find fault with them? This is because (to do otherwise),
would characterize them as those who (attempt to) sew patches over the
falsehood; those who argue for the ones who deceive themselves.

And they (i.e. the Prophets) were the ones who were not sent in the first
place, except to show their open enmity and disavowal towards the
polytheism (Shirk) and its people.

But when they (i.e. the opposition) could not find, in the clear evidences,
anything to support their falsehood, they inclined towards what their inner
selves desired from the texts, which could seem to take that (supposed)
meaning and their assumed indications. And they interpreted them with their
faulty understandings in an effort to puncture the throats of the fully clear,
unambiguous, certain texts, such as His, the Most High's, statement in Surat
Al-Mumtahinah, with complete clarity:

19 Trans. Note: Al-Bukharl and Muslim.

20 Al-Mumtahinah, 4.

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And consider how Allah, the Most High, began it (i.e. this verse), by saying
that it is an excellent example for us and then He followed that with what
affirmed it, as He said:

Certainly, there has been in them an excellent example for you to follow,
for those who look forward to (the Meeting with) Allah..." 21

So look how they turn away from the clear, unambiguous, certain texts and
instead go to the verse in Surat Hud, which has passed, in which Allah says in
its end (anyway):

"O Ibrahim! Forsake this." 22

So understand the condition of such people and how the Shaytan played with
them (i.e. their understanding) and praise your God (Ilah) for His guidance to
a clear truth.

And make for your heart two From the fear of Ar-Rahman
eyes, both of them. they both weep.

If your Lord willed, you would As the heart is between the
have been like them. fingers of Ar-Rahman.

• Secondly, as for their saying that the Millah of Ibrahim is from the
legislation of those who came before us, and that the legislation of those
who were before us is not legislation for us, then this is from the most
peculiar of strange things. So where will they go with Allah, the Most
High's clear, open statement:

21 Al-Mumtahinah, 6.

22 Trans. Note: Hud, 76.

MillatIbrahTm

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Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those
with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and
whatever you worship besides Allah, we have rejected you, and it has
become openly seen between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever,
until you believe in Allah Alone.

.until His, the Most High's, statement:

Certainly, there has been in them an excellent example for you to follow,
for those who look forward to (the Meeting with) Allah (for the reward
from Him) and the Last Day. And whosoever turn away, then verily, Allah
is Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all Praise. 24

And where will they go with His, the Most High's, statement:

tffiprf*

And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim except him who befools
himself? 25

And with His, the Powerful, the Majestic's, statement:

Then, We have inspired you: "Follow the religion of Ibrahim Hanifa
(Islamic Monotheism - to worship none but Allah) and he was not of the
Mushrikin." 2e

23 Al-Mumtahinah, 4.

24 Al-Mumtahinah, 6.

25 Al-Baqarah, 130.

26 An-Nahl, 123.

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And how many authentic Hadiths, in the Sunnah, advise the Prophet iSfe ! ea^Sb
l»%§to follow Al-Hanifiyyah, As-Samhah; the Millah of our father, Ibrahim. So
the texts are abundant and they clearly show that the path of the Prophet ?%
I»% %4& ! aand the basis of his Da'wah were open enmity and disavowal
towards the disbelievers (Kuffdr) and their deities and their false legislations.
And this was the essence of the path of Ibrahim, ytEQ$&Oadfe and his Millah.

And in the agreed upon Hadith, 2S "The Prophets are all the children of 'Aldt."
In other words, their founding principle is the same even if what extends
from them may differ. 29 And the utmost point that we repeat throughout this
book is that this was merely the basic principle of Tawhjd and what it
necessitates from the disavowal towards the polytheism (Sh irk) and the
condemnation of its supporters. And it is known that in this topic, there can
neither be any abrogation nor can it be said that it is the legislation (Shara ') of
those who came before us, as the law (Sh an'ah) of the Prophets - all of them -
in the basic principle of the Tawhid and the enmity towards the Shirk and its
people, is one.

He, the Most High, said:

27 Trans. Note: Al-Hanifiyyah: The clear truth. As-Samhah: The tolerant leniency. In this
context, the phrase may take the meaning of "The Truth Tempered with Tolerance" (Al-
Hanifiyyah, As-Samhah). For example: "The most beloved of the religions to Allah, the Most
High, is Al-Hanifiyyah, As-Samhah." Shaykh Al-Albani, may Allah be merciful to him,
classified as Hasan in Sahjh Al-Jami', #160 and "The best Islam is Al-Hanifiyyah, As-Samhah,"
also classified as Hasan in Sahjh Al-Jami' , #1,090

28 Trans. Note: "Agreed upon", refers to narrations reported from al-Bukhari and Muslim.

29 Trans. Note: In explaining this Hadith of Sahjh Muslim, Imam an-Nawawi said, "The
scholars ("Ulama) said, 'The children of Alat..." - and adds some words concerning its proper
annunciation, until he said - "...they are the siblings from one father, but from different
mothers. As for the siblings of two fathers, then they are called the children of Al-A'ayan. The
majority of the scholars ("lllama) said that the meaning of this Hadith is that the foundation of
their faith (Iman) is one, while their legislations differ, because they are in agreement in the
foundations of Tawhid. But as for the branches of the legislation, then there were differences
between them."

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And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a
Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep
away from) Taghut." 30

And He, Glory to Him, said:

And We did not send any Messenger before you but We inspired him
(saying): La ilaha ilia Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I
(Allah)], so worship Me. 31

And He, the Powerful, the Majestic, said:

He (Allah) has ordained for you the same religion (Islam) which He
ordained for Nuh, and that which We have inspired in you, and that which
We ordained for Ibrahim... 32

• Thirdly, as for their statement regarding the verse of Al-Mumtahinah being
from the Madinah-period, which came down when the Muslims had a
state:

So we respond by saying that Allah has completed for us the religion and
fulfilled His favor upon us. So today, whoever wishes to differentiate
between that which Allah revealed with the argument that this is from the
Madinah-period and that is from the Makkah-period, then he must bring a
clear proof from the (Islamic) legislation (Sham') for what he wants (to
suggest), otherwise he is from the liars. He, the Most High, said:

fe<sb mttsffl^biLtpj

30 An-Nahl, 36.

31 Al-Anbiya', 25.

32 Ash-Shurah, 13.

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Say, "Produce your proof if you are truthful." 33

And opening this door without any restriction from the (Islamic) legislation
(Sham ') or an evidence to indicate this, is in reality, the opening of a door of
great evil upon the religion of Allah. And it holds the invalidation of several
of the evidences of the Shan' ah. And if their speaker had merely said, "Verily,
the demonstrating of this great Millah and openly declaring it, is based upon
one's ability (to do so)," then we would not have had to confront him.
However, their wish was to extinguish it with the argument that it (i.e. this
verse) was from the Madinah-period when the Muslims had a state. But
Ibrahim, and those who were with him, declared it and made it known, while
they were weak people and they had no state. Yet despite that, Allah clarified
for us that they were a good example for whoever puts their hope in Allah
and the Last Day. And it is known that the Prophet f£§d& ! 3?^ followed
their path. So from the most important matters of his Da'wah throughout his
life - whether it was during the Makkah-period or the Madinah-period from
it - was making the Tawhid known and the open enmity and disavowal
towards the Shirk and their making deities to be equal (with Allah). And (this
includes) that which relates to it and necessitates from it, from the most
secure tie of faith (Imari) and his historical accounts, may the blessings of
Allah and His peace be upon him. And this bears witness to that (i.e. what
has been established) and we have mentioned for you, some examples of that
in this book.

Then suppose, for the sake of argument, that what they said about the verse
in Al-Mumtahinah, regarding it being (dependant) upon it's being from the
Madinah-period and that this were correct. So then is the Surah of the open
enmity and disavowal towards the Shirk, this way as well?

Say: "O Al-Kafirun (disbelievers in Allah)! I worship not that which you
worship..."

33 Trans. Note: Al-Baqarah, 111.

MillatIbrahTm

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.until His, the Most High's, statement:

"To you be your religion, and to me my religion." 34

And is His - the Most High's - statement:

Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab, and perish he! 35

...until the end of the verses, also like that? And (consider) His, the Most
High's, statement:

dtvBsstwwmmim

Have you then considered Al-Lat, and AWUzza and Manat, the other
third? Is it for you the males and for Him the females? That indeed is a
division most unfair! They are but names, which you have named, you and
your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow but
a guess and that which they themselves desire, whereas there has surely
come to them the Guidance from their Lord! 36 - the verses.

And what is similar to that is His, the Most High's, statement:

Certainly! You (disbelievers) and that which you are worshipping now
besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! (Surely), you will enter it. Had these

34 Al-Kafirun, 1-6.

35 Al-Masad, 1.

36 An-Najm, 19-23.

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(idols, etc.) been aliha (gods), they would not have entered there (Hell), and
all of them will abide therein. 37

And the likes of these from the verses of the Book, which are from the
Makkah-period, and they are many.

And we have mentioned in this book, the statement of Allah, describing his
Prophet:

And when those who disbelieve see you, they take you not except for
mockery (saying): "Is this the one who talks (badly) about your gods?" 38

So His statement: "...talks (badly) about your gods..." - in other words, frees
himself from them and from their worshippers and disbelieves in them and
declares it (i.e. their worship) to be foolish. So was all this, only to be done in
Madinah? How, while these verses from the Makkah-period? And the
examples are numerous.

• Fourthly, some of them claim that the Hadlth, about the Prophet §jdB£ ! SB>Sb

1% breaking the idols in Makkah, is weak and they assume by this, that

they have destroyed the most important thing that came in the book from
the points about this great Millah.

So we say firstly, the Hadlth is confirmed with a Hasan chain and it was
narrated in Musnad Al-Imam Ahmad. 39

'Abdullah said, "My father narrated to me, 'Asbat ibn Muhammad narrated
to us, 'NaTm ibn Hakim Al-Mada'ini narrated to us, from Abi Mariyam, from
v Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: 'The Prophet 1% %d& ! arffa
and I went out until we came to the Ka 'bah. So the Messenger of Allah ! 30>f>

37 Al-AnUya', 98-99.

38 Al-Anbiya', 36.

39 Musnad Al-Imam Ahmad, Vol. 1/84.

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

l%§jd§said to me, 'Sit/ and he climbed upon my shoulders. So I began to lift
him up, but he perceived a weakness from me. So he got down and the
Prophet of Allah |»% § dfe !a?Y) sat for me and said, 'Climb upon my

shoulders.' He (i.e. x Ali) said, 'So I climbed upon his shoulders.' He (i.e. 'Ali)
said, 'So he stood up with me.' He (i.e. x Ali) said, 'So it seemed to me that if I
wished, I could have reached the horizon of the sky, until I climbed upon the
house (i.e. Ka'bah) upon which, were copper or brass statues. So I would
engage it on its right and its left and in front and behind it, until I was in
control of it. The Messenger of Allah said to me, 'Now throw it!' So I threw it
and it shattered like a broken bottle. Then I got down and the Messenger of
Allah and I left, racing until we would hide amongst the houses, due to the
fear that someone from the people would discover us."

I say: Asbat ibn Muhammad is trustworthy and he has only been declared
weak concerning (narrating from) Ath-Thawri. And in this case, he did not
narrate from him.

And Na v im ibn Hakim Al-Mada'ini was declared trustworthy by Yahyah ibn
Ma'in and Al-Ajali. 40

And "Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal also said "Nasr ibn x Ali narrated to
me, 'Abdullah ibn Dawud narrated to us, from Na'im ibn Hakim, from v Ali,
may Allah be pleased with him, who said: 'There were idols on top of the
Ka'bah, so I began to lift the Prophet \>%§fSfel ao>fc atop of it, but I was unable.

So he lifted me, and I began to cut them. And if I wished, I could have
reached the sky." 41

And Al-Haythami 42 mentioned the Hadith in MujmV az-Zawa'id, "Chapter:
His f£§4& ! aoWs Breaking of the Idols," and he said after that, '...narrated
by Ahmad and his son, and Abu YaTa and Al-Bazzar. He (i.e. Al-Bazzar)

40 As it is in Tarikh Baghdad, Vol. 13/303.

41 Al-Musnad, Vol. 1/151.

42 Trans. Note: It is more correct to say Al-Haytami here, in accordance with Haytam, in
Egypt where the author came from, and Allah knows best.

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

added further, after his ('All's) words: '...so we took shelter amongst the
houses. And no more were ever added to it (i.e. the Ka'bah) thereafter.' -
meaning anything from those statues. He said, '...and the men of all of them
(i.e. the various narrations) are trustworthy." 43

And Al-Khattib Al-Baghdadi said "Abu Na'im Al-Hafith narrated to us from
dictation, 'Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Yusuf ibn Khallad narrated to us,
'Muhammad ibn Yunus narrated to us, "Abdullah ibn Dawud Al-Khuraybi
narrated to us, from Na v im ibn Hakim Al-Mada'ini, who said, 'Narrated to
me, Abu Mariyam from ' Ali ibn Abi Talib, who said: 'The Messenger of Allah
l»%§jd$! ea^Sb went out with me to the idols. So he said, 'Sit,' so I sat beside the
Ka 'bah. Then the Messenger of Allah 1% § d& ! a ?fc climbed upon my

shoulders and then he said, 'Rise up with me to (reach) the idol.' So I stood
up but when he noticed my weakness beneath him, he said, 'Sit,' so I sat and
let him down from atop me. Then the Messenger of Allah sat for me and said
to me, 'O 'Ali, climb atop my shoulders,' so I climbed on top of his shoulders.
So then the Messenger of Allah V% §4§fc ! ix?i> stood up with me and when he
stood up, it seemed to me that if I wished, I could have reached the sky. And I
climbed on top of the Ka x bah and the Messenger of Allah 1% § fife ! QT^Sb

stepped aside. So I tipped over their largest idol; the idol of Quraysh, which
was made of copper and was fastened to the surface (of the Kabbah) with iron
pegs. So the Messenger of Allah f£§d&! astt, said to me 'Wrestle it (free).' So
I wrestled it and did not stop wrestling it (free). And the Messenger of Allah
l%§d£ ! 2B>Sb was saying, 'Keep going, keep going, keep going.' And I did not
stop pushing it until I wrestled it free. So he said, 'Strike it!' So I struck it and
I broke it and then I came down." 44

I say: Abu Mariyam is Qays Ath-Thaqafi Al-Mada'ini, who narrates from x Ali
and from him, Na'im ibn Hakim. Ibn Hibban mentioned him in Ath-Thiqat
and An-Nasa'i deemed him trustworthy, but it is as Al-Hafith, Ibn Hajar said,
"It is a mistake (that some claim) that Aba Mariyam Al-Hanafi is called Qays.
And what is correct, is that the one who is called Qays is (in fact) Abu

43 Mujmi' Az-Zawa'id, Vol. 6/23.

44 Tarikh Baghdad, Vol. 13/302-303.

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Mariyam Ath-Thaqafi (not Al-Hanafi)..." until he said, "...except that the
manuscript that I came across from the book At-Tamyiz, by An-Nasa'i; the
only one therein is Abu Mariyam Qays ath-Thaqafi. Yes, he mentioned him in
At-Tamyiz, but as far as Abu Mariyam Al-Hanafi, An-Nasa'i did not mention
him because he only mentioned those whom he knew about."

And those who spoke (negatively) about this Hadith, confused these two men
(i.e. Ath-Thaqafi vs. Al-Hanafi), so be aware of this. And also, Al-Hafith, Ath-
Thahabi deemed him trustworthy 45 and Ibn Abi Hatim mentioned him in Al-
Jarh Wat-Ta'dil and Al-Bukhari in At-Tarikh Al-Kabir, and no criticism was
mentioned concerning him, nor praise. So he is other than Al-Hanafi and also,
other than Al-Kufi. 46

And the Hadith was authenticated by the Allamah, Ahmad Shakir, as he said:
"Its chain is Sahih. NaTrn ibn Hakim was deemed trustworthy by Ibn MaTn
and others and Al-Bukhari spoke about him in At-Tarikh Al-Kabir (4/2/99) yet
he did not mention any criticism of him. Abu Mariyam; he is Ath-Thaqafi Al-
Mada'ini and he is trustworthy and Al-Bukhari spoke about him as well
(4/1/151) yet he did not mention any criticism about him." He said, "And
from what is clear is that this event was before the Hijrah (i.e. emigration to
Al-Madinah)." 47

I say: And despite this, we have stated in this book, after we mentioned this
Hadith, "...yet despite that, we say that if we were to concede, for the sake of
argument, that the smashing of the idols in Makkah were not authentic from
the Prophet l»% §jd§ ! 30%, during the period of weakness, then he, may the

blessings of Allah and His peace be upon him, was a follower of the Millah of
Ibrahim with the utmost of following, strictly abiding by it, as he did not, for
a single moment, cozy-up to the disbelievers (Kuffar), nor did he remain silent
upon their falsehood or their gods. Rather, his entire focus and efforts in
those (first) thirteen years - furthermore, even during other than these
(years), was:

45 Al-KdsMf, Vol. 3/376.

46 Review Mizan al-I'tidal, Vol. 4/573.

47 [Look to] the footnotes of Ahmad Shakir' s verification of Al-Musnad, Vol. 2/58.

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

"Worship Allah, and avoid the Taghut." iS

'So the fact that he sat amongst them for thirteen years, does not mean that he
praised or commended them or took some kind of oath upon respecting
them..." until we said, "...Rather, he used to declare his open enmity and
disavowal towards the polytheists (Mushrikin) and their deeds and show his
disbelief in their gods, despite his weakness and the weakness of his
companions. And we have explained this for you in what has passed. And if
you consider the Makkah-period of the Qur'an, much of this will become
clear to you..."

So the matter, therefore, is not - as those people have assumed - that it is only
based upon this one Hadith, which might be judged upon with weakness.
Rather, it has great (supporting) witnesses (i.e. evidences) and clear proofs
and confirmed principles and firmly established rules, from the evidences of
the {Islamic) legislation {Sham'). No one could possibly deny this except an
arrogant denier.

So the truth is a pillar, which no Even if you were to bring
one can rise to break. together both worlds.

And perhaps with this amount (of evidence), there is sufficient (proof) for
those who wish to be guided.

And before I conclude this introduction, I would like to add one matter to it,
as in prison I debated with some individuals from a well-known Ir/a'-oriented
49 political party, concerning the topic of faith {Al-Iman), and what relates to
it.

48 An-Nahl, 36

49 Trans. Note: Ir/a'-oriented (lit. Irja'i) from the concept of Irja', which is the astray ideology
of the Murji'ah sect. There are varying degris of misguided groups within this sect, which are
essentially sub-groups of the Murji'ah. However, most of their erroneous concepts are
founded upon a principle, which seeks to separate actions from faith {Iman). And from them

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

And among them was a leader from their leaders and from what he used as
evidence patching over (i.e. protecting) the soldiers of the Shirk and the
(fabricated man-made system of) law, was the event of Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah
and the incident of Abi Lubabah Al-Ansari. And he claimed that Hatib spied
on behalf of the disbelievers (Kuffar) and made allegiance (Wilayah) with them
and that Aba Lubabah betrayed Allah and the Messenger, yet despite that,
the Messenger of Allah |»% %d& ! £»fc did not issue the declaration of disbelief

(Takfir) to them. 50 And from there, he made the analogy (Qiyas) upon the
battling of the soldiers of the Shirk and the (soldiers of the fabricated, man-
made) law, against the SharVah, and their enmity towards its people, based
upon the actions of these two great companions. And he concluded with that,
that the aides of the Tawaghit (pi. of Taghut) and their soldiers; those who
dwindle their lives in safeguarding the Shirk and the (man-made) law and the
preservation of the thrones of the Tawaghit, while waging war against the
SharVah and its people, that it was not allowed to declare their disbelief
(Takfir) because their crimes do not equal the action of Hatib or the action of
Abu Lubabah! Rather, he went beyond that to the point where he became
extremely enraged when we reported that he did not declare the disbelief
(Takfir) of the soldiers of the Shirk and the (man-made) law and that instead,
he says that they are merely wrongdoers and wicked people. So he lost

were those who held that faith (Iman) neither increased nor decreased and that it was a
constant entity, which was either present of absent. The point of the author here is that many
of the contemporary groups have intentionally or unintentionally incorporated some of their
views about the relationship of actions with faith (Iman), which necessitates an effect on the
rules of declaring disbelief (Takfir), based upon actions. Therefore you will hear statements
from them, such as, "A person is not labeled as a disbeliever (Kafir), due to such-and-such
action because this action does not indicate what is in his heart," even if that action was from
the most obvious forms of Major Disbelief (Kufr Akbar) such as swearing at Allah or His
Messneger, or legislating man-made laws and forcing these laws upon the people in
replacement of the laws of Allah, or making fun of the religion or other than that. And the
reader is urged to read the book of the author, the Shaykh, Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi,
Murji'at Al-'Asr, which outlines the trend of some of the contemporary groups in adopting
some principles of the Murji'ah.

50 And I have written a refutation upon this saying of theirs in a treatise from the treatises of
the prison, which I entitled, Ash-Shihab Ath-Thaqib Fi Ar-Radd Ala Man Iftara Ala As-Sahabi
Hatib.

MillatIbrahTm

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control, due to that, and accused us of changing his words, because it is, as he
said, that he said that he did not describe them as wrongdoers or wicked
people, in an unrestricted way. Rather, he said that he merely said this by
way of defending against their declaration of disbelief (Takfir), "Some of them
may be wrongdoers or wicked people." 51 In other words, according to their
individual conditions and not based upon the nature of their actions and their
support of the Tawaghit and their waging war against the Shari'ah and its
people.

So I said to them, "It is strange that you take such offense to describing the
army of the Tawaghit and the soldiers of the Shirk and making equals (i.e.
with Allah), with wrongdoing and wickedness and openly declaring their
defects, yet you do not take offense to the saying about Hatib: 'He made
allegiance (Wilayah) with the disbelievers (Kuffar) and spied on their behalf.'
And about Abu Lubabah: 'He betrayed Allah and the Messenger!" So this
became the division between us and them.

And when some of the Islamists in the prison attempted to joing between and
reconcile us, some discussions took place between them (i.e. these Islamists)
and ourselves. So we discovered that they too were upon what the former
ones were upon from this (earlier) statement (i.e. about Hatib and Abu
Lubabah etc.). So I said to them, "Frankly, I am not very keen for your
companionship because you do not (even) take offence to these words against
some of the companions of the Prophet l»% §jd§ ! aP% and the description of

them as treacherous, whereas you take offence to the description of the
enemies of Allah, and the army of the Tawaghit, with wrongdoing and
wickedness. And for this reason, we are not, by Allah, very keen regarding
your companionship. Rather, we merely humor you and we avoid
preoccupying ourselves with you, because we are in prison, and we are
amongst the enemies of Allah, the Most High." 52 And at that point, their

51 Trans. Note: The point of the Shaykh here is that this man wouldn't even generally describe
the soldiers of the Shirk and the man-made legislations, who wage war against the people of
the Shari'ah and the Taivhid, as wrong-doers and wicked people.

52 Bearing in mind that when they were in the prison, they were always very pleasant
towards the enemies of Allah, who waged war against the Da'ivah to the Taivhid.

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representative became angry and revealed what was hidden in his heart and
said, "You are nothing more than a man who calls to the Millah of Ibrahim
and the one calls to Millah of Ibrahim is a man who is politically bewildered;
he calls to that which reconciles between the Jews and the Christians - those
who are the descendants of Ibrahim!" And relating this event did not appear
here except for this (reason), which is the place of its testimony, (i.e. to be an
example of the pervasive ignorance about the Millah of Ibrahim.)

So I do not know what can be said about this.

And with what could I refute with the people who desire the establishment of
the Khilafah, while they cannot even differentiate between the expression,
"The children of Ibrahim", which the Tawaghit use nowadays to appease the
Jews and enter into peace conferences with them; an expression which is
intended to annihilate the ties of faith (Imari) and dissolve the very
foundation of the religion and shake the basis of "Allegiance and Disavowal"
(Al-Wala' Wal-Bara'). And Allah, the Most High, has refuted them, as He said:

Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim
Hanifa (Islamic Monotheism - to worship none but Allah Alone) and he
was not of Al-Mushrikin. 53

So they do not even differentiate between this saying and between Millat
Ibrahim, which divided between fathers and sons, as it is the criterion between
the allies of Ar-Rahman and the allies of Ash-Shaytan, and about which, Allah,
the Most High, said in the Qur'an:

Furthermore, they would even pray behind these soldiers of Shirk and the law, while not
being compelled. So while we would establish the Friday prayer and the congregational
prayer on our own, and several of the prisoners would join us; but as for them, they would
pray behind the people of Shirk and (those who) make deities equal (to Allah) and they
would rush to them and say, "Salam," with kindness and some would even kiss them and
congratulate them during the events and the 'Eds. Furthermore, we saw from them, some
who attribute themselves to the Islamic Da'ivah, who would even greet them on their Taghuti,
disbelieving promotional events.
53 Al- 'Imran, 67.

MillatIbrahTm

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And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim (i.e. Islamic
Monotheism) except him who befools himself? 54

And we have explained this for you in this book, so contemplate it and do not
turn to the turmoil of those who oppose it.

And likewise, brother in Tawhid, it is quite sad that the entire time in which
this book has been published, I have not been reached by anything from those
who oppose us, and those who argue with us, and those who hurl
accusations at us and our Da'wah, except the likes of these abuses, which
should not have necessitated us lowering ourselves to their level in order to
refute them. (And we would not have bothered), except for our awareness of
the condition of the people in our time and the obliteration of the banners and
milestones of this great Millah between them, and (our knowledge) that
amongst them are those who listen to the people of sickness, whom Allah, the
Most High, described in the beginning of Surat Al-'Imran. 55

So I ask Him, the Most High, to give victory to His religion and to subdue His
enemies.

54 Al-Baqarah, 130.

55 Trans. Note: Referring to the statement of Allah, the Most High:

6#a

It is He Who has sent down to you the Book (this Qur'an). In it are Verses that are entirely
clear, they are the foundations of the Book and others not entirely clear. So as for those in
whose hearts there is a deviation (from the truth) they follow that which is not entirely
clear thereof, seeking Al-Fitnah and seeking for its hidden meanings, but none knows its
hidden meanings save Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We
believe in it; the whole of it (clear and unclear Verses) are from our Lord." And none
receive admonition except men of understanding. [Al- Imran, 7]

MillatIbrahTm

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And also to use us, for as long as we live, in support of this Millah and to
make us from its army and its soldiers and to accept from us and to seal us
(i.e. our deaths) with martyrdom in His path. Verily, He is Most Bountiful,
Most Generous. And may Allah send blessings upon His Prophet,
Muhammad and His family and all his companions all together.

Abu Muhammad

Millat I brahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

uiNPyAgcaeNjsiysatf

In the name of Allah, Who is sufficient for me and the best for one to rely

upon.

[Chapter: Concerning the Clarification of the Millat Ibrahim]

He, the Most High, said about Millat Ibrahim:

And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim (i.e. Islamic
Monotheism) except him who befools himself? 56

And He also said, addressing His Prophet, Muhammad f£§4&! ee>Sb:

Then, We have inspired you: "Follow the religion of Ibrahim Hanifa
(Islamic Monotheism - to worship none but Allah) and he was not of the
Mushrikun. 57

With this pureness and with this clarity, Allah, the Most High, demonstrated
for us the methodology and the path. So the correct path and the proper
methodology is Millat Ibrahim. There is no obscurity in that nor is there any
misunderstanding. And whoever turns away from this path, by using the
argument of "the benefits of the Da'wah", or by (saying) that taking it (i.e. this
path) causes tribulations and woes upon the Muslims, or other than these
from the empty claims - which the Shaytan puts inside those with weak faith
(Imari) - then he is (both) foolish and deceived as he assumes himself to be
more knowledgeable in the manners of Da 'wah than Ibrahim, upon whom be
blessings and peace, whom Allah lent his approval to, as He said:

56 Al-Baqarah, 130.

57 An-Nahl, 123.

MillatIbrahTm

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And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrahim his (portion of) guidance.

And He said:

Truly, We chose him in this world and verily, in the Hereafter he will be
among the righteous. 59

And He approved his Da'wah for us and ordered the seal of all the Prophets
and Messengers [i.e. Muhammad V% §JdB& ! S&Sb] to follow it and He made

foolishness to be a description for everyone who turns away from his path
and his methodology. And the Millah of Ibrahim is:

• Sincerity of worship to Allah, alone, with everything that the phrase "The
Worship" (Al-'Ibadah) encompasses in meanings. 60

58 Al-Anbiya', 51.

59 Al-Baqarah, 130.

60 And the slave is unable to confront the Shirk and its people nor will he posses the power to
maintain his disavowal (Bara'ah) towards them while showing open enmity towards their
falsehood, except by worshipping Allah according to His just rights of worship. And Allah,
the Powerful, the Majestic, ordered his Prophet, Muhammad life § <w$ ! a?V to recite the
Qur'an and to perform the night prayer while he was in Makkah. And He taught him that it
would be a security, which would assist him to carry the heavy cloaks of the Da'wah. And
this (i.e. order to pray the night prayer) came prior to His saying:

Verily, We shall send down to you a weighty Word (i.e. obligations, legal laws, etc.). [Al-
Muzzammil, 5]

As He said:

O you wrapped in garments! Stand (to pray) all night, except a little. Half of it, or a little
less than that, or a little more; and recite the Qur'an (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and)
style. [Al-Muzzammil, 1-4]

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• And the disavowal (Bam' ah) from the Shirk and its people

The Imam, the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn x Abdul-Wahhab, may Allah, the Most
High, be merciful to him, said, "The basis (Asl) of the religion of Islam and its
basis (Qa'idah) lie in two matters:

'The First: The command to worship Allah alone with no partners associated
with Him and the encouragement upon this with the allegiance based upon it
and the declaration of disbelief (Takfir) of whoever leaves it.

'The Second: The warning against Shirk in the worship of Allah and being
stern in that and having enmity based upon that and the declaration of
disbelief (Takfir) of whoever commits it."

So he, may the blessings of Allah and peace be upon him, stood up (for prayer) and his
companions would stand up with him - to the point where their feet would split - until He,
Glorified be He, revealed a reduction at the end of these verses [i.e. al-Muzzammil, 20].

And this standing and reciting the verses of Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, while
contemplating His words, is the greatest security and assistance for the caller (Da'i), which
secures him and assists him upon the hardships of the Da'ivah and its difficulties. And those
who assume that they are able to carry the great Da'ivah, with its heavy cloaks, while not
making the worship to be sincere for Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, and without making
lengthy remembrance (Thikr) and His Glorification (Tasbih), then they are mistaken and
completely wrong. And even if they do make some progress, they will not be able to remain
upon this correct, straight path, without any support. And verily, the best support is the
piety (Taqwa).

And Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, described the companions of this Da'ivah and those
whom He ordered His Prophet, may the blessings of Allah and His peace be upon him, to
keep himself patiently with - those who call upon their Lord, morning and evening, seeking
His Face, and that they sleep for a short part of the night while their sides desert their beds,
while supplicating to their Lord, due to fear and hope, while fearing a grim day from their
Lord. And other than that, from those descriptions about which, no one is qualified for this
Da'ivah, and carrying its cloak except the one who fits their descriptions. And may Allah, the
Most High, cause us and you to be from them. So be upon awareness!

MillatIbrahTm

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And this was the Tawhid that the Messengers called to, may the blessings of
Allah and His peace be upon all of them. And it is the meaning of (the
phrase) La ilaha UAllah) sincerity and Tawhid and singling out Allah, the
Powerful, the Majestic, in worship and allegiance (based upon) His religion
and His allies. And (on the other hand), disbelief and disavowal (Bara'ah)
from everything that is worshipped besides Him with the enmity towards
His enemies.

So it is Tawhid in belief and in actions; both at the same time, as Surat Al-Ikhlas
is evidence for the beliefs from it, and Surat Al-Kafirun is evidence for the
actions. And the Prophet, may the blessings of Allah and His peace be upon
him, used to recite these two Surahs often and continuously in the Sunnah
(prayer, before) Fajr and others, due to their great importance. 61

61 Trans. Note: The Allamah, Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah be merciful to him said, "As for the
sixth matter; it is that this Surah (i.e. Al-Kafirun) deals totally with negation. And this refers
specifically to this Surah as it is a Surah of disavowal (Bara'ah) from the Shirk, just as it has
come in its description, that it is 'The Surah of Disavowal (Bara'ah) from the Shirk' . So its
greatest goal is this sought after disavowal (Bara'ah) between the monotheists (Muwahhidin)
and the polytheists (Mushrikin). And due to this, it came with the negation from both sides
(i.e. negating that either group worships what the other worships), by affirming this
disavowal (Bara'ah). This, while it deals with the clear affirmation, as His statement: I
worship not that which you worship... [Al-Kafirun, 2] is a complete disavowal just as: Nor
will you worship that which I worship... [Al-Kafirun, 3] is an affirmation that he worships a
deity, which they are free from, in worshiping Him. So this necessitates both a negation and
an affirmation. And it complies with the saying of the Imam of those who are Hanif [i.e. free
from all Shirk (Ibrahim ^tEs^^fO&l^]: Verily, I am free from what you worship except Him
who did create me... [Az-Zukhraf, 26-27] And this complies with the statement of the group
of monotheists (i.e. the people of the cave): And when you withdraw from them, and that
which they worship, except Allah... [Al-Kahf, 16] So this actualized the reality of 'La ilaha
UAllah' the Most High. And due to this, the Prophet used to combine this (Surah) along with
the Surah, Qulhu Allahu Ahad (i.e. Al-Ikhlas) in the Sunnah before Fajr and the Sunnah after
Maghrib, as these two Surahs are the two Surahs of devoted sincerity." - until he said - "So he
used to begin the day with them (i.e. these Surahs) in the Sunnah before Fajr, and complete
with them, in the Sunnah after Maghrib." [Bada'i Al-Fawa'id, Vol. 1/145-146]

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

A Point of Notice Which Must be Mentioned:

And some of those who assume, may assume that this Millah of Ibrahim
could be implemented in our time (merely) by studying the Tawhid and
knowing its three categories and knowing its types by way of theoretical
knowledge alone, while remaining silent concerning the people of falsehood
and not declaring and openly demonstrating the disavowal from their
falsehood.

So to the likes of these (people), we say: If the Millah of Ibrahim were like this,
then his people would not have thrown him into the fire, because of it. 62
Rather, if he would have cozied-up to them and remained silent about some
of their falsehood while not making their gods (appear) foolish, and not
openly declaring enmity towards them, while remaining content with the
theoretical Tawhid; studying it along with his followers - a studying, which
would not have materialized into actions, by showing the allegiance (Wala')
and disavowal (Bard') and love and hatred and enmity and abandonment
(based upon that), for Allah's sake; if he had done all that, then perhaps they
might have opened all the doors (i.e. opportunities) for him. Furthermore,
they might have even built schools and colleges for him just as it is in our
time, wherein this theoretical Tawhid can be studied. And perhaps they
would have put huge signboards upon them and named them "School or
College of the Tawhid" , or "The Faculty of Da'wah and Principles of the
Religion", and the likes of that, as all of this does not threaten them, nor does
it even affect them as long as it does not encroach into their current state of
affairs or their fortification. And even if these schools and faculties graduated
thousands of theses and masters' degrees and doctorates about sincerity and
Tawhid and Da'wah, they would not object to that. Rather, they would bless it
and award those people with impressive diplomas and degrees and titles as

62 Trans. Note: Referring to what Allah stated in Swat Al-Anbiya' when the polytheists
(Mushrikin) found their idols shattered and planned to throw Ibrahim ytEG^gOeidfeinto the
fire, saying:

They said: "Burn him and help your aliha (gods), if you will be doing." [Al-Anbiya', 68].

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

long as it did not affect their falsehood and their circumstances and their
current reality, just as long as it remains upon that distorted condition.

• The Shaykh, 'Abdul-Latif ibn 'Abdur-Rahman said, "It could not be
comprehended that anyone would know the Tawhid and act upon it and
(yet he) would not have enmity against the polytheists (Mushrikin) . And
whoever does not have enmity towards them, then it is not (to be) said
that he knows the Tawhid or acts upon it." 63

And likewise, if the Messenger of Allah 1% %jd$ ! 30>f> had remained silent at

the outset of the issue, with respect to ridiculing the intelligence of Quraysh
(appear) foolish and confronting their gods and shaming them, and if he -
and far removed from that is he - had concealed the verses in which, what
they worshipped was made (to appear) foolish, such as (the false gods) Al-Lat
and Al- 'Uzzah and the third one, Manat, as well as the verses that confronted
(the arch-enemies of the Prophet f£§4&! asfc), Abu Lahab and Al-Walid and

other then these two, as well as the verses of disavowal (Bara'ah) from them
and from their religion and that which they worshipped - and how many are
there, such as Surat Al-Kafirun, and others; if he had done that - and far
removed from that is he - then they may have sat with him and honored him
and drew near to him. And they would not have placed the placenta of a
camel upon him, while he was prostrating, 64 and he might not have been

63 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 167.

64 Trans. Note: As it was narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be
pleased with him, who said: "While the Messenger of Allah llB %<S5 ! a?u was praying in the
House (i.e. the Ka'bah), Abu Jahl and his companions were sitting there and a camel had been
slaughtered the day before. So Abu Jahl said, 'Which of you will go and retrieve the placenta
of the camel belonging to the of the sons of so-and-so, and take it and then place them on the
shoulders of Muhammad when he prostrates.' So the worst of the people went out and took
it so that when the Prophet llB §J$$ ! 93>iJ prostrated, he placed it upon his shoulders." He
said, "Then they began to laugh and each of them would lean on the other one. And I was
standing there watching. And if I had any means of protection, then I would have removed it
from the back of the Messenger of Allah life %<Sg ! a?u. And the Prophet llB §J$g ! 33>iJ was
prostrating and he did not raise his head until a person went and informed Fatimah. So she
came - while she was a young girl - then she threw it off of him. Then she turned to them
and cursed them. Then when the Prophet ll5 §<$$ ! a?u completed his prayer, he raised his

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

reached by the harm that reached him, from those things that are well
covered and discussed in what has been affirmed in the biographical
accounts (Sirah). And he would not have been in need of the journey (Hijrah)
and the exhaustion (related to that) and fatigue and toil. And (in this way) he
and his companions would have remained in their homes in their homelands,
feeling secure. But the matter of allegiance based upon the religion of Allah
and its people, along with enmity towards falsehood and its people, became
obligatory upon the Muslims at the dawn of their Da'wah, even before the
obligation of the prayer (Salat) and the alms-giving (Zakdt) and the fasting
(Sawm) and the pilgrimage (Hajj). And due to this and this alone, the torture
and the harm and the hardships took place.

• The Shaykhj Hamad ibn 'Atiq, said in his treatise, "So anyone with a
sound mind, must contemplate, and anyone who is honest with himself
must seek the reason for which Quraysh expelled the Messenger of Allah
l»% §jd§ ! ikffa and his companions from Makkah, while it was from the
most noble of precincts. Because verily, it is well known that they did not
expel them (i.e. the Muslims) except after they clearly declared that which
humiliated their religion and the misguidance of their forefathers.
Therefore, they wished that he (i.e. the Prophet f£§d&! a?%) would cease
doing so and they threatened him and his followers with expulsion. And
when his companions would complain to him about the severity of harm
from the polytheists (Mushrikin) towards them, he would order patience
upon them and to take those who came before them and were (also)
harmed, to be examples. And he did not say to them, 'Abandon the
humiliation of the polytheists (Mushrikin) and stop ridiculing their

voice and supplicated against them. And when he supplicated, he would supplicate thri
times. And when he asked, he would ask three times. Then he said, 'O Allah, destroy
Quraysh," three times. Then when they heard his voice, they ceased their laughter and they
feared his supplication. Then he said, 'O Allah, destroy Abi Jahl ibn Hisham, and TJtbah ibn
Rabi^ah, and Shaybah ibn Rabi^ah, and Al-Walid ibn TJqbah and Umayyah ibn Khalaf and
TJqbah ibn Abi Mu x it." (The narrator said), "And he mentioned seven whom I did not
remember." (Ibn Mas^ud said), "So by He Who sent Muhammad I e§4SJ! SB>v with the truth,
I saw those who were named killed on the Day of Badr. Then they were dragged to the well
of Badr." - And this was the phrasing of Muslim.

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

intelligence and making them (appear) foolish.' Rather, he chose to leave
with his companions and to separate themselves from their land, even
though it was the most noble precinct on the face of the Earth: Indeed in
the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow for him who
hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers
Allah much. [Al-Ahzab, 21] 65

And likewise, the Tawaghit in every time and place will never show pleasure
with Islam, nor will they cease their hostilities (towards it) nor establish
conferences for it and spread it in books and magazines or build colleges and
universities for it, unless it is a blinded, crippled form of religion, with both
wings clipped and cut off, far removed from their current situation. And
(they neither have) the allegiance of the believers and the disavowal (Bara'ah)
from the enemies of the religion and the showing of enmity towards them
and that which they worship and their false methodologies.

And verily, we witness this clearly in the state called " As-Sa'udiyyah" (i.e.
Saudi Arabia), because it deceives the people by its encouragement of Tawhid
and the books of Tawhid and with its permitting - rather, its encouraging the
scholars in waging war against the (worship of) graves and Sufism and the
Shirk of amulets and the (spells of) infatuation (i.e. from sorcery) and the trees
and stones and other than that, from what it does not fear and is not
threatened by. Nor does it have any affect upon its foreign or domestic
policies.

And as long as this marginalized, incomplete Tawhid, stays far removed from
the Sultans and their disbelieving thrones, then they will continue to fund
and assist and encourage this (i.e. schools and books etc.). If this weren't the
case, then where are the writings of Juhayman 66 and the likes of him, may

65 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of jihad, page 199.

66 Trans. Note: The matter of Juhayman Al-^Utaybi, may Allah be merciful to him, and the
eventual siege of his followers in the Sacred Mosque in Makkah in 1979, have more-or-less
overshadowed his writings. There is no sufficient space available here to go through these
events, but perhaps the reader can refer to the book "Zilzal Juhayman Ft Makkah", by Fahd Al-
Qahtani [publication of Munathamat Ath-Thawrah Al-Islamiyyah Fil-Jazirat Al-'Arabiyyah,
London, 1982 CE.] As for his writings, then as the author, the Shaykh, Abu Muhammad Al-

MillatIbrahTm

(The Religion of IbrahTm)

Allah, the Most High, be merciful to him, which were full of and enriched
with Tawhid? Why doesn't the government fund these and encourage them
(to be read), despite the fact that he did not even declare the disbelief (Takfir)
of them, in those writings? Or could it be that it is a Tawhid, which opposes
the compromise with the Tughat 67 and their desires and that he spoke about
politics and discussed Allegiance and Disavowal (Al-Wala' Wal-Bara' ) and the
Oath of Allegiance (Bay 'ah) and Leadership (Imarah)? 6S

The Shaykh, the 'Allamah, Hamad ibn 'Atiq, may Allah be merciful to him,
said in his book, Sabil An-Najati Wal-Fikak Min Muwalat Al-Murtadin Wa Ahl
Al-Ishrak, "Many people may assume that as long one is able to utter the two
testimonies of faith (Shahadatayn) and pray the five prayers while not being
turned away from the Mosque, that he has openly declared his religion, even
if with that he is amongst the polytheists (Mushrikin) or in the lands of the
apostates (Murtadin), but they are mistaken in that, with the vilest of errors.
And know that the disbelief (Kufr) has types and categories according to the

Maqdisi, may Allah preserve him, points out, they have almost been eradicated from the face
of the Earth, dispite their being quite eloquent in terms of their call to Tawhid and the
Allegiance and the Disavowal (Al-Wala' Wal-Bara') etc. For example, look to his treatise
entitled Raf Al-Ilttbas 'An Millati Man Ja'alahu Allahu Imaman Lin-Nas ("Raising the
Misconceptions Away from the Millah of the one Whom Allah Made an Imam for the
People"), as it addresses the Millah of Ibrahim and some of the misconceptions concerning it,
as well as the encouragement to remain steadfast upon the harms when calling for the
Tawhid.

67 Trans. Note: "Tughat" (plural of Taghut) is based on the word "Tugkyan", which means
transgression. Shaykh Al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah said, "The meaning of Taghut comes from the
one who performs Tugkyan and this means going outside the established borders (i.e.
exciding his limits) and it is Thulm (wrongdoing) and rebellion. So the one who is worshiped
instead of Allah and he doesn't hate it, then he is a Taghut. And for this reason the Prophet
called the idols Taw aghi t in the authentic Hadith in which he said, 'Tawa ghi t will follow the
people who worship the Tawaghit.' The person who is obeyed in disobedience of Allah or the
person who is obeyed in following other than the guidance of the religion of truth; in either
case, if what he orders mankind is in opposition to Allah's orders, then he is a Taghut. For
this reason, we call the people who rule by other than what Allah revealed a Taghut. And
Pharaoh and the people of \Ad, were Tughat. [Majmii' Al-Fatawa, Vol. 28/200.]

68 And review his words in Mukhtasar Risalat Al-Amr Bil-Ma'riif Wan-Nahi An Al-Munkar,
from page 108-110 from within the seven letters, as I have found him enlightening in this
regard, may Allah, the Most High, be merciful to him.

MillatIbrahTm

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various causes of disbelief (Mukaffirdt). And every assembly (Ta'ifah) from the
assemblies of disbelief (Kufr) is famous for (at least) one type of it. And the
Muslim has not openly declared his religion until he opposes every assembly
(Ta'ifah) in whatever (disbelief) it is famous for, while clearly declaring his
enmity towards it and his disavowal {Bard' ah) from it."

And he also said, "And openly declaring the religion is the declaration of
their disbelief (Takfir) and the degradation of their religion while insulting it
along with the disavowal {Bard' ah) from them and the preservation of oneself
from loving them or from seeking refuge with them, and instead, to abandon
them. And performing the prayers; on their own, is not an open declaration
of one's religion." 69

And the Shaykh, Sulayman ibn Sahman, said (in poetry) 70 :

Openly declaring this religion is clearly With disbelief (Kufr) as they are a body of
(labeling) them the disbelievers

With enmity to be shown along with O you of the intellects, have you no sense
apparent hatred. of rationality?

This, and the heart is not sufficient to And the love from it, is not the criterion,
have hatred

But the criterion is that you bring it Out loud while clarifying it to them and

while in the open.

And the Shaykh, Ishaq ibn "Abdur-Rahman said, "And the claim of he who's
perception has been blinded by Allah, such that he claims that the open
showing of one's religion comes by their not preventing him from
worshipping or studying, is a false claim. So his claim is rejected by the
intellect and by the (Islamic) legislation (Shara') and whoever is in the
countries of the Christians and the Zoroastrians (Majus) or in India, should

69 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 196.

70 Diwan 'Uqiid Al-Jawahir Al-Mundadah Al-Hisan, page 76-77.

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feel contempt for that false ruling because the prayer (As-Salat) and the call
for it (Athari) and the studying (of Islam) is also present in their countries." 71

And may Allah be merciful to the one who said:

And they assume that the And the performing of the
religion is "Labbayk" (i.e. prayer while remaining silent
"Here I am") in the desert upon the congregation

And making peace and mixing But the religion is not except for
with those who seclude the love and hatred and the
themselves from religion. allegiance.

And likewise the disavowal from
every tempter and sinful.

• And Abul-Wafa' ibn "Uqayl, may Allah, the Most High, be merciful to
him, said, "If you wish to know the status of Islam amongst the people of a
particular time, then do not look to the crowding at the doors of the
Mosques, nor to their echoing with, "Labbayk" . 72 Rather, look to their
enmity towards the enemies of the Short ah. So seek refuge, (again) seek
refuge in the shield of the religion and the remaining steadfast to the great
rope of Allah and the allegiance to His believing supporters and beware,
(again) beware His opposing enemies, as the best thing by which to draw
nearer to Allah, the Most High, is the severe fury towards those who
oppose Allah and His Messenger and waging Jihad against them by the
hand and the tongue and the heart, according to one's ability." 73

Second Point of Notice:

And from what is opposite to the disavowal from the Shirk and its people,
there is also the allegiance to the religion of Allah and to His supporters and

71 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 141.

72 Trans. Note: "Laybbayk" - (Here I am!) To declare "Labbayk, O Allah, Labbayk," - one of the
Sunnahs to be followed during the Pilgrimage (tiajj).

73 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 238.

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their assistance and their strengthening and sincere conduct towards them
and showing it and making it apparent so that the hearts will unite and the
ranks will join. And no matter how stern we are towards our monotheist
(Muwahhid) brothers, who have strayed from the correct path, and no matter
how sternly we may be in advising them, and the refutation of their paths,
which oppose the path of the Prophets, the Muslim with another Muslim, is
just as Shaykh Al-Islam (Ibn Taymiyyah) said: Like the two hands, one washes
the other, and it is possible that the removal of dirt would, at times, requires
scrubbing. But its objective is to be praised, because the intent is the
preservation of the wellbeing of both hands and their cleanliness. And we do
not seek, at any instance during these occasions, to allow the complete
disavowal (Bara'ah) of them, because the Muslim's right of his brother is the
right of allegiance, which is not cut off (completely) except due to apostasy
and the leaving of the realm of Islam. And Allah, glorified is He, made this a
great right as He said:

If you do not do so (i.e. become allies), there will be Titnah and oppression
on earth, and a great mischief and corruption. 74

And the astray Muslim is only disavowed {Bara'ah) from his falsehood or his
innovation or his astrayness, while the basis of the allegiance remains. Have
you not seen that the rulings of fighting the rebels (Bughat) and the likes of
them differs, for example, from the rulings of fighting the apostates? 75 And
we do not cool the eyes of the Tughat (i.e. please them) and make them happy

74 Al-Anfal, 73.

75 Trans. Note: As it is known that the ruling on the apostates is that they have lost all their
Islamic rights and they are to be killed and they receive none of the treatment of the people of
Islam. Unlike the rebellious Muslims; the Bughat who are still afforded a level of leniency and
ease, even while they are fought, because they are still considered Muslims and as such, they
are given their rights. Below the chapter, "Chapter of Fighting the Bughat", Ibn Qudamah Al-
Maqdisi, may Allah be merciful to him said, "And the one from them who retreats is not to
be pursued and the one from them who is wounded is not finished off and their wealth is not
taken as war booty (Ghanimah) and their offspring are not taken captive as slaves. And
whoever from them is killed, then he is to be washed and shrouded and prayed upon." [Al-
'Uddah Sharh Al-'Umdah, page 642; publication of Dar Al-Kitab Al-Arabi, 6 th edition, 1421 H.]

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with the opposite of that ever (i.e. we will never be completely disavowed
from a Muslim), as many of those who are attributed to Islam have done, from
those who have lost the criterion of Allegiance and Disavowal (Al-Wala' Wal-
Bard') in these times. So they went to extremes in thier disavowal (Bard') and
their warning against those who opposed them from the monotheists
(Muwakhidin). Furthermore, (they have even warned people away) from
much of the truth that is with those people. And perhaps even within the
pages of the stench-filled newspapers, which take Islam and the Muslims as
enemies - let alone deceiving the foolish people and the rulers - about them
and their Da'wah, to the point where many of those callers (Du'at) have
participated, along with the rulers, in eliminating them and their Da 'wah, by
attributing false accusations to them or patching (i.e. protecting) the verdicts
(Fatawa) of the Tawaghit, in order to put an end to them. For instance, "Let's
say about them 'Bughat' or 'Khawarii', or "They are more dangerous to Islam
than the Jews or Christians," and other than that. And I know many who
become pleased when those from the Muslims who oppose them, fall into the
hands of the Tughat, and they say (sarcastically) "Isn't that terrible?" or even
"It is good what they are doing to them," or other than that, from the words
that may send one of them to the Hellfire for seventy years, 76 without him
even knowing why and he wouldn't have even given if a (single) thought.

And know that from the most specific characteristics, and from the most
important of significant issues of the Millah of Ibrahim, from what we see the
most of the callers (Du'at), in our time, falling short in, with great
shortcomings - rather, most of them have abandoned and let them die out,
are:

> Showing the disavowal (Bara'ah) from the polytheists (Mushrikin) and
their false deities.

76 Trans. Note: Referring to the Hadith narrated by At-Tirmithi and Ibn Majah and others
with alternate phrasing, from Abi Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah Ie §J$£ ! affO said,
"Verily, a man may utter a word, which he does not find objectionable, yet due to that, he
will fall for seventy years in the Fire." At-Tirmithi said, "This Hadith is 'Hasan Gharib' via this
route." Shaykh Al-Albani, may Allah be merciful to him, classified it Sahjh in Sahjh Ibn Majah,
#3,206 and Sahjh Al-Jami', #1,618 and "Hasan Sahjh" in Sahjh At-Tirmithi, #1,884 and Sahjh At-
Targhib, #2,875 & #2,876.

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> Openly declaring disbelief in them and their gods and their
methodologies and their laws and their legislations of Shirk.

> Openly demonstrating the enmity and hatred towards them and their
ranks and conditions of disbelief (Kufr), until they return to Allah and
leave all of that while having disavowal (Bara'ah) from it, and disbelieving
in it.

He, the Most High, said:

Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those
with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and
whatever you worship besides Allah, we have rejected you, and there has
become apparent between us and you, enmity and hatred forever, until you
believe in Allah Alone." 77

• The 'Allamah, Ibn Al-Qayyim said, "When Allah, he Most High, forbade
the believers from having allegiance with the disbelievers (Kuffdr), this
necessitated their taking them as enemies with disavowal (Bara'ah) from
them, while openly declaring enmity towards them in every situation." 78

• And the Shaykh, Hamad ibn x Atiq, may Allah, the Most High, be merciful
to him, said, "So His saying: '...and there has become apparent...' In
other words, it has become clear and apparent. And consider the
preceding of '...enmity../ with '...hatred...' because the first is more
important than the second. This is because; the person may hate the
polytheists (Mushrikin), while not taking them as enemies. So (if this were
the case, then) he would not have come with the obligation that was upon
him, until he attains both the enmity and the hatred. And it is a must, as

77 Al-Mumtahinah, 4.

78 From Bada'i Al-Fawa'id, Vol. 3/69.

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well, that the enmity and hatred are both open and apparent and clear.
And know that even if the hatred is tied to the heart, then it does not
benefit him until its effects are shown and its signs become clear. And that
would never be until it is accompanied with the enmity and the
abandonment (of them). Then at that point, the enmity and hatred will
become apparent." 79

• And the Shaykh, Ishaq ibn v Abdur-Rahman said, "And hating them with
the heart is not sufficient but it is a must to form both the enmity and the
hatred..." - and then he mentioned the aforementioned verse from Al-
Mumtahinah and said - "So look at this clarification, as there is no (better)
clarification beyond it, as He said: '...and there has become apparent
between us and you...' In other words, it has become clear that this is
making the religion to be outwardly apparent, so it is a must to show the
enmity clearly and to declare their disbelief (Takfir) openly along with the
physical separation (from them). And the meaning of the enmity is that
you are in a shore and the he who opposes (Islam) is in another shore, just
like the origin of the disavowal (Bara'ah) is the cutting off (from them)
with the heart and then the tongue and then the body. And the heart of
the believer can never be totally depleted from enmity towards the
disbeliever (Kafir); however, the struggle may come in openly showing
this enmity." 80

And the Shaykh, the 'Allamah, x Abdur-Rahman ibn Hasan, ibn Ash-
Muhammad ibn x Abdul-Wahhab, the author of the book Path Al-Majid,
said, concerning the aforementioned verse from Al-Mumtahinah, "So
whoever contemplates these verses, then he will know the Tawhjd, which
Allah sent His Messengers with and revealed His books with. And He
will know the reality of those who oppose what the Messengers (came
with) and their followers, from those who are ignorant and deceived and
lost. Our Shaykh, the Imam, may Allah be merciful to him. . ." - referring to
his grandfather, Muhammad ibn "Abdul-Wahhab - "...said, in the course
of the Da'wah of the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! apfc to Quraysh upon Tawhjd, and

79 From Sabil An-Najat Wal-Fikak

80 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 141.

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what took place from them, when he mentioned that their gods neither
brought benefit, nor do they bring any harm, that they took that as
swearing (at them), 'Then if you know this, then you will know that a
person will never have correct Islam, even if he makes Allah one and
leaves the Shirk, except with the enmity towards the polytheists
(Mushrikin) 81 and the clear demonstration of enmity towards them, with
hatred. As He, the Most High, said: You will not find any people who
believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who
oppose Allah and His Messenger. [Al-Mujadilah, 22] - The verse. Then, if
you grasp this with a firm understanding, you will know that many of
those who claim the religion do not (truly) know it. Otherwise, what held
the Muslims to be patient upon that torture and imprisonment and
journeying (Hijrah) to Abyssinia (Al-Habashah), despite the fact that he [i.e.
the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! art)] was the most merciful of the people, and if he
had found for them any (possible) concession [Rukhsah (i.e. a reduction in
the strictness of this obligation)] then he would have surely granted it to
them. And Allah has revealed upon him: Of mankind are some who say:
"We believe in Allah," but if they are made to suffer for the sake of
Allah, they consider the trial of mankind as Allah's punishment. [Al-
Ankabut, 10] So if this verse concerns those who complied with their
tongues, then what about those who do so with even more than that?' He
meant, those who comply with the saying along with the action, without
any harm, such that he allies himself with them and assists them and
defends them and those who complied with them and objects to those
who oppose them, as is our current reality." 82

So I say to them (i.e. Muhammad ibn v Abdul-Wahhab and his grandson,
"Abdur-Rahman ibn Hasan, may Allah be merciful with them): "It is as if you
are speaking about our time."

• And the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn "Abdul-Latif said, "Know, may Allah
allow ourselves and you to attain that which He loves and is pleased with,
that Islam is not correct with the slave, nor is the religion, except when it

81 See the upcoming footnote (for a greater explanation of this point).

82 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 93.

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includes the enmity towards the enemies of Allah and His Messenger 83
and the allegiance of the supporters of Allah and His Messenger. He, the
Most High, said: O you who believe! Take not for Awliya' (supporters
and helpers) your fathers and your brothers if they prefer disbelief to
Belief. [At-Tawbah, 23]." 84

And this is the religion of all the Messengers and this was their Da 'wah and
their path as it has been indicated by the overall verses of the Qur'an and the
narrations from the Prophet 1% § &$£ ! a?% And likewise is His, the Most
High's, statement of this verse from Al-Mumtahinah:

...and those with him...

In other words, the Messengers who were upon his religion and his Millah.
More than one of the interpreters (Mufassinn) has stated this.

And the Shaykh, Muhammad in x Abdul-Latif ibn x Abdur-Rahman said,
"And this is openly showing the religion, unlike the ignorant ones assume
(it to be) when the disbelievers (Kuffar) distance (themselves) and leave
him to perform prayer and recite the Qur'an and to occupy himself with

83 If what is meant is the basis (Asl) of enmity then these words are to be taken absolutely. But
if what is meant is the general enmity; its showing and its precise details and the making it
known, then these words are (to be taken to) refer to the (level of) correctness of the Islam and
not the removal of its entire foundation. And the Shaykh, x Abdul-Latif, has in his book Misbah
Ath-Thalam, an explanation about this issue, so whoever wishes to, should review it. And
therein is his statement, "So the one who understands, from the words of the Shaykh, a
declaration of disbelief (Takfir) of whoever does not openly show his enmity, then his
understanding is false and his opinion is astray..." And the explanation of these words will
be presented within these pages, and we have only narrated their statements within this
chapter in order to clarify the importance of this basis (Asl); the fundamental concepts of
which have been snatched away from most of the callers (Du'at) in this time. Then we added
these clarifications - despite the words themselves being clear (in-and-of-themselves) - to
close the path upon those who attempt to hunt in murky water, by means of searching for
general (statements) and things, which might assist them in accusing us of holding the beliefs
(Aqidah) of the Khaioarij.

84 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 208.

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what he wishes from the extra deeds (NawafiT) and that this (somehow)
would be him openly showing his religion. This is a grave error, because
whoever openly declared his enmity towards the polytheists (Mushrikin)
and the disavowal from them, they would never leave him amongst them
(lit. between their backs). Rather, they would either kill him or they would
expel him if they found a way to do so. As Allah, the Most High,
mentioned, concerning the disbelievers (Kuffar): And those who
disbelieved, said to their Messengers: "Surely, we shall drive you out of
our land, or you shall return to our religion." [Ibrahim, 13] - the verse.
And He informed us about the people of Shu'ayb by saying: "We shall
certainly drive you out, O SmTayb, and those who have believed with
you from our town, or else you (all) shall return to our religion." [Al-
A 'raj, 88] - the verse. And He mentioned about the people of the cave, that
they said: "For if they come to know of you, they will stone you or turn
you back to their religion, and in that case you will never be
successful." [Al-Kahf, 20] And did the enmity between the Messengers
and their people ever become severe except after openly declaring and
cursing their religion and the speaking in such a way as to ridicule their
intelligence while insulting their gods?" 85

• And the Shaykh, Sulayman ibn Sahman also said, concerning the verse in
Al-Mumtahinah, "So this is the Millah of Ibrahim about which, Allah said:
And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim except him who
befools himself? [Al-Baqarah, 130] Therefore, it is upon the Muslim to take
the enemies of Allah as enemies and to openly show enmity towards them
and to distance himself from them by vast distances. And he must never
form allegiances with them or interact with them or intermingle with
them." 86

And Allah, the Most High, informed us concerning Ibrahim, $?Eadfe
elsewhere by saying:

85 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 207.

86 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 221.

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He said: "Do you observe that which you have been worshipping, you and
your ancient fathers? Verily, they are enemies to me, save the Lord of the
'Almnln." 87

And in a third instance, He, glory be to Him, said:

And (remember) when Ibrahim said to his father and his people: "Verily, I
am free from of what you worship, except Him, Who did create me, and
verily, He will guide me." 88

• And the Shaykh, the 'Allamah, x Abdur-Rahman ibn Hasan ibn Ash-Shaykh,
Muhammad ibn x Abdul-Wahhab, said, "And Allah, the Most High, has
obligated the disavowal (Bara'ah) from the Shirk and the polytheists
(Mushrikin) and the disbelief in them and in taking them as enemies while
hating them and waging Jihad against them: But those who did wrong
changed the word from that which had been told to them for another.
[Al-Baqarah, 59] So they allied themselves with them and assisted and
aided them and asked for their support against the believers and hated
them and cursed at them, based upon that. And all of these matters nullify
the Islam such as what the Book and the Sunnah have indicated in
(various) places."

> And here is a doubt, which many of the hasty have put forth: And it is
their claim that the Millah of Ibrahim is only one of the last stages from the
(progressive) stages of the Da'wah, which must be preceded by the
conveyance, with wisdom and arguments of the best (form). And (they
say) that the caller (Da'i) must not seek refuge in this Millah of Ibrahim,
from the disavowal (Bara'ah) from the enemies of Allah and their deities
and the disbelief in them and openly showing this enmity and hatred
towards them, except after (firstly) extending all of the forms of leniency

87 Ash- Shu' ar ah, 75-77.

88 Az-Zukhraf, 27.

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(to them) with wisdom. So we say, and with Allah is the success: This
misunderstanding only arose due to not fully understanding the Millah of
Ibrahim, by those people (i.e. those who say this) and due to their mixing
between the (original) Da'wah to the disbelievers (Kuffar) to begin with,
and its course with the stubborn (people) from them. And also, (their
confusion regarding) the difference between all of that and between the
stance of the Muslim towards their false deities and methodologies and
legislations of the disbelievers (Kuffar), themselves. So the Millah of
Ibrahim; from the point of it being sincerity in the worship of Allah, alone,
and disbelief in every deity besides Him; it can never be correct for it to be
delayed or postponed. Rather, nothing must ever come, except that it (i.e.
the Da 'wah) begins with this. That is because this (negation of their deities
etc.), in and of itself, is exactly what the phrase, "La ilaha il Allah" ,
encompasses from the negation and affirmation. And that is the very basis
of the religion and the "pole of the hand mill" (i.e. objective) in the Da'wah
of the Prophets and Messengers. And just so that every misunderstanding
will be removed from you, here are two matters:

• The First: And it is the disavowal (Bara'ah) from the Tawaghit and the
gods, which are worshipped other than Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic,
along with the disbelief in them. So these are never to be delayed or
postponed. Rather, these should be openly shown and declared from the
outset of the path.

• The Second: The disavowal (Bara'ah) from the people of the polytheists
(Mushrikin) themselves if they continue upon their falsehood. And here,
for you, is an explanation and a clarification:

The First Matter: And that is the disbelief in the Tawaghit, which are
worshipped besides Allah, the Powerful, the Mighty, whether these Tawaghit
are idols made from stone, or the sun, or the moon or a grave or a tree or
legislations and laws from the invention of man. So the Millah of Ibrahim and
the Da 'wah of the Prophets and Messengers necessitates openly showing the
disbelief in all of these deities and openly showing enmity and hatred
towards them and making their status (appear) foolish, along with the
lowering their value and making their shameful things along with their

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status to be apparent along with their defects and their shortcomings, from
the outset of the path. The condition of the Prophets was this way when they
began the Da'wah to their people by their declaring:

"Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut." 89

And based upon this, is Allah, the Most High's, statement about the Hanif,
Ibrahim, ytEadfe

He said: "Do you observe that which you have been worshipping, you and
your ancient fathers? Verily, they are enemies to me, save the Lord of the
x Alamln." 90

And His statement in Al-An'dm:

When he saw the sun rising up, he said: "This is my lord. This is greater."
But when it set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from all that you
join as partners." 91

And His statement:

And (remember) when Ibrahim said to his father and his people: "Verily, I
am free from what you worship, except Him Who did create me, and verily,
He will guide me." 92

And like this, is His statement, glory be to Him, about the people of Ibrahim:

89 An-Nahl, 36.

90 Ash-Shu' 'arah, 75-77.

91 Al-An'dm, 78.

92 Az-Zukhraf, 26-27.

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They said: "We heard a young man talking (against) them (i.e. our idols)
who is called Ibrahim." 93

The interpreters (Al-Mufassirun) have said, "...talking (against) them..." - in
other words, he was insulting them and making fun of them and lowering
their status. 9i And the Book and the Sunnah are full of evidence for that. And
the guidance of the Prophet V% §jd§ ! 319%, in Makkah, is sufficient for us in
the way he would make the gods of Quraysh (appear) foolish while openly
showing the disavowal (Bara'ah) from them and the disbelief in them, to the
point that they nicknamed him: "The Denouncer".

And if you want to confirm that and to be certain of it, then refer to and
contemplate the Makkah-period Qur'an, which would not be revealed to the
Prophet l»% %d§ ! et>Sb except a few verses, until with it came the striking of

the hearts of the East and the West and the North and the South. And the
tongues of the people would pass them (i.e. these verses) along in the markets
and the gatherings and the public forums. And these verses would address
the Arabs, in the comprehendible Arabic language, with total clarity, which
would make their gods (appear) foolish; their chiefs being Al-Lat and Al-
'Uzzah and the third one, Manat, which were the greatest of the people's gods
at that time. And they would openly declare the disavowal from them and
the implausibility of their compromise or their even being satisfied with
them. And the Prophet l»% §d§ ! 39% would never conceal any of that. Verily,
he was but a warner.

So those who put themselves forth for the Da 'wah, in this time, are in need of
contemplating this matter well and measuring themselves with it often,
because the Da'wah that strives to give victory to the religion of Allah, but
then throws its most fundamental basis behind his back; then it is not

93 Al-Anbiyd', 60.

94 Trans. Note: Look to Taysir Al-Karim Ar-Rahman Ft Tafstri Kalam Al-Mannan, by v Abdur-
Rahman ibn Nasir As-Sa x di, page 475; publication of Mu'assasat Ar-Risalah , Beirut, 1420 H.

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possible that it is upon the methodology of the Prophets and the Messengers.
And here we are, living at this time, when the Shirk of taking the judgments
to the constitutions and the fabricated laws, has become widespread amongst
us (lit. between our backs). So these calls are a necessity and therefore it is a
must to follow its Prophet in the adherence to Millat Ibrahim by making the
value of these constitutions and those laws (appear) foolish, while
mentioning their negative (attributes) to the people, while openly declaring
disbelief in them and openly showing and declaring enmity towards them,
and calling the people to that, with the clarification of the government's
mockery of the general people, while they deceive them. Otherwise, when
will the truth become apparent and how will the people know their religion,
with true knowledge, and differentiate the truth from the falsehood as well as
the enemy from the ally? And perhaps the vast majority would use as an
excuse, the benefit (Maslahah) of the Da'wah and the (resulting) trials (Fitnah).
But which trial (Fitnah) is greater than the concealment of the Tawhid and the
deception of the people regarding their religion? And which benefit
(Maslahah) is greater than establishing the Millah of Ibrahim, while openly
showing the allegiance to the religion of Allah as well as the enmity to the
Tawaghit, who are worshipped, and devoted to besides Allah? And if the
Muslims are not tested because of this, and if the (sacrificial) slaughtering is
not put forth in His path, then for what would the tests be? So disbelieving in
all of the Tawaghit is obligatory upon every Muslim by (the virtue of) half of
the testimony (Shahadah) of Islam. And openly declaring that, while showing
it and making it apparent, is also a great obligation, and it is a must, which all
Muslim groups, or sub-groups from each group, must do so that it would
become known and the (awareness) would spread. And also, so that it would
become the distinguishing characteristic and description of these (various)
Da'wahs. Such was the condition of the Prophet l»%§j$£ ! £»%; not only in the
time wherein he became established, but also in the times of weakness as
well, because it is well known that he used to be pointed to, by all the fingers,
and (people) would warn others about him and describe him as having
enmity towards their gods, and other things as well. And we find it odd;
what is this Da'wah, about which the callers weep for its benefit (Maslahah)?
And which religion is it that they wish to establish and make apparent, while
most of them consistently speak with the praising of the fabricated law

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(system) - and O what an evil - and some of them (even) praise it and bear
witness to its fairness? And many of them (even) undertake an oath of
honoring it and complying with its stipulations and its restrictions; reversing
the (entire) issue (i.e. Da'wah to Tawhld) and its very course. So instead of
openly showing and declaring the enmity towards it (i.e. the law system), and
disbelief in it, they openly show the allegiance to it and their pleasure with it.
So is it the likes of those who would spread the Tawhld and establish the
religion?! And to Allah is the grievance.

And openly demonstrating this issue and openly showing it, does not have
any tie with the declaration of disbelief (Takfir) of the ruler or his persistence
upon the ruling with other than the Shari'ah of the Most Merciful, because it is
tied-in with the constitution or the legislation or the law, which is established,
honored, implemented, exalted and ruled amongst the people. 95

The Second Matter: And it is the disavowal (Bara'ah) from the polytheists
(Mushrikin) and the disbelief in them and openly showing enmity and hatred
towards them, personally.

• The 'Allamah, Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah be merciful to him, said, "And
no one who associated this major Shirk (Ash-Shirk Al-Akbar) is saved,
except he who makes his Tawhld exclusively for Allah's (sake) and takes
the polytheists (Mushrikin) as enemies for Allah's (sake) and draws nearer
(to Allah) by his hatred towards them for Allah's (sake)." 96 And it is
attributed to Shaykh Al-Islam (Ibn Taymiyyah). And this issue - in other
words, the disavowal (Bara'ah) from the polytheists (Mushrikin) - is even
more critical than the former - I am referring to the disavowal {Bara'ah)
from the deities.

95 Trans. Note: The point of the Shaykh here is that this first level of disavowal (Bara'ah) only
relates to showing the enmity towards the false deities and not to the people who worship
them. Therefore, the declaration of disbelief (Takfir) does not enter within this level of
disavowal because that concerns the disavowal (Bara'ah) of the individual, which is an
extension from the disavowal of what is worshipped.

96 Ighathat Al-Lahfan.

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• The Shaykh, Hamad ibn 'Atiq, may Allah, the Most High, be merciful to
him, said, at His, the Most High's saying: "Verily, we are free from you
and whatever you worship besides Allah." [Al-Mumtahinah, 4] "And
here is an excellent point, which is that Allah, the Most High, preceded
the disavowal (Bara'ah) from the polytheists (Mushrikin), who worship
other than Allah, ahead of the disavowal (Bara'ah) from the idols, which
are worshipped besides Allah, because the first is more important than
the second. This is because if he has disavowal (Bara'ah) from the idols but
does not have disavowal (Bara'ah) from those who worship them, then he
would not have come with what was obligatory upon him. However, if he
has disavowal (Bara'ah) from the polytheists (Mushrikin) then this
necessitates that he has disavowal from their deities (as well). And
likewise, is His statement: "And I shall turn away from you and from
those whom you invoke besides Allah." [Mariyam, 48] - The verse. So He
preceded turning away from them ahead of turning away from what they
worship besides Allah. And likewise, is His statement: So when he had
turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides
Allah... [Mariyam, 49] And His statement: "And when you withdraw
from them and that which they worship, besides Allah..." [Al-Kahf, 16]
So this point is upon you, as it opens a door for you to have enmity
towards the enemies of Allah. So how many people have not fallen into
Shirk, yet they do not have enmity towards its people? So he could not be
a Muslim with that, as he has left religion of all the Messengers." 97

And the Shaykh, "Abdul-Latif ibn "Abdur-Rahman said within one of his
treatises, "And the person may be saved from the Shirk and loves the
Tawhid, but he would still have a defect from the point of not having
disavowal (Bara'ah) from the people of Shirk and leaving the allegiance of
the people of Tawhid and supporting them. So he would be a follower of

97 [From] Sabil An-Najat Wal-Fikak. The intent of the Shaykh (i.e. Hamad ibn 'Atiq) here - and
Allah is the most knowledgeable - is that this person neither has enmity towards them, nor
does he (even) hate them generally or specifically in his heart, rather he offers to trade that
for inclination and love. So this one; there is no doubt that his faith (Imari) has been nullified
and that he has left the religion of all the Messengers. He, the Most High, said: You will not
find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those
who oppose Allah and His Messenger... [Al-Mujadilah, 22].

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his desires and (he would) have entered into a branch of Shirk, which
destroys his religion and that which he has built. And (he would be) an
abandoner of the principals and branches of Tawhid, without which, the
faith (Iman) that He is pleased with, is incorrect. So he would neither love,
nor would he hate, for (the sake of) Allah. And he would neither have
enmity, nor would he have allegiance (based) upon the greatness of the
One who originated him and developed him. And all of this is taken from
the testimony (Shahddah) of 'La ilaha HAllah." 98

• And he also said in another of his treatises, from the same book, " "And
the best thing to draw one nearer to Allah is the aggression towards His
enemies, the polytheists (Mushrikin), while hating them and having
enmity towards them and waging Jihad against them. And with this, the
slave is saved from having allegiance with them as opposed to the
believers. And if he does not do so, then he has formed his allegiance with
them, based upon what he failed to fulfill from that and abandoned from
that. So beware, (again) beware, that which destroys Islam and uproots it."

• And Sulayman ibn Sahman said (in poetry form):

So whoever does not take the Allies (himself with them) and
Mushrikin as enemies and neither hates them nor avoids
neither (them)

Then he is not upon the And he is not upon the straight
methodology (Minhaj) of the course.
Sunnah of Ahmad

• And the saying of the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn x Abdul-Wahhab, may
Allah be merciful with him, "It is a must for the Muslim to openly declare
that he is from this believing assembly (Ta'ifah) so that he will strengthen
it and so that it will be fortified by him and in order to frighten the
Tawaghit; those who do not attain the apex of enmity (towards the

! Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 681.
> [Ibid] Page 842.

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believer) until it is clearly declared to them that he is from this assembly
(Ta'ifah), which wages war against them." 10 °

• And both the Shaykh, Husayn and the Shaykh, 'Abdullah, the two sons of

the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn v Abdul-Wahhab, were asked about a man

who enters this religion and loves it and loves its people but does not take

the polytheists (Mushrikin) as enemies or he takes them as enemies but

does not declare their disbelief (Takfir). So from that which they answered

with, was, "Whoever says, 'I do not take the polytheists (Mushrikin) as my

enemies/ or he takes them as enemies but does not declare their disbelief

(Takfir), then he is not a Muslim and he is from those, about whom Allah

said: ...saying, "We believe in some but reject others," and wish to

adopt a way in between. They are in truth disbelievers. And We have

prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment. [An-Nisa', 150-151]
101

• Sulayman ibn Sahman said (in poetry form):

So take those who take the And ally yourself with those who
religion of Muhammad as ally themselves with it, from every
their enemy, as your enemies, guided person.

And love whoever is a And hate the people of
believer, because of Allah's disobedience because of Allah's
love. hate.

And the religion (does not And likewise, the disavowal from
exist) except for the love and every tempter and transgressor,
the hate and allegiance

And he also said (again, in poetry form):

100 From Majmu'at At-Taivhid.

101 F r om Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, (regarding the explanation of why this person is not a
Muslim) look to the earlier footnote (wherein this matter was clarified).

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Indeed, if you were truthful to
Allah in what you claimed

Then you would have taken
those who - beware - disbelieve
in Allah, as enemies.

And you would have had And you would neither have

allegiance to the people of criticized them, nor given

truth, both secretly and openly victory to Kufr.

So not everyone who says what Except with the conditions that

you have said is a Muslim were mentioned, then

The abandonment of the
disbelievers (Kuffar) in any
region

With that, the authentic
approving texts have been
presented to us.

And their open declaration of While making them astray in
disbelief (Takfir) and making what which they perform and
their opinions (appear) foolish demonstrate

While openly showing the
Tawhid amongst them (lit.
between their backs).

So this is the pure monotheistic
(Hanif) religion and the
guidance

While you are calling them to
that both openly and secretly;

And the Millah of Ibrahim, if
you can perceive it.

And naturally, we do not say that openly showing this disavowal (Bara'ah)
and enmity is all-inclusive, even to those with inclined hearts (to Islam), or to
those who show that they are accepting of certain matters while they do not
show any enmity towards the religion of Allah, even though the obligation is
(for this hatred) to be present in the heart against every polytheist (Mushrik),
until he purifies himself from his Shirk. But the present discussion is
concerning the open demonstration and the open declaration and the
announcing and the presentation. So these ones, and even the arrogant ones,

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and the oppressors (Thalimin), are all called to the obedience of Allah with
wisdom and kind admonition in the beginning. Then if they respond
(positively) then they are our brothers. We love them according to their level
of obedience (to Allah) and for them is what is for us (i.e. rights and
responsibilities) and upon them is what is upon us (i.e. the obligations and
rewards). But if they refuse, despite the clarity of the persuasive argument
(Al-Hujjah), and become arrogant and continue in that which they are upon
from the falsehood and the Shirk, and they stand among the ranks, which
regard the religion of Allah in enmity, then there is no making things
pleasant with them nor is there any cozying-up to them. Rather, it is
obligatory to openly show and demonstrate the disavowal (Bara'ah) from
them at that time.

And we must differentiate here, between being zealous for the guidance of
the polytheists (Mushrikin) and the disbelievers (Kuffar) and securing
supporters of the religion (Din) while being lenient in the conveying with
wisdom and the good admonitions and (on the other hand) between the
matter of the love and hatred and the allegiance and abhorrence (Mu 'Mat) for
the religion of Allah, because many of the people mix between them. So they
become confused by many of the texts, such as: "O Allah, guide my people
because verily, they do not know," and the likes of that.

And Ibrahim had disavowal (Bara'ah) from the closest of the people to him
(i.e. his father) when it became clear to him that he would persist upon his
Shirk and his disbelief (Kufr). He, the Most High, said:

But when it became clear to him [Ibrahim] that he (his father) is an enemy
to Allah, he dissociated himself from him. 102

That was after he called him with wisdom and good admonition as you find
him addressing him with the words:

102 At-Tawbah, 114.

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"O my father! Verily! There has come to me of knowledge..." 103

"O my father! Verily! I fear lest a torment from the Most Beneficent (Allah)
overtake you..." 104

And likewise, was Musa towards Pharaoh after Allah sent him to him. And
he said:

"And speak to him mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear
Allah." 105

So he started with him with lenient words, responding to the command of
Allah, so he said:

"Would you purify yourself (from the sin of disbelief by becoming a
believer) and that I guide you to your Lord, so you should fear Him?" 106

And he presented to him the proofs (Aydt) and the clarifications and then
when Pharaoh openly showed his inner disbelief (Takthib), and stubbornness
and his persistence upon falsehood, Musa said to him, as He, the Most High,
informed us:

"Verily, you know that these signs have been sent down by none but the
Lord of the heavens and the earth as clear (evidences i.e. proofs of Allah's

103 Mariyam, 43.

104 Mariyam, 45.

105 Ta-Ha, 44.

106 Trans. Note: An-Nazi'at, 18-19.

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Oneness and His Omnipotence, etc.). And I think you are, indeed, O
Fir'awn (Pharaoh) doomed to destruction (away from all good)!" 107

Rather, he would supplicate against them, saying:

"Our Lord! You have indeed bestowed on Fir'awn (Pharaoh) and his chiefs
splendor and wealth in the life of this world, our Lord! That they may lead
men astray from Your Path. Our Lord! Destroy their wealth, and harden
their hearts, so that they will not believe until they see the painful
torment." 108

So those who continue to utter the texts of gentleness and leniency and ease,
in absolute terms, while they (even) hold them (i.e. the texts) upon that which
they were not meant to be held upon, and put them in other than their places;
they must pause at this issue for a lengthy period and contemplate this and
understand this with a good understanding, if they are sincere.

And it should be well-known to them, after that, that whoever has been
addressed in different ways and most of them were by means of gentleness
and leniency whether it came from the path of letters and books, or directly
and in (face-to-face) meetings, by many of the callers (Du'at). And it has been
made clear to them that ruling with other than what Allah revealed is
disbelief (Kufr) and he has been made aware that it is not permissible to rule
according to other than the Shari'ah of Allah. Yet despite that, he persists and
becomes arrogant, even if in several events, he is (seen) laughing in the faces
of the poor with his empty, lying promises and his frail, false arguments. And
the tongue of his (true) condition judges his words to be lies. And that is by
his approval and remaining silent upon the increase of the disbelief (Kufr)
and the mischief in the countries, and in the slaves, day after day. And (also
by) his restricting the callers (Du'at) and the believers, and by his constricting

107 Al-Isra', 102.

108 Yunus, 88.

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those who perform the good, and his surveillance of them by means of the
departments of his intelligence staff and his police. Yet at the same time he
opens up (his country) to every combatant (Muharib) towards the religion of
Allah, and makes available for the enemies of Allah, the means of mischief
and corruption, even to the extent of offering them the paths of (the
country's) mainstream media for their mischief (Fasdd) and their atheism,
while putting forth laws and charters, which punish whoever criticizes his
modern, fabricated, Yasiq 109 of Shirk or openly declaring the disbelief (Takfir)
and the disavowal (Bard'ah) from him, or insulting him or clarifying his
falsehood to the people. And (also) his continuing in the preservation of
himself as ruler, who judges between the slaves in (matters of) blood and
wealth and private parts (i.e. marriage etc.), despite the fact that he is full of
open disbelief (Kufr) along with his failure to submit to the legislation of
Allah while ruling according to it, while he knows the obligation to do so and
after being requested with that by those who do good. So the likes of this one;
it is not allowed to cozy-up to him or to refrain from being hostile towards
him or making him (appear) good or honoring him with titles or to greet him
during celebrations and events, or to openly show allegiance to him or to his
government. Rather, nothing should be said to him except like what Ibrahim,
and those who were with him, said to their people: "Verily, we are free from
you and from your constitutions and your laws of Shirk and your government
of Kufr. We have rejected you, and it has become openly seen between us and

109 Trans. Note: Referring to Al-Yasiq of the Tartars, which was a book used by them as a
constitution for judgments and legislations. Al-Hafith, Ibn Kathir, may Allah be merciful to
him, said, "And likewise, what the Tartars rule in, according to the kingdom-oriented politics
that have been taken from their king, Gen gh is Khan, who fabricated for them 'Al-Yasicf ,
which is a phrase that refers to a book assembled from rulings he took from several
legislations from those of the Jews and the Christians and the Islamic religion (Millah) and
other han them. And in it are also several rulings, which he took from his own views and
desires. So it became a followed legislation amongst his descendants (lit. sons), which they
put ahead of the ruling (Hukm) of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger |>% %d§ ! Bn>i>. So
whoever does that, then he is a disbeliever (Kafir) whose fighting is obligatory (Wajib) until
he returns to the ruling (Hukm) of Allah and His Messenger such that he does not rule by
other than it neither a little nor a lot." - [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 2/93-94; publication of Dar Al-
Fayha, Damascus and Dar As-Salam, Riyadh, 2 nd Edition, 1418 H.]

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you, hostility and hatred forever, until you return to Allah and submit and
follow His law alone."

And included in this also, is the warning of entering into their allegiance and
from entering into their obedience and feeling relieved or protected by them
and going into their transports and increasing their ranks by being employed
in that which assists them upon their falsehood and affirms their
governments and preserves or implements their false laws, such as the army
and the police and the intelligence services and other than that.

And the stance of the predecessors (Salaf) with the leaders of their time -
those about whom it would not be correct in any circumstances to compare
them with this Taghut and the likes of him - were firm, clear, pure stances.
And where is the stance of many of the people of the Da'wah in our time
compared to them? Despite their fame and the applause of their followers for
them, despite the fact that those predecessors (Salaf) did not graduate from
the "Faculties of Political Sciences and Rights" and they did not used to read
the stench-filled newspapers or magazines, with the argument of knowing
the plots of the enemies, but despite that, they used to flee from the Sultans
and their gates. And the Sultans would seek them out and attempt to
persuade them with wealth and other things. However, those who attribute
themselves to them (i.e. the Salaf), from those whom Shaytan has played with
their religion, seek for their worldly life (Dunya) to be good by the destruction
of their religion. So they come and seek the entrances of the Sultan and the
Sultan humiliates them and turns away from them while the predecessors
(Salaf), may the pleasure of Allah be upon them, used to prevent the entering
upon the leaders of tyranny; even those who wanted to order them with the
good and forbid them with the evil, due to fear that they might fall into
tribulation (Fitnah) because of them. (Therefore, they feared) that they might
cozy-up to them or make them appear good, due to their generosity or that
they might remain silent upon some of their falsehood or approve of it. And
they used to see that being far removed from them and being secluded from
them was the best disavowal (Bara'ah) and objection upon their
circumstances.

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And listen to Sufyan Ath-Thawri, as he wrote to 'Ubad ibn x Ubad. So he said,
in his letter: "Safeguard yourself from the leaders as to avoid coming close to
them or mixing with them in anything. And safeguard yourself from it being
suggested to you that you should intercede (with them) in order to assist
someone who has been wronged or to prevent a wrongdoing, because that is
from the deception of Iblis. And verily, only the wicked reciters [Qura' (i.e.
scholars)] took this as a ladder." no

So look at Sufyan, may Allah, the Most High, be merciful to him, while he is
calling what the callers (Du'at) of today describe as the benefits of the Da'wah,
as "...the deception of Iblis." And he did not say to his companion, as many
of the callers (Du'at) of this time do, who waste their lives in seeking the
benefits of the Da'wah and supporting the religion through its enemies and
those who wage war against it, "No, O my brother! Affirm your presence and
draw near to them in hopes that you might receive a position or a chair in the
council of ministers or the council of the nation. And hopefully, you can
lessen the oppression (Th ulm) or benefit your brothers. And do not leave that
position because of the disobedient ones or the wicked people, in order to
take full advantage of it. And... and..." Rather, he described that as being a
ladder of this worldly life (Dunya) with the wicked recitors. And if that was in
his time, so then, what about in our time? We ask Allah to be kept from that
and we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of the people of our time and the
evil of their deceptions. And may Allah be merciful to the one who said:

People whom you see appointed In it, there is misery and every
to a council; disbelief (Kufr) nearby.

What's worse, in it is the law of Without any text that came in
the Christian's ruling the Qur'an.

Woe unto you from a group The love of disputation and the
who consumed bribery of the Sultan.

1 From Siyar A'lam An-Nubala', Vol. 13/586; and Jami' Bayan Al-'Ilmi wa Fadlih, Vol. 1/179.

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• And here is Shaykh Al-Islam, Muhammad ibn v Abdul-Wahhab, often
repeating what which came from Sufyan Ath-Thawri from his statement:
"Whoever sits with a person of innovation (Bid'ah), then he is not free
from one of three things:

Either he will be a tribulation (Fitnah) for other than him, by his sitting
with him - and it has been narrated in the Hadith, 'Whoever begins a
good tradition in Islam, then he has its reward and the reward of those
who act upon it after him without that decreasing anything from their
reward. And whoever begins an evil tradition in Islam, then he has its
burden and the burden of those who act upon it after him without that
decreasing anything from their burden.' m

In his heart would fall something from the making good (Istihsan) so it
will cause him to stumble. So Allah will enter him into the Fire, due to
that.

He will say, 'By Allah, I do not care what you say and verily, I am sure
of myself.' So whoever feels safe from Allah regarding his religion,
even the blink of an eye, then Allah will remove it from him." 112

So if these are their sayings concerning sitting with the people of innovation
(Bid'ah) - even if their innovation is not what causes disbelief (Mukaffirah) - as
it is known from their various statements in various places, so how about
sitting with the apostates from the worshippers of the laws and others
besides them, from the polytheists (Mushrikiri)? And contemplate his
statement in the third (point): ".. .verily, I am sure of myself." And how many
of the callers (Du'at) of our time have fallen, due to this (over confidence) and
the likes of it? So be aware, (again) be aware.

And in any case, Allah, the Most High, has declared all of these crooked
paths, about which their people dream that there is victory for the religion
behind them, as false. So He, the Mighty, the Most High, clarified that there is
neither victory to be anticipated, nor any benefit for the religion whatsoever

111 Narrated by Muslim.

112 From Ad-Durar A-Saniyyah and elsewhere.

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in becoming close to the wrongdoers. As He, glory be to Him, said in Surat
Hud, which caused the Prophet f£§4|£ ! ee>f> to age 113 :

And incline not toward those who do wrong, lest the Fire should touch
you, and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor would you then be
helped. 114

So after this, there can be no cozying-up to crooked paths, nor victory for the
religion of Allah, nor any benefit, even if those who are tricked become
fooled. O Allah, unless being touched by the fire is a benefit for the Da 'wah, to
them. So awaken from your sleep and do not be tricked by every caller and
crier.

• And the interpreters (Mufassinn) have stated about His, the Most High's,
saying: "And incline not toward...' "The going towards is the slightest of
leaning towards."

• And Abu "Aliyah said, "Do not incline towards them by love or even
lenient words."

• And Sufyan Ath-Thawri said, "Whoever acquires for them even an ink
stand or sharpens for them a pencil or hands them a (piece) of paper; then
he is entered into that (threat from the above verse)."

113 Trans. Note: The event of Surat Hud causing the Messenger of Allah iB^djSj! SB>v to age, is
related in the Hadith narrated by At-Tirmithi from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with
him, that Abu Bakr said to the Messenger of Allah, "O Messenger of Allah, verily your hair
has turned grey!" To which the Prophet |»"£ §g^ ! a?"?) replied, "The Surahs Hud, Al-Waqi'ah,
Al-Mursalat, 'Amma Yatasaloon [An-Naba r \, Ithash-Shamsu Kuwwirat [At-Takwir] have turned
my hair grey." Shaykh Al-Albani, may Allah be merciful to him said, "It is Sahih upon he
conditions of Al-Bukhari," in Silsilat al-Ahadith As-Sahjhah, #995 and Sahih in Sahih Sunan At-
Tirmithi, #2627. And in another narration, "Soorah Hiid and its sisters..." which Shaykh Al-
Albani classified as Sahih in Sahih Al-Jami\ #3,720.

114 Hud, 113.

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The Shaykh, Hamad ibn 'Atiq, said, "So He, glory be to Him, warned with
a threat to those who incline to His enemies, of being touched by the fire,
even if it is with lenient words."

And the Shaykh, 'Abdul-Latif ibn v Abdur-Rahman - and he was from the
Imams of the Salafi Da 'wah of Najd - also said, after mentioning some of
the aforementioned statements of the interpreters (Mufassinn) in the
meaning of "inclination" (he said): "And that is because the sin of Shirk is
the greatest sin that Allah has ever been disobeyed in, (according to) its
various levels. So how about if something that is worse than it, such as
mocking the verses of Allah and removing His laws and His commands
and labeling that which contradicts it as 'justice', is added to that? And
Allah knows, as well as the Messenger and the believers, that this is the
disbelief (Kufr) and the ignorance and the misguidance. And whoever has
the smallest amount of self-respect or even a small trace of life in his heart,
then he would develop a sense of protectiveness (Ghirah) for Allah and
His Messenger and His Book and His religion and make his objections
firm and his disavowal (Bara'ah) towards each and every one of their
gatherings. And this is from the Jihad, without which, the Jihad against the
enemy cannot take place. So take the opportunities to openly demonstrate
the religion of Allah and reminding (people) about it while degrading
those who oppose it and having disavowal (Bara'ah) from it (i.e. Shirk) and
its people. And contemplate the means, which lead to this greatest of
harms, and contemplate the texts of the Legislator (i.e. Allah) in cutting
off the means and causes (to it). And most of the people - even if someone
has disavowal (Bara'ah) from it (i.e. Shirk) and its people - he might be
from the soldiers of those who have formed allegiance to them and are
friendly with them and rising to their defense. And Allah is the One,
Whom we seek help from." 115 How great was he? It is as if he was
speaking about our time.

115 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 161.

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• And the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn x Abdul-Wahhab said, "So Allah, Allah,
O my brothers, 116 hold onto the basis of your religion and its origin and
its infrastructure and its head, the testimony (Shahadah) that there is
nothing worthy of worship except Allah. And know its meaning and love
it and love its people and make them your brothers, even if they are far
from you in lineage. And disbelieve in the Tawaghlt and take them as your
enemies and hate them and hate those who love them, or those who argue
for them, or those who do not declare their disbelief (Takfir) or says, 'I
have nothing to do with thim/ or those who say, 'Allah has not held me
responsible regarding them,' because this one (i.e. whoever says this) has
lied upon Allah and lied a clear sin. (This is) because Allah has made
every Muslim responsible to hate the disbelievers (Kuffar) and made it
compulsory (Fardh) upon him to take of them as enemies, as well as
taking them as enemies and declaring their disbelief (Takfir), and having
disavowal (Bara'ah) from them, even if they are their fathers or their sons
or their brothers. So Allah, Allah, hold onto that in hopes that you will
meet your Lord while not associating anything with Him." 117

• Take Notice:

And know, after that, that there is no contradiction between acting upon the
Millah of Ibrahim and taking the precautions in secrecy and concealing the
hostilities used to give victory to the religion. And the sum of our words does
not reject this great precaution, which the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! 3t& used to take.
And the evidence upon that from his biographical accounts (Sirah) is more
than can be counted. However, what is to be said is: "This secrecy is to be put
in its proper place and this is the secrecy of (operational military) planning
and preparation. As for the Millah of Ibrahim and the disbelief in the Tawaghlt
and their methodologies and their false deities, then all of this does not enter
into the secrecy." Rather, this is from the openness of the Da'wah so it must be
openly declared from the outset of the path, as we have clarified earlier. And

116 Trans. Note: "So Allah, Allah, O my brothers..." An expression to emphasize the
importance of the admonition to follow, by invoking Allah's name in order to call one's
attention to its magnitude.

117 From Majmu'at At-Tawhid.

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upon that, the saying of the Prophet Muhammad f£c»d§£! ea>Sb is held: "There
will not cease to be a group from my nation (Ummah) openly upon the truth."
- The Hadith. 118 As for concealing it and hiding it, due to cozying-up to the
Tawaghit and entering into their ranks and being promoted in their positions;
then it is not of our Prophet, Muhammad l»% §jd§ ! 30>Sb, rather is is from the

guidance and secrecy of the people of the Earthly institutions, about whom it
is obligatory (Wajib) to say to them also:

"To you be your religion, and to me my religion." 119

And the summary of this matter is: Secrecy in the (Operational Military)
Preparation and Planning; Openness in the Da 'wah and the Conveyance.

• And we only mention this because many of the people - whether they are
from the unstable people or from those who did not understand the
Da'wah of the Prophets with a correct understanding - they say, due to
their ignorance, "This path that you call to exposes us and openly shows
our planning and makes the end of our Da'wah and its fruits come
quickly."

So it is said to them firstly, "These claimed fruits will not ripen and their
goodness will not become apparent until the seedling is upon the
methodology of the Prophethood. And the (current) state of those
contemporary Da'wahs is the greatest evidence and supporting witness for
that, beyond the aforementioned Shan 'ah-based evidences from the Millah of
Ibrahim and the Da 'wah of the Prophets and Messengers, may the blessings of
Allah and His peace be upon them all. Because what we suffer from today is
the ignorance of the sons of the Muslims and the concealment of the truth
from them, along with the added falsehood and the uncertainty of the stance
concerning allegiance and disavowal (Al-Wala' wal-Bara'). Furthermore, this
resulted from the silence and the concealing of this truth by the scholars

us Narrated by Muslim and others.

119 Al-Kafirun, 6.

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('Ulama) and the callers (Du'at). And had they openly declared and
demonstrated it, and were tested because of it - as was the condition of the
Prophets - then it would have become apparent and clear to all of the people.
And the people of the truth would have distinguished themselves from the
people of falsehood. And Allah's Message would have been conveyed and
the deception, which is upon the people, would have been removed,
especially concerning the vital and hazardous matters of our time. And just
as it is said, "If the scholar ('Alim) speaks out of Tuqyah 120 yet the ignorant
one (is permitted to) speak with his ignorance, then when will the truth
become apparent?" And if the religion of Allah and His Tawhid, in actions
and in beliefs, is not shown to the people, then what fruits do those callers
(Du 'at) wait for and hope for?

Is it the "Islamic State"? Verily, the showing of the true Tawhid of Allah to the
people, and their removal from the darkness of the Shirk into the light of the
Tawhid, is the greatest goal and most important intention, even if the Da'wahs
are severely tormented and the callers (Du'at) are tested.

And will the religion of Allah ever be open except while (needing) defense
and with the trials?

And if Allah did not check one set of people by means of another, the earth
would indeed be full of mischief. 121

So with that, the rising up of the religion of Allah and the removal of the
people and safeguarding them from the Shirk, in its varying forms, will take
place. And this is the goal for which the trials are endured upon, and
doorstep (upon which) the sacrifices are slaughtered. And the Islamic State is

120 Trans. Note: Tuqyah refers to the practice of acting or speaking in a way as to trick or fool
the observer into understanding something different regarding his external condition than
what really exists internally. Al-Hafith, Ibn Hajar, may Allah be merciful to him, said, "The
Tuqyah is to be careful from demonstrating what lies inside oneself from beliefs and other
things to anyone else." [FathAl-Bari, Vol. 12/314].

121 Al-Baqarah, 251.

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nothing more than a means from the (various) means of attaining this
greatest of goals. And in the 'Event of the People of the Trenches', there is a
lesson for those with intellect, as that truthful boy caller (Da'i) neither
established a state nor any authority, however what he did was openly show
the Tawhid of Allah in the greatest of open displays. 122 And he gave victory
to the religion with a supportive victory, while attaining the Martyrdom
(Shahadah). And what value is there in life beyond that (i.e. showing the
Tawhid and attaining Martyrdom) and of what consequence are the killing

122 Trans. Note: The 'Event of the People of the Trenches' is often also called the 'Story of the
Boy and the King', which is referred to in Surat Al-Buruj, about which, Muslim narrated from
Hammad ibn Salamah: "...then the boy was brought...' meaning to the King, "...and it was
said to him, 'Turn back from your religion.' But he refused so he (i.e. the King) presented him
to some of his companions and said to them, 'Go to mountain so-and-so with him and climb
the mountain and when you reach its peak and he turns back from his religion, (let him live)
otherwise, throw him off. So they accompanied him and climbed the mountain with him and
he said, 'O Allah, protect me by whatever you will.' So the mountain trembled and they fell
off and he came walking to the King. So the King said to him, 'What did your companions
do?' He said, 'Allah protected me from them.' So he (i.e. the King) gave him to a group of his
companions and said to them, 'Accompany him and carry in boat and travel to the middle of
the sea. Then if he turns back from his religion, (let him live) otherwise, throw him in. So he
said, 'O Allah, protect me by whatever you will.' So the ship capsized and they drowned and
he came walking to the King. So the King said to him, 'Allah protected me from them.' Then
he (i.e. the boy) said to him, 'You will not be able to kill me until you do what I order you to
do.' He said, 'And what is that?' He said, 'You must join all the people on an upland plain
and crucify me to a tri trunk. Then take an arrow from my quiver and place the arrow in
center of the bow and then say, 'In the Name of Allah, the Lord of the boy,' and then shoot
me. And verily, if you do that, you will kill me. So he joined all the people on an upland plain
and crucified him to a tree trunk and then he took an arrow from his quiver. The he placed it
in the bow and said, 'In the Name of Allah, the Lord of the boy,' and then he shot him and
the arrow pierced his temporal region of his skull. So the boy put his hand over the spot
where the arrow pierced and then he died. So the people said, 'We have believed in the Lord
of the boy! We have believed in the Lord of the boy! We have believed in the Lord of the
boy!' So the king was approached and it was said to him, 'You know what you were afraid
of? I swear by Allah that that which you were afraid of has befallen you. The people have
believed.' So he ordered for trenches to be dug out of the mouths of hills. Then fires were lit
(in them) and he said, 'Whoever does not return from their religion (i.e. Islam), I will throw
him in it or he will be commanded, 'Jump in it!' So they did that (i.e. jumped in) until a
woman came and she had with her a boy and she was afraid to enter it. So the boy said to
her, 'O mother, be patient because verily, you are upon the truth!"

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and the burning and the torture, if the caller wins with this greatest of
victories, regardless of whether or not there is a state? And even if the
believers are burned and trenches are dug for them, then verily, they are
victors because (in doing so) the word of Allah has become supreme and the
highest. And in addition to that, the Martyrdom (Sh ahadah) becomes their
path and the Paradise becomes their abode, so hold that as a virtue... (Again)
hold that as a virtue.

• And with this, you come to realize that the saying of those ignorant ones,
"This path ends the Da'wah and makes the end of its fruits come faster," is
ignorance and spreading lies, because this Da 'wah is the religion of Allah,
which Allah, the Mighty, the Majestic, has promised to make dominant
above all other religions, even if the polytheists (Mushrikun) hate that.
And that will surely take place without doubt. And the victory of the
religion of Allah and its rising is not tied in to the personalities of those
unstable ones, such that it would depart if they depart, or be destroyed if
they are destroyed or if they turn away. He, the Most High, said:

And if you turn away (from Islam and the obedience of Allah), He will
exchange you for some other people, and they will not be your likes. 123

And He said:

O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion
(Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love
Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers,
fighting in the Way of Allah, and never afraid of the blame of the blamers.
That is the Grace of Allah, which He bestows on whom He wills. And
Allah is Ail-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower. 124

123 Muhammad, 38.

124 Al-Ma'idah, 54.

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And He, Glory be to Him, said:

And whosoever turns away, then Allah is Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy
of all praise. 125

And these were the Da'wahs of the Messengers and the Prophets and their
followers, which are the best supportive witness throughout the passages of
time, and they were the people who underwent the most severe trials and
tests. Yet those trials did not affect the light of their Da 'wahs, rather it did not
increase them except in exposure (to the people) and fame and penetrating
the hearts of the people amongst their ranks. And it remains here, until this
time, and it has not ceased to be a light, which guides those who are upon the
path of Da'wah to Allah. And this is the truth about which there is no dispute.

• Then despite all of that, another issue must be understood at this point.
And it is that this making known by openly showing the enmity and
disavowal (Bara'ah) from the stubborn disbelievers (Kuffar) and openly
showing disbelief in their deities and their various types of falsehood, in
each era, even if it is the (very) basis of the circumstances of the Muslim
caller, which is the description of the Prophets and the straight, clear path
of their Da'wah and that these Da'wahs will never succeed, and its
intentions and its status will never be correct, nor will the religion of
Allah be apparent, nor will the people know the truth except by adhering
to it and following it. Despite that, it is to be said that if an assembly from
the people of truth were to openly make it known, then it (i.e. the
obligation) would fall off of the rest, and the weak ones from them even
more so. And that this would be making it known. As far as it, in-and-of-
itself; it is obligatory (Wajib) upon each and every Muslim, in any era and
in every place, because - as it has passed - it is from La ilaha HAllah,
without which, the Islam of an individual cannot be correct. But as far as
discarding and throwing away the making it known absolutely, with the

i 25 Al-Hadeed, 24.

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responsibilities of the Da'wahs, despite the fact that it is a basic
fundamental from the Da'wahs of the Prophets, then this is a strange,
innovated matter, which is not from the religion of Islam whatsoever.
Rather, this entered those callers (Du'at), who invite with other than the
guidance of the Prophet V% § d§ ! a?fc because of their blind following
(Taqlid) and their mimicking of their Earthly parties and their paths,
which take the path of the Tuqyah, in every condition and without being
concerned with cozying-up to (the rulers) nor are they uncomfortable
with Hypocrisy (Nifaq).

• And this exception of ours did not emerge due to desire or intellectual
strategies. Rather, (we raise this point) due to the many Shari'ah-based
texts. And the one who contemplates the biographical accounts (Sirah) of
the Prophet f£§d^ ! 3?Sb, in his time of weakness, will have that clarified

to him. And look - by way of example and not for the purpose of
limitation - to the story of the Islam of x Amr ibn "Abasah As-Sulami within
Sahih Muslim. And the point of testimony (i.e. evidence) from it is his
saying: "I said, 'Verily, I am your follower." He said, "Verily, you will not
be able to do so, on this day of yours. Have you not seen my condition
and the condition of the people? Instead, return to your home and then if
you hear that I have become dominant, then come to (i.e. join) me." - The
Hadith. An-Nawawi said, "Its meaning is: 'I said to him: 'I am your
follower upon openly showing Islam here and my taking up residence
with you.' So he said, 'You are unable to do so, due to the weakness of the
force (Shawkah) of the Muslims. And we fear the harm of the disbelievers
of Quraysh against you. But you have attained your reward so remain
upon your Islam and return to your people and continue upon your Islam,
in your area, until you know that I have emerged, and then come to
me..." So this is one whom the Prophet [>%§<$£ ! ix?i> gave permission to
not openly and apparently show his religion, because the religion of Allah
and the Da 'wah of the Prophet l»% §jd§ ! soft had become famous, known

and apparent in that time. And that is indicated by his saying within the
same Hadith, "Have you not seen my condition and the condition of the
people?"

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And also the story of the Islam of Abi Thar in Al-Bukhari; and the place of
testimony (i.e. evidence) from that is his 1% §jd§ ! 3t& saying to him, "O Aba
Thar, conceal this issue and return to your city. Then, if you hear about us
emerging, come forward." - The Hadith. Yet despite that, Abu Thar made
known, between the backs of the disbelievers (i.e. among them), his following
of the guidance of the Prophet l»%§j$£ ! etflb and his path in that. And despite
their beating him until he almost died, as it is related in the Hadith, and
despite his repeatedly making it (i.e. his Islam) known, the Prophet §jd§ ! astt
l»%did not object to his action and he did not let him down, nor did he say, as
the callers (Du'at) in our time say, "With your action you will expose the
Da'wah and spread a tribulation (Fitnah) and you will harm the benefit of the
Da'wah," or "You have set the Da'wah back one hundred years..." And how
could it be for him to utter such a thing, while he was the leader of all the
people and the best example for them, upon this path, until the Day of
Resurrection? So the concealment of some of the weak people in following
the Da'wah is one thing, and the apparentness and openly declaring the
religion is yet another thing. And the Da 'wah of the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! as% was

apparent, known and famous and everyone knows that its basis (Asl) and its
axis is the disbelief in the Tawaghit of that time with the Tawhid in all forms of
worship to Allah, the Mighty, the Majestic, to the point where it was warned
about (by its enemies) and war was waged against it by many different
means. And did his weak followers need to hide or to emigrate and suffer
what they received from harm and exhaustion except due to the clarity of the
Da'wah and the fame of its basis? And if they had even a small amount of the
cozying-up (to the opposition) as the people in our time have, then none of
that would have happened to them whatsoever.

• And with your understanding of this point, another important benefit
becomes clear to you, which is the permissibility of deceiving the
disbelievers and some of the Muslims hiding amongst their ranks, during
the confrontations and the fighting, as long as the religion (Din) is
apparent and the basis (Asl) of the Da'wah is famous. So in these
conditions it is correct to use as testimony (i.e. evidence), the event of the

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killing of Ka x b ibn Al-Ashraf and the likes of it. 126 However, as for many
of the callers (Du'at) wasting their lives in the armies of the Tawaghit,
being allied (to them) and cozying-up to (them), they live and die while at
their service and at the service of their vile institutions with the argument
of (preserving) the Da'wah and giving victory to the religion (Din). So they
deceive the people in their religion and they bury the Tawhid. So these
paths are in the West while the Da 'wah of the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! ea^Sb and
his guidance are in the furthest of the East.

It has become Easterly and you And what a difference between
have become Westerly an Easterly and a Westerly.

So the Millah of Ibrahim, therefore, is the correct path of the Da 'wah by which
there is the leaving of the loved ones and the cutting of the necks. As for other
than it, from the paths and the twisted methodologies and the astray, crooked
routes, by which those who traverse them wish to establish the religion of
Allah without losing their centers and their positions and while avoiding
angering the people of the authority (Sultan) or losing the castles and the
women and the pleasure of one's family and houses and homelands, then
they are not from the Millah of Ibrahim whatsoever, even if the people of
these Da'wahs claim that they are upon the methodologies of the predecessors
(Salaf) and upon the Da'wah of the Prophets and Messengers. So by Allah, we

126 Trans. Note: The killing of KaT> ibn Al-Ashraf was narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim,
with different phrasings of each narration, from labir ibn 'Abdullah, who said, "The
Messenger of Allah iK^djSj! a?D said, "Who would kill KaT> ibn Al-Ashraf as he has harmed
Allah and His Messenger?' Muhammad ibn Maslamah (got up and) said, T will kill him.' So,
Muhammad ibn Maslamah went to KaT> and said, T want a loan of one or two Wasqs (i.e.
measurement of quantity) of food grains.' KaT> said, 'Mortgage your women to me.'
Muhammad ibn Maslamah said, 'How can we mortgage our women, and you are the most
handsome among the Arabs?' He said, 'Then mortgage your sons to me.' Muhammad said,
'How can we mortgage our sons, as the people will abuse them for being mortgaged for one
or two Wasqs of food grains? It is shameful for us. Rather, we will mortgage our arms to you.'
So, Muhammad ibn Maslamah promised him that he would come to him next time. They
(Muhammad ibn Maslamah and his companions) came to him as promised and killed him.
Then they went to the Prophet and told him about it." [ - From one of the phrasings of Al-
Bukhari] .

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have seen them, we have seen them, (i.e. again and again) and how they
smile in the faces of the hypocrites (Munafiqin) and the oppressors (Thalimin);
even the disbelievers (Kuffdr) who oppose Allah and His Messenger, not
making Da'wah to them while hoping for their guidance. Rather, they sit with
them in order to cozy-up to them and approve their falsehood and offer them
their applause while standing up to honor them with reverence. And they
address them by their titles such as "His Majesty" (Sahib Al-Jalalah) and "His
Greatness, the King" (Al-Malik Al-Mu'atham) and "The Guardian of the
Presidency" (Ar-Ra'is Al-Mu' ammiri) and "His Highness" (Sahib As-Sumu'),
and even "Imam of the Muslims" (Imam Al-Muslimin) and "Chief of the
Believers" (Amir Al-Mu' minin), despite the fact that they are (the very
manifestation) of war against Islam (itself) and the Muslims. 127

127 An Important Benefit, Which Exposes the Government Scholars:

Know, may Allah excuse you and ourselves from the deception of the deceivers, that what
many of the ignorant do; even if they are labeled as "The Mashayikh (Shaykhs)" while
covering themselves with the Salafiyyah from the labeling many of the Tughat of our time
with the title of "Amir Al-Mu'minin" or "Imam Al-Muslimin" , verily they take the path of the
Khawarij and the Mu 'tazilah in not considering the condition of Qurashiyyah (belonging to the
tribe of Quraysh) in the Imam. Review for that Sahih Al-Bukhari: The Book of Judgments -
Chapter: The Leaders are from Quraysh" and other than that from the books of the Sunnah
and Jurisprudence (Fiqli) and the rulings of Sultaniyyah (Sultanship), as it is a known issue,
which you should not encounter any difficulties in reviewing. And Al-Hafith, Ibn Hajar
narrated in Al-Fat'h from Al-Qadhi Tyad, his statement: "The condition of the Imam being a
Qurashi is the school of though (Mathhab) of all of the scholars ( y Ulama) and they have
included it in the matters of consensus (Ijma') and nothing is narrated from any of the
predecessors (Salaf) in contradiction to that. And likewise, all of those who came after them
in all of the townships.' He said, 'And there is no consideration for the saying of the Khawarij
and those who complied with them from the Mu' tazilah." (Vol. 31/91)

Then I noticed that the Shaykh, 'Abdullah Aba Bitin, who was from the scholars of the
Da'wah of Najd, making a refutation upon some of those who oppose and object to the
labeling of the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn x Abdul-Wahhab and x Abdul-Aziz ibn Sa v ud
with the title of "Al-Imam" while neither of them were Qurashis. He said, "And
Muhammad ibn x Abdul-Wahhab, may Allah be merciful to him, did not claim the
leadership (Imamah) of the Ummah. Rather, he was only a scholar who called for the
guidance and fought upon it. And he was not labeled in his lifetime with 'Al-Imam' nor
was * Abdul-Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Sa\id. Neither of them were labeled with 'Al-
Imam' . Rather, it only occurred from those who took authority after their death." [Look to

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Yes, by Allah, we have seen them. He would leave and return selling his
religion for less than the wing of a mosquito. He is called a believer and he
studies the Tawhid and maybe he even teaches it. Then he takes an oath to
honor the constitution with its laws of disbelief and he bears witness to the
virtue of the fabricated laws and he increases the ranks of the oppressors
(Th alimiri) and must greet them with a cheerful face and a pleasant tongue,
despite the fact that they pass over the verses of Allah in the evening and the
daytime, which forbid them from inclining towards the oppressors (Thalimiri)
or obeying them and being pleased with some of their falsehood, as they read
these verses, such as His, the Most High's, statement:

And incline not toward those who do wrong, lest the Fire should touch
you... 128

And His, the Mighty, the Majestic' s statement:

Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 240] So look to this devout Imam and how
he freed himself from that and objected to that, despite the fact that those mentioned
were from the callers (Du'at) of the guidance. And (consider) the stubbornness of the
government Shaykhs in this time, who persist upon calling their Tawa gh. it " Al-Imam" , or
"Amir Al-Mu'minin" . So their tidings are that they are upon the path of the Khaioarij; the
very same description, which they constantly accuse the students of knowledge with and
the callers (Dm 'at) of truth with, who oppose their 1awagh.it.

And they accused them out of Are more deserving of, to repel from

transgression with what the accusers himself the criminal deed.

He accuses the innocent with the And for that, they confuse the
crime that he committed as a lie. ignorant ones.

And all of this concerns the condition of the Qurashiyyah so how about adding to that, the

absence of justice and knowledge and wisdom and other than that from the conditions of

leadership (Imamah)? And how about if the Islam and the faith (Iman) are absent? How (then),

how?

I 28 Hud, 113.

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And it has already been revealed to you in the Book (this Qur'an) that
when you hear the Verses of Allah being denied and mocked at, then sit
not wondition of the two
Shaykhs (i.e. Al-Bukhari and Muslim) #939.]

146 Trans. Note: Another logical point that shows the incompatibility of the description of this
Hadith with those who incline towards the oppressors (Thalimin), is the description of harm.
It might be easy to mix with the people, but if no harm results form this, due to the ease of
compromise from the caller (Da'z) with the desires of those whom he claims to call, then how
could he attribute himself to the description of the aforementioned Hadith?

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acceptance of deeds, which is "The Following." 147 And what harm is to be
faced by those who do not openly show their enmity towards the people of
transgression (Fisq) and the wickedness and the disobedience, while he does
not even openly declare his disavowal (Bara'ah) from their manifestations of
Shirk and their crooked paths? Furthermore, he even sits amongst them
approving of their falsehood, while smiling in their faces while their faces (i.e.
those who sit with them) do not so much as change color (i.e. frown) or even
becoming angry for Allah's sake for even the blink of any eye, while they
violate the sanctities of Allah, with the argument of the leniency and the
wisdom (in the Da'wah) and the good admonition and to avoid causing the
people to flee from the religion. And they use 'the benefit of the Da'wah',
while destroying the religion knot-by-knot (i.e. piece-by-piece) with the axes
of their innovated leniency and wisdom.

And the Shaykh, x Abdul-Latif ibn x Abdur-Rahman, said in one of his essays,
while speaking about openly making the religion known while commanding
the good and forbidding the evil, "And leaving that due to cozying-up and
good treatment and the likes of this, which some of the ignorant do, is a
greater harm and more sinful than to leave it (i.e. commanding the good and
forbidding the evil) out of ignorance. This is because this group (i.e. those
who cozy-up) saw that achieving the livelihood could not occur without that.
So they opposed the Messengers and those who came after them and they left
out from their path and their methodology (Manhaj), because they perceived
that the wise thing to do would be to please the people according to their
various statuses. And so they treated them peacefully and they sought to
attain their love and benevolence. And this, despite the fact that there is no

147 Trans. Note: The agreed upon conditions for any deed to be accepted is that it firstly must
be dedicated solely for the pleasure of Allah, alone. And the second condition is that the deed
must be in accordance to the Sunnah of His Messenger le^djSj! 3t?v; hence "The Following".
In his interpretation (Tafsir) of the verse: So whoever hopes for the miting with his Lord, let
him work righteousness and associate none as a partner with his Lord... [Al-Kahf, 110] Al-
Hafith, Ibn Kathir said, "This is what is meant by seeking the pleasure of Allah alone with no
associate or partner. These are the two basic features of acceptable deed: their intent is for the
sake of Allah alone, and they are done in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger of
Allah [,%§(& \ afbr [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 3/147; publication of Dar Al-Fayha, Damascus
and Dar As-Salam, Riyadh, 2 nd Edition, 1418 H.]

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(valid) path to it, is a prioritization of the portion of the self and the (personal)
pleasantries. And it is making peace with the people and abandoning the
enmity for Allah's sake, and enduring the harm for its (i.e. the Daw'ahs) sake.
And this, in reality, is the destruction in the Hereafter. So he has not tasted
the taste of faith {Jmdn); he who has not formed allegiance to Allah and to
enmity for His sake. And the intelligence - all of the intelligence - is what
leads to the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger. And this can only occur
with the spiting of the enemies of Allah and prioritizing His pleasure, while
becoming furious when His sanctities are violated. And the anger comes from
the liveliness of the heart and its protective instincts {Gh irah) and its
glorification (of Allah). But if there is no life or protective instincts (Ghirah) or
glorification (of Allah) or anger and disgust (for Allah's sake), and if it does
not differentiate between the vile and the good, in terms of his interactions
and his allegiances and his enmities, then what goodness would remain in
the heart of such a person?" 148

And you see some of them laughing at their followers of young men while
they wage war against their isolating themselves in absolute terms, and
rejecting the affirmed texts concerning that, 149 while reciting the poetry of Ibn
Al-Mubarak, may Allah, the Most High, be merciful to him, when he sent to
Al-Fudhayl, saying:

148 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 35.

149 Trans. Note: Such as what was narrated by Al-Bukhari from Abu Sa^id Al-Khudri, may
Allah be pleased with him that the Messenger of Allah life %<Sg ! asV said, "Soon there will
come a time when the best wealth a Muslim will have will be sheep which he will take to the
mountaintops and places where rain falls, fliing for the sake of his religious commitment
from tribulation." And Muslim also narrated from him (i.e. Abu Sa^id) that a man came to the
Prophet life %<S5 ! 3IJv and said, "Which of the people is best?" He said, "A man who strives
in ]ihad for the sake of Allah with his wealth and his self." He asked, "Then who?" He said,
"A believer in a mountain pass who worships Allah and leaves the people alone." In their
explanation of these Hadiths, An-Nawawi said, "This does not mean the mountain pass itself,
rather what is referred to is being alone and isolating oneself. A mountain pass is mentioned
as a metaphor because it is usually devoid of people." [Shark Sahih Muslim, Vol.13/ 34] and
Al-Hafith, Ibn Hajar said, "This report indicates that isolation is preferable in the case of one
who fears for his religious commitment." [FathAl-Bari, Vol. 13/42].

MillatIbrahTm

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O worshipper of the Two Sacred Then you would know that you
Mosques, if you saw us are but playing in worship.

Whosoever stains his neck with Then our collars are smeared
tears with our blood. - to the end.

And if the worshipper of the Two Sacred Mosques (Al-Haramayn) had seen
them (i.e. those who use this poetry today) and saw their crooked Da'wahs,
then perhaps he would reply, " Al-Hamdulilah, to the One who excused me
from that which He has tried you with and He made me virtuous in merit,
over many of those Whom He created." And I say: What a great difference
between these Da'wahs of yours and your paths, and between the Jihad of Ibn
Al-Mubarak and those righteous ones who participated in the warfare.
Furthermore, perhaps if Ibn Al-Mubarak saw these Da 'wahs of theirs, then he
would have sent to Al-Fudhayl saying:

O worshipper of the Two Sacred You would be grateful due to
Mosques, if you saw them your being away in worship.

Whosoever does not call with Then he is the ignorant one who
the guidance of his Prophet plays with his religion.

Chapter: [The Responsibilities in Adhering to the Millah of

Ibrahim]

Yes, verily the Millah of Ibrahim holds one accountable for much. But in that,
is tied the victory of Allah and the huge success. And with it, the people are
differentiated into groups; the group of faith (Iman) and the group of disbelief
(Kufr) and transgressions (Fusuq) and disobedience ('Usyari). And with it, the
allies of The Most Merciful (Ar-Rahman) become distinguished from the allies
of the Satan (Ash-Shay tan). Such was the Da'wah of the Prophets and the
Messengers. They did not have these sick conditions, which we live with
today from everything being all mixed up between the righteous with the

MillatIbrahTm

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unrighteous or the cozying-up to or the sitting of the bearded people along
with the people of transgression (Fisq) and wickedness (Fujur) and their
honoring them and holding them above or ahead of the people of
righteousness (Birr) and piety (Taqwa), despite the fact that those people
openly show hatred and enmity towards the religion by several different
means. Rather, their Da'wahs were clear disavowal {Bard' ah) from their people
who turned away from the legislation of Allah with open enmity towards
their false deities, not compromising nor cozying-up nor making things nice
in the conveyance of the legislation of Allah.

• So listen to Nuh, from the depths of time, wherein he addressed his
people, (while he was) alone, not fearing their authority, nor their
transgression as he said:

"O my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayat
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah is hard
on you, then I put my trust in Allah. So devise your plot, you and your
partners, and let not your plot be in doubt for you. Then pass your sentence
on me and give me no respite." 150

And would a man who cozied-up to his people say the likes of this? It is just
like Sayyid Qutb, may Allah be merciful to him said, "This was a clear
motivating challenge, which the speaker would not utter, except while he had
his hands full of strength and while having complete faith in his
preparedness, to the point where he could battle his enemy on his own, such
that he might dare them with these challenging words to attack him. So what
was behind Nuh from strength and preparedness...? He had Allah with him
and Allah is sufficient as a guide and a supporter. And Allah, the Most High,
had ordered his Prophet, Muhammad l»% § 4§fc ! a?Sb to recite this to his

1 50 Yunus, 71.

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people, as He said: And recite to them the news of Nuh. When he said to his
people: 151

• And look to Hud l»% § d§£ ! a?fc in the beginning of these verses as he

confronted his people who were from the most severe people in terms of
their strength and the fiercest of them in attacking. He confronted them
while alone, yet with the firmness of the mountains, or even more sternly.
Listen to him, while he openly declares his disavowal (Bara'ah) clearly and
plainly from their manifestations of Shirk and making them hear his
eternal words:

He said: "I call Allah to witness and bear you witness that I am free from
that which you ascribe as partners in worship with Him (Allah). So plot
against me, all of you, and give me no respite." 152

He said this to them, while he was but one man, "Plot against me with your
numbers (of men) and your army and your deities of falsehood."

"Verily, my Lord is on the Straight Path (the truth)." 153

And to those who parrot many of the words of Sayyid, may Allah, the Most
High, be merciful to him, while at the same time, they are enthusiastic - or
worse yet, they even race one another to beg the Tawaghit who turn away
from the legislation of Allah - so that they would rule with the legislation in a
few of the matters, or so that they might issue them the permission to make
Da'wah unto Allah or so that they might attain a seat in the councils of Shirk
and transgressions (Fusuq) and disobedience ('Usyari). To them, we mention
the words of Sayyid, concerning these verses as he said, "Verily, it is an
uprising of disavowal (Bara'ah) towards the people, while he was from them

151 Yunus, 71.

152 Hud, 55.

153 Hud, 56.

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and was their brother. And it was an uprising for fear of remaining amongst
them while they had taken other than the path of Allah as a path. And it was
an uprising of separation between the two groups, which shall never join,
while making Allah, his Lord, to be a witness of his disavowal (Bara'ah)
towards his astray people and his withdrawal from them along with his
separation from them. And he made them to be witnesses upon his disavowal
(Bara'ah) towards them, right to their faces so that they would not have any
doubt within themselves, concerning his fleeing (from them) and his fear of
remaining with them!"

"And verily, someone might be astonished by a man who confronts those
people who trust in their false gods with this trust. So he makes their beliefs
(appear) vulgar and he chastises them upon that and then he stirs their
hostility by opposing them. He did not seek any delay as to prepare, as they
had prepared. And he did not leave them to linger as to soothe their fury.
Verily, the people of the Da'wah unto Allah, in every region and era, are in
need of standing for a lengthy period in front of this brilliant 'stance'. One
man; no one believed with him, except a small amount, facing the most
violent of the Earth's people and the richest of the people of the Earth and the
most advanced people of the Earth, materially at that time, as they were the
aggressive tyrants (Jabbarun), who use to attack without mercy, along with
those whom (Allah's) favors had made them arrogant, along with those who
had established the production mills, while hoping for eternally extended
lives. Verily, it was the faith (Iman) and the trust and the assurance; the faith
(Iman) in Allah and the trust in His promise and the assurance in His victory:
"I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving
(living) creature but He has grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the
Straight Path (the truth)." 154 And those mistaken, stubborn people of his;
verily they were from the creatures whose Lord held grasp of their forelocks
and it is He who controls them by His Might and his Power. So why should
he (i.e. Hud) fear these creatures and how should he receive them, while they
were powerless, having no control, except by the permission of his Lord?

154 Hud, 56.

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And why should he remain amongst them while their (i.e. the believer's) path
was different than their (the disbeliever's) path?" 155

Likewise, were the conditions of the Messengers, may the Blessings of Allah
and His Peace be upon them, with their stubborn people. And likewise was
their Da 'wah; a constant struggle against falsehood and clarity in the Da 'wah
and openly declaring the enmity and the disavowal while their Da'wahs did
not know any cozying-up to, nor being pleased with, any of the falsehood or
meeting it in the middle of the path (i.e. compromising).

So the enmity of the people of truth towards the falsehood and its people and
their separating themselves from them is a very old matter, which Allah has
made obligatory (Wajib) since the time He sent Adam |»% %d§£ ! etfib down to
Earth. And Allah willed it within the devine decree (Qadr) and legislation
(Shara') so that His allies would be differentiated from His enemies and His
party from (the object of) His war and the vile from the good and so that He
would take martyrs (Sh ahada) from the believers, just as He, the Majestic,
Most High, said:

"Get down, one of you an enemy to the other..." 156

And upon this, the entire caravan of Messengers passed and this was their
religion as you have come to know. He, the Most High, said:

And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies - Shayatin (devils)
among mankind and Jinns... 157

And He, Glory be to Him, said:

155 Summarized from Ath-Thilal.

156 Al-A'raf, 24.

157 Al-An 'am, 112.

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Thus have We made for every Prophet an enemy among the Mujrimun
(disbelievers, polytheists, criminals, etc.). 158

So from them are those whom Allah informed us concerning their stories
about them with their enemies and from them were those whom He did not
inform us concerning their stories. And this is supported by the Hadith of Abi
Hurayrah, which is agreed upon, that the Prophet l»% §d£ ! 33^ said, "The
Prophets are all the children of 'Mat." And that refers to the second wife in a
plural marriage, which is taken from the Jk ('AM), which is the second sip
taken after the first. Or it is like if the husband has taken a second sip ('Al)
from her after he was satisfied by the other. And the children of Aldt are the
children of co-wives from one man, which supports the fact that the Prophets;
the foundation of their religion and their Da'wah and their path is one, while
that which extends from it may differ. 159

• And likewise was the Seal of the Prophets and the Messengers, may the
Blessings of Allah and His Peace be upon him. And he is the one who has
been described as "...a divider between the people." 160 And in a
narration, "...he has divided between the people." So he responded to the
command of Allah, the Most High, in following the Millah of Ibrahim, d$£

yfEsji as he neither remained silent upon the Shirk and its people nor did

he cozy-up to them nor did he make things nice for them or other than
that. Rather, in Makkah, despite the small quantity of his followers and
their weakness, he would openly declare his disavowal (Bara'ah) towards
the disbelievers and their false deities. And he would declare them to be
vulgar and he would say, as Allah, the Most High, commanded him to,
while having disavowal towards the Shirk and while clearly declaring the
disbelief of its people along with their disavowal from his religion and the
disavowal of his religion towards them:

158 Al-Furqan, 31.

159 Trans. Note: See the explanation of An-Nawawi in the Introduction
wo Narrated in Al-Bukhari.

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Say: "O Al-Kafirun, I worship not that which you worship. Nor will you
worship that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which you are
worshipping. Nor will you worship that which I worship. To you be your
religion, and to me my religion.

161

And he would openly declare to them that he is firm upon his path, while
being disavowed from those who oppose it, and that he is from the believers
who are enemies to both themselves and their religion:

Say: "O you mankind! If you are in doubt as to my religion (Islam), then
(know that) I will never worship those whom you worship, besides Allah.
But I worship Allah Who causes you to die, I am commanded to be one of
the believers." 162

And He, the Most High, addressed him saying:

And if they belie you, say: "For me are my deeds and for you are your
deeds! You are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what you do!"

163

And He, Glory be to Him, taught the believers to say:

...Allah is our Lord and your Lord. For us our deeds and for you your
deeds. 164

161 Al-Kafirun, 1-6.

162 Yunus, 104.

163 Trans. Note: Yunus, 41.

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It has come in the authentic Hadith that the Messenger of Allah "rf> V%§dfe ! a

said to one of his companions "Read: Say: 'O Al-Kafirun... (Al-Kafirun, 1-6)
then go to sleep upon its seal (i.e. at its end) because it is a disavowal (Bara'ah)
from the Shirk." 165

And it has come in Risalat Asbab Najat As-Su'ul Min As-Sayf Al-Maslul that
which summarizes as follows: "Verily, the word of sincerity (Ikhlas), 'La ilaha
UAllah ', was restricted with mighty restrictions. So the Imam of those who
were Hamf^Sb V%§dfel a[i.e. free from Shirk (this refers to Ibrahim)] was not

sufficed by its uttering alone nor was the love and the allegiance fulfilled for
him - while he was the Imam of those who loved - until it was (accompanied)
with enmity. Just as He, the Most High, informed us about him: He said: 'Do
you observe that which you have been worshipping; you and your ancient
fathers? Verily! They are enemies to me, save the Lord of the 'Alamin
(mankind, Jinns and all that exists)/ 166 And this is the meaning of the
saying 'La ilaha UAllah', just as He, the Most High said: And (remember)
when Ibrahim said to his father and his people: 'Verily, I am innocent of
what you worship, except Him Who did create me, and verily, He will
guide me/ And he made it a Word lasting among his offspring, that they
may turn back (i.e. to repent to Allah). 167 Therefore, the Imam of those who
are Hanif (i.e. Ibrahim) "»Sb 1% §jd§ ! apassed it on to his followers and the
Prophets inherited it amongst each other. Then when our Prophet,
Muhammad L>%§jd$ ! SB>f> was sent, Allah ordered him to declare it just as our

father, Ibrahim, declared it. So Allah, the Powerful, the Mighty, revealed it in
an entire chapter (Surah), which is Surat Al-Kafirun." 168

164 Ash-Shurah, 15.

165 Narrated by Abu Dawud and others [Trans. Note: Shaykh Al-Albani, may Allah be
merciful to him, classified it Sahih in Sahih Sunan Abt Dawud, #4,027; Sahih Sunnan At-Tirmitht,
#2,709, with a longer phrasing; and Sahih Al-]ami\ #1,161. And he classified an alternate
narration of the same Hadith as Hasan also in Sahih Al-Jami', #292 and as "Strong" in Mishkat
Al-Masdbih, #2,102].

166 Ash-Shu! ar ah, 77.

167 Az-Zukhraf, 28.

168 From Majmu'at At-Tawhid.

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And the Prophet l»% §jd§ ! et& made it known and openly declared it and he
did not hide it. And he, along with his companions (Sahabah), endured what
was put upon them from harm due to that and he did not cozy-up to them,
due to that. And how could it be for him to cozy-up to them (i.e. he would
never do such a thing)? Rather, he only used to affirm those believers and
remind them of the promise of Allah, the Most High, and His Paradise, and
with the stances of the people of firmness, from those who came before them,
such as His saying, "Patience, family of Yasir, because your promise is the
Paradise (Al-Jannah)." 169

And his statement to Khabbab, "A man, from those who came before you,
used to have a hole dug for him in the ground and he would be placed in it
and a saw would be brought and placed upon his head and he would be cut
in two, and he would be combed with iron combs, such that his flesh would
be removed from the bones, yet that would not deter him from his religion
(Din). By Allah, the Most High, this matter will be completed to the point
where a rider will travel from San'a' to Hadramawt without fearing anything
except Allah and the wolf upon his sheep. However, you are too hasty." 170

He would say this to his companions, while at the same time; he would say to
Quraysh, that which Allah, the Most High, commanded him:

169 Narrated by Al-Hakim and others [Trans. Note: Referring to the story of 'Ammai ibn
Yasir, whose family was tortured and harmed repeatedly. Some of the details of these
incidents are listed ahead.]

170 Narrated by Al-Bukhari and others. And likewise, he, may the blessings of Allah and His
peace be upon him, used to reassure his companions and always remind them with the
stories of the people of firmness, to the point where if one of them were tested with a severe
trial for Allah's sake, which he could not bear and he fell into what 'Ammar, may Allah be
pleased with him, fell into (to be explained later), then he would inform him regarding
Allah's pardon of that along His making a concession due to necessity (Rukhsah) in that. This
is unlike the condition of many of the callers (Du'af) in our time, who constantly repeat the
Hadiths of the concessions (Rukhsahs) and the compulsion or the necessities throughout their
entire lives, and in all of their days and their various locales, for every falsehood, while
increasing the numbers of the governments of Kufr and Shirk, without any real compulsion or
necessity whatsoever. So when will they openly show their religion?

MillatIbrahTm

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Say: "I am only a human being like you. It is inspired in me that your Ilah
is One Halt (Allah), therefore take the Straight Path to Him with obedience
to Him, and seek forgiveness of Him. And woe to Al-Mushrikun." 171

And these verses were from the Makkah-period. And He said:

Say: "Call your (so-called) partners (of Allah) and then plot against me, and
give me no respite! Verily, my Wall (Protector, Supporter) is Allah Who has
revealed the Book (the Qur'an), and He protects the righteous. And those
whom you call upon besides Him (Allah) cannot help you nor can they
help themselves." 172

And these verses were also from the Makkah-period.

And due to the fact that his Da'wah was this way, then the oppressors were
not pleased with him, for even a single day. Nor did they become accustomed
to him nor were their eyes cooled (i.e. relaxed) with his Da'wah. Rather, their
uprising took place and their revolt occurred. And how often did they
attempt to negotiate with him yet he stood up proud, seeing their falsehood
and their gatherings, in which they plotted against him. So he rose up due to
his enthusiasm for their (complete) guidance as opposed to meeting them
halfway (i.e. compromising) with their falsehood, or fearing a small amount
of that which they desired or loved of their falsehood. Rather, he used to say
to them, after that and forever, whatever his Lord commanded him to say:

Say to those who disbelieve: "You will be defeated and gathered together
to Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest." 173

171 Fusilat, 6.

172 Al-A'raf, 195-197.

173 Al-lmrdn, 12.

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And the Shaykh, "Abdur-Rahman ibn Hasan said, after mentioning some of
the stances of the companions of the Prophet f£§d§£ ! 30>f> in making known
(their religion) and standing firm, "So this was the condition of the
companions (Sahabah) of the Messenger of Allah 1% §dfe ! art and that which
they faced from the Mushrikin from severe harm. So where is this from the
condition of those who have fallen into tribulation (Fitnah), who rush to the
falsehood, and submerge themselves in it, while going forwards and
backwards, and loving, and cozying-up to, and inclining towards, and
glorifying, and praising it? So they most closely resemble what Allah, the
Most High, said: And if the enemy had entered from all sides (of the city),
and they had been exhorted to AlFitnah (tribulations, trials) they would
surely have committed it and would have hesitated thereupon but little. 174
We ask Allah, the Most High, to keep us firm upon the Islam and we seek
refuge from the tribulations, which lead astray, from what is apparent and
what is hidden. And it is well known that those who entered into Islam and
believed in the Prophet 1% %4& ! art concerning that which he came with; if

they did not have disavowal (Bara'ah) towards the Shirk and its people and
hatred of the Mushrikin due to their religion and their disgust with their gods,
then they (i.e. Quraysh) would not have openly attacked them with these
various types of harm." 175

• The Shaykh, Hamad ibn 'Atiq, said in his discussion regarding the chapter
(Surah) of "The Disavowal from the Shirk" (i.e. Al-Kafirun), "So Allah
commanded His Messenger |»% % dfe !a?Y) to say to the disbelievers
(paraphrasing), 'Your religion, which you are upon; I have disavowal
{Bara'ah) from it. And my religion, which I am upon; you have disavowal
{Bara'ah) from it.' And the intent was to clearly declare to them that they
were upon disbelief (Kufr) and that he had disavowal from them and from
their religion. So it is upon those who follow the Prophet l»% §jd§ ! art to

say that and he would not be openly showing his religion without that.
And for this (reason), when the companions (Sahabah) became aware of
that and the polytheists (Mushrikin) harmed them, he ordered them to

174 Al-Ahzab, 14.

175 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 124.

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perform the emigration (Al-Hijrah) to Abyssinia (Al-Habashah). And if he
were able to find for them any concession [(Rukhsah) i.e. reduction in the
strictness of this order], such as remaining silent upon the polytheists
(Mushrikin), then he would not have ordered them with the emigration to
that foreign land." 176

Here is a doubt (Shubhah), which is often repeated by those who do not
understand the Millah of Ibrahim ^tEddfe nor do they grasp what it includes;
such as the saying of many of the ignorant people, that the Millah of Ibrahim
is abrogated for us (i.e. our nation). And they use the idols, which were
around the Ka'bah that he l»%§d^! a?fc did not break, during his lengthy stay

in Makkah, during the time of weakness, as evidence for that (i.e. claimed
abrogation). And this has reached the point where I heard one of them - and
he is from the well-known Shaykhs (Mashayikh), whose books have filled the
bookstores - in a recorded lesson of his, arrogantly stating and claimed what
summarizes as, "Verily, the Messenger |»%§d^! SB>f> was the first one to turn

away from the Millah of Ibrahim, which you hope for, because he sat in
Makkah for thirteen years amongst those idols while not destroying them..."
So we say to him and the likes of him, "Verily, that which prevented you
from understanding the Millah of Ibrahim and knowing it, is the deflation of
your understanding and the restrictive nature of the horizons of your
intellect, by your restricting it (i.e. the Millah) to only breaking the idols and
your assumption that the Millah of Ibrahim, which we refer to, is derived
from, and would only be in the form of his (i.e. the Prophet's) 1% §jd§ ! snfib
action in attacking his people's idols by striking them with his (actual) right
(hand), causing them to crumble into pieces; all but the largest one, in hopes
that they would return to him(and blame that large idol). And when it was
not affirmed, with you, that the Messenger of Allah |»% §4§fc ! && did that
with the idols of his people, this entire Millah became abrogated for us,
according to your restricted views and that it does not apply to us in any
way. And from there, your claim necessitates (the same abrogation) from all
of what came from the aforementioned verses, such as the encouragement
upon following the Millah of Ibrahim and the warning against turning away

176 From SaM An-Najat Wal-Fikak, page 67.

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from it and the explanation of the Da'wah of Ibrahim |»%§j$£ ! 39% and those

who believed with him and their stance against their peoples and the stances
of the Prophets and others with their peoples. (Therefore) all of this would be
meaningless and redundant and of no use, nor would there be any benefit in
it and (accordingly) there would be no benefit from it being in the Book of
Allah. Glory be to You, our Lord. This is a great lie! And may Allah be
merciful to Ibn Al-Qayyim, as he said:

Whoever has this amount as the Then he should shield himself
limit of his knowledge with silence and concealment.

And may Allah, be far removed and high above being (described) without
purpose and from there being in His, the Majestic and Most High's, Book,
something which holds no benefit in its mentioning. And the likes of these
errors are not from the doubts (Sh ubuhat), which deserve a lengthy refutation
or explanation and they are nothing but contradictions in the minds of the
people, which stood between their understandings of this great Millah, with
its explanations. Especially while you have learned from what has passed, the
Millah of Ibrahim, and what it includes and what is intended by it. And that it
is the (very) foundation of Islam and the meaning of 'La ilaha ilAllah' and that
therein, is what this phrase encompasses from the negation and the
affirmation. And they are the disavowal (Bara'ah) from the Shirk and its
people, while openly showing enmity towards them with the sincerity in the
worship of Allah alone, and the allegiance to His supporters (Awliya'). And
you have learned that this is the basis of the religion. Therefore it is decisive
legislation and even if every scholar ( 'Alim) or ignorant one (Jahil) from all the
places (of the world) were to unite, then they could not refute it at all with
any argument. And we have clarified for you that Allah, the Most High,
mentioned for us, the condition of Ibrahim [>%§<$£ ! a?\i and those who were

with him from the believers with their people and how they had disavowal
from them while openly showing enmity and hatred towards them and that
He, Glory be to Him, said immediately prior to mentioning this stance of
theirs:

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Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those
with him... 177

And He, Glory be to Him, also said after that:

Certainly, there has been in them an excellent example for you to follow,
for those who look forward to (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day.

178

Then He, Glory be to Him, said - and focus upon what He said:

And whosoever turns away, then verily, Allah is Rich (Free of all wants),
Worthy of all Praise. 179

And you have also learned that this is the basis of the Millah of Ibrahim,
which we refer to and which we call to and we see most of the Earth's
population having defects in it. And you have learned that this is the path
wherein lies the victory for Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, and the making
of His religion to be supreme while belittling the Shirk and its people. And if
the issue were like that, (i.e. he actually meant what his statement implied)
then the refutation upon this path would be that this Shaykh corrects his
aforementioned statement by saying, "Verily, the Prophet l»% § $& ! QT^Sb

remained for thirteen years in Makkah amongst those idols and he did not
have disavowal from them, nor did he openly show his disbelief in them nor
the enmity towards them." It would be said to him after that, "Consider
yourself a Christian or a Jew or a Zoroastrian or whatever you wish. As for
the religion of Islam, then say to it, /x Alayk As-Salam (i.e. good-bye)."

177 Al-Mumtahinah, 4.

178 Al-Mumtahinah, 6.

179 Al-Mumtahinah, 6.

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And we say: As for the real belittling and its manifestation such as what
Ibrahim did, it is authentic from the Prophet 1% § 4§fc ! a?Sb that he did
something of that (i.e. breaking the idols) when he was able to and capable of,
while the disbelievers (Kuffdr) of Quraysh were unaware. And I am not
referring to after the conquest (Path), rather in Makkah, during the time of
weakness, as narrated by Al-Imam, Ahmad and Abu YaTa and Al-Bazzar,
with a Hasan chain from x Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him
who said, "The Prophet l»% §jdB£ ! ixfb and I went out until we came to the
Ka 'bah. So the Messenger of Allah |»% § dfe ! a?fc said to me, 'Sit/ and he
climbed upon my shoulders. So I began to lift him up, but he perceived a
weakness from me. So he got down and the Prophet of Allah f£§j$^! ikffa sat

for me and said, 'Climb upon my shoulders.' He (i.e. 'Ali) said, 'So I climbed
upon his shoulders.' He (i.e. x Ali) said, 'So he stood up with me.' He (i.e. v Ali)
said, 'So it seemed to me that if I wished, I could have reached the horizon of
the sky, until I climbed upon the house (i.e. Ka'bah) upon which, were copper
or brass statues. So I would engage it on its right and its left and in front and
behind it, until I was in control of it. The Messenger of Allah said to me,
'Now throw it!' So I threw it and it shattered like a broken bottle. Then I got
down and the Messenger of Allah and I left, racing until we would hide
amongst the houses, due to the fear that someone from the people would
discover us."

And Al-Haythami made a chapter for it in Mujmi' Az-Zawa'id: "Chapter - His
l»% §jd§ ! a?Ws Breaking of the Idols." And he mentioned in the narration,
"Upon the Ka 'bah were idols so I went to lift the Messenger of Allah §d§£ ! ap%
l»%but I was unable to. So he lifted me, them I began breaking them." And in
a narration he added, "Then afterwards they were no longer placed on top,"
meaning any of those idols." He said, "All of the men of them are
trustworthy." And Abu Ja'far At-Tabari mentioned it in Tahthib Al-Athar and
he discussed some of the juristic (Fiqhi) benefits from it. 180

180 Look to page 236 - 243 from the Musnad of \Ali therein.

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And for this (reason), we are never uncomfortable from the saying that this
also is asked from us in the condition of ability during times of weakness and
other than it, whether that idol is a statue or a grave or a Taghut or an
institution or other than that, according to their various different forms (of
idolatry), in every time and place. And I mean by that, the Jihad and the
fighting, as that is the highest level of openly showing the enmity and hatred
towards the enemies of Allah.

Yet despite that, we say that even if we were to concede, for the sake of
argument, that the smashing of the idols in Makkah, during the period of
weakness was not authentic from the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! aofc, then he, may the

blessings of Allah and His peace be upon him, would still have been a
follower of the Millah of Ibrahim with the utmost following, adhering to it
with strength, as he did not, for a single moment, cozy-up to the disbelievers
(Kuffdr), nor did he remain silent upon their falsehood, nor upon their gods.
Rather, his entire focus and efforts in those (first) thirteen years -
furthermore, even during other than these (years), was:

"Worship Allah, and avoid the Taghut." 181

So the fact that he sat amongst them for thirteen years, does not mean that he
praised or commended them or took some kind of oath upon respecting
them, as is done by many of the ignorant ones, who attribute themselves to
the Da'wah, towards the modern Yasiq of this era (i.e. the constitution of the
apostate governments). Rather, he used to declare his open enmity and
disavowal towards the polytheists (Mushrikin) and their deeds and show his
disbelief in their gods, despite his weakness and the weakness of his
companions. And we have explained this for you in what has passed. And
when you consider the Makkah-period of the Qur'dn, much of this will
become clear to you. From it, for instance, His, the Most High's statement in
describing the condition of His Prophet l»% §jd§ ! a?\i in Makkah towards the
disbelievers:

An-Nahl, 36.

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And when those who disbelieve see you, they take you not except for
mockery (saying): "Is this the one who talks (badly) about your gods?"
While they disbelieve at the mention of the Most Beneficent (Allah). 182

Ibn Kathir said, "They meant, 'Is this the one who swears at your gods and
ridicules your intelligence?' to other than that."

And also herein, for you, is what came in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, as well
as others, with an authentic chain, concerning his f£§4& ! doSb's description

and his condition in Makkah during the time of weakness. Contemplate it
and understand it and look how the disbelievers (Kuffdr) described our
Prophet as swearing at their gods and ridiculing their intelligence. And
observe them well as they surrounded him, alone by himself, and they forced
his acknowledgment of what he said, by saying to him, "Are you the one
who says such-and-such and such-and-such?" So he would reply to them
without any cozying-up to, or terror, or fear, or apprehension; rather with full
stability and firmness and clarity, "Yes, I am the one who says that."

'Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, "Narrated to me, my father, that

Ya'qub said, 'My father told us from Ibn Is'haq, who said Yahya ibn 'Urwah

ibn Az-Zubayr told me from his father from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr al-'As, who

said:

What is the worst act of enmity that the Quraysh had done against the

Messenger of Allah |»% %d§£ ! £»%?" He replied, "I went to Al-Hijr one day,

and their dignitaries were there talking about the Messenger of Allah ! EO>f>

So they said, "We never tolerated a man like the way we did Muhammad...
He has mocked our elders, cursed our forefathers, criticized our religion,
divided our community, and attacked our gods! We indeed have been very
patient with him regarding a grave matter."

: Al-Anbiya', 36.

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While they were at that state, the Messenger of Allah 1% § e^ ! a?% came

walking to Ar-Rukn. Then he went around the Ka'bah (making Tawdf three
times). When he passed by them, they started to mock him by repeating some
of his (own) sayings. I looked at the Prophet and could see the anger in his
face. And when he passed by them the second time, they mocked him again,
and I saw the anger in his face (once more)- then he walked (away). Then
when he passed by them for the third time and they had mocked him again -
the Prophet lT£§d&! aVfc replied:

"O people of Quraysh! Hear this: By Him in Whose Hand is the soul of
Muhammad- I have come to you, to slaughter you."

His words struck them so severely, that there wasn't any man from amongst
them, except it was as if there was a bird falling upon his head (i.e. they were
shocked, terrorized, and dumbfounded) - such that even the one who was
the most wickedly harsh against the Prophet before this, was saying the most
kind and tender words he could think of; such that even one of them said, "O
Abul-Qasim (Muhammad): Go! Go, O righteous one! Indeed, By Allah, you
are not ignorant!" So the Messenger of Allah left.

The next day, they gathered together to meet at Al-Hijr and I was with them.
They asked each other, "Do you remember what he said to you, and what
you said to him? To such a degree, that he manifested to you that which you
hate, yet you let him go!" So when they were in this state, the Messenger
showed up again. So they all immediately surrounded him, and interrogated,
"Are you the one who is mocking our gods and our religion?" The Prophet
replied, "Yes. I am the one who says these things."

I saw one of them (beginning to) pull the garment of the Prophet, but Abu
Bakr jumped and stood between them and him. While crying, Abu Bakr said,
"Would you kill a man because he says: My Lord is Allah" ? [Ghafir: 28]
Upon that, they left him. This was the worst thing I saw from the Quraysh
against the Prophet l%§*$! »%" 183

183 #7,036 from Al-Musnad with the verification (Tahqtq) of Ahmad Shakir, who said, "Its
chain is Sahih." And it is as he said.

Trans. Note: Refer to Al-Musnad (11/203). Ahmad Shakir also mentioned that it is narrated
by Ibn Hajar Al-Haythami in Mujma' Az-Zawa'id (6/15-16), and was pointed to by Ibn Hajar
Al-'Asqalani in Al-Fat'h (7/128), and Ibn Kathir mentioned that it was narrated by Al-
Bayhaqi in At-Tarikh (3/46).

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And in another narration, also within Al-Musnad, 184 that the Prophet 4& ! SB^b
l»%§was praying at the Ka'bah at the second instance when 'Uqbah ibn Abi
Mu'it came and grabbed the shoulder of the Prophet l»% § d§ ! a?% and
twisted his cloak (Thawb) around his throat and strangled him with a severe
strangling. So Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, came forward and
grabbed his shoulder and repelled him from the Messenger of Allah dfe ! sa>f>

l»%§saying, "Would you kill a man because he says, 'My Lord is Allah/ while
coming to you with clarifications from his Lord?"

So contemplate the condition of the Prophet V% §jd§ ! aP% whom the angels
described in Sahih Al-Bukhari (saying) that: "He 1% %jdB& ! a?fc divided the
people." Contemplate this condition of his, with the disbelievers (Kuffar) of
his time, and how it was open enmity to all those who were enemies of the
religion and a splitting of the path with clear disavowal (Bard' ah). And it was
nowhere near the improper conditions of the people of our time from the
inclination towards the people of falsehood from the people of the religion.
They cozy-up to them and they make things nice for them. Furthermore, they
even support them and give victory to them. And the issue is not considered
(by them to be) an issue of enmity and disavowal. Rather, (they considered it)
to be mutual cooperation and joining forces for the good of the nation and the
society, while they sit in their laps and they suckle from their milk. So Allah
is the One from Whom we seek help.

• The Shaykh, 'Abdur-Rahman ibn Hasan said, while discussing these types
of people, "They wallow in the hardship of tribulation (Fitnah) while their
hearts have become relaxed towards the people of oppression (Th ulm) and
wrongdoing. And they frequently visit them and approach them willingly
and voluntarily until they become affected by that which is in their hands
from the vanities of this worldly life (Dunya), both secretly and openly. So
where is the heart, which is calm with faith (Iman) if its claimant flows
with the desires of every field? So how much does this resemble the

Vol. 2/204.

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condition of this one and the likes of him, with the type who were
mentioned by the 'Allamah, Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah be merciful to him,
while they are the ones who have the fullest share of His, the Most High's,
statement: Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done (or
brought about), and love to be praised for what they have not done,-
think not you that they are rescued from the torment, and for them is a
painful torment. 185 They become pleased with that which they have from
innovation (Bid' ah) and astrayness, while they love to be praised for the
following the Sunnah and sincerity. And this is (found) often in those who
have strayed from the straight path, from those who are attributed to
knowledge and worship." 186

• And here is an issue wherein there could be some misunderstandings
from some people. And it is how the reconciliation would take place
between his l»%§jd$ ! aoWs making their gods and their religion (appear)

vulgar, as in this Hadith and others, and between His, the Most High's
statement:

And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides Allah, lest
they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge. 187

So we say, and with Allah is the successful achievement (Tawfiq), that all of
what we have mentioned in what has passed, from the explanation of the
Millah of Ibrahim, such as making their false gods (appear) disgusting and
making them (appear) vulgar while belittling their status; even if some call
this a swear, it is not (really) a swear in-and-of-itself. Rather, the basis of its
purpose it clarifying the Tawhid to the people. And that comes:

• By demonstrating the falsehood of the devout servitude (Uluhiyyah) to
these various, claimed lords, and the disbelief in them, while clarifying
their falseness to the creation. Like in His, the Most High's, statement:

1&5 Al-'Imran, 188.

186 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 127.

i 87 Al-An 'am, 108.

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Verily, those whom you call upon besides Allah are slaves like you. So call
upon them and let them answer you if you are truthful. Have they fit
wherewith they walk? Or have they hands wherewith they hold? Or have
they eyes wherewith they see? Or have they ears wherewith they hear? Say:
"Call your (so-called) partners (of Allah) and then plot against me, and give
me no respite! Verily, my Walt (Protector, Supporter, and Helper, etc.) is
Allah Who has revealed the Book (the Qur'an), and He protects (supports
and helps) the righteous. And those whom you call upon besides Him
(Allah) cannot help you nor can they help themselves." 188

And the saying of Ibrahim, tftEodfe

When he said to his father: "O my father! Why do you worship that which
hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything?" 189

And His, the Most High's, saying in Surat An-Najm:

Have you then considered Al-Lat, and Al-'Uzza And Manat, the other
third? Is it for you the males and for Him the females? That indeed is a
division most unfair! 190

And likewise is everything that came as a description of these gods, such as
clarifying that they are not deserving of worship, or labeling them as "At-

188 Al-A'raf, 194-197.

189 Mariyam, 42.

190 An-Najm, 19-22.

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Tdghut", or making their worship to be (referred to as) the obedience to the
Satan (Ash-Shaytan) and that they, and themselves, are from the fuel of the
Hell-Fire and other than that.

• And likewise is the establishment of this Tawhid in actions, by openly
showing the enmity and hatred towards them and the disavowal (Bara'ah)
from them and the disbelief in them, such as in His, the Most High's,
statement about Ibrahim:

_____ ,_..._,_,_,.__„_,_,. ■--— y

He said: "Do you observe that which you have been worshipping, you and
your ancient fathers? Verily, they are enemies to me, save the Lord of the
"Alatnin (all that exists)." 191

And His statement:

He said: "O my people, I am indeed free from all that you join as partners
in worship with Allah." 192

...And that which is encompassed by the Surah of disavowal from the Shirk
(i.e. Al-Kafirun), from meanings and other than that, which we have
previously mentioned. So none of that enters beneath a swear in-and-of-itself,
which was prohibited in the aforementioned verse, and about which, from its
very nature would agitate the enemy and would put him down and dishonor
him only, without any benefit or clarifications. So (this would lead) him to
swear (back) at Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, out of transgression and
ignorance, or maybe without any real intent (i.e. merely a reflex), especially
those who believe in His Lordship (Rububiyyah), such as the disbelievers of
Quraysh did. 193 And likewise is the situation regarding the slaves of the

191 Ash-Shu' arah, 75-77.

m Al-An'am,78.

193 Trans. Note: It must not be understood from the words of the Shaykh, here that he excuses

the swearing at Allah or His Messenger life %<Sg ! a_»u in cases where someone does so out of

ignorance or transgression or without full intent. Rather, there is no doubt that a man who

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swears at Allah, the Most High, or His Messenger ll5 § d$ ! a?u is guilty of the Major
Disbelief (Kufr Al-Akbar), which takes one outside the religion of Islam, regardless of his
motivation. And he has made this clear in his treatise on this very subject called As-Sarim Al-
Masliil Ala Shatim Ar-Rabb Aw Ad-Din Aw Ar-Rasiil, wherein he states, "Know that the one
who swears at Allah or the religion or the Messenger life %<S5 ! a?D is a disbeliever (Kafir)
apostate (Murtad), whether he does so jokingly or seriously, or whether he makes it lawful
(Halal) or if he says, 'I do not make this lawful (Halal),' or whether he does so in a state of
anger or calmness. And his blood and his wealth become lawful (Halal), whether he is from
those who attribute themselves to Islam, or if he is a Thimmi (non-Muslim paying tribute to
the Muslims to live in their lands) or Mu'ahid (someone with a treaty of non- hostility with the
Muslims) of male or female. . ." [page 2]

And Shaykh Al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah be merciful to him said, "Whoever swears at
Allah and His Messenger out of mocking, while not being forced and whoever utters words
of disbelief (Kufr) out of mocking, while not being forced and whoever makes fun of Allah
and his signs (Ayat) and His Messenger, then he is a disbeliever (Kafir) on his inside and his
outside. And those who say, 'The one such as this may be a believer in Allah on the inside
while merely a disbeliever (Kafir) in his outside,' - then surely he has uttered a saying of evil
mischief in the religion (DIn)\" [Majmii' Al-Fatawa, Vol. 7/556].

And ^Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, "My father (i.e. Imam Ahmad) was asked about a
man who said, 'O son of so-and-so...' (cursing at him, and adds) '...you, and whoever
created you!' My father said, 'He is an apostate (Murtad) from Islam.' I asked my father, 'Do
we cut his head off?' He said, 'Yes, we cut off his head." [Majmu' Al-Fatawa, Vol. 7/209].

So unlike the Murji'ah of today, who scramble to find excuses for those who swear at Allah,
out of ignorance, or anger, from being raised improperly by one's parents - which resulted
from their (i.e. the Murji'ah's) innovated principles of separating actions and statements from
beliefs, as they affect faith (Iman) - Ahl us-Sunnah wa'l-Jama'ah hold this action itself to be a
nullification of Islam.

As Shaykh Al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah said, "Verily, whoever swears at Allah or swears at His
Messenger has disbelieved on the outside and the inside, whether the one who swears
believes that is was unlawful (Haram) or he makes it permissible. And (this applies even if
he) does not believe in the (validity) of that swear. This is the school of thought (i.e. opinion)
of all the jurists and the rest of Ahl As-Sunnah; those who say, 'Faith (Iman) is statements and
actions." [Majmu' Al-Fatawa, Vol. 7/557].

But what Shaykh Abu Muhammad is referring to here are those people who swear at Allah as
a reflex action due to their taking offence to their false gods being insulted. And so although
this case does not excuse the action from the point of view of declaring his disbelief (Takfir),

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Yasiq, as the Millah of Ibrahim necessitates warning about their Yasiq and to
have enmity towards it and hate it and call the people to disbelieve in it, and
have disavowal (Bara'ah) towards it and towards its supporters (Awliya' ) and
its slaves who stubbornly persist in ruling with it, by mentioning its defects
and revealing its falseness and condemning its rulings and its clear clashing
against the religion of Allah, by its permitting of apostasy (Riddah) and
interest (Riba) and making the committing of indecencies (Fahishah) and
wickedness (Fujur) to be (committed) easily, by removing the penalties
(Hudud) of Allah, such as the penalty (Hadd) for illicit sex (Zina) or the slander
or the theft or the consumption of alcohol and the substitution of these
disbelieving, wicked laws in place of these great penalties (Hudud) and the
likes of that. And this (happens) frequently, so all of this (criticism) does not
enter into what has been prohibited, even if the slaves of the Yasiq and their
custodians call it a swear or "Extending the Tongue." 194 Rather, the
obligation - from what you have come to know in what has passed - is that
the callers (Du'at) should openly show it and make it known. As far as
swearing at them and at their rulers and their constitutions in-an-of-itself,

the Shaykh's point is that this man's retaliatory swear was simply motivated due to his
protective instincts (Ghirah) towards his gods, as opposed to outright hatred of Allah or His
Messenger L^^e^! a?"?).

194 Trans. Note: "Extending the Tongue" refers to the bogus crime, in most apostate
governments, of criticizing the ruler or his regime. And this term refers to those who openly
condemn the ruler in the form of speeches, interviews, articles, sermons or even political
dialogues. It is levied against the students of knowledge or scholars who declare the
misguidance, transgression or disbelief (Takfir) of the ruler, or even to his political opposition
who simply criticize him or his laws or domestic and foreign policies etc. It is for this crime
that the noble author, the Shaykh, Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, may Allah preserve him,
remains imprisoned in his Tordanian cell. And thus it becomes clear to the respected reader
that this author truly lives and adheres to the Millah of Ibrahim, yfE^gTOaid^ We ask Allah,
the Most High, to give victory to our scholars who prefer to dwell in the prisons of the
Tawaghit rather than to issue apologies to them or to incline towards them or to cozy-up to
them. And we are reminded by the words of the Prophet of Allah, Yusuf, ytEQ^gO&life

He said: "O my Lord! Prison is more to my liking than that to which they invite me.'

[Yusuf, 33]

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which would lead to a development (i.e. their swearing at Allah or His
Shan'ah etc.), then this is what was prohibited because of what results from
that such as these ignorant ones swearing at the one who swore, or at his
religion and his path, even if they falsely and dishonestly attribute
themselves to Islam, while bearing witness to the Lordship (Rububiyyah) of
Allah and while they may even single Him out in some of the types of
devoted servitude (Uluhiyyah), other than in the ruling (Hukm) and
legislation, as the interpreters (Mufassirun) said:

"...lest they insult Allah...

In other words, they will swear at the One who ordered this swear. 195 So that
would return back upon Allah, out of ignorance and hostility without
knowledge, just like a man could swear at the father of a man, so he would
swear back at his father, and perhaps they were even two brothers from the
same father. So the rage and the anger and the agitation alone, blinds the
enemy from thinking and contemplating and causes it to swear (itself)."
Muhammad Rashid Ridha said in his Tafsir, "The motivation upon the action
here is the desire to swear, which is intended to belittle the one sworn at,
because this one who swears doesn't focus his intent except towards
belittling the one whom he addressed with the swear." This is contrary to
penetrating the intellect. And the Da 'wah and using it, while addressing and
calling attention to the falseness of these gods and the fact that they can
neither hear nor can they see nor do they harm nor do they benefit nor do
they draw one nearer (to Allah) nor can they intercede or even help
themselves or their followers whatsoever. And contemplate the story of
Ibrahim with his people and how he turned their attention towards the
falseness of these claimed gods. And he consulted with them, not for the sake
of mere revolt or belittling them, but instead so that they would think and to
force their intellects to clash with that (i.e. the concept of their false gods).
And contemplate how he exposed that issue of theirs while they turned away
and opposed (his suggestion) and became confused. Therefore, at that point,
he firmly said to them:

1 Trans. Note: Look to Tafsir At-Taban.

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"Fie upon you, and upon that which you worship besides Allah! Have you
then no sense?" 1%

And if you contemplate the statement of 'Abdullah ibn x Amr, the narrator of
the aforementioned Hadith, when he mentioned the saying of Quraysh to the
Prophet l»% §jd§ ! Bt?Sb, "Are you the one who says such-and-such and such-
and-such?" He said, explaning that: Due to what reached them from him
such as making their gods (appear) disgusting. Then the shaming, according
to the Arabs; this is a swear or it is similar to a swear. And Ibn Taymiyyah,
may Allah, the Most High, be merciful to him, included this in his book
(beneath), "Benefit: Clarification of the Types of Swears" 197 and elsewhere.
However, in such a situation, this is not a swear in-and-of-itself, as you have
come to know, because the Prophet l»% §jd§ ! ap% had been establishing the
Da'wah of Tawhid, which Allah sent him with and with the Millah of Ibrahim,
which He, Glory be to Him, commanded him to follow. And all of this (i.e.
this very Da'wah to Tawhid) is a swear according to those polytheists
(Mushrikin). This is because it falsifies their religion and belittles their claimed
gods by removing the attributes of devoted servitude ('Uluhiyyah) from them,
which they had attributed to them. And this is the shaming of their gods,
which they mentioned. And likewise, the attributing of misguidance to their
fathers was not the starting of a development in-and-of-itself. Rather, it was
to make them avoid their blind following and to forbid them from their
following of them in their misguidance.

Al-Qasimi narrated in his Tafsir from Ar-Razi, his statement: "And in the
verse is a chastisement of those who call to the religion so that they do not
become preoccupied in that which contains no benefit as opposed to that
which is sought. This is because describing these idols as inanimate objects,
which can neither harm nor benefit attaining a goal, is sufficient to insult
their devoted servitude (Uluhiyyah). So there is no need, after that, to swear at

196 Al-Anbiya', 67.

197 As-Sarim Al-Maslul 'Ala Shatim Ar-Rasul, page 528.

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them." Yet at the same time, that does not please the disbelievers (Kuffar) nor
does it satisfy them, even if it is not a swear in-and-of-itself, because it is a
shattering of their gods and disbelief in them. And for this (reason) they
called it 'a swear', just as they called the description of their fathers with
astrayness, 'a swear'. As they said, "He has ridiculed our intelligence and
swore at our fathers and made our religion (appear) vulgar while dividing
our group and swearing at our gods."

The Shaykh, Muhammad ibn v Abdul-Wahhab said, within the second section
of the six sections, which he mentioned from the biographical accounts (Sirah)
of the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! aP%, that when he openly swore at the religion and

declared their knowledgeable ones to be ignorant; at that instance, they
'raised their cloak (Thawb) to him and his companions from the shin of
enmity' 198 and they said, 'He has ridiculed our intelligence and pointed out
the defects of our religion and swore at our gods.' And it is known that he T>f>
l»% § j$^ ! adid not swear at 'Isa or his mother, nor to the Angels nor the

righteous ones. But when he mentioned that they were not to be supplicated
to, and that they could neither benefit nor harm, they considered this to be a
swear."

And the summary of that is that all of this does not enter into the unrestricted
swearing, which Allah prohibited in the (aforementioned) verse, nor is this
what was intended by it, even if the disbeliever (Kafir) ends up swearing at
Allah or the religion out of aggression because of the likes of it. So because of
this, it is not for the Muslim to leave what Allah has obligated upon him such
as openly declaring the Tawhid and outwardly showing the religion, because
the swear in this case would not have come except for aggression, after being
fully informed, due to his mentioning the arguments and the clarification.
Otherwise, if we were to make judgments based upon that (i.e. offending the
disbelievers), then we would have to leave our entire religion and we would
have lowered ourselves due to the disbeliever's black eyes (i.e. their evil)
because all of it (i.e. the Da'wah) is based upon the basis of the faith (Imari) in

198 Trans. Note: 'Raised their cloak to him/ is an expression meaning: 'They thumbed their
noses..." etc.

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Allah and the disbelief in every Taghut. So beware, and form the analogy
between the modern-day Tawaghit, such as the constitutions and
methodologies and laws and rulers and other than that, and do not restrict
the meaning to the stone idols so as to cement something, which has not been
restricted.

• So this rule, therefore, would only be correct in the permitted matters and
the recommended matters, but not in the obligatory matters. So a single
obligation from the various religious obligations, such as clarifying the
Tawhid and making the religion of the polytheists (Mushrikin) to be false,
would not be left to cut off this path, as some may understand. And if we
opened it up to that, then we would lose the whole of our religion. And
for this (reason), Abu Bakr ibn Al-'Arabi said, "The Second Issue: This
indicates that it would be (fitting) that one who is justified in something,
may give up his right, if (taking that right) would cause some harm in the
religion. And in this (matter), there is a long pause (i.e. lengthy
investigation of the matter), which sums up to this: If the right is
obligatory, then it is to be taken in all cases. But if it is (merely) permitted,
then this would be said (i.e. that it may be left in case of harm) and Allah
knows best." 199

And Muhammad Rashid Ridha said, "And from them... That which was
narrated from Abi Mansur, who said, 'How is it that Allah, the Most High,
prohibited swearing at the one who deserves to be swore at, so that the One
who does not deserve it would not be sworn at, while He has ordered us to
fight them, and that if we fight them, they will certainly fight us back, which
would result in the believer being killed unjustly or (without) him having
committed any evil? And likewise, the Prophet l»% § &$£ ! a?\i ordered to

convey and to recite upon them, even if they disbelieve in it. So he responded
to that by saying that swearing at their gods is permitted but it not obligatory,
while fighting them is obligatory. And likewise is the conveyance and that
which is permitted can be prohibited due to that which results from it and
takes place due to it. But that which is compulsory (Fardh) will not be
prohibited due to what results from it."

1 Al-Ahkam Al-Qur'an, page 473.

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And with the likes of that, comes the refutation upon those who used as
evidence, what Al-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih, to falsify that which we
mentioned from the obligation of openly showing the religion, which is that
His, the Most High's, statement: And offer your Salat (prayer) neither aloud
nor in a low voice... 200 was revealed while the Messenger of Allah §d^! sa>f>
1% was concealing himself in Makkah. So if he raised his voice, the
polytheists (Mushrikin) would hear and therefore they would swear at the
Qur'dn, the One who revealed it and the one who came with it. And Allah,
the Most High, said: And offer your Salat (prayer) neither aloud nor in a
low voice... 201 Do not raise your voice in your prayer (Salat) so that the
Mushrikin will hear it, but do not lower it so that your companions will not
hear it. And seek a path in between that.

So the Da'wah to Allah was established and the religion of the Muslims
became apparent along with their Da'wah to cast away the idols. And this
became known to everyone in Makkah, along with their disavowal (Bard'ah)
from them. And since the clarity and openness of the issue was like that, then
leaving the loud recitation of the Qur'dn, in order to repel this harm, would
not extinguish the light of the Da 'wah and would not have had any negative
effects upon it whatsoever. This is because the Qur'dn had spread in every
place, despite the efforts of the polytheists (Mushrikin). And the Millah of
Ibrahim was openly declared to the point where everyone who openly
declared his Islam was labeled with 'the Sabian' 202 in other words, the
disbeliever in their religion and in their idols. And the issue was at the
pinnacle of clarity and there was neither ambiguity in it nor any

100 Al-Isra', 110.

201 Al-Isra', 110.

202 Trans. Note: Ibn Kathir, may Allah be merciful to him, mentioned the different opinions
regarding the Sabians and which of the scholars took these opinions, then he said: "And the
most apparently correct saying, and Allah knows best, is the saying of Mujahid and those
who followed him, and Wahb Ibn Munabbah; that they are not on the religion of the lews nor
the Christians nor the Majus nor the Mushrikin. Rather they are upon their Fitrah, and they
have no established religion which they follow and possess. And due to this, the Mushrikun
used to label those who entered into Islam as As-Sabi' (the Sabian), meaning, that he has left
all of the other religions of the People of the Earth at that." Tafstr Al-Qur'an Al-'Athim: 1/149

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misunderstandings. Furthermore, the fact that raising the voice during the
reciting of the prayer (Salat), so that other than those praying would hear it, is
not an obligation from the obligations of the prayer (anyway). So it is allowed
to leave it in order to close this path (i.e. the swearing of the Mushrikin). And
this is an implementation of the same aforementioned rule, which is limited
to the permissible matters and the recommended matters but not in the
obligatory matters. So this is not (considered) leaving an obligation. Rather, is
was sufficient for the Imam to allow those praying behind him to hear, which
is what Allah, the Most High, commanded His Messenger with in His
statement:

...nor in a low voice... 203

In other words, for (the benefit of) your companions.

• And there is another doubt (Shubhah), which some people may use as
evidence. And that is the sheltering of Abi Talib towards the Prophet 9%

l»%§jd$! 9 which Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, bestowed favors upon
him. As He said:

Did He not find you an orphan and gave you a refuge? 204

And likewise, the stories of safeguarding and security from the disbeliever
(Kafir) to the Muslim; and its examples are many. From that is what Al-
Bukhari narrated in his Sahth from the safeguarding of Ibn Ad-Dughnah
towards Abi Bakr, while in Makkah 205 and also An-Najashi and his

203 Trans. Note: Al-Isra', 110.

204 Ad-DuM, 6.

205 Trans. Note: Referring to the Hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari from Wishah, may Allah be
pleased with her, wherein Ibn Ad-Du gh nah met Abu Bakr, may Allah me pleased with him,
while he was performing the emigration to Abyssinia. Upon hearing that Quraysh had
driven Abu Bakr away from his town, Ibn Ad-Du gh nah said: "Ibn Ad-Du gh nah said, "O

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protection of the Muslims, while he was upon Christianity prior to his Islam,
206 and what resembles this. And the summary of this doubt is: How could
the Muslim be pleased in the likes of these conditions with the sheltering and
protection and safeguarding of the disbeliever (Kafir), who opposes him in
his beliefs and methodology? Doesn't this negate the Millah of Ibrahim in
terms of disavowal (Bara'ah) from the polytheists (Mushrikin)? So we say -
and with Allah is the successful achievement (Tawfiq): There is no
contradiction between the aforementioned examples and between the Millah
of Ibrahim and the Da'wah of the Prophets and the Messengers. And this is
because the issue is, as we have mentioned to you previously, is two distinct
parts:

The First: The disavowal (Bara'ah) from the false gods with the disbelief in
the Tawaghit, which are worshipped besides Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic.

The Second: Enmity towards the stubborn polytheists (Mushrikin) who
persist upon their falsehood. And we have mentioned to you previously also,
that the first is required from the Muslim from the very outset of the path,
without any lingering or delay. Rather, it is obligatory upon an assembly of
the Muslims to openly declare and to make apparent and show it, so that the
people will know the basis of the Da'wah and so that it will become well

Abu Bakr, a man like you should not leave his home-land, nor should he be driven out,
because you help the destitute, earn their livings, and you kip good relations with your kith
and kin, help the weak and poor, entertain guests generously, and help the calamity-stricken
persons. Therefore I am your protector. Go back and worship your Lord in your town."
206 Trans. Note: Referring to the event of the first emigration (Hijrah) of the companions of the
Messenger of Allah 1% %d§ ! &"& who left Makkah and traveled to Abyssinia (Habashah)
seeking a land in which they could practice their religion openly. Upon their arrival there,
Quraysh sent a delegation to retrieve them and an audience with the King of Abyssinia was
held to determine if they would be allowed to forcibly take the Muslims back to Makkah.
After hearing the arguments of Quraysh, An-Najashi asked to hear of the revelation, which
had been sent to the Prophet of these emigrants. Upon hearing la Tar recite from Surat
Mariyam, he said to Quraysh: "Verily, this and that which Tsa came with come from the same
ray of light. Go away, because, no by Allah, I will not surrender them to you and they shall
not be approached." And this was prior to An-Najashi' s Islam, while he was still a Christian.
[Look to Ar-Rahtq Al-Makhtoom, page 95; (Arabic Edition) publication of Dar As-Salam;
Riyadh 1414 H. & Seerat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 1/334-338].

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known and therefore become a fundamental truth by which, everyone who
enters into this religion is described with.

As for the second, then this is not to be shown and openly declared until after
they persist upon their falsehood and their enmity towards the truth and its
people. So, for example, Abu Talib; despite his remaining upon his disbelief
(Kufr), he did not form any apparent enmity or hatred towards the truth or its
people. Rather, it was the other way around, as he was a defending garment
for the One of the truth and His Messenger |»% §d§£ ! soib, just as Al- v Abbas,
may Allah be pleased with him, described him in the Hadith of Al-Bukhari.
As he said to the Prophet l»% § d£ ! a?fc, "What have you benefited your

uncle, as he used to look after you and support you and become angry for
your sake..." - the Hadith. And (this applies) even if that were due to tribal
loyalties (Asabiyyah) or due to ties of kinship. And review, for that, what the
'Allamah, Ash-Shinqiti mentioned concerning the support of the religion by a
wicked man and through the ties of kinship or trough tribal loyalties
('Asabiyyah) and the ties of lineage, despite the falsehood of these ties and the
falsehood of the love, based upon this alone. 207 And the supporting evidence
for that is that the likes of this supporter and safeguarder; the hope remains
regarding his guidance and his following the truth up until the last moment,
as long as he does not stand in the ranks of the enemies and those waging
war against it. Rather, he stands in defense of some of its followers. Then
what about if he added to that, the fact that he were one of the close relatives
of the caller and is tied closely to him? And for this (reason), the Prophet T>f>
[>%§dfel alid not give up hope concerning the Da'wah of his uncle, who used
to say:

By Allah, they will not reach Until I have been buried quickly
you with their groups in the Earth.

So make your matter known. Have glad tidings of that and
There is nothing upon you. may your eyes be cooled by it.

' Look to Adhiva' Al-Bayan, Vol. 3/41-43, 406-407.

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And even before all of that, there is another issue, which is the first point and
the most important subject in this matter. And that is how the Prophet ! 30>Sb

l»% §jdB& despite the stance of his uncle, who defended him, he did not cozy-
up to him as a price for his Da'wah and his religion. Rather, his uncle knew
his [>%§$£ ! a?Ws Da'wah and would hear of his enmity and his pointing out

the defects of their false gods, while ridiculing their intelligence. And when
Abu Talib persisted in continuing that (i.e. Shirk), he, may the blessings of
Allah and His peace be upon him, neither cozied-up to him, nor did he step
down from any matters of his religion in order to make it pleasant for his
uncle's heart, who used to protect him and support and shelter him. Rather,
he declared his well-known statement: "By Allah, I am no more able to leave
that which I have been sent with than any of you are able tolight a fire by the
sun." 208 And also, in the beginning and the ending, he l»% %4& ! art was not
to have any ties with his disbeliever (Kafir) uncle in terms of devotion or love.
And he 1% §jd§ ! apfc is our leader (Qudwah) and our most noble example of
His, the Most High's, statement:

You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day,
making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even
though they were their fathers... 209 - the verse.

...despite his enthusiasm for his guidance. So that is one thing and the love
and devotion is yet another thing. And the Prophet l»% §jd§ ! aofc, despite the
support of his uncle and his protection of him and his defense of him, did not
pray upon him the day he died. Rather, Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic,
prohibited him from even seeking forgiveness for him on the day when He
revealed to him:

208 As it is narrated in At-Tabaram and elsewhere.

209 Trans. Note: Al-MujMilah, 22.

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It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allah's
Forgiveness for the Mushrikun... 210 - the verse.

And there was no effect upon him, may the blessings of Allah and His peace
be upon him, when 'All, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him, "Verily,
your old misguided uncle has died, so who shall bury him?" except that he
said to him, "Go and bury him." 211

And likewise this is also said about the family of Shu'ayb, who used to stand
between him and the disbelievers (Kuffdr). He, the Most High, said informing
about the enemies of His Prophet:

Were it not for your family, we should certainly have stoned you... 212

...while they were (themselves) disbelievers. And likewise, the Prophet of
Allah, Salih ^flEa/fife and his guardian whom the disbelievers (Kuffdr) used to
fear:

They said: "Swear one to another by Allah that we shall make a secret
night attack on him and his household, and afterwards we will surely say
to his guardian: 'We witnessed not the destruction of his household, and
verily! We are telling the truth." 213

• Furthermore, there is a clear difference that must be understood and
considered. (And this is the difference) between the disbeliever (Kafir)
assisting the Muslim or safeguarding him while supporting him and

210 At-Tawbah, 113.

211 Narrated by Ahmad and An-Nasa'i and others [Trans. Note: From the full narration of
Abi Dawud, which was classified as Sahih by Shaykh Al-Albani, may Allah be merciful to
him, in Sahih Sunan Abi Dazuood, #2,753 as well as in a shorter narration within Iriva! Al-Ghalil,

#717].

2 i 2 Hud, 91.

213 An-Naml, 49.

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protecting him or helping him individually, when the Muslim is not
seeking refuge with him nor does he disgrace himself by begging (for
help) - rather the disbeliever (Kafir) only does that from himself out of
being motivated by tribalism or loyalties or relation or other than that -
and (on the other hand) between the Muslim seeking that from him, with
his request holding a type of humiliation and degradation and cozying-up
(to them) or approval (of them) while remaining silent upon some of their
falsehood or being satisfied with their polytheism (Sh irk). There is no
doubt that the difference between the two situations is clear and obvious,
which would not be hidden from the one who has foresight. And if you
contemplate these examples (i.e. Abu Talib, An-Najashi etc.) you would
find them from the first category. And Abu Ja v far At-Tahawi has some
eloquent words, which resemble these, 214 wherein he differentiated
between seeking the support of the Mushrikin during warfare and the fact
that this was from what Allah, the Most High has prohibited in his
statement:

O you who believe! Take not as (your) Bitanah (advisors, consultants,
protectors, helpers, friends, etc.) those outside your religion since they will
not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. 215

- the verse.

...and between their fighting on their own against the enemies of the
Muslims without being requested (to do so), and the seeking of help by the
Muslims themselves. So review that, as it is beneficial in this topic. And
likewise was the safeguarding of Ibn Ad-Dughnah towards Abi Bakr as all if
that was from this type.

And included in that also, is the maintaining of the ties of kinship with the
polytheist (Mushrik) parents, while treating them well and uniting their hearts
(i.e. maintaining the good filings), as long as the hope for their being
influenced by their son, and their following of the truth, which he invites to,

214 Look to Mushkil Al-Athdr, Vol. 3/239.

215 Al- 'Imran, 118.

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remains and is possible. (And this continues) as long as they are connected to
their child, even if they strive for him to make Shirk with Allah, as long as
they do not stand in the ranks with the enemies who wage war against, and
who prevent (people) from, the path of Allah. So if they do that, then he
shows his disavowal (Bara'ali) to them openly, just as Ibrahim did to his
father when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah.
Furthermore, (in this case) he is to take them as enemies and fight them just
like Abu v Ubaydah and others from the Sahabah did at Badr. 216 So as we said
earlier, Ibrahim ^tEa/fifr used to unite the hearts (i.e. maintain good filings)
with his father and invite him by good means with leniency, while openly
showing his enthusiasm for his guidance and his fear of Allah's punishment
towards the supporters (Awliya') of the Shaytan. But when his (i.e. Ibrahim's
father's) clear enmity towards Allah became clear to him, he (i.e. Ibrahim)
became disavowed from him and secluded himself from him. And He, Glory
be to Him, made the exception for us, in the following of Ibrahim and those
who were with him, in Surat Al-Mumtahinah, in that he sought forgiveness for
his father. But He prohibited the believers, in Surat At-Tawbah, from seeking
forgiveness for the Mushrikin, even if they were from the people of closeness
to them. Then He said about Ibrahim:

216 Trans. Note: Al-Hafith, Ibn Kathir said in his Tafsir of Surat Al-Mujadilah, "And Said ibn
x Abdul- x Aziz and others said, "This verse: You will not find any people who believe in
Allah and the Last Day... [Al-Mujadilah, 22] - to its end, was revealed concerning Abi
TJbaydah v Amr ibn ^Abdullah Al-Tarrah, when he killed his father on the Day of Badr. And
because of this, TJmar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, when he left the
decision after him to the consulting council (Shurah), between the six (men), 'And if Abu
TJbaydah were alive, then I would have made him the Khalifah.' And it is said about His, the
Most High's statement: '...even though they were their fathers...' that it was revealed for
Abi TJbaydah on the Day of Badr. '...or their sons...' for As-Siddiq (i.e. Abu Bakr) who
attempted to kill his son, v Abdur-Rahman, on that day '...or their brothers...' for Mus^ab ibn
TJmayr who killed his brother, TJbayd ibn x Umayr on that day '...or their kindred
(people)...' for TJmar, who killed a relative of his on that day as well as for Hamzah and v Ali
and TJbaydah ibn Al-Tarrah, who killed v Utbah and Shaybah and Al-Walid ibn TJtbah on
that day. So Allah knows best." [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 4/422; publication of Dar Al-Fayha,
Damascus and Dar As-Salam, Riyadh, 2 nd Edition, 1418 H.]

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And his [Ibrahim's] invoking (Allah) for his father's forgiveness was only
because of a promise he had made to him (his father). But when it became
clear to him that he (his father) is an enemy to Allah, he dissociated
himself from him. Verily Ibrahim was oft remembering and was
forbearing. 217

And from it was His, the Most High's, statement:

And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians),
unless it be in (a way) that is better...

Then He, Glory be to Him, made the exceptions:

...except with such of them as do wrong... 218

And likewise was the security of An-Najashi towards the emigrants
(Muhajiriri). And refer to the story of Ja'far and his stance, may Allah be
pleased with him, concerning his making his religion and his beliefs known
regarding 'Isa, which contradicted the religion of the one who they were
amongst (i.e. An-Najashi), despite his (i.e. Ja'far' s) weakness and those who
were with him, and despite his entering into his protection (Amari). However,
An-Najashi wept when he heard the words of Allah being recited and openly
showed his support and acceptance and he gave them security so that they
were able to openly show their religion and their beliefs to everyone. So the
Islam of An-Najashi and those who entered into Islam from the people of
Abyssinia (Habashah) was due to the successful achievement (Tawfiq) from
Allah, the Most High, and then due to their openly showing their religion.
May Allah, the Most High, be pleased with them all. And review for a

217 Trans. Note: At-Tawbah, 114.
21S Al-Ankabut, 46.

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refutation of this doubt (Shubhah) and a demonstration of its falsehood, the
treatise Al-Mawrid Al-Athb Az-Zalal, 219 by the Shaykh, x Abdur-Rahman ibn
Hasan, son the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn x Abdul-Wahhab, may Allah be
merciful to them all, from the same volume, as it is valuable in refuting this
doubt (Shubhah). And (it is also beneficial in refuting) another doubt, which is
their using "The Believers from the Family of Pharaoh" as evidence. 220

• And the summary of the saying concerning all of that is that the enmity
towards the people of falsehood and openly showing disavowal (Bara'ah)
to them and their so-called gods and their false religions and their rotten
laws, is a great principle and a well-founded pillar in the Da'wah of the
Prophets and the Messengers. And it is, as you have come to know, a clear
(Muhkam) legislation, which is based upon the foundation of the religion
of Islam and its basis. So if all the Earth's people united in order to refute it
and (attempt) to demonstrate its falsehood, then they would not have
been able to do so. And those who oppose it, are unable to find evidence,
as you have seen, other than these types of limited, individual issues,
which have no generality, according to the majority of the principle-
oriented scholars (Usuliyin) and the people of research. Rather, they are
in-and-of-themselves cast upon this restrictiveness and limitation. And so
if it is established that this path is a great clear (Muhkam) foundation, then
these partial evidences and others fall into that which is erroneously used
by the opposition, with self-contradiction and ambiguity, which
necessitates our referral to what is clear (Muhkam). As opposed to the
Book of Allah clashing against itself or the Sunnah of Al-Mustafa [i.e. the
Prophet 1% %f$b ! B^fh] doing likewise. So pay attention and do not be
tricked by the doubts of those who deceive.

"And likewise, it is a must for the people of the Da'wah to stand up to their
people with a stance of utter separation. And on the day that this separation
takes place; the occurrence of Allah's promise of assistance to His supporters,
along with the destruction of His enemies will also take place. Because

219 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, 'Summarized Refutations', page 124 and also page
197.

220 Page 212.

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throughout the history of the Da'wah to Allah, Allah did not ever separate
between His supporters (Awliya') and His enemies, except after His
supporters separated themselves from His enemies, based upon their belief
('Aqidah). So they (i.e. those who separated) chose Allah alone, and the people
of the Da'wah unto Allah have an excellent example in the Messengers of
Allah and that they must have their hearts full of trust until they (i.e. their
hearts) overflow with it. And it is upon them to trust in Allah alone, in the
face of the Taghut, no matter who they are and the Taghut will not harm them
except for annoyances; a test from Allah. (And this test is) not due to His
inability, Glory be to Him, to give victory to His supporters, nor is it to just
leave them to be surrounded by His enemies. Rather, it is a test by which the
hearts and the ranks are purified. Then the opening will be returned to the
believers and the promise of Allah will take place for them with victory and
establishment...." 221

And lastly, you must know that the people concerning this truth are of types:

• A man who is firm and who makes the Millah of Ibrahim and the religion
of all the Messengers to be known according to its aforementioned
description and he does not fear the blame of any blamers for (the sake) of
Allah. So this one is from the open Victorious Assembly (At-Ta'ifah Al-
Mansurah), 222 while being a caller to the truth who mixes with the people
and remaining patient with their harm. And he is the one who has won
the honor of both abodes (i.e. this life and the hereafter). And he is the one
about whom, Allah said:

221 From Ath-Thildl, with some rearrangement.

222 Trans. Note: As for the Hadtth of "The Victorious Assembly" (At-Ta'ifah Al-Mansiirah), the
Messenger of Allah Ie^jeSq! 3pY> said, "There will not cease to be an assembly (Ta'ifah), from
my nation (llmmah), establishing the order of Allah. They are unharmed by those who betray
them or oppose them, until the matter of Allah arrives while they are dominant over the
people." - narrated by Muslim from MuVwiyyah, may Allah be pleased with him. And he
1% % ($5j ! ayfc said, "And this religion (Din) will never cease to be established. A group
(Isabah) from the Muslims will fight upon that until the hour arrives." - Narrated by Muslim
from Jabir ibn Samurah.

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And who is better in speech than he who says: "My Lord is Allah/' and
then stands straight, and invites (men) to Allah and does righteous deeds,
and says: "I am one of the Muslims." 223

And he is the one meant in the Hadith, "The believer who mixes with the
people while being patient upon their harm is superior. . ." 224

And the harm only takes place because he comes with what the Messengers
came with. He neither cozies-up to the people of falsehood, nor does he
incline towards them nor is he satisfied with their falsehood. Rather, he has
disavowal (Bara'ah) from them while openly showing enmity towards them
and abandoning all that which assists them in their falsehood including their
positions and their employment or careers or their paths. And whoever's
condition is this; he is not sinful for living in their society or their countries.
And it is not obligatory upon him to emigrate away from any country he may
be in. The Shaykh, Hamad ibn 'Atiq said within his discussion about His, the
Most High's, statement:

Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those
with him... 225 - the verse.

And the meaning of His statement: "...become openly seen..." in other
words, made apparent and clear. And the intent is to clearly continuously
show enmity and hatred towards those who unify their Lord. So whoever
fulfills that, both in knowledge and action, while openly making it clear so
that the people of his country perceive it from him, it is not obligatory upon
him to perform the emigration away from whichever country he is in. But
whoever is not like that, and yet he assumes that if he is left to pray and to
fast and perform the pilgrimage (Hajj), that the (obligation of) emigration falls

223 Fusilat, 33.

224 Trans. Note: Narrated by Imam Ahmad and At-Tirmithi and others as mentioned earlier.

225 Al-Mumtahinah, 4.

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off of him, then this one is ignorant of his religion, and he is someone who is
unaware of the essence of the message of the Messengers. . ." 226

And this category of people; if they openly make the truth known and are
thereafter threatened with being killed or tortured and yet there is no
country, which they can emigrate to, then they have a good example in the
people of the cave who withdrew with their religion and fled with it to the
mountains. 227 And another example (for them) is in the companions of the
trenches 228 who were burned (to death) in the path of their belief ('Aqidah)
and their Tawhid. And they neither weakened nor did they surrender. And an
example is the companions of the Prophet, who performed the emigration
(Hijrah) and performed Jihad and fought and were killed. And your Lord is
sufficient as a guide and a victor.

If it were not for them, it would But its unshakable mountains
have collapsed along with its and its pegs were there,
people.

And if it were not for them then But they are in it as full moons
darkness would have shrouded and stars,
its people.

• Or a man who is at a lower level than the first, who is unable to take this
path, which is surrounded by hateful things. And he fears for his religion
and is unable to openly declare it. So he secludes himself with his
provisions, with which he follows the streams and the paths of the
mountains. He worships Allah and flees, with his religion, from the trials.

• Or a weak man who shuts his house upon himself and concentrates on his
family (affairs) and strives to save them and to preserve them from the
Shirk and its people and from a fire (i.e. Hell) whose fuel is men and
stones. He avoids the disbelievers (Kuffar) and turns away from them and

226 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 199.

227 Trans. Note: "The People of the Cave", as mentioned in Surat Al-Kahf, 9 -22.

228 Trans. Note: As in the story of the Boy and the King mentioned earlier.

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he does not show any satisfaction with their falsehood nor does he assist
it in any way. And this is a must for the safety of his Tawhid, that his heart
remains calm with enmity and hatred for the Shirk and the Mushrikin. He
awaits the removal of the preventing factor (of his leaving) and he waits
for opportunities to flee with his religion and for the emigration (Hijrah),
to a country, which has less evil and wherein he will be able to show his
religion, such as the emigration (Hijrah) of the emigrants (i.e. the
companions) to Abyssinia.

• Or another (type) would be one who openly shows the pleasure with the
people of falsehood, while cozying-up to their lies and their
misguidances. So this one has three different (possible) conditions, which
the Shaykh, Ibn 'Atiq mentioned 229 when he said:

"The First Condition: That he complies with them both internally and
externally. So he is a disbeliever (Kafir), whether he was compelled or not
compelled. Therefore, he is from those about whom Allah said: ...but such as
open their breasts to disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will
be a great torment." 230

"The Second Condition: That he complies with them and inclines towards
them internally, while opposing them externally. Therefore, this one is also a
disbeliever (Kafir) and they are the hypocrites (Munafiqin) ."

"The Third Condition: That he complies with them externally, while
opposing them internally. And this is of two types; the first of which is he
who does so due to the fact that he is under their power, while they beat him
and hold him and threaten him with death. Therefore, he in such a condition
is allowed to comply with them externally, while his heart is calm with faith

229 SaM An-Najat Wal-Fikak, page 62.

230 An-Nahl, 106.

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(Imari), as it happened with x Ammar. 231 He, the Most High, said: ...except
him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith..." 232

I say: And it is a must for the one such as this, as we have mentioned
beforehand, to continuously strive - just as the weak ones from the
companions of the Prophet l»% §jd§ ! &?fa - to flee with his religion and to
continuously supplicate:

"Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and
raise for us from You one who will protect, and raise for us from You one
who will help." 233

Then he (i.e. Hamad ibn 'Atiq) said, "And the second type is that he complies
with them externally, while opposing them internally, without him being
beneath their power. And instead, he was held upon that either by hope for
authority or wealth or extreme devotion to one's nation or family or fear of
what may happen with his wealth. So he, in such a condition, would be an
apostate (Murtadd) and his hatred for them internally would not benefit him.
And he would be from those about whom Allah said: That is because they
loved and preferred the life of this world over that of the Hereafter. And
Allah guides not the people who disbelieve. 234 So He informed us that they
were not held upon their disbelief (Kufr) because of ignorance or their hatred
or their love of falsehood, rather it was only because they took a share from
the shares of this worldly life (Dunyd) and they put that ahead of their
religion." He said, "And this is the meaning of the words of Shaykh Al-Isldm,
Muhammad ibn v Abdul-Wahhab, may Allah, the Most High, be merciful to
him."

231 Trans. Note: Referring to the story of 'Ammar ibn Yasir, may Allah be pleased with him,
and what occurred when the polytheists tortured him. This will be discussed further in an
upcoming footnote.

232 An-Nahl, 106.

233 An-Nisa', 75.

234 An-Nahl, 107.

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• I say: The meaning of the words of the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn x Abdul-
Wahhab, which Ibn 'Atiq was referring to are present at many places
within his books and his treatises. From them, for example, were his
words:

"Know that the evidence for the declaration of disbelief (Takfir) of a righteous
Muslim, if he makes Shirk with Allah or allies himself with the polytheists
(Mushrikin) against the monotheists (Muwahhidiri) while not making Shirk, is
more than can be enumerated from the words of Allah and the words of His
Messenger and the words of the scholars ('Ulama). And I will mention a verse
for you from the words of Allah, which the people of knowledge formed
consensus (Ijmd') upon its interpretation, saying that it refers to the Muslims,
and that if a man says such a thing, then he is a disbeliever (Kafir), no matter
when it happens. He, the Most High, said: Whoever disbelieved in Allah
after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest
with Faith... 235 - the verse. And in it (i.e. its interpretation) they mentioned
that they (i.e. these people) chose this worldly life (Dunya) over the life of the
hereafter. So if the scholars ( 'Ulama) mention that it was revealed regarding
the companions (Sahabah), when the people of Makkah put them through
tribulation (Fitnah), while mentioning that if the companion uttered the
words of Shirk upon his tongue while at the same time he hates that (i.e.
Shirk) and has enmity towards its people, but only due to fear of them, then
he is a disbeliever (Kafir) after having faith (Imari)." 236

And this complies with the words of the Shaykh, Ibn 'Atiq, which have passed
as well as the words of Shaykh Sulayman, which are forthcoming. And they
are threatening words and I know for certain that if they were from my own
words as opposed to being the words of these Imam scholars, it would have
been said, "Khawarijl" and "Takfirl" despite the fact that this verse is a clear
text concerning that. And this issue differs from the matter of compulsion
upon uttering disbelief (Kufr), wherein the one who utters it is excused. So we
are among people who were neither compelled nor have they been beaten
nor were they tortured. Rather, they were only held upon openly showing

235 An-Nahl, 106.

236 Majmu'at Ar-Risa'il An-Najdiyyah, page 42.

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the compliance and the allegiance with the polytheists (Mushrikin), due to
loving this worldly life (Dunya) and the fear of (losing) it, as well as hope for
wealth and extreme devotion to one's dwellings; "The Land and the
Prosperity," as they say.

So this is prioritizing this worldly life (Dunya) over the life of the hereafter
and purchasing the luxuries of this life, which come to an end by throwing
away the religion and the Tawhld and the belief ('Aqidah). Perhaps they shield
themselves by invoking (the excuse) of compulsion and their claim that it was
a necessity, while in reality they are not from its people (i.e. the compelled
people). For this (reason), Allah, the Most High, said in Surat Al-'Imran, after
He prohibited the allegiance towards His enemies and permitted the Tuqyah
237 for the one who is actually compelled; He warned by saying:

And Allah warns you against Himself (His Punishment), and to Allah is
the final return. Say: "Whether you hide what is in your breasts or reveal it,
Allah knows it..." 238

And He said in the verse, which directly follows it:

237 Trans. Note: His use of the word "Tuqyah" here, refers to making it appear as though the
words of disbelief (Kufr) have been uttered, while being compelled or tortured or beaten etc.,
when in reality, what has been said is only interpreted or understood to be disbelief (Kufr) by
the one who is compelling.

Imam Al-Qurtubi, may Allah be merciful to him said, "Those who have studied in-depth
from the scholars ( x lllama) have said, Tf the compelled one utters disbelief (Kufr), then it is
not permitted for him to say upon his tongue (anything) except that which is slightly
different than it. Because in that slight change, there is an option to deceive (i.e. to not utter
actual Kufr) but whenever it is not like that (i.e. he has the option to alter the words, but
chooses not to) then he is a disbeliever (Kafir) because the compulsion would not have power
over the slight changes to the wording.' An example of that is if they say to him, 'Disbelieve
in Allah! (Yakfur Billahl),' but instead he (i.e. the compelled one) says, ' . . .Billahi,' such that he
adds the letter 'Ya'. And likewise, if it is said to him, 'Disbelieve in the Prophet! (Yakfur Bin-
NabP.),' but instead he says, T disbelieve in the 'Nabi,' stressing (the last part), which refers to
the place which is elevated from the ground." [Al-Jami' Li-Ahkam Al-Qur'an , Vol. 10/187.]

238 Al-'Imran, 28-29.

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ta#^«aajpM^MP<N£ do«k i*iBNip nbn% ai Jtf&jagA

On the Day when every person will be confronted with all the good he has
done, and all the evil he has done, he will wish that there were a great
distance between him and his evil. And Allah warns you against Himself
(His Punishment)... 239

And this is from the greatest threats of punishment and warnings towards
those who contemplate the Book of Allah and understand it. But whomever
Allah wishes to fall into tribulation (Fitnah); then you cannot control
anything, regarding him, besides Allah. That is because many of those who
have no share in goodness use compulsion as an excuse, while they are not
from its people. And the scholars ( 'Ulama) have mentioned conditions for the
compulsion to be considered genuine. From them:

1. That the compeller is (actually) able to perform that which he is
threatening to do and the compelled one, who is commanded, is unable to
repel that even by fleeing.

2. That his assumption is certain that if he refuses, then he (i.e. the
compeller) will put him into that (i.e. his threat).

3. That what he is being threatened with is immediate, such that if he were
to say, "If you do not do such-and-such, I shall beat you tomorrow," then
he is not considered someone who has been compelled.

4. That nothing indicates the excessiveness of the one who is commanded,
such as his exceeding (i.e. doing of saying even more) in that which
would remove the trial (i.e. torture, beating etc.) from him.

• Just as they differentiated between that which the compelled one is
threatened and frightened with, regarding the compulsion upon the

239 Al-'Imran, 30.

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disobediences and the compulsion upon uttering statements of disbelief
(Kufr) or forming allegiance to the disbelievers and the likes of that, as
they did not permit the second (type) except for the one who is tortured
with a torment that he cannot endure. And they mentioned being killed or
being burned with fire or the severing of limbs or eternal imprisonment
and the likes of that. And "Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him, was
the one whom the verses of Tuqyah were revealed about, and it is known
that he did not say what he said except after seeing his mother and his
father killed after he tasted several colors (i.e. experienced many types) of
torture. 240 So his ribs were broken and he was harmed for Allah's sake

240 Trans. Note: "And like that is when the polytheists (Mushriktn) took "Ammar, may Allah
be pleased with him, and they did not leave him alone (i.e. stop tormenting) him until he
swore at the Prophet life §J$g ! Bfv and mentioned good things about their gods. So he came
to the Messenger of Allah life %<f5 ! a?u and was asked, "What has passed behind you?' He
said, 'Evil, O Messenger of Allah. I was not left alone until I spoke badly about you and good
things about their gods.' So the Messenger of Allah Ik §1^5! a?Y> said, 'How was your heart
(when you said it)?' He said, T found my heart calm with Iman.' He said, 'If they return (to
torment you), then you too return (to what they make you say)." [Look to Hayat As-Sahabah,
Vol. 1/292]

And Ibn Hajar said, "And it is well known that the aforementioned verse (i.e. An-Nahl, 106)
was revealed for "Ammai ibn Yasir as it has come from the path of Abi TJbaydah ibn
Muhammad ibn 'Ammar ibn Yasir, who said, 'The polytheists (Mushrikun) took "Ammai and
tortured him until he complied with them in some of what they wanted. So he complained
about that to the Prophet life %<Sg ! SCfv. So he said to him, 'How did you find your heart?' He
said, 'Calm with faith (Iman).' He said, 'Then if they return (to the torture) then return (to
what you said)." And it is Mursal, and its men are all trustworthy. And was narrated by At-
Tabari and before him, v Abdur-Razzaq and from him, v Abd ibn Humayd." [Path Al-Bari, Vol.
12/312]

And Shaykh Abu Basir x Abdul-Munlm Mustafa Halimah said, "But those who commit Kufr
under circumstances that are easy and then consider that to be from compulsion (and claim
that it was only) due to torment, although it could have been easily endured with the least
amount of patience and steadfastness - and then they use as their proof, the story of 'Ammar;
they are (certainly) wrong and mistaken. This is because 'Ammar, may Allah be pleased with
him, went to them (i.e. his tormentors) in order to command (the good) and forbid (the evil)
and they killed his two parents in front of his eyes and burnt him with fire and immersed
him in water. So he gave them what they demanded (i.e. the swearing at the Prophet §#£! aoii

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with a severe harm, while most of those who use the excuse of Tuqyah
from those who became corrupted in the tribulation (Fitnah) and drown in
the falsehood and Shirk, were not even reached by a tenth of a tenth (i.e.
1%) from what reached him. But as we stated earlier, "Whomever Allah
wishes to fall into tribulation (Fitnah); then you cannot control anything,
regarding him, besides Allah."

Add to this, the fact that the people of knowledge have mentioned within the
chapters dealing with (the subject of) being compelled to utter words of
disbelief (Kufr), that taking the x Azlmah (i.e. the more difficult path) while
remaining patient upon the harm and hoping for the reward of Allah, the
Most High, is greater and far superior. 241 And here were the stances of the
companions (Sahabah) and their followers and the Imams, which bear witness
to that. So with the likes of these stances, the making apparent and making
the religion to be supreme would take place. And look to Sahih Al-Bukhari;
"Chapter: The One Who Chooses the Beating and the Killing and the
Humiliation Rather than Disbelief (Kufr)." And the supportive evidences for
that are more than what can be counted, such as the stance of Imam Ahmad
during the tribulation (Fitnah) of "The Creation of the Qur'an" 242 , and others,
are many. 243

l^and speaking good about their gods). And this is (found in) one of the narrations that the
Prophet L"fe§dSS! ap'fi met 'Ammar when he was wiping. "So he started to wipe his eyes saying,
"The disbelievers (Kuffar) took you and immersed you in water so you said such-and-such. So
if they return, say that to them (again)." And from Amr ibn Maymun who said, "The
Mushrikin burnt "Ammar with fire." So where are they (i.e. these people who claim
compulsion) compared to 'Ammar and what happened to Ammar?! [Qaiva'id Fi At-Takfir,
page 68; publication of Dar Al-Bashir, "Amman, 1415 H.]

241 Trans. Note: From the proof of this rule is the saying of Abi Ad-Darda', "My beloved one
life %)$5 ! a?u advised me, 'Do not associate anything with Allah, even if you are mutilated
and burned." [Narrated by Ibn Majah and Al-Bayhaqi and authenticated by Shaykh Al-Albani
in Sahih At-Targhib, #566] and his fe§jd$! aios saying, "Three (situations) - whoever is in
them will taste the sweetness of faith (Iman)..." and from what was mentioned, "...that he
would hate to return to disbelief (Kufr) like he would hate to be thrown into the Fire."
[Agreed upon] .

242 Trans. Note: "The Fitnah of the Creation of the Qur'an", refers to the period wherein the
]ahmiyyah; those who denied the attributes of Allah such as speech, innovated and called to
the belief that the Qur'an was not the spich of Allah, rather it was His Creation. Imam Ahmad

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And they mention His, the Most High's, statement:

And of mankind are some who say: "We believe in Allah/' but if they are
made to suffer for the sake of Allah, they consider the trial of mankind as
Allah's punishment... 244

And likewise, they mention being offered the choice (of torture or showing
Kufr) would negate it being compulsion and that this would be like the
condition of Shu'ayb ^fEofffe with his people, as they gave him the choice
between returning to the disbelief (Kufr) or leaving their village. And for that
(reason), they (i.e. those scholars) did not permit the responding with and
making disbelief (Kufr) to be apparent in such a situation. And we only
mention all of this so that the one whom Allah has bestowed the virtues of
intellect and Tawhid upon him, would recognize the strangeness of the

was from the foremost scholars of his time who opposed this belief and was subsequently
beaten and imprisoned for this stance against their innovation.

243 Trans. Note: One example from the scholars of the predecessors (Salaf) is what occurred
between Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and his contemporary, Yahyah ibn Ma^in; both of whom
were great scholars from AM As-Sunnah Wal-Jama'ah, during "The Fitnah of the Creation of
the Qur'an" . Shaykh Abu Basir v Abdul-MunHm Mustafa Halimah narrated: "And Yahyah ibn
Ma'in - during the days of the Fitnah of the creation of the Qur'an - took for himself, the
concession (Rukhsah) and took for himself, the excuse of fear and said, 'The Qur'an is created.'
And when he entered upon Imam Ahmad, may Allah be merciful to him, while he was ill, he
gave Salam to him but he (i.e. Imam Ahmad) did not return his Salam. So he (i.e. Yahyah ibn
Ma'in) did not stop making excuses and repeating the Hadith of 'Ammar and saying, 'Allah,
the Most High said: ...except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with
Faith..." So Ahmad turned his face away to the other side and Yahyah said, 'He will not
except any excuse.' So when Yahyah left, Ahmad said (to his students), 'He uses the Hadith of
'Ammar but the Hadith of 'Ammar is, '...I passed them and they were swearing at you (i.e.
the Prophet Ik §^5! SB>v so I forbade them (from that) and they beat me...' whereas it is said
to you (i.e. his students), 'We want to hit you.' So Yahyah said, 'By Allah, I have not seen
anyone under the cover of the sky who is more knowledgeable in the religion (Dm) of Allah
than you." [Qawa'id Fi At-Takfir, pp. 68-69; publication of Dar Al-Bashir, Amman, 1415 H.]

2ii Al-'Ankabut, 10.

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religion in our time and the strangeness of its callers and its people who
know it with real knowledge. And (also), that most of today's people have
entered into the religion of governments and the religion of the Tawaghit, out
of choice and with no real compulsion at all, and merely due to love of this
worldly life (Dunya) and its abodes and its wealth and its luxuries and its
positions, ahead of the religion of Allah as they cast it away and sell it for a
miserable price. So beware from being like they are, such that you would
become regretful.

• And with this (explanation), and the likes of it, the strangeness of the
sayings of the Shaykh, Ibn x Atiq, concerning the one who complies with
the Mushrikin externally, while opposing them internally when he is not
under their power, is removed. And rather he (i.e. the man who does this)
was held to do this due to what was mentioned from the worldly life
(Dunya) and not due to compulsion. And his statement, "...while
opposing them internally..." he means by that, and Allah knows best,
"...according to his claim (of opposing them)..." Otherwise, how could
we know and see the reality of his inside in such a condition of his, except
by the means of revelation, just like in the story of Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah.
And Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, did not hold us responsible for the
internal, rather we judge upon the external. So just as we withhold our
swords from the one who conceals the hypocrisy (Nifaq), while openly
showing the allegiance towards Islam, and while making its apparent
practices (i.e. prayer, Hajj) etc. then likewise, we use them (i.e. our
swords) upon the head of the one who makes the allegiance to the
disbelievers to be apparent while entering their group and siding with
them, even if he claims that he has Islam upon the inside. Because Allah,
the Powerful, the Majestic, has made our worship - according to the
rulings of this life - to be external. And He, glory be to Him, alone is the
One who is responsible for their insides. And He knows the truthful from
the liar and so He holds the people accountable for their deeds and He
will resurrect them upon their intentions. As in the Hadith of the Mother
of the Believers (i.e. Wishah), which is agreed upon, concerning the army,
which sinks (into the Earth) while there are clear-sighted ones amongst

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them as well as those who are compelled. 245 So Allah destroys them all in
this life (Dunya) and He will resurrect them upon their intentions on the
Day of Resurrection. And this is the meaning of the saying of 'Umar ibn
Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, as it is in Sahlh Al-Bukhari:
"Verily, there are people who were held accountable by revelation, during
the time of the Messenger of Allah 1% § dfe ! a?% So whoever makes

apparent to us goodness, then we give him security and draw near to him
but we have nothing to do with his insides. Allah holds his insides
accountable. And whoever makes evil apparent, then we will not give
him security nor will we believe him, even if he says, 'My inside is good."

And likewise was the matter of the Prophet l»% § d§ ! a?\i concerning his

interaction with the people during battle and elsewhere. (For example) was
Al- 'Abbas ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib, while claiming Islam and attributing himself
to it. 246 Yet he remained in Makkah, while it was a land of disbelief (Dar Al-
Kufr) at that time and he did not perform the emigration (Hijrah) to the land
of Islam (Dar Al-Islam) and he went out with the polytheists (Mushrikin) on
the Day of Badr. So when the Muslims captured him they treated him
according to outward appearance and not according to what he claimed from
Islam upon his inside. And this was because he went out in the ranks of the
polytheists (Mushrikin) increasing their numbers. And it is even narrated that
he claimed that he was compelled to go out with them, as in some of the
narrations (from the sources) previously referred to. And in some of them,
the Prophet l»% §Jd§ ! sn^Sb says to him, when he saw him use the excuse of
compulsion, while claiming Islam, "Allah knows best about your condition. If

245 Trans. Note: Referring to the Hadith of Wishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said,
"The Messenger of Allah life §J$£ ! a?u said, 'An army will set out against the Ka'bah and
when it reaches a smooth, desolate land, the first of them to the last of them will be
swallowed up by the earth." She (i.e. Wishah) asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, why will all of
them be swallowed up when amongst them there will be market places and those who are
not from them?' He answered, 'The first of them to the last of them will be swallowed by the
earth and then they will be resurrected in accordance to their intentions." [Narrated by Al-
Bukhari and Muslim.]

246 Look, for example, to Mujmi' Az-Zawa'id, Vol. 6/88, 89, 91 and Mushkil Al-Athar, Vol.
4/242-246 and elsewhere.

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what you claim is true, then Allah will reward you for that. But the outward
appearance of your matter is that you were against us, therefore pay your
ransom." 247

In any case, it is sufficient for us here what was affirmed in Sahih Al-Bukhari
and others from that (event). The Prophet f£§d^! SB>f> treated him according

to his outer appearance and did not free him until he paid his ransom, just
like the rest of the captives from the Mushrikin. And perhaps from this point,
also, is that which came in Sahih Muslim from the Hadith of Tmran ibn
Husayn, in the story of the man from (the tribe of) Bani "Uqayl, who was
from those who formed a treaty with (the tribe of) Thuqayf, who was
captured. And the Prophet did not release him, despite his claim of Islam. 248

So it becomes known from all of this that we are held accountable regarding
our interactions and rulings in this life, based upon the outward appearance,
as opposed to the insides. And this is from the favor of Allah, the Powerful,
the Majestic, upon us. Otherwise, Islam and its people would become the
pawns and amusements for every spy and vile one and Zindiq. 249

247 Narrated by Imam Ahmad and its men are trustworthy except that in it was a narrator
who was not named.

248 Look for it in Mukhtasir Al-Munthiri below #1,008.

249 Trans. Note: A "Zindiq" or the "Zanadiqah" are similar to the hypocrites (Munafiqin) in that
they show Islam on their outside while having disbelief (Kufr) upon their inside. The
difference is that the Zindiq will occasionally demonstrate actions or statements of disbelief
but when he is approached, he denies that he has disbelieved and claims that he is upon
Islam.

Abu Idris narrated, "People from the Zanadiqah who had apostated, were brought to x Ali. He
questioned them yet they denied it, so it (i.e. their disbelief) was clarified to them." He (i.e.
Abu Idris) said, "So he killed them without giving them time to repent (i.e. return to Islam)."
He (i.e. Abu Idris) said, "A man who was a Christian and became a Muslim but latter
apostated, was later brought before him (i.e. v AlI) so he questioned that man and found that
this man admitted to what he had done therefore v AlI) asked him to repent. It was said to
him (i.e. x Ali), 'Why did you ask him to repent but you didn't ask the others to repent?' He
said, 'This one admitted what he had done but those others did not admit it and they even
denied (their Kufr) until it had to be proven to them. So this is why I did not give them time
to repent." And according to another narration, "Do you know why I asked the Christian to
repent? I asked him to repent because he (openly) showed his religion but the Zanadiqah -

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And from this point, is the story of Hatib and what came from his deed in the
year of the Conquest [(Path) of Makkah]. So the basic rule is that the
judgment, upon the outward appearance of the one who commits the likes of
his deed, is with disbelief (Kufr) and that the Muslims are to judge upon him
with what his outward appearance would dictate from the rulings of this life
regarding (either) killing or capture. And (this applies despite) whoever
noticed the condition of the apostates and their categories and some of their
arguments and (false) interpretations. And the of those who were deceived
by the testifying, by some of the men, to the (so-called) Prophethood of
Musaylamah and the story of Thumamah and Al-Yashqari and the likes of
that, and in how (Abu Bakr) As-Siddiq treated them all according to the
outward appearance. 250 So he treated them with the killing and with

those, who required it to be proven to them, rejected (the charge). So I killed them because
they denied it until it was proven to them." [Narrated by Ibn Taymiyyah in As-Sarim Al-
Masliil 'Ala Shatim Ar-Rasiil, page 360.]

250 Trans. Note: Referring to the events during the war against the apostates, during the
Khilafah of Abu Bakr and his subsequent treatment of them all as disbelievers; whether they
were from the apostates themselves or from those who assisted them. And the evidence of
this treatment of Abu Bakr comes in how he fought them all with the rulings (Ahkam) of the
disbelievers, by testifying that their slain were all in the fire, and by neither praying upon
them, nor accepting blood-money from them on behalf of the slain Muslims or other than
that from the rulings (Ahkam) of fighting the disbelievers (Kuffar). And this treatment was all
based upon their outward actions. Ash-Shawkani narrated that Tariq ibn Shihab said, "A
delegation of Buzakhah, from the Asad and Ghutfan (tribes) came to Abu Bakr asking him for
reconciliation. So he gave them the choice between an economically harmful war or a
humiliating treaty. So they asked, 'We know what this economical harm is, but what is the
humiliation?' He said, 'The weapons and horses will be taken away from you and we shall
kip as war booty (Ghanimah), what we took from you. And you shall return to us, what you
took from us. And you shall pay the blood-money for our slain. And your slain shall be in the
fire. And you shall be left as a people who follow the tails of camels (i.e. farmers) until Allah
shows the successor of His Messenger (i.e. Abu Bakr) and the Emigrants (Muhajirin),
something by which to excuse you.' So (later) Abu Bakr presented what he had said to the
people. So TJmar stood up and said, T have an opinion that I shall advise you with. As for
what you mentioned from the economically harmful war and the humiliating reconciliation,
then what you have mentioned is great. And as for us keeping what we took from them as
war booty (Ghanamah), while they return what they took from us, then what you mentioned
is great. As for what you mentioned about them paying us the blood-money for our slain,
and their slain being in the Fire, then our slain fought and were killed upon the command of

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captivity and this was from his greatest virtues and merits and good deeds
(Hasanat). He understood the correctness of that which we are intending (i.e.
in the explanation of this rule) and to which we are referring. And review for
that, the words of the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab, may Allah,
the Most High, be merciful to him, as they are plentiful in this subject. 251 And
this was completely what was understood by x Umar, may Allah be merciful
to him, in the story of Hatib, while he made it clear in the presence of the
Prophet 1.% %4& ! J»fc yet it is known that the Prophet l»% §d& ! ioSb did not

object to v Umar's understanding, nor did he say to him at that instance, "If a
man says to his brother, 'O disbeliever (Kafir)/ then one of them has been
reached by it." 252 Rather, he approved his judgment and did not object to it
concerning those who do not have a preventative factor, such as the
preventative factor of Hatib. 253 And he validated Hatib' s inside for us, with

Allah; their reward is with Allah and they have no blood-money.' He (i.e. the narrator) said,
'So the people followed what 'Umar suggested." [Narrated by Al-Barqani upon the
conditions of Al-Bukhari - Nayl Al-Awtar, Vol. 8/22] And Ibn Hajar mentioned, "Al-Bukhari
condensed it by narrating part of it, which was his (i.e. Abu Bakr's) saying to them, 'You shall
follow the tails of camels...' - up to his saying - '...something by which to excuse you.' And
Al-Barqani narrated it in its full length, with the same chain that Al-Bukhari narrated in that
part of it." [FathAl-Bart, Vol. 13/210.]

251 Look, for example, to the six topics, which he mentioned in introduction to the History
(Sirah) and elsewhere, as they are abundant.

252 Trans. Note: The point of the author here is to address the doubts that some of the people
of negligence use in completely negating the declaration of disbelief (Takfir) unless they have
confirmation of what is inside that person's heart. In doing so, they often use as evidence, the
Hadiths such as: "Whoever says to his brother, 'O Kafir...' it returns upon one of them." Or
the Hadith, "Anyone who says to his brother, 'O Kafir...' or 'O enemy of Allah...' while it is
not correct, it would return back to him." [Sahih Al-Bukhari] So when TJmar said what he said
regarding Hatib, may Allah be pleased with them, this is evidence that he was judging him
from his external actions, while not attempting to look to his inside. And when "Umar did
that in the presence of the Messenger of Allah llB %<Sg ! 3BV, he was not rebuked or corrected
or condemned in the least. Rather, the Messenger of Allah merely said, "And what informs
you. . .", without objecting to that from TJmar.

253 Trans. Note: By "preventative factor" (obstacle) the author refers to those things, which
would prevent the declaration of disbelief (Takfir) such as compulsion, insanity,
misinterpretations etc. Therefore, even if a particular action or statement is dimed to be major
disbelief (Kufr Akbar), it may be that a particular person has a "preventative factor", which

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his statement, "And what informs you? Perhaps Allah looked upon the
people of Badr. . ." And Hatib, may Allah be pleased with him, said - as it has

would excuse him from having the declaration of disbelief (Takfir) applied to him
specifically.

Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah be merciful to him said, "The truth of the matter regarding this, is
that a statement may be disbelief (Kuff). So it is said, 'Whoever says this (thing) is a
disbeliever (Kafir).' However, an individual who says this thing is not immediately called a
disbeliever (Kafir) until the clarification - the kind of which will render a person a disbeliever
(Kafir) if he denies it, has been established upon him. . .'

'And the sayings, which - whoever says them, disbelieves; it may be that this man did not
posses the texts, which are required to understand the truth (or maybe they) did not reach
him or he might have them but he did not consider them acceptable (i.e. authentic etc.) or he
may not have understood them correctly or he may have misunderstandings that Allah will
excuse. So whosoever, from the believers, is juristically qualified (Mujtahid), yet makes an
error, then surely Allah will forgive his error, whoever he may be. (This applies) whether it is
in matters of belief or matters of deeds. This is what the companions (Sahabah) of the
Messenger of Allah ffi§ff|£! JPu and the majority of the leaders of Islam are upon. And they
did not divide matters into matters of fundamentals (Usui) - such that whoever negates it
(automatically) disbelieves or into branches (Faru') - such that he who negates it never
disbelieves...'

'And the general curses do not always implicate the cursing of the specific individual
(because) that (person may) have something that prevents the curse from applying to him.
And like that, is the general declaration of disbelief (Takfir) and the general threats of
punishment. Based on this, the general threat of punishment in the Book and the Sunnah, is
made subject to the precondition of the establishment of conditions and the elimination of all
the preventative factors. . .'

'...And I used to make it clear to them that it has been narrated to them from the
predecessors (Salaf) and the Imams that issuing the declaration of disbelief (Takfir) to one who
says such-and-such is also correct, but it is compulsory to differentiate between the general
and the specific (by declaring), 'Whoever does this, then he is such-and-such!' And this is the
same way the predecessors (Salaf) did it when they would say, 'Whoever says such-and-such,
then he is such-and-such.' The specific individual will prevent the general threats of
punishment from applying to him through his repentance or rewards, which would cancel it
(i.e. punishment) or the trials, which befall him that might cancel it or the intercession, which
may be accepted (by Allah)." [Look to Majmu' Al-Fataiva, Vol. 3/230; Vol. 10/329; Vol.
23/41.]

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come in Al-Bukhari and elsewhere, "And I did not do so while disbelieving,
nor while apostatizing, nor while being pleased with disbelief (Kufr) after
Islam." So he \>%§dfe ! et& said, in his approval of him, "He has told you the

truth." And the rushing to this statement of his, may Allah be merciful to
him, is from the most apparent evidences that the companions (Sahabah) had
it embedded in themselves that the basic rule, regarding the outward
appearance of this deed, is apostasy and disbelief (Kufr). 254 And in the
narration of Abi Yala and Ahmad, he said, "Verily, I did not do it in order to
betray the Messenger of Allah |»% %4§fc ! Bt?Sb nor due to hypocrisy (Nifaq). I

knew that Allah would make His Messenger dominant and fulfill His Light
for him." And in another narration of theirs, as well, "By Allah, O Messenger
of Allah, the faith (Imari) did not change from my heart..." 255 And
contemplate the statement of the Prophet l»% §jd§ ! SCfh in the narration of Al-
Bukhari, "...he has told you the truth." So this companion who participated
in Badr, was made an exception by the Prophet 1% § dfe lavSb and he
approved of him and bore witness upon the truthfulness of his insides and
that he did not do so out of apostasy or disbelief (Kufr). Rather, it was a major
sin from the major sins, which he committed as opposed to the fact that he
was a participant at Badr. So is there, from those who act so easily in the
allegiance to the disbelievers who overuse the story of Hatib? Are any of
them today, on the face of the Earth, who is a participant at Badr whom Allah
has looked upon his heart so that if they were to perform this deed; a major
sin, in absolute terms and become easy in it and collapse, breaking down? 256

254 Trans. Note: The Shaykh's point here is that the fact that Hatib, may Allah be merciful to
him, said this, shows that the companions who were present, were holding him as one who
had apostated due to disbelief (Kufr) and being pleased with disbelief (Kufr). Therefore, Hatib
said this statement in order to remove this assumption of him and this is proof that the
companions did, in fact, hold this action to be an action of disbelief and apostasy. Otherwise,
he would not have felt it necessary to say this in his defense.

255 Look to MujmV Az-Zawa'id, Vol. 9/306.

256 Trans. Note: This section from the Shaykh, Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, may Allah
preserve him, is somewhat ambiguous. This is because there is no real explanation of what
the preventative factor from the declaration of Hatib' s disbelief (Takfir) was. Refer to the
Appendix: "Refuting the Doubts Related to the Event of Hatib ibn Abi Balta^ah", for a more
detailed discussion of this topic and the opinions of the scholars regarding assisting the

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And we would not ask this question except after we knew the truthfulness of
their insides and that they did not commit it due to apostasy nor out of
disbelief (Kufr), furthermore, like the shedding of leaves of the Tragacanth
plant. 257 So from where would we now, after the revelation has been cut off,
discover the validity of their insides? And who would approve of them and
bear witness for us, with that, after the Messenger of Allah 1% %d§ ! a?%? So

this (i.e. example of Hatib) was a preventative factor, from the preventative
factors of disbelief (Kufr), coming from the interior as opposed to the exterior.
But we are not held upon that after the cutting off of the revelation. And
therefore, the basis of he who makes apparent the inclination towards the
disbelievers and the compliance with them and allegiance towards them, is
that we judge upon him according to his outward appearance, as it has
passed. And Allah will be responsible for their insides if they are upon other
than that, then he will be resurrected according to his intention in case the
Muslims kill him while he is among the ranks of the disbelievers (Kuffdr).
And if he is captured, then the rulings (which are applied to) the disbelievers
are (also) to be implemented upon him, as it has passed. And the Muslims are
excused in killing he who makes the likes of this apparent, even if he profess
and claims that inside him is Al-Islam as well as his allegiance to its people.
And concerning this, look to the discussion of Shaykh Al-Islam, Ibn
Taymiyyah, may Allah, the Most High, be merciful to him, regarding the
army that will attack the Ka'bah, 258 such that it shall sink down (into the
Earth) and to the story of the capture of Al- x Abbas on the day of Badr, while
he claimed Islam. 259 And likewise, the words of his student, of the 'Allamah,
Ibn Al-Qayyim 260 and elsewhere from the verifying (Muhaqaq) scholars. And

disbelievers (Kuffar) against the Muslims and how this relates to the story of Hatib, may
Allah be pleased with him.

257 Trans. Note: The "Qatad " or Tragacanth plant is one, which does not shed its leaves.
Therefore, this expression implies that the ability to know the truth of one's insides is as
unlikely as the Tragacanth plant shedding its leaves.

258 Trans. Note: Referring to the Hadith of Wishah from Al-Bukhari and Muslim, which we
narrated earlier.

259 Look to Majmu' Al-Fatawa, Vol. 28/537.

260 Look to Zad Al-Ma'ad, Vol. 3/422.

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contemplate, also, the reason for the revelation of His, the Most High's,
statement:

Verily! As for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are
wronging themselves... 261

Refer to it in Sahth Al-Bukhari " and elsewhere, as it is beneficial in this topic
also. Pay attention and contemplate all of that and remove the dust of sleep
from your eyes and do not be from the lazy, blind-followers.

• And lastly, Al-Hafith (i.e. Ibn Hajar) mentioned from some of the people of
the battles, "He said, 'And it is in 'Tafsir Yahyah ibn Salam', that the
phrasing of Hatib's letter was: 'And to proceed: O people of Quraysh,
verily the Messenger of Allah |»% %d§ ! ao»\i has come to you with an army

like the night, which flows like a stream. So by Allah, if he came to you
alone, then Allah would have granted him victory and fulfilled His
promise to him. So beware of yourselves (i.e. be careful) and, 'As-Salam'.'
And likewise, this was mentioned by As-Suhayli.''

262

I say: So if the intelligent one contemplates this letter of Hatib and what was
in it from his trust in the victory of Allah to His Prophet l»%§jd$ ! ikFfa and his
glorification of his status and yet, despite that, Allah, the Most High, sent
revelation concerning this, due to his deed; great verses, which make the skin
of those who believe tremble. He said:

l^tlkflwi^UffiU^iDHlBMMjCMitai^Mcj

O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies as friends,
showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has

261 An-Nisa', 97.

262 FathAl-Bari, Vol. 7/521.

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come to you of the truth and have driven out the Messenger and yourselves
because you believe in Allah your Lord! If you have come forth to strive in
My Cause and to seek My Good Pleasure, (then take not these disbelievers
and polytheists, etc., as your friends). You show friendship to them in
secret, while I am All-Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal. And
whosoever of you (Muslims) does that, then indeed he has gone (far) astray
from the Straight Path. 263

So if you contemplate this, may Allah guide you, and how Allah , the Most
High, discussed it as being severe, and made it to be from the allegiance
(Muwalat) and love of His enemies, then you look to the conditions of many
of those who attribute themselves to the Da'wah and to Islam in this time and
that which comes from them such as blessing, and cozying-up to, and even
supporting, and assisting the slaves of the law and the tails of the Europeans
(Franji) and the enemies of the Shari'ah, and the Tawhid, and that which they
make apparent from their constitutions and their allegiance to their
governments and the making oaths upon honoring their laws; then you will
know the true strangeness of the religion and the strangeness of its people
who know it with real knowledge and their rarity. So beware from
negligence in the religion. Beware, (and again) beware.

The Shaykh, Hamad ibn 'Atiq said, "As far as that which many of the people
believe is an excuse, then verily it has been beautified (for them) by the
Shaytan and his pleading. And that is that some of them; if the supporters of
the Shaytan frighten him with fear, which has no (basis in) reality, then he
assumes that it is permissible to comply with the polytheists (Mushrikin) and
to make their obedience apparent..." Then he mentioned words from Shaykh
Al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah, concerning the description of cimpulsion upon
words of disbelief and that it could not be except while being beaten and
tortured and killed, rather than with mere words or out of threats of
separating him from his wife or his wealth or his family. Then he, may Allah,
the Most High, be merciful to him said, "So if you know that and you know
what has come from many of the people, then the statement of the Prophet
V% §d£ ! ao»\i has become clear to you: 'Islam began strange and it shall return

263 Al-Mumtahinah, 1.

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strange as it began...' 264 And it has returned (to being) strange. And what is
even rarer than that, are those who know its true reality. And with Allah is
the successful achievement (Tawfiq)." 265

• And the Shaykh, Sulayman ibn 'Abdullah ibn Ash-Shaykh, Muhammad ibn
'Abdul-Wahhab, the author of the book Taysir Al-'Aziz Al-Hamid, said in
the introduction to the treatise Hukm Muwalat AM Al-Ishrak: "Know, may
Allah be merciful to you, that if the person openly shows to the Mushrikin
compliance with them in their religion, due to fear of them and the
willingness to please them and cozying-up, in order to repel their evil,
then he is a disbeliever (Kafir) like them, even if he dislikes their religion
and hates it while loving Islam and the Muslims. . ."

Then he mentioned what was even harsher than that from the supporting of
the polytheists (Mushrikin) financially and allegiance with them, while
cutting off the allegiance to the Muslims. Until he said: "And no one is
excused from that except for one who was compelled. And he would be one
whom the polytheists (Mushrikin) overpowered, such that they say to him,
'Disbelieve and do such-and-such, or else we do such-and-such to you and
kill you,' or if they take him and torture him until he complies with them. In
that case, it is allowed for him to comply with them upon his tongue, while
his heart is calm with faith (Iman). And the scholars have formed a consensus
(Ijma') that whoever speaks with disbelief, out of joking, disbelieves. So how
about the one who openly shows the disbelief (Kufr) out of fear and lusting
after this worldly life (Dunya)?"

Then he began mentioning over twenty evidences for that. And for that
(reason), the book became famously titled, Ad-Dala'il. So all of that should be
contemplated by those who attribute themselves to the Da'wah, from those
who openly show allegiance and compliance to the slaves of the Yasiq, while
they defend them and their laws and their governments and their armies.

264 Trans. Note: Referring to the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah ! J»fc
life §jsjg said, "Islam began strange and it shall return strange as it began. So Tiibah (i.e. a tree
in paradise) for the strangers!" [Narrated by Muslim and others.]

265 From Sabil An-Najat within the same chapter.

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And they must understand this well, as it is very important for them,
especially if they know that all of it was dedicated to the soldiers of the
Egyptian state when they entered Najd, during the era of the Shaykh, Hamad
ibn 'Atiq and the Shaykh, Sulayman, may Allah be merciful to them both, as
they wrote the book Sabil An-Najat Wal-Fikak and the book Ad-Dala'il, during
that time, in order to warn the people from forming allegiance with those
soldiers who used to adhere to, with much innovation {Bid' ah) and
superstitions and the manifestations with the Shirk of the graves. 266 And
from that which is known is that the famous scholars of Najd, from the
descendants of Muhammad ibn x Abdul-Wahhab, and his followers in that
era, used to declare the disbelief (Takfir) to the Egyptian state and its soldiers
who were following the Turkish state, as it is known from many of their
treatises. Furthermore, they even declared the disbelief (Takfir) to those who
formed allegiance to them or entered into their obedience, while being
satisfied with them and taking them as guardians besides the believers. And
the question, which urgently throws itself here, is: If this was the ruling of
those Imam scholars, concerning the soldiers who followed the state, which
most of the Muslims nowadays weep for and its days (i.e. they wish it would
return), and if these books and their writings concerned those who formed
allegiance with it and loved it or longed for it to be dominant, then what do
you suppose they would say about the slaves of the modern-day Yasiq? And
with what do you see them ruling upon these who openly show allegiance to
them and to their armies and their police, due to fearing banishment from
their homes and livelihood or employment or other than that from portions
(lit. peels) of this worldly life and its luxuries. And with what do you see
them judging those who take an oath upon being sincere to them or upon
honoring their laws if they saw this time?

"So beware, (and again) beware, O you people of intellect. And repent, (and
again) repent, O you unaware ones, as the tribulation (Fitnah) has occurred in
the (very) roots of the religion, as opposed to its branches, nor in this worldly
life. So it must be that the family and the spouses and the wealth and the
trade and the homes are a shield for the religion and a ransom for it (i.e. they

266 Look to page 309 and elsewhere in the Volume of Jihad within the book Ad-Durar As-

Saniyyah .

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are to be sacrificed for Islam). And the religion should not be made a ransom
for them or a shield for them. He, the Most High, said: Say: If your fathers,
your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you
have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings
in which you delight ... are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger,
and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allah brings
about His Decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are Al-
Fasiqun. 267 Therefore, understand it and contemplate it because Allah has
obligated that Allah and His Messenger and Al-Jihad are more beloved than
all of those eight matters (i.e. the aforementioned verse), much less one of
them, or several (of them) from that which is even lower than them from
something that is considered even more repugnant. So the religion should be
with you, the most valuable and highest commodity. . ." 268

Chapter: [From the Methods of the Transgressing Rulers

(Tughat) in Dissolving the Millah of Ibrahim and
Eliminating it Within the Selves of the Callers (DtTat)]

And to proceed:

Therefore, if you have understood the Millah of Ibrahim with a clear
understanding, and you have come to know that it was the methodology of
the Messengers and their followers and that it is the path to victory and
success and happiness in both abodes (i.e. this life and the hereafter), then
you must know afterwards, with certain knowledge, that the transgressors
(Tughat) in every era will never be satisfied with it. Rather, they fear this great
Millah and are frightened by it and they are keen and enthusiastic in
eliminating it and removing it from the selves of the callers (Du'at) via
numerous paths and methods.

267 At-Tawbah, 24.

268 Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Volume of Jihad, page 127.

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As he, the Most High, informed (us) about them, from a long time ago when
He said in Surat Al-Qalam, while it is from the Makkah-period:

They wish that you should compromise (in religion out of courtesy) with
them, so they (too) would compromise with you. 269

So they wish that the callers (Du'at) would take other than it (i.e. this Millah)
from the crooked paths so that they would stray from the Da 'wah of the solid,
straight-forward Da'wah of the Prophets, and they will not cease to plot to
steer the callers (Du'at) off this straight path, towards paths in which their
lays silence upon much of their falsehood, which will please their hearts or
compromise with them in some of their matters. This way, the Da'wah will
die and its matters will dissolve and this matter dissolves away and its callers
will stray from its straight, clear and apparent path. So the Tughat know that
the first retreat is a step backwards and then this step is followed by even
more steps in which the callers (Du'at) forget the basic methodology of the
Da'wah (itself). And from this astrayness, without doubt, comes compromises
with the people of falsehood in many of their falsehoods or (at least) in some
of them. And that is the height of what they hope for from the very
beginning, such that when they see those callers (Du'at) stepping down and
retreating, then they will make apparent to them how pleased they are with
them and their Da'wah. Then they draw near to them and praise their efforts
and show love and affection towards them. He, the Most High, said:

Verily, they were about to tempt you away from that which We have
revealed (the Qur'an) unto you to fabricate something other than it against
Us, and then they would certainly have taken you a friend! 270

Sayyid Qutb, may Allah, the Most High, be merciful to him, mentioned
something at this verse, after he mentioned the efforts of the polytheists

269 Al-Qalam, 9.
270 AZ-Lsra',73.

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(Mushrikin) in negotiating with the Messenger |»%§jd$ ! asfc upon many of the

issues of his religion and his Da'wah. And from that, (he mentioned) leaving
the criticism of their gods and that which their fathers were upon, to other
than that. He said:

"These efforts, from which Allah protected His Messenger; they are the
efforts of the people of the authority (Sultan) towards the people of the
Da'wah in all times. They are efforts to deceive them so that they would stray
ever-so-slightly from the straightness of the Da'wah and its solidarity. And
they become pleased with the mediocre life, which they use to deceive them,
at the expense of many virtues. And from the carriers of the Da'wahs, are
those who were caused to fall into tribulation (Fitnah), in this fashion, away
from his Da'wah because they saw the matter as easy. So the people of the
authority (Sultan) do not seek from him to leave his Da'wah completely,
rather they only seek slight adjustments from him, so that the two sides can
meet in the middle of the path (i.e. compromise). And the Shaytan might
come to the carrier of the Da'wah from this gap so that he may see that the
best Da 'wah is to gain the people of authority (Sultan), to it (i.e. the Da'wah)
even if this means stepping down from a part of it! However, the slight
astrayness at the outset of the path ends with the complete astrayness at the
end of the path. And a person of the Da'wah who accepts the surrender of
part of it; even if it is a small part, and (submits) to give up a piece of it - even
if it is small, is unable to stop at what gave into originally, due to (the fact
that) his being prepared to surrender increases every time - he will backslide!
And the people of the authority (Sultan) work gradually with the people of
the Da'wahs, so that when they surrender a part of it, then they will lose their
dignity and their shield. And the ones being overtaken know that both the
continuing of the negotiation while raising its cost, and in attaining the
people of authority to their ranks, is a spiritual defeat in that they come to
depend upon the people of the authority, in order to give victory to the
Da'wah. And Allah alone is the one whom the believers depend upon in their
Da'wah. And whenever the defeat spreads in the depths of the self, then this
defeat will never result in victory!"

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Yes, and we see many of the Du'dt nowadays whom the transgressors
(Tughat) have taken as friends such that they neither harm them nor do they
take them as enemies, because these callers (Du'dt) have openly shown their
satisfaction with much of their falsehood. So they met with them in the
middle of the road (i.e. compromised) and sat with them in the seminars and
at the celebrations and destructions.

And from the examples of those methods in our current situation:

• What we have already referred to from what many of the transgressors
(Tughat) have established such as parliaments and councils of the nation
and the likes of that, so that they join therein with their oppressors from
the Du'dt and others. So they sit with them in it (i.e. parliaments etc.) and
convene there while mixing with them until they resolve the issues
between them. So the issue never materializes into a matter of disavowal
(Bard'ah) towards them or disbelief in their laws or in their constitutions
or disconnection from all of their falsehood. Rather, (it is) cooperating and
assisting and advising and sitting at the discussion tables for the benefit of
the country and its economy and its security and... and... and... - all for
the country whose Tdghut controls it and rules it according to his desires
and his manifestations of disbelief (Kufr). And this is a lapse, whose
people we have lived amongst, and have seen most of those who
attributed themselves to the methodology of the predecessoious
verdicts (Fatawa) and the condemnations flow as well as the continuous
chastisement. Then later on, when the matters return to their original
situation, these verdicts (Fatawa) subside and become hushed and we cease to
hear even a whisper, despite the fact that this Taghut has not changed nor has
he been altered in the slightest. Rather, his situation may even have become
worse and more harmful than it was previously. And if they see him with
their eyes performing the circumbulation (Tawaf) of the House (i.e. Ka'bah)
with his impurity (Najasah) and his transgression (Tughyari), then they do not
move a muscle. So to Allah are the grievances. And in any case, this
establishment and the likes of it does not exceed the fact that it is a
government-based establishment and we have become accustomed to
distrusting that which comes from the governments. And what a good
custom that is.

• And from that, also, is what they grant to many of the callers (Du 'at) from
permits and licenses for the Da'wah and delivering sermons (Khutbahs)
and that which they establish from "Committees for the Commanding of
the Good and the Forbiddance of Evil", which strive to assimilate and
appease the zealous callers (Du'at), while at the same time, preventing
them from (objecting to) the evil of the government itself and its politics
and its falsehood (Batil) and the greatest evils of its Tawaghlt. And they do
this by preoccupying them with some of the evils of the general masses,
which amount to a threat to the security of the state and the permanence
of the rule of the Tawaghlt. And they (i.e. the scholars) would be unable to
surpass that (i.e. forbidding the evil of the general masses) to the higher
and greater levels (of evil), as long as they remain tied to those
committees or those permits, which govern them or and their Da'wahs by
binding them firmly.

• And from that, as well, is their destruction of and the elimination and
killing of this Millah in the selves of the youth from the descendants of the
believers, by means of their schools and colleges and their media and their
various Taghu f-oriented establishments. So even though those Tawaghlt
are worse in terms of their filth and greater in terms of their plotting than
Pharaoh, such that they do not seek refuge in his methods of eliminating

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their sons, except as a last resort when their other filthy methods fail.
Therefore, they strive hard prior to that in order to eliminate this Millah in
their selves so that instead of them destroying the generations, by means
which would be perceived (i.e. actual killing them) as Pharaoh did, they
eliminate this Millah within them. So they destroy them with all forms of
destruction and that occurs by raising them (i.e. students) upon loving
them (i.e. the Tawaghit) and having allegiance towards them and to their
laws and their governments, by means of these evil (Fdsid) schools and
their other various media, which many of the ignorant Muslims enter into
and bring into their homes. So rather than the Tawaghit causing the people
to revolt by swiftly executing them in reality, they follow this vile policy
so that the people will glorify their praise and their merits that they (i.e.
the governments) have wiped out ignorance and spread the knowledge
and civilization. And beyond all that, under this cover, they raise sincere
followers and servants for the governments and their laws and to their
governing families, from the descendants of the Muslims. Or at least they
will raise a shapeless, ignorant, misguided generation, which turns away
from this straight, concrete Da'wah and this solid Millah, while cozying-up
to the people of falsehood (BatiT), which will be unable and unfit to
confront them or even to consider it. And we have explained this matter
and uncovered their vile methods in our treatise Vdad Al-Qadat Al-Fawaris
Bi Hajri Fasad Al-Madaris. 279

And how often does the caller (Da'i) fall and stumble when slipping in any of
these hazards? So this situation in which we now live, including the people's
distrust of the Islamic leaderships and the scholars, is nothing more than one
of the results of these hazards. And how small does he become in the eyes of
the transgressors (Tughat) themselves while removing his fear from their
hearts, such that they neither fear him nor are they threatened by his Da 'wah
and they do not give him any consideration at all? Yet, if they were to witness
from him, firmness and solidarity, such as the solidarity of the mountains,
with disavowal (Bara'ah) and refusal and disdain from lowering himself to
them in any of the points of their paths, which oppose the methodology
(Manhaj) of the proper Da 'wah, then they, at that point, they would give him a

279 Trans. Note: "Preparing the Leading Knights For Abandoning the Evil of the Schools"

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thousand considerations. And Allah puts terror and dread in the hearts of the
transgressors (Tughat), just like the dread of the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! 3>Sb existed
in the hearts those disbelievers (Kuffdr). And just as he would be given the
victory, due to that terror, by the distance of one month. 280 So beware these
hazards and beware from falling into the games of the transgressors (Tughat).

Finally, then Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, has clarified these steps for us
and uncovered these games for us and He warned us about them. And He
has given us the solution and the cure, while pointing us to the correct path.
As He said, prior to His statement:

They wish that you should compromise with them, so they (too) would
compromise with you. 281

He said:

So obey not the deniers. 282

Do not obey them and do not incline towards them and do not accept being
half of their solutions (towards their goals) as your Lord has given you the
religion of truth and He has pointed you to a straight path and He has guided
you to the Millah of Ibrahim.

280 Trans. Note: Referring to the Hadith narrated by from Al-Bukhari and Muslim, from Jabir
that the Messenger of Allah life %<S5 ! a?u said, "I have been given five things that were not
given to anyone before me: I have been made victorious due to terror for a distance of one
month's journey; the earth has been made a place of prayer for me - wherever and whoever
of my nation wants to pray, he may pray; and the war booty has been made lawful for me,
and this was not lawful for anyone before me. I have been given permission to intercede. The
prophets used to be raised for their own people only, but I have been raised for all of
mankind."

281 Al-Qalam, 9.

282 Al-Qalam, 8.

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• And precisely like that, is His, the Most High's, statement in Surat Al-
Insdn, and it was also from the Makkah-period:

Therefore be patient and submit to the Command of your Lord, and obey
neither a sinner nor a disbeliever among them. 283

And in mentioning the Qur'dn and Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic's
appreciation of His Prophet, in revealing this to him prior to the prohibition
of obeying the sinful disbelievers, the correct path of the Da 'wan was clarified,
because this path was not chosen by the callers (Du 'at) or by the selves. And it
is not for them to submerge it or to identify its distinctive qualities as they
wish or choose. Rather it is only the Millah of Ibrahim and the Da'wah of the
Prophets and the Messengers, which is mentioned in full detail within this
Qur'dn.

• And also like that, is His, the Most High's, statement in Surat Al-Furqdn,
which is also from the Makkah-period:

So obey not the disbelievers and make Jihad against them with it (the
Qur'an); the greatest Jihad. 284

"...and make Jihad against them with it..." In other words, with the Noble
Qur'dn. So do not drift to a methodology or practice or path in the Da'wah
other than the path with which you have been ordered in the Qur'dn. And
warn them with this Qur'dn and do not take other than it from the crooked,
deviated paths, in which there lies the obedience to the disbelievers (Kuffdr)
or the remaining silent upon some of their falsehood (Bdtil).

283 Al-Insan, 24.

284 Al-Furqan, 52.

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And likewise also, was His statement to His Prophet l»% §jdB& ! sn^Sb after

He ordered him to make Tilawah (precise recitation) with His Book 285 a
little:

And obey not him whose heart We have made hidless of Our
Remembrance; one who follows his own lusts and affairs. And say: "The
truth is from your Lord." Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and
whosoever wills, let him disbelieve. 286

And these verses were from the Makkah-period (as well).

And likewise, is His, the Most High's, statement in Surat Ash-Shoorah, while it
was also from the Makkah-period, after He mentioned what He had
legislated for the previous Prophets, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa and 'Isa:

285 And from the meanings of At-Tilaivah is: "The Following". So whoever makes Tilawah
upon something; in other words, "He has followed it."

And there is no doubt that the Tilawah of the Book of Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, by
reading it and studying it while adhering to it and following its commands, is from the
greatest causes of steadfastness upon this path, as it has passed. And similarly, the constant
remembrance of Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, and focusing upon Him while performing
the Night Prayer (Qiyam Al-Layl), as He, the Most High said directly after the aforementioned
verse, from Siirat Al-Insan:

And remember the Name of your Lord every morning and afternoon and during night,
prostrate yourself to Him, and glorify Him a long night through. [Al-Insan, 25 - 26].

286 Al-Kahf, 28-29.

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...be on the straight path as you were ordered, and follow not their
desires... 287

And His, Glory be to Him, command to His Prophet, after a while, that he
should declare to the disbelievers (Kuffar):

r m — ■ rtwrm — ■ — ■ r mm ■ —

For us our deeds and for you your deeds. 288

...is a clear disavowal {Bard' ah) from them and their astray desires and their
methodologies and their paths.

And likewise, as well, was His, the Most High's statement to His Prophet "fib
|>%§d^! an Surat Al-Jathiyah, which was also from the Makkah-period:

Then We have put you on a plain way of (Our) commandment. So follow
you that, and follow not the desires of those who know not. Verily, they
can avail you nothing against Allah. Verily, the Thalitnun (polytheists,
wrong-doers, etc.) are Awliya' (protectors, helpers, etc.) to one another, but
Allah is the Wall (Helper, Protector, etc.) of the Muttaqun (pious). 289

And in this way, if we were to follow all of the verses of the Qur'an, then we
would have found verses in the tens or even hundreds, which would indicate
these important meanings, as Allah, the Powerful, the Majestic, did not create
His slaves for mere playing nor did He leave them without responsibilities.
Isn't the clarity of this methodology (Martha]) and its stability sufficient for the
callers (Du'at)? And won't that which sufficed the Messenger of Allah ! 30>f>
l»% §jd§ and the Prophets before him, suffice them? Isn't it time for them to

287 Ash-Shurah, 15.

288 Ash-Shurah, 15.

289 Al-Jathiyah, 18-19.

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awaken from their heedlessness and for them to rectify the astraynesses and
the misguidances? Wasn't it enough that they have fallen into the games of
the transgressors (Tughat), while concealing the truth and deceiving the
people and wasting the efforts and the lives? So by Allah, there is but one
choice:

"Either the Shari'ah of Allah or the desires of those who have no knowledge.
And there is no third option as there is no middle ground between the
straight Shari'ah and the unstable desires.

"And these verses identify and outline the path for the individual of the
Da'wah. And they are far better in this (issue) than any statements or
commentaries or explanations. Verily, it is one Shari'ah, which deserves this
description and all things other than it are desires, which sprout from
ignorance. And it is upon the individual of the Da'wah to follow the Shari'ah
alone and to abandon all of the desires. And it is upon him also, never to
stray from the Shari'ah at all to any of the desires, because the people of these
desires cooperate amongst themselves against the person of the Shari'ah. So it
is not allowed for him to hope for some victory for them, as they have rallied
against him; each one of them being guardians of the other. Yet despite that,
they are too weak to inflict harm upon him, except for mere annoyances. So
Allah is his guardian and his victor. And where is (their) allegiance compared
to (his) allegiance? And where are the weak, ignorant jokers who are
guardians of one another, compared to the individual of the Shari'ah, with
whom Allah has allegiance with. . .?" 290

...but Allah is the Wall (Helper, Protector, etc.) of the Muttaqun (pious). 291

This is the path...

So are there any men?

290 F r om Ath-Thilal, with some rearrangement.

291 Trans. Note: Al-]at_hiyah, 19.

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Abu Muhammad

The Year:

One Thousand Four Hundred and Five

(1405 AH.) after the Hijrah of Al-Mustafa

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Appendix:

Refuting the Doubts Related to
the Event of Hatib ibn Abi

Balta'ah

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Translator's Forward to the Appendix

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. . .

The reason for including the explanation of the event of Hatib ibn Abi
Balta'ah is the following:

1 - The frequent mentioning of this event by the author, Abu Muhammad Al-
Maqdisi, may Allah preserve him, and to give it a more comprehensive
explanation than what was available in the context of his points concerning it.

2 - The general need to address this issue and how it relates to the modern-
day apostate regimes and governments and their allegiance with the
disbelieving nation states of the West or other than them.

3 - The mistaken conclusions, which have been deduced from this event and
the need to clarify them to avoid falling into the mistakes related to this topic
in general.

And among the mistaken conclusions, which have been assumed from this
event, is the following:

• What Hatib, may Allah be pleased with him, did was not disbelief (Kufr),
and this is why the Messenger of Allah |»% §4^ ! art did not execute him
or declare his disbelief (Takfir).

• Informing the enemies of the Muslims about their intentions and
vulnerabilities is not considered allegiance (Muwalat).

• Actions of allegiance (Muwalat) towards the disbelievers against the
Muslims are only considered to nullify a person's Islam when they are
combined with allegiance of the heart.

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• The declaration of disbelief (Takfir) cannot be issued for the mere action
alone because the action cannot conclusively prove that allegiance exists
in the heart of the one who commits this action.

• The fact that the Messenger of Allah \>% §d& ! info said, "He has told the
truth," upon hearing Hatib' s excuse, is an indication of these conclusions.

• The fact that Hatib, may Allah be pleased with him, participated in the
battle of Badr, was a preventative factor (ManV) from declaring his
disbelief {Takfir).

• Performing actions of allegiance (Muwalat) is not considered disbelief
(Kufr) if it is done for a benefit from this worldly life (Dunyd).

During our research for this issue, we came across an excellent treatise, which
addresses most, if not all of the misconceptions regarding this event. And it
comes from the noble Shaykh, x Abdul-Qadir ibn x Abdul- x Aziz, may Allah
preserve him, from his enormously beneficial book Al-JamV Ft Talab Al-'Ilm
Ash-Sharif. 292

In his lengthy refutation of the errors in the book Ar-Risalah Al-Limaniyyah,
the Shaykh entered this section regarding the mistakes related to the event of
Hatib, and has basically gone through the misconceptions of the author of
that book, as well as some of those from his contemporaries, one-by-one.
Therefore, it seemed a fitting and comprehensive chapter to include here, as it
serves our purpose equally well, which is to point out the mistakes of some of
the people in relation to this Hadith and what it indicates.

292 Trans. Note: Vol. 2/636 - 644 [This book has not yet been published by a major
publication company. Our copy was printed and published for limited distribution, in a full-
sized, two-volume soft cover format. It is worth noting here that as of the writing of these
words, the author of this book, the Shaykh, x Abdul-Qadir, may Allah preserve him, currently
resides in his prison cell in Yemen just as the Shaykh, Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi sits in his
prison cell in Tordan. And may Allah, the Most High, give victory to our imprisoned scholars
and Mujahidin and humiliate their enemies from the disbelievers (Kuffar) and apostates
(Murtadin)\]

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As for the translation, we have attempted to be as precise to the terminology
of Shaykh x Abdul-Qadir, while retaining the fluidity of the English language.
Again, we have lowered the Shaykh' s references into footnotes and added
some of our own as well, to clarify some of his points. We have also added
some headings to help identify the points, which the Shaykh addresses
throughout this section, which we've denoted with square parenthesis, in
order to differentiate ours from those of the author. We would also like to
inform the reader that, in this section, the author occasionally alludes to
certain points and principles, which he had covered in earlier chapters from
the same book, which were obviously not included here. So please bear this
in mind, while reading.

We hope that the addition of this appendix section will assist in the
understanding of the matter and add to the clarification of the Millah of
Ibrahim; particularly with regards to the apostate, disbelieving governments
and regimes, who have allied themselves with the enemies of Allah and
assisted them in hunting for the believers and callers, by imprisoning them
and eliminating their Da'wah. And we ask Allah, the Most High, to give
victory to His religion and the believers and the soldiers of the Millah of
Ibrahim.

And may the peace of blessings of Allah, be upon our Prophet, and his family
and his companions and those who followed them in goodness, until the Last
Day.

At-Tibyan Publications

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[The Text of the Event of Hatib:]

And he (i.e. the author of Ar-Risalah Al-Limaniyyah) began on page 17 by
mentioning the Hadith of Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah, may Allah be pleased with
him. And the Hadith is agreed upon. And in the narration of Al-Bukhari, he
said, "Al-Humaydi narrated to us, 'Sufyan narrated to us, x Amr ibn Dinar
narrated to us, 'He said, Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn v Ali, narrated to me
that he heard 'Ubaydullah ibn Abi Raff, the scribe of v Ali saying, 'I heard
v Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, saying, 'The Messenger of Allah ! ixffo

1% §jd§ sent me, Az-Zubayr and Al-Miqdad somewhere saying, 'Proceed till

you reach Rawdat Khakh. There you will find a lady with a letter. Take the
letter from her.' So, we set out and our horses ran at full pace till we got at
Ar-Rawda where we found the lady and said (to her), 'Take out the letter.'
She replied, 'I have no letter with me.' We said, 'Either you take out the letter
or else we will take off your clothes.' So, she took it out of her braid. We
brought the letter to the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! £»fc and it contained a statement
from Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah to some of the people of the Mushrikin of Makkah
informing them of some of the plans of the Prophet l»% § dfe ! a?% So the

Prophet 1% $dS$ !a?^ said, 'O Hatib, what is this?' Hatib replied, 'O
Messenger of Allah, do not rush to judgment in my case. I was a man closely
connected with the Quraysh, but I did not belong to their tribe. While the
other emigrants with you, had their relatives in Makkah who would protect
their families and wealth in Makkah. So, I wanted to recompense for my
lacking blood relation to them by doing them a favor so that they might
protect my relatives. I did not do that, while disbelieving nor while
apostatizing from my religion.' So the Prophet V% §jd§ ! Btfb said, 'Verily, he
has told you the truth.' Then v Umar said, O Messenger of Allah, permit me to
strike his neck." So he (i.e. the Prophet l»% § d& ! a?fc) said, 'Verily, he
participated at Badr. And what informs you? Perhaps Allah, the Powerful,
the Mighty, looked upon the people of Badr and said, 'Do as you wish, for I
have forgiven you." x Amr said, 'And for him, was revealed: O you who

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believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies as friends (Awliya r )... 293 -

The Hadith. 294

And in a narration of Muslim, "And I did not do so while disbelieving, nor
while apostatizing, nor while being pleased with disbelief (Kufr) after Islam."

[Refuting the Doubts Regarding this Hadith:]

The author of Ar-Risalah Al-Limaniyyah said on page 18, "In this Hadith, there
is evidence that Hatib, may Allah be pleased with him, came with an action
from the actions of allegiance {Muwalat) towards the polytheists (Mushrikiri).
And that was from the text of the verse: O you who believe! Take not My
enemies and your enemies as friends (Awliya')... 295 And it was revealed
concerning him, just as the Hadith indicates that he did not disbelieve with
this allegiance {Muwalat) of his. And that was from the text of the statement
of the Prophet l»%$4& ! an* to TJmar: "He has told the truth." He meant that

he told the truth in his statement: "And I did not do so while disbelieving,
nor while apostatizing from my religion, nor while being pleased with
disbelief {Kufr) after Islam." What we extract from that clear evidence is that
the allegiance {Muwalat) of Hatib was outwardly apparent allegiance
{Muwalat Thahiriyyah), which he committed for a benefit in this worldly life
{Dunya), while his heart was at rest with faith {Iman). And if it were internally
hidden allegiance {Muwalat Batiniyyah), then he would have disbelieved. And
that is not possible, due to the statement of the Prophet L%§jd$! asfc: "He has
told the truth," and by the address of His, Glory be to Him, statement: O you
who believe! Take not... 296 Therefore, he was not stripped with the label of
faith {Iman)."

And he also said on page 21, "And that is because, although Hatib committed
an action from the actions of allegiance, since his belief was unharmed, it was
not judged upon with disbelief {Kufr). The reason for that is that his inside

293 Al-Mumtahinah, 1.

294 #4,890.

295 Al-Mumtahinah, 1.

296 Al-Mumtahinah, 1.

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remained unharmed. And this is what was meant by Muwalat Thahiriyyah as
opposed to that of the internally hidden (Batin). Because if the pleasure of the
heart with what he committed were combined with what he committed, then
his allegiance (Muwalat) would have been internally hidden allegiance
(Muwalat Batiniyyah). And that is when the outwardly apparent (Thahir)
combines with the internally hidden (Batin) and that which the committer
disbelieves, after giving consideration to his circumstances."

[Doubt 1: The Label of Faith (Iman) in the address:]

As for his saying that Hatib committed outwardly apparent allegiance
(Muwalat Thahiriyyah), towards the polytheists (Mushrikin) but that he did not
disbelieve with that, then this is correct.

As for him basing his (i.e. Hatib' s) non-disbelief upon the fact that he (only)
committed outwardly apparent allegiance (Muwalat Thahiriyyah), for a benefit
in this worldly life (Dunya), while not having allegiance of the heart (Muwalat
Qalbiyyah), 297 then this is an error and that the outward, apparent allegiance
(Muwalat Thahirah), which is free from internal, hidden allegiance (Muwalat
Batinah), does not bring one to disbelief (Kufr), then this is (also) a mistake.
And we shall explain this, by Allah's will.

And likewise, was his statement that the address of:

O you who believe...

- in the beginning of Surat Al-Mumtahinah - indicates that he did not
disbelieve. Then this is a mistake (as well). And the author attributed this,
also on page 19, to the Shaykh, Sulayman ibn Sahman. And he also erred
because the address with the label of faith (Iman), does not indicate the non-
disbelief of those being addressed. Rather, it is permissible for the individual

297 Trans. Note: Allegiance of the heart (Muwalat Qalbiyyah) is what is meant by internally
hidden allegiance (Muwalat Batiniyyah), because the intent of both terms refers to the inside of
the person. So these two terms are synonymous.

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to be described according to his former condition, even if he changed from it.
And examples of this are:

• His f£§d&! a?Ws saying: "The blood of a Muslim man is not permissible
except in one of three (situations)..." and from them, "...the abandoner of
his religion..." - the agreed upon Hadith. And 'the abandoner of his
religion'; he is the apostate, yet he (i.e. he Prophet l»%§j$^! a?%) described
him in the beginning of the Hadith with Islam, based upon his former
condition. And about this, Ibn Hajar said, "And in this Hadith, is the
permissibility of describing the individual with that which he was upon,
even if he changed from it, due to his (i.e. the Prophet's l»% §jd§ ! a?%)

made the exception for the apostate from the Muslims. And that was
based upon what he used to be upon." 298

• And another example of that is his V% §4& ! a?Ws saying: "Three will
receive their rewards doubled..." and he mentioned from them, "...and a
man from the People of the Book (AM Al-Kitab), who believed in his
Prophet and believed in me." - the agreed upon Hadith. So he described
him as being from the People of the Book (AM Al-Kitab) despite his
entering into Islam, with the evidence of his t%§jd§! asWs saying, "...and

believed in me." So his saying, "...and a man from the People of the
Book..." is from the point of labelling him based upon his former
condition. And the equivalent of this Hadith, from the Book of Allah, is
His, the Most High's, statement:

And there are, certainly, among the People of the Book, those who believe
in Allah and in that which has been revealed to you... 2 "

And likewise is the verse in Al-Ma'idah:

298 FathAl-Bari, Vol. 12/204.

299 Al-'Imrdn, 199.

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...those who say: "We are Christians.

Until His, the Most High's, statement:

They say: "Our Lord! We believe... 300

And likewise is His, the Most High's, statement:

O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his
religion... 301

So does the address with faith (Imari) prevent the apostasy of some of them?
And like that is His, the Most High's, statement in the beginning of Surat Al-
Mumtahinah:

O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies as friends
(Awlhja') ...

- Until His statement:

And whosoever of you (Muslims) does that, then indeed he has gone (far)
astray, (away) from the Straight Path. 302

So the address with faith (Imari) does not prevent the disbelief (Kufr) of some
of those being addressed. And their description with those who believe

300 Al-Md'idah, 82-83.

301 Al-Md'idah, 54.

302 Trans. Note: Al-Mumtahinah, 1.

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would be from the point of describing the individual based upon his former
condition, as we have affirmed. This is with the agreement that Hatib did not
disbelieve, but I wanted to make a point of this error, which was his (i.e.
author's) using the address with the label of faith (Imari) as evidence for the
non-disbelief. So there is no evidence in it from that, especially when it is a
general address. Therefore: ...you who believe... is from the general
phrasings, because it is an "Ism Mawsul" (i.e. general pronoun), which is
opposed to the address being specific to someone, such as in His, the Most
High's, statement:

And upon the three who remained behind... 303

And His, the Most High's, statement:

When two parties from among you were about to lose heart, but Allah was
their Walt (Supporter and Protector). 304

[Doubt 2: Outward Actions vs. Actions of the Heart]

As for the author using the fact that it was outward, apparent allegiance
(Muwalat Thahirah) as evidence for the non-disbelief of Hatib, may Allah be
pleased with him, which does not bring one to disbelief (Kufr), as long as it is
not accompanied with allegiance of the heart (Muwalat Qalbiyyah), then his
usage of this as evidence is bogus (Fasid). And here is its clarification:

a) There is no disagreement that what Hatib committed was outward,
apparent allegiance (Muwalat Thahirah), towards the polytheists
(Mushrikin) by the text of His, the Most High's, statement:

303 At-Tawbah, 118.
30i Al-lmran, 122.

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O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies as friends,
showing affection towards them... 305

And it was revealed concerning him.

b) And there is no disagriment that the outward, apparent allegiance
(Muwalat Thahirah) towards the polytheists (Mushrikin) is major
disbelief (Kufr Akbar), without it being accompanied with allegiance of
the heart (Muwalat Qalbiyyah). And we have established the evidence
upon that earlier, using the Book and the Sunnah and the consensus
(Ijmd'). 306 As for the Book, then it is His, the Most High's, statement:

305 Al-Mumtahinah, 1.

306 Trans. Note: As for the Book and the Sunnah, then its verses are clear, as are the events
such as the position of the companions (Sahabah) towards those who allied themselves with
the disbelieving apostates during the Khilafah of Abu Bakr are clear examples.

As for the consensus (Ijma x ) regarding the allegiance (Muwalat) towards the polytheists
(Mushrikin) being major disbelief (Kufr Akbar), then the Shaykh, x Abdul-Qadir ibn x Abdul-
v Aziz did not narrated the references for this here so we've brought a few from other sources:

Ibn Hazm, may Allah be merciful to him, said, "It is correct that His, the Most High's,
statement: And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya', then surely he is one of them.

[Al-Ma'idah, 51] is upon its outer meaning and that he is a disbeliever (Kafir) from the group
of the disbelievers (Kuffar) and this is correct. No two (people) from the Muslims would
disagree about this. " [Al-Muhala, Vol. 11/138.]

And Shaykh \<\bdul-Latif ibn x Abdur-Rahman ibn Hasan Al Ash-Shaykh, said after his
discussion about the obligation of having enmity and disavowal (Bara'ah) towards the
disbelievers: "So how about the one who helps them or draws them towards the countries of
the people of Islam or praises them or holds them as being more just than the people of Islam,
or selects their states and their dwellings (as preferable to live) and their allegiance (Wilayah)
while loving for them to become dominant; then this is clear apostasy (Riddah), according to
the complete agreement. He, the Most High, said: And whosoever disbelieves in the faith
then his deeds are invalidated, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers. (Al-
Ma'idah, 5) [Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah, Vol. 8/326.]

And the Shaykh, ^Abdullah ibn Humayd said, "As for the allying (Taivalli); then it is being
cordial to them and praising them and giving victory to them and assisting them against the
Muslims and forming fellowship, as opposed to having disavowal (Bara'ah) against them

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And if any amongst you takes them as Awliya\ then surely he is one of
them. 307

And that which took place in their hearts (i.e. those who committed what the
verse was revealed for) was fear and not being pleased with the disbelievers
(Kuffdr) and their religion. And as for the Sunnah, then it is the ruling of the
Prophet l»% §jdB& !a?fc upon his uncle, Al- 'Abbas, with the ruling of he

disbelievers (Kuffdr), due to his helping the polytheists (Mushrikin) against the
Muslims. 308 And as for the consensus (Ijmd'), then it is the consensus of the
companions (Sahdbah) upon the declaring the disbelief (Takfir) of those who
assisted the leaders of apostasy. And I have elaborated upon this point in the
clarification of the second section: "The Clarification of the Ruling Upon
Those who Assist the Tawdghit" , and in my earlier refutation of the claim of
the author that no one disbelieves with the outward, apparent allegiance
(Muwaldt Ath-Thdhir), and that this was the statement of the extremists of the
Murji'ah. 309 And this is sufficient to clarify that what Hatib committed was
disbelief (Kufr), yet he negated that from himself saying: "And I did not do so
while disbelieving, nor while apostatizing from my religion, nor while being
pleased with disbelief (Kufr) after Islam." - from the narration of Muslim. And
x Umar ibn Al-Khattab described him with that also, as Ibn Hajar mentioned
it, saying, "And in the Hadith of Ibn "Abbas, x Umar said, 'I drew my sword
and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, enable me over him, as he has disbelieved!'
Ibn Hajar said, "Its chain is Sahih." 310 And this Hadith of Ibn v Abbas was
narrated by At-Tabari. And all of this concerns the clarification that what
Hatib committed was disbelief (Kufr).

outwardly. So this is apostasy from whoever does this and the rulings (Ahkam) of the
apostates must be implemented upon him, as it has been indicated by the Book and the
Sunnah and the consensus (Ijma') of the nation (Ummah) who are followed." [Ad-Durar As-
Saniyyah, Vol. 15/479.]

307 Trans. Note: Al-Ma'idah, 51.

308 Trans. Note: And the Shaykh, Abu Muhammad has mentioned this event previously.

309 Trans. Note: Refer to the earlier explanation of Irja' and the Murji'ah sect from the footnote
in the introduction.

3 i° FathAl-Bari, Vol. 12/309.

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[Doubt 3: The Meaning of, "Hatib has told the truth/']

This, plus there is no evidence in the saying of the Prophet 1%§J$^! ao»% "He

has told the truth/' that what Hatib committed was not disbelief (Kufr).
(Rather), his action was disbelief (Kufr) according to the Book and the Sunnah
and the consensus (Ijma'), upon the disbelief (Kufr) of the one who stands
with the disbelievers (Kuffar) against the Muslims. 311 So with that, it is
obligatory for the affirmation of truthfulness (Tasdiq) by the Messenger ! SB>f>

l»% §jdB& to be redirected towards another matter, which is the compliance of
the statement of Hatib, with his own conviction and not the compliance of the
statement with his present situation and with the reality, as the Book and the
Sunnah and the consensus (Ijma') is contrary to that. 312 And these words are
in need of clarification. And its clarification is: Is the truthfulness of the
conveyance applied to the compliance of the statement of the informer
regarding his conviction, or does it apply to the compliance of the statement
of the informer with the present situation he is informing about?

And this issue has two sayings about it. And the following example will
clarify it: Suppose a blind man was to stare at a shining light and say, "I see
darkness." Then upon the former saying, which is the compliance of his
statement with his conviction, then he is truthful, even if he made a mistake.

311 Trans. Note: The Shaykh, v Abdul-Qadir ibn \*\bdul- x Aziz does not mean to suggest that
there is scholarly consensus (Ijma') that what Hatib did was disbelief (Kufr). And this
becomes clear ahead when he goes on to mention how the scholars ('Ulama) disagreed about
the ruling upon Hatib' s action. And he even quotes some of the scholars ('Ulama) such as Al-
Qurtubi and others who did not consider the action of Hatib to be disbelief (Kufr). Rather,
what he is saying is that there is no doubt that the one who stands with the disbelievers
(Kuffar) against the Muslims has committed disbelief (Kufr), even if some of the scholars
mistakenly concluded that Hatib did not commit this action. And some narrations of this
consensus (Ijma') were mentioned in a previous footnote.

312 Trans. Note: This is with the understanding that when Hatib said, "And I did not do it
while disbelieving, nor while apostatizing, nor while being pleased with disbelief (Kufr) after
Islam," he said so with the meaning: "What I did was not Kufr, nor apostasy nor is it being
pleased with disbelief (Kufr) after Islam." And so this would be incorrect in the sense of
describing his action, itself, but correct in the sense that he, himself, did not disbelieve, nor
did he apostatize, nor was he pleased with disbelief (Kufr) after Islam.

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And upon the second saying, which is the compliance of his statement with
that present situation, he is a liar. And both of the sayings have been taken by
some of the scholars ('Ulama). And this issue is included in the issues of "The
Science of Meanings." 313 And the truth is that both of these sayings are
correct - even if the second one is more known - and they can be combined
or be separate, as the truthfulness can be labeled upon the compliance of his
statement with his conviction, or it could be labeled upon the compliance of
his statement with that reality and with the present situation together, which
would be the absolute truth. And that which identifies the intent of it is the
context and the outward indicators (Qara'in) and the examples of that from
the revelation:

• His, the Most High's, statement:

When the hypocrites come to you, they say: "We bear witness that you are
indeed the Messenger of Allah." Allah knows that you are indeed His
Messenger and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are liars indeed. 314

So Allah declared them as liars from the point of the contradiction of their
statement with their convictions only - because they did not believe that he is
the Messenger of Allah, even if their statement was in compliance with the
present situation (i.e. reality) and that he was truly the Messenger of Allah. So
it becomes clear from that, how the truthfulness and lying, in this example,
was based upon the compliance of the statement of the informer with his
conviction, as opposed to its compliance with the present situation and the
reality.

• And His, the Most High's, statement, about the saying of Sulayman
ytEato Hud-hud:

313 And it was pointed out by Al-Khattib Al-Qazwini in his book, Al-'Idhah Fi 'Ulum Al-
Balaghah, page 18; published by Dar Al-Kutub Al-Tlmiyyah, 1405 H.

314 Al-Mundfiqun, 1.

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He said: "We shall see whether you speak the truth or you are (one) of the
liars." 315

Therefore, the intent of the truthfulness here was the compliance of the
statement with the present situation (i.e. reality), which is being conveyed, as
it was been indicated in the context of these verses.

• And His, the Most High's, statement:

Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah..."

316

Therefore this is a truthful conveyance from the Messenger of Allah $& ! SB>f>
l»% § And its truthfulness is from both aspects; from the aspect of the
compliance of this statement with his conviction and from its compliance
with the present situation (i.e. reality). This is because he l»% §jd§ ! a?Sb

believed that he was the Messenger of Allah - being from the point of his
conviction - and he was truthfully the Messenger of Allah - being from the
point of the present situation (i.e. reality).

So these examples clarify the difference between the truthfulness of the
informer, from the point of the compliance of his statement to his conviction
as well as the point of the compliance of his statement with the present
situation (i.e. reality) and that there wasn't necessarily a tie between these
two points, as they can sometimes be combined or they can be separate.

315 An-Naml, 27.

316 Al-A'raf, 158.

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[Doubt 4: What was Hatib telling the truth about?]

And by applying this to the affirmation of truthfulness (Tasdiq) of the Prophet
l»% §jd§ ! asft to Hatib, may Allah be pleased with him, we see that Hatib

conveyed two matters; that he did what he did in order to protect his
relatives in Makkah and that he did not do so from disbelief (Kufr). And the
Prophet l»% §jd§ ! 39% said that he had conveyed the truth in his saying. So

was this truthfulness from the point of the compliance of his statement with
his conviction or from the point of its compliance with that present situation
(i.e. reality). Or was it from both points combined? And that which identifies
the intent here is looking to the outside indicators (Qara'in) and the other
evidences.

So his statement that he did not do what he did from the allegiance (Muwalat)
of the disbelievers (Kuffar), from disbelief (Kufr), nor from apostasy from the
religion; in other words, he did not do so with the intent of disbelief (Kufr),
then his truthfulness is from the point of the compliance of his statement with
his conviction, and that he did not intend disbelief (Kufr), and not from the
point of its compliance with that present situation (i.e. reality) of allegiance to
the disbelievers not being disbelief (Kufr). And the evidence upon offsetting
his truthfulness to the first point but not the second, is the indication of the
Book and the Sunnah and the consensus (Ijmd'), regarding allegiance
(Muwalat) of the disbelievers (Kuffar), by helping them against the Muslims -
as Hatib did - being disbelief (Kufr). So it is confirmed that his statement is
contrary to the present situation (i.e. reality), even if it complies with his
conviction.

And as for his (i.e. Hatib' s) using his fear for his relatives as an excuse, then
he was truthful in his excuse and that this was what caused him to do what
he did. So his truthfulness in this case was from the point of the compliance
of his statement to that of his conviction, not from the point of its compliance
with that present situation and the reality. And that is due to the
establishment of the evidence upon that fear alone - without any refuge-
seeking compulsion (actually) taking place - that does not entitle the

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concession (Rukhsah) for committing disbelief (Kufr), which in this case is the
allegiance (Muwalat) of the disbelievers (Kuffar).

So it has been affirmed by looking to the outside indicators (Qara'in) and the
other evidences, that the affirmation of truthfulness (Tasdiq) of the Prophet
t% §jdB& ! a?fc towards Hatib, was from the point of the compliance of his

statement with his (i.e. Hatib's) conviction and not its compliance with that
present situation. And upon this, the affirmation of the truthfulness (Tasdiq)
of the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! soft towards him, is not an approval of his statement,

nor does it indicate that what he did was not disbelief (Kufr), just as it does
not indicate that his excuse is correct, or that it (i.e. this excuse on its own) is
to be considered in the (Islamic) legislation (Sham').

And all of this is in the clarification that what Hatib, may Allah be pleased
with him, committed was disbelief (Kufr). And Shaykh Al-Islam, Muhammad
ibn v Abdul- Wahhab, mentioned it in Nawaqidh Al-Islam, and it is the helping
the polytheists (Mushrikin) against the Muslims. And the 'helping' could be in
the form of fighting alongside them, like Al- x Abbas, may Allah be pleased
with him, did, or by pointing out the vulnerabilities of the Muslims to them,
like Hatib, may Allah be pleased with him, did. And with this, x Umar
described him, as Ibn Hajar said, "And Al-Harith added, 'So "TJmar said, 'But
yes, and he betrayed and helped your enemies against you." 317 And I
narrated previously, the saying of the Shaykh, Hamad ibn 'Atiq An-Najdi,
"Verily, the helping the polytheists (Mushrikin) and pointing out the
vulnerabilities of the Muslims, or defending them with the tongues, or being
pleased with what they are upon; all of these are things, which cause one to
disbelieve. And those whom they (i.e. these actions) come from; if they are
not from any of the aforementioned compulsion, then they are apostates,
even if, while doing so, they hate the disbelievers (Kuffar) and love the
Muslims." sis "

317 Fath Al-Bari, Vol. 12/309; and this narration of Al-Harith was narrated by At-Tabari and
Ibn Abi Hatim.

318 From his Ad-Difa' 'An Ahl As-Sunnah Wal-Ittiba' , by him, page 32; published by Dar Al-
Qur'an Al-Karim, 1400H.

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[Doubt 5: What Excused the Declaration of Hatib's Disbelief
(Takfir)?]

This, plus it has come in the magazine Al-Murabitun, which comes from the
same group, which the book Ar-Risalah Al-Limaniyyah came from, their
saying: "And there is to be no attention given to that which some of the
ignorant ones repeat, saying that Hatib committed disbelief (Kufr), but was
forgiven because he was from the people of Badr. This is because, verily,
Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He
forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases. And Allah had
protected the people of Badr so that they did not fall into Shirk. This is
beyond the fact that the clear text in which there is the affirmation of
truthfulness (Tasdiq) of the Messenger towards him for what he (i.e. Hatib)
said, that he did not do so disbelieving, nor while apostatizing." 319 And the
author of Ar-Risalah Al-Limaniyyah, has similar words to these on page 21-22,
so I say: That is the extent of their knowledge. And I comment on their
statements with what follows:

• As for Hatib committing a disbelief {Kufr), then this is the correct (thing),
according to the Book and the Sunnah and the consensus (Ijma',
concerning the one who helps the disbelievers (Kuffar) against the
Muslims.

• And as for the affirmation of truthfulness (Tasdiq) of the Prophet dfe ! ea>f>
l%§to wards him, then the saying has passed that it was the affirmation of
truthfulness (Tasdiq) of his statement and not an approval of his claim. In
other words, he told the truth in the compliance of his statement to that of
his conviction, not by its compliance with that present situation and the
reality.

• And as for him being forgiven because he as from the people of Badr, then
he (himself) did not disbelieve anyway such that he could be forgiven for
Shirk. And this is the difference between the absolute description with the

1 The magazine Al-Murabitun, no. 6; Rah' Al-'Awal, 1411 H., page 40.

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declaration of disbelief (Takfir) vs. the declaration of disbelief (Takfir) of a
specific individual. So he committed a disbelief (Kufr), but he did not
(personally) disbelieve, due to the presence of a preventative factor
(Mara') from declaring his disbelief (Takfir). And the preventative factor
(Mora') here is not his participation at Badr. Rather, it is another issue,
which shall be clarified shortly, by the will of Allah.

• And for their using of His, the Most High's, statement:

Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him... 320

. . .then this concerns the dead and not the living one. In other words, He does
not forgive the one who dies as a polytheist (Mushrik). And this is a matter of
consensus (Ijmd'). As for the living one, then everything is forgiven from him
with repentance (Tawbah); the Shirk and what is less than it - whether he was
a participant at Badr or not a participant at Badr. But Allah had protected the
participants from Shirk - just like He, the Most High, said:

Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past
will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the examples of those
(punished) before them have already preceded (as a warning). 321

And the verses concerning the forgiveness of the disbelief (Kufr), through
repentance, are abundant as in the end of Al-Furqan and as in the verse of Az-

Zumar.

And after the clarification concerning that what Hatib committed from the
outward, apparent allegiance (Muwalat Ath-Thdhirah), was disbelief (Kufr);
and this is the general declaration of disbelief (Takfir), which is applied for
the cause itself (i.e. allegiance), we shall mention the preventative factor

320 Trans. Note: An-Nisa', 48.

321 Al-Anfal, 38.

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(Mara'), which prevented declaring his disbelief (Takfir), as a specific
individual.

c) As for this preventative factor (Mora'), then it is the excuse that he
offered in his defense. And that was his fear from the disbelievers
(Kuffdr) upon his family and his wealth in Makkah. And Hatib
assumed that this excuse entitled him to the concession (Rukhsah), for
what he did. And this excuse of his is not considered in the (Islamic)
legislation (Sham '), as it has passed regarding fear of the disbelievers,
that on its own - without any compulsion occurring - does not entitle
one to the concession (Rukhsah) for the allegiance (Muwalat), which
causes one to disbelieve, which was what he committed. And for this,
Allah, the Most High, admonished him in the same Surah, with His
statement:

Neither your relatives nor your children will benefit you on the Day of
Resurrection (against Allah). He will judge between you. 322

The Shaykh, Sulayman ibn 'Abdullah, ibn Muhammad x Abdul- Wahhab, said
in his treatise Hukm Muwalat AM Al-Ishrak, "Then He, the Most High,
mentioned the doubt (Shubhah) of he who uses the ties of kinship and the
children, as He said: ... your relatives nor your children will benefit you on
the Day of Resurrection (against Allah). He will judge between you. And
Allah is the All-Seer of what you do. 323 So He, the Most High, did not
excuse those who use the ties of kinship and the children and the fear upon
them or the hardships in parting from them. Rather, He informed that they
will be of no benefit on the Day of Resurrection and that they would not
benefit at all from the punishment of Allah, as He said in the other verse:
Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them
that Day, nor will they ask of one another. 324 325

322 Al-Mumtahinah, 3.

323 Al-MumtaMnah, 3.

324 Al-Mu'minun, 101.

325 From Majmu'at At-Taivhid, page 353; published by Dar Al-Fikr, 1399 H.

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[Doubt 6: Why Did the Misinterpretation (Ta'wil) of Hatib
Prevent the Declaration of his Disbelief (Takfir)?]

And Hatib, may Allah be pleased with him, (mistakenly) interpreted that his
fear of the disbelievers (Kuffdr) upon his family and his wealth, entitled him
to the concession (Rukhsah) for what he did. But he was mistaken in his
interpretation, so Allah admonished him concerning that, as it was indicated
by the previous verse, which shows that he was mistaken. And this mistaken
interpretation was the preventative factor (Mdni ') from declaring his disbelief
(Takfir), just as the mistaken interpretation was a preventative factor (Mdni ')
from the declaring the disbelief (Takfir) of Qudamah ibn Math'un, may Allah
be pleased with him. And he was also from the people of Badr, when he
consumed the alcohol, assuming it was permissible by interpreting that from
His, the Most High's, statement:

Those who believe and do righteous good deeds; there is no sin on them
for what they consumed... 326

...until v Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him, "You are
mistaken, your backside in a pit! 327 If you feared Allah, then you would not
have consumed it." 328 And I mentioned this story and its references from the

326 Al-Ma'idah, 93.

327 This is an Arabic phrase which is said to someone who makes a big mistake. It is as if to
say that their backside has fallen into a pit, which is like a mistake, which is meant to show
the severity of the mistake.

328 Trans. Note: "So they drank the alcohol and said that it was lawful (Halal), while they
were in Sham. So TJmar went to them and the people pointed them out and said, 'O Amir Al-
Mu'minin, we see that they have lied against Allah and legalized in His religion something
that He did not permit. So cut off their heads!' v Ali, (who was present) was silent. So he (i.e.
TJmar) said, 'What do you say about them, Abul-Hasan?' He (i.e. x Ali) said, 'We shall give
them time to repent. If they do so, we shall whip them eighty time for their consumption of
the alcohol, but if they do no repent, we shall cut off their heads for lying against Allah and
legalizing something in His religion, something that He did not permit.' So they gave them
time to repent and they repented and were whipped eighty times. Then TJmar said to
Qudamah, 'You were mistaken. If you feared Allah and believed and did righteous deeds,
then you would not have consumed the alcohol." [Ma'ani Athar At-Tahaivi. Some of its chains

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books of knowledge in "The Important Notice", within my commentary upon
Al-Aqidah At-Tahawiyyah, concerning those of the sins, which the declaration
of disbelief (Takfir) is conditional upon the one who commits it rejecting or
making it to be permissible vs. those which are not conditional upon that. So
just as the mistake in interpretation prevented declaring the disbelief (Takfir)
of Qudamah, it likewise prevented declaring the disbelief (Takfir) of Hatib,
while they were both participants in Badr. And He, the Most High, has
stated:

And there is no sin on you if you make a mistake therein... 329

And concerning the clarification of Hatib's excuse, Ibn Hajar said, "And the
excuse of Hatib was what he mentioned, as he did this while interpreting that
there was no harm in it." 330 Ibn Hajar was referring to what was narrated in
some of the phrasings of the Hadith, wherein Hatib said, "And I knew that
this would not have any harm upon you (i.e. the Prophet l»%§j$^! ecfib)." 331

And also concerning the clarification of Hatib's excuse, Ibn Kathir said, "And
He, the Most High, said: Let not the believers take the disbelievers as
Awliya' (supporters, helpers, etc.) instead of the believers, and whoever
does that will never be helped by Allah in any way, except if you indeed
fear a danger from them. And Allah warns you against Himself (His
Punishment)... 332 And for this (reason), the Messenger of Allah f£§d^! 3B>f>
accepted the excuse of Hatib, when he mentioned that he only did so in order
to coax Quraysh (into his favor), due to what remained with them from (his)
wealth and children." 333

of narration are in FathAl-Ban beneath the chapter entitled: "The Punishment for Consuming
Alcohol" and in Ikfar Al-Mulhidin, page 95.]

329 Al-Ahzab, 5.

330 Path Al-Bdrl, Vol. 8/634.

331 Ibn Taymiyyah pointed this (narration) out in Majmu' Al-Fatawa, Vol. 35/68.

332 Trans. Note: Al-lmran, 28.

333 Tafsirlbn Kathir, Vol. 4/347.

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Ibn Kathir's intent was to say that Hatib assumed that what he committed
entered beneath the point of the Tuqyah, which is permitted out of fear. And
he (i.e. Hatib) was mistaken because what he committed was allegiance
(Muwalat) that causes one to disbelieve, which is not entitled to the Rukhsah
out of fear, as He, the Most High, said:

And if any amongst you takes them as Awliya', then surely he is one of
them.

- Until His statement:

...they say: "We fear lest some misfortune of a disaster may befall us." 334

So Allah judged upon them with disbelief, due to the allegiance {Muwalat) of
the disbelievers (Kuffar), despite their using the excuse of fear. But Allah did
not label them as liars in this excuse of theirs. So with that, it becomes known
that the fear does not entitle one to the concession (Rukhsah) for the allegiance
(Muwalat) of the disbelievers (Kuffar), and it becomes known that Hatib was
mistaken in his assumption that his fear for his family and his wealth entitled
him to the concession (Rukhsah), for that which he committed from the
allegiance (Muwalat) of the disbelievers (Kuffar).

And in clarifying that the one who mistakenly interprets is not to be judged
upon with disbelief (Kufr) - if he were to commit something, which causes
disbelief (Kufr), due to his interpretation - until it has been made clear to him.
Then if he continues after the clarification; at that point, he is judged upon
with disbelief (Kufr). Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah be merciful to him, said, "So
if the one who was mistaken in his interpretation is not judged upon with
disbelief (Kufr) except after the clarification has been made to him and after
he has been approached to repent - like the companions (Sahabah) did with
the assembly who made the alcohol permissible - therefore in other than that,

334 Al-Ma'idah, 51-52.

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it is even more appropriate and more suitable." 335 And Ibn Taymiyyah also
said, "As for the four compulsory deeds (i.e. prayer, alms-giving, fasting and
pilgrimage); then if he rejects the obligation of any of them after he has been
reached by the clarifying argument (Al-Hujjah), then he is a disbeliever (Kafir).
And likewise is whoever rejects the forbiddance of the openly forbidden
things, about which their forbiddance has been often repeated (Mutawdtir),
such as all forms of illicit sexual activity (Fawahish) and the oppression
(Thulm) and the lying and the alcohol and the likes of that. As for the one
whom the clarifying argument (Al-Hujjah) has not been made to, such as if he
were new to Islam, or was raised in a remote Bedouin region, such that the
legislations of Islam did not reach him there, or the likes of that, or if he is
mistaken and assumes that those who believe and do good deeds have been
made an exception in the prohibition of the alcohol, like those whom v Umar
approached for their repentance, were mistaken in, and things like that; then
approaching them to repent is to be done and the clarifying argument is to be
made upon them. Then if they persist, they disbelieve at that time. And they
are not judged upon with disbelief (Kufr) prior to that, just as the companions
(Sahabah) did not judge upon Qudamah ibn Math'un and his companions
with disbelief (Kufr) when they made the mistake in that which they erred in
their interpretation." 336

[Doubt 7: If Hatib Did Commit Disbelief (Kufr), Then Why
Wasn't He Approached to Perform Repentance (Tawbah)?]

Then if it is asked, "If it is obligatory to approach him for repentance and to
clarify to him, then why wasn't it confirmed that the Prophet 1% %4& ! Btfh
approached Hatib for repentance?" Then the clarification has passed in the
rule of declaring disbelief (Takfir), that the approaching for repentance; even
if its meaning in principle is to request the repentance from the one who has
been judged upon with apostasy and disbelief (Kufr), except that it became
customarily used by the scholars ('Ulama) for what comes prior to the
judgement of apostasy from clarifying the circumstances and the removal of

335 Majmu' Al-Fatawa, Vol. 7/619.

336 Majmu' Al-Fatawa, Vol. 7/609-610.

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the preventative factors from the individual who committed an action of
disbelief (Kufr). And it is confirmed that the Prophet |g%§j$£ ! Btrt> clarified
Hatib's circumstances by saying to him, "What is this, O Hatib?" So he (i.e.
Hatib) presented his excuse, which was considered a preventative factor
(Mara') from declaring his disbelief (Takfir). As for Hatib's confession
concerning the evil of what he had done and regarding his mistake in what
he used as an excuse, then this was taken into consideration by Allah, the
Most High, when He revealed about Hatib in the beginning of Surat Al-
Mumtahinah and this clarification of Allah is sufficient as a clarification. And
He, the Most High, has said in these verses:

And whosoever of you (Muslims) does that, then indeed he has gone (far)
astray, (away) from the Straight Path. 337

This concerns the clarification of the evil of what he did. And He, the Most
High, said:

Neither your relatives nor your children will benefit you on the Day of
Resurrection (against Allah). He will judge between you. 33S

And this concerns the clarification of his mistake in what he used as an
excuse (saying) that his family and his children did not entitle him to the
Rukhsah for what he committed, because they would not benefit him at all if
Allah becomes angry with him, due to his action.

[Doubt 8: Even if Hatib Was Excused from the Disbelief (Kufr),
Why Wasn't He Punished for Committing That Act?]

d) Then if the one, who commits disbelief {Kufr), due to a
misinterpretation, is not judged upon with disbelief {Kufr), due to his

337 Trans. Note: Al-Mumtahinah, 1.
33ti Al-Mumtahinah,3.

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excuse of misinterpretation, so is it obligatory to apply the punishment
upon him afterwards? And the answer is that his punishment depends
on the type of sin and whether that sin is from those sins, which have a
specific penalty (Hadd) from penalties associated with it - and this is
the punishment that has been decreed in the (Islamic) legislation
(Sh am ') as one of Allah, the Most High's, rights. So (in this case) is it
obligatory to establish the penalty (Hadd)? Or was it from the sins that
do not have a specific penalty (Hadd)? And those sins, which do not
have a specific penalty (Hadd) are punished with Ta'zir, which can
range in degree from shaming (the offender) to his execution,
according to the level which would repel his evil and mischief 339 just
as Shaykh Al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah affirmed in his treatise As-Siyasah
Ash-Shar'iyyah. And this (verdict) is up to the discretion of the Imam or
the ruler - in other words, the judge (Qadhi). And the difference
between these two types could be clarified by offering an example of
both types:

So Qudamah ibn Math'un and Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah both committed
disbelief (Kufr), due to misinterpretation. Therefore, they did not disbelieve

339 Trans. Note: Ta'zir refers to the penalties, which are instituted by the Imam or the judge
(Qadi) for sins, which do not have specified penalties (Hudiid) in the Shari'ah. The Allamah,
Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah be merciful to him, said, "And the sins are thri types; a type,
which has a specific penalty (Hadd), and for which there is no expiation (Kaffarah), such as
illicit sex (Zina) and theft and drinking alcohol and slandering (in regards to chastity). And
sufficient in these (sins) are the penalties, without imprisonment or Ta'zir. And (secondly), a
type for which there is an expiation (Kaffarah), such as sexual intercourse in the state of Ihram
(as in Hajj or ^llmrah) or during a day in Ramadan, or sexual intercourse with one's wife
whom he has forbidden to himself (through Thihar), prior to offering the expiation (Kaffarah).
And sufficient in these (sins) are the expiations, without any specified penalty (Hadd). But is
it sufficient without Ta'zir? There are two opinions in this, from the jurists (Fuqaha) and they
both come from the companions of (Imam) Ahmad as well as others. And (thirdly), a type, for
which there is no expiation (Kaffarah) nor is there any specified penalty (Hadd), such as
stealing something, which does not reach the level of amputation and the intentional false
oath, according to Ahmad and Abi Hanifah or gazing upon the foreign (i.e. marriageable)
female. Therefore this allows a Ta'zir out of obligation, according to most (scholars), and out
of permissibility according to Ash-Shafi'i." [At-Turuq Al-Hukmiyyah Fi As-Siyasah Ash-
Shar'iyyah, page 119, publication of Dar Ihya' Al-TJlum, Beirut.]

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because Qudamah made the consumption of alcohol to be lawful (Halal), due
misinterpreting the verse of Al-Ma'idah:

Those who believe and do righteous good deeds; there is no sin on them
for what they consumed... 340

And Hatib formed allegiance with the disbelievers (Kuffdr) and helped them
against the Muslims, due misinterpreting an excuse for that and (assuming)
that it would not harm the Muslims. But despite the fact that neither of them
disbelieved from this, Qudamah received the penalty (Hadd) for drinking
wine, whereas Hatib was excused, while both of them participated in Badr.
So what was the difference?

And the difference is that the sin of Qudamah was one, which had a specific
penalty - and that was his drinking of the wine - therefore he was not
pardoned for that, due to his participation at Badr. And the one who
established the penalty (Hadd) upon him was v Umar, during his Khilafah, just
as the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! et& established the penalty (Hadd) for slander upon

Mustih ibn Uthathah - while he was a participant at Badr - when he took part
in the Event of the Lie, 341 while at the same time, the sin of Hatib was one of
Ta'zir, which can be excused or pardoned by the Imam. So the Prophet ! ebft

l»% § dfe pardoned that, due to his passed (deeds) and his participation at

Badr. And this is from the point of what was narrated from him V% §d§ ! a?Sb,

when he said, "Pardon the missteps of the people of status, except in the
prescribed penalties (Hudud)." 342 And the people of status are those who are

340 Trans. Note: Al-Ma'idah, 93.

341 Trans. Note: Referring to the incident when the chastity of Wishah, may Allah be pleased
with her, was slandered by the hypocrites (Munafiqin) Therefore, the verse in Surat Nur, 24
was revealed ordering the whipping of those who participated in slandering chaste women,
while not producing four witnesses.

342 Narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i and Al-Bayhaqi, from Wishah
[Trans Note: Shaykh Al-Albani, may Allah be merciful to him called it Sahjh in Sahjh Sunan
AU Dawud, #3,679 and in Mishkat Al-Masabih, #3,502 and in As-Silsilat As-Sahjhah, #638 he
said, "It's chain is Sahjh," and he mentioned (supportive) witnesses for it.]

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not known for evil, just as Ibn Al-Athir mentioned. 343 And concerning the
difference between the two types of sins; those with the specified penalty
(Hadd) and those without a specified penalty (Hadd), Ibn Hajar, may Allah be
merciful to him, said, "And the establishment of the penalty (Hadd) upon
Mustih, due to the slandering of v A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her,
despite the fact that he participated at Badr, was confusing. Therefore what
he committed from this major sin (Kabirah) was not excused, while Hatib was
excused. So was that based upon his being from the people of Badr? And the
answer is what has passed in the Chapter: The Virtue of Those Who
Participated at Badr," which is that the excusing the people of Badr is in
matters for which there is no specific penalty (Hadd)." 3ii And in the chapter
he referred to, Ibn Hajar said, "And they agreed that the aforementioned glad
tidings concern the rulings in the Hereafter, not in the rulings of this worldly
life (Dunya), such as the establishment of the specified penalties (Hudud) and
other things." 345 And the glad tidings mentioned were the forgiveness of the
sins for the people of Badr.

343 An-Nihayah, Vol. 5/285.

344 FathAl-Bart, Vol. 12/310.

345 Path Al-Bari, Vol. 7/306.

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[Summary]

And I shall summarize what I said concerning the Hadith of Hatib, may Allah
be pleased with him, in what follows:

• That Hatib, may Allah be pleased with him, formed allegiance (Wilayah)
with the disbelievers (Kuffdr) and helped them against the Muslims and he
was the one for whom (Allah) revealed:

O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e.
disbelievers and polytheists, etc.) as friends... 346

• That the allegiance (Muwalat) of the disbelievers (Kuffdr) is disbelief (Kufr),
without making the condition that it must be accompanied with allegiance
of the heart (Muwalat Al-Qalbiyyati), as the author of Ar-Risdlah Al-
Limaniyyah claimed. And this is due to His, the Most High's, statement:

"And if any amongst you takes them as Awliya', then surely he is one of
them."

. . .until His statement:

"...they say: "We fear lest some misfortune of a disaster may befall us." 347

• We conclude from this that Hatib committed disbelief (Kufr) and not
(merely) a disobedience as the author and others have claimed.

• However, Hatib did not (personally) disbelieve due to the presence of a
preventative factor (Mdni ') in his defense from the Takfir. And that was the

346 Al-Mumtahinah, 1.

347 Al-Ma'idah, 51-52.

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interpretation - even though he was mistaken in that - and the
preventative factor (Mara') was not his participation at Badr, as some
people assume.

• And that this preventative factor (ManV); even if it prevented declaring his
disbelief (Takfir), it did not prevent his deserving of Ta'zir punishment.
And due to this, x Umar referred to the Prophet iS^diSfc ! ecfib a second time
concerning his execution, yet his participation of Badr prevented that.
And due to this, a school (Mathhab) from a group of the scholars ('Ulama)
became (of the opinion) that a spy is to be killed and that this was to be
referred to the discretion of the Imam. Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned this in
"The Benefits From the Battle of the Conquest of Makkah". 348 And Ibn
Hajar also mentioned it, just as some of the scholars ('Ulama) held the
disbelief (Kufr) of the spy who is attributed to Islam, saying that this is
Zandaqah. 349

And with this, you will see that there were (actually) two preventative factors
(Mawani '), which were present in the event of Hatib, may Allah be pleased
with him:

The First: A preventative factor (ManV) from declaring his disbelief (Takfir),
which was the interpretation (Ta'wtl), even though it was mistaken. And this
was precisely what took place with Qudamah ibn Math'un.

The Second: A preventative factor (ManV) from his unspecified penalty
(Ta'zir), which was his participation at Badr.

This is the verified saying, which is backed by the reconciled evidences in the
SharVah, concerning the event of Hatib. And many disagreements have been
narrated concerning the extracted points by the scholars ('Ulama) from this
event and they are confirmed in the Tafsirs and the explanations of the

348 ZadAl-Ma'ad, Vol. 2/170 and Vol. 3/215; published by Al-Maktabah Al-Tlmiyyah, Beirut
and in Bada'i Al-Fawa'id, Vol. 4/128; published by Dar Al-Kitab Al-'Arabi.

349 FathAl-Bart, Vol. 8/635 and look to the passed references.

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Hadiths. And I have avoided mentioning them, except for what the evidences
support. And He, the Most High, said:

Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein
many contradictions. 35 °

And the teacher, x Abdul-Majid Ash-Shathili, said in his book Hadd Al-Islam,
that all of the allegiance (Muwalat) to the disbelievers (Kuffar) is disbelief
(Kufr). And this is correct; however he had difficulty with the Hadith of Hatib
and that he did not disbelieve by his action. So he said that it was not from
the allegiance (Muwalat) and this was a mistake, because Surat Al-Mumtahinah
was revealed for him and it is clear that what he committed was allegiance
(Muwalat).

[Issue: The One Who Shows Islam While Spying on the
Muslims for the Disbelievers (Kuffar)]

And know that those who declared the execution of the spy and those who
said that he is not killed; both of them used the Hadith of Hatib as evidence as
it is known in the books of jurisprudence (Fiqh) and Hadith, until one of the
contemporaries came and said that showing the Islam is alone sufficient to
prevent the execution of the spy, and he disputed the saying of Ibn Al-
Qayyim, and others that the preventative factor from the execution of Hatib
was his participation at Badr, but that it is allowed to kill the one who is not
of this description. And this contemporary used the Hadith of Furat ibn
Hayyan as evidence. And in it, "...the Messenger of Allah 1% §4^ ! 2fi>f>

ordered his execution, while he was an eye for Abi Sufyan, while he was
pledged (i.e. in terms of loyalty and inheritance) to a man from the Helpers
(Ansar). So he passed by a group (lit. circle) of the Helpers (Ansar) and said, "I
am a Muslim." So a man from the Helpers (Ansar) said, "O Messenger of
Allah, he says, 'I am a Muslim.' So the Messenger of Allah 1% %d§ ! aott said,
"Verily, from you are men who we leave them to their faith (Imari); from them

350 An-Nisd', 82.

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is Furat Ibn Hayyan." 351 So this contemporary - and he is Dr. Muhammad
Khayr Haykal - said that the reason, which prevented the execution of Furat
ibn Hayyan, was the fact that he openly declared his Islam. Then he
mentioned the saying of Ibn Al-Qayyim and then he said, verbatim: "These
words of Ibn Al-Qayyim; in them there is an overlooking of the Hadith of
Furat ibn Hayyan, which indicates that Islam, on its own, is the only
preventative factor (Mara'' ) for the execution of a spy. And it is known that
reconciling the evidences is more appropriate then using some of it while
overlooking the other part of it." Then he said that perhaps his (i.e. Ibn Al-
Qayyim's) failure to mention the Hadith of Furat was due to the weakness of
some of its narrations. 352 And I say that the issue is not like the author
assumed, because this Hadith of Furat concerns the covenanted disbeliever
(Mu 'ahid Kafir) if he spies upon the Muslims. And due to this, Abu Dawud
narrates it in his Sunan beneath his chapter: "The Thimmi 353 Spy." Therefore,
if he spies, then his covenant ('Ahd) is broken and he deserves to be executed.
But if he entered into Islam, then his blood becomes protected, due to his T>Sb

V% §jd§ ! is statement, "Islam erases what came before it." - The Hadith. 354

And this was what happened with Furat as there was no Islam known from
him beforehand. Then when he entered Islam, his Islam erased what he had
done. And this is contrary to a Muslim, whose Islam is known, spying (on the
Muslims on behalf of the disbelievers). And this (situation) has no Hadith
concerning it except for the Hadith of Hatib. So Ibn Al-Qayyim did not
overlook the Hadith of Furat; rather the author was the one who overlooked
the difference between the two matters, because the Hadith of Hatib concerns
one issue and the Hadith of Furat concerns another issue.

351 Narrated by Abu Dawud with an authentic chain [Trans. Note: Shaykh Al-Albani, may
Allah be merciful to him, called it Sahih in Sahih Sunan Abi Dawud, #2,310 and in Sahih Al-
Jami', #2,236 and included it in As-Silsilat As-Sahihah, #1,701 without grading it.]

352 Look to Al-Jihad Wal-Qital Ft As-Siyyasah Ash-Shar'iyyah, by Dr. Muhammad Khayr
Haykal, Vol. 2/1162-1163; publication of Dar Al-Bayarak, Beirut, 1414 H.

353 Trans. Note: Thimmi: A non-Muslim who remains in the Islamic state while paying tribute
to the Islamic government.

354 Narrated by Muslim.

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A Notice Concerning a Huge Mistake

The author of Ar-Risalah Al-Limaniyyah said in what I narrated from him
earlier, "What we extract from that clear evidence is that the allegiance
(Muwaldt) of Hatib was outwardly apparent (Thahiriyyah), which he
committed for a benefit in this worldly life {Dunya), while his heart was at
rest with faith (Imari). And if it were internally hidden allegiance (Muwaldt
Batiniyyah), then he would have disbelieved." 355 And in this, he is a blind
follower (Muqalid) upon what was mentioned by Abu Bakr ibn Al-'Arabi and
Al-Qurtubi, in their Tafsirs. Al-Qurtubi said, "Whoever actively searches for
the vulnerabilities of the Muslims to provide intelligence about them and
inform their enemy about their (secret) information, then with that he is not a
disbeliever (Kafir) if this action was due to a benefit of this worldly life
(Dunya), while his belief upon that (i.e. Islam) remains intact, just as Hatib
did, when he intended with that to gain the hand, while not intending
apostasy (Riddah) from the religion." 356

And this saying is from the worst of what is said. And it opens the door of
apostasy (Riddah) and disbelief (Kufr) to the point where it is wide open to
whomever wills to commit disbelief. Then, he (i.e. the one being questioned
about his action) will use as his excuse, that he had a benefit of this worldly
life (Dunya) and I shall comment on this in what follows:

• As for the statement of Al-Qurtubi, "...while not intending apostasy
(Riddah) from the religion," then this mistake was made into a notice and
it passed in the section dealing with the mistakes of declaring disbelief
(Takfir) and that what is considered is the intention of committing the
action, which causes one to disbelieve; not intending to disbelieve with
that. And I elaborated concerning the notice upon this with abundant
evidence. And I mentioned there, the saying of Shaykh Al-Islam, Ibn
Taymiyyah: "And in general, whoever says or does that which is disbelief
(Kufr), then he disbelieves with that, even if he did not intend to become a

355 Page 18.

356 Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Vol. 18/52.

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disbeliever (Kafir), as no one intends the disbelief (Kufr) except by that
which Allah wills." 357

• As for the saying that the one who points out the vulnerabilities to the
enemy of the Muslims does not disbelieve if he did so for a benefit from
this worldly life (Dunyd), then this is a mistaken extraction from the event
of Hatib, because what made him commit what he did was not only due
to a benefit from this worldly life (Dunyd), rather it was the fear of the
disbelievers (Kuffdr) upon his offspring. So contemplate the difference.

• And the majority of the disbelievers (Kuffdr) did not disbelieve except for
the worldly life benefits by choosing the worldly life over the Hereafter, as
He, the Most High, said:

And woe unto the disbelievers from a severe torment; those who prefer the
life of this world instead of the Hereafter... 358

And Allah described the disbelievers (Kuffdr) of the People of the Book (AM
Al-Kitdb) as being:

qtrtimM fUBjn Mfflfif W j

Those are they who have bought the life of this world at the price of the
Hereafter. 359

And He described them as follows:

...so they threw it away behind their backs, and purchased with it some
miserable gain. 360

357 As-Sarim Al-Masliil, page 177-178.

358 Ibrahim, 2-3.

359 Al-Baqarah, 86.

360 Al-lmran, 187.

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And Herqal did not disbelieve and refuse Islam except due to being reluctant
about giving up his kingdom, as it is apparent from the Hadith, which is
agreed upon (i.e. Bukhari and Muslim), from Ibn 'Abbas from Abi Sufyan.
Nor did Al-Maquqas refuse Islam - after the Prophet 1% §d£ ! iarib sent to him

inviting him to it - except out of love for his worldly life (Dunya) and fear of
loosing his kingdom. 361 And Ibn Taymiyyah narrated his story and said in its
conclusion that when he refused Islam, the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! art said to him,
"The vile one is reluctant about giving up his kingdom, while there is no
eternity for his kingdom." 362 And Herqal and Al-Maquqas along with the
Jews and many of the disbelievers (Kuffdr) used to know that he was truly the
Messenger of Allah, yet they refused Islam out of love for the worldly life
(Dunya). He, the Most High, said:

And when there came to them, a Book from Allah confirming what is with
them, although aforetime they had invoked Allah in order to gain victory
over those who disbelieved, then when there came to them that which they
had recognized, they disbelieved in it. So let the Curse of Allah be on the
disbelievers. 363

And those kings and these disbelieving leaders, who rule the countries of the
Muslims nowadays by other than Islam; nothing prevents them from ruling
with Islam, except for love of this worldly life (Dunya) and indulging in its
delights and fear of losing their kingdoms and the restriction of their
authority. And this is from the blinded perception, which Allah has punished

361 Al-Mawquqas was the title of the emperor of the Christians in Alexandria. His name was
Jurayh ibn Mina Al-Qubti. This Hadith was originally narrated in At-Tabaqat Al-Kubra, by Ibn
Sa'd, Vol. 1/260, As-Sirah An-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Hisham, Vol. 4/188, As-Sirah Al-Halabiyyah,
Vol. 3/280-283 and Al-Bidayah Wan-Nihayah, by Ibn Kathir, Vol. 4/274. For details, look to Ibn
Taymiyyah's Jawab As-Sahih Liman Badala Din Al-Masih, Vol. 1/291-299, published by Dar Al-
'Asimah, Riyadh, 2 nd Edition, 1419 H.

362 Look to Al-Jawab As-Sahih Ft Man Baddala Din Al-Masih, by Ibn Taymiyyah, Vol. 1/97.

363 Al-Baqarah, 89.

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them with, as a result of their turning away (from His laws). And if they
entered Islam, then their worldly life (Dunya) and their Hereafter would have
been safeguarded for them, just as the Prophet 1% §jd§ ! aott said in his letter

to Herqal: "Enter Islam and you will be safeguarded." And Ibn Hajar pointed
to the safety, which was promised, and mentioned that it includes the safety
of this worldly life (Dunya) as well as the Hereafter and the remaining of his
kingdom, as the Prophet retained the kings who entered into Islam, upon
their kingdoms. But the issue is just as He, the Most High, said:

And Allah will cause to go astray those who are Thalitnun, and Allah does
what He wills. 364

And the outcome is that what Hatib did was disbelief (Kufr) and no one is
entitled to the concession (Rukhsah) for disbelief (Kufr), except with
compulsion (Ikrah). There is no concession (Rukhsah) for it due to benefits
from this worldly life (Dunya) nor due to fear alone, as long as the
compulsion (Ikrah) has not occurred. And whoever disbelieves willingly,
without compulsion; then his heart has been opened to disbelief. And most of
those who do that, only do so for the benefits of this worldly life (Dunya).
And that is indicated by His, the Most High's, statement:

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Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who is forced
thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their hearts to
disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment.
That is because they loved and preferred the life of this world over that of
the Hereafter. 365

And in commenting upon these verses, Shaykh Al-Islam, Muhammad ibn
x Abdul-Wahhab, may Allah be merciful to him, said, "But it is upon you to

364 Ibrahim, 27.

365 An-Nahl, 106-107.

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understand two verses from the Book of Allah. The first of the two is: Make
no excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed. 366 So if it has been
affirmed to you that some of the companions (Sahabah) who battled against
the Romans alongside the Messenger of Allah 1% %4§fc ! ap% disbelieved due
to a word, which they said out of joking and playing, then it becomes clear to
you that the one who speaks disbelief (Kufr) or performs it out of fearing a
decrease in wealth or high status or anyone's favor, is greater than the one
who speaks a word, while joking in it." 367

"And the second verse is: Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief,
except him who is compelled thereto and whose heart is at rest with
Faith... 368 Therefore Allah did not excuse from those people, except the one
who was compelled, while his heart was at rest with faith (Iman). As for other
than this one, then he has disbelieved after his faith (Iman), whether he did so
out of fear or to gain someone's favor or extreme devotion to his nation or his
family or his tribe of his wealth or whether he did so while joking or other
things than that, except the one who is compelled. And the verse indicates
this from two points:

366 At-Taivbah, 66.

367 Trans. Note: The incident being referred to in this point of the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn
\<\bdul-Wahhab, may Allah be merciful to him, is what was narrated by Ibn Kathir in his
Tafsir of: Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed. [At-Taivbah, 66]
^Abdullah ibn TJmar said, 'During the battle of Tabuk, a man was sitting in a gathering and
said, T have never seen the likes of these reciters (i.e. the companions) of ours! They have the
fattest stomachs, the most lying tongues and the most cowardice in battle.' A man in the
Masjid said, 'You have lied! You are a hypocrite, and verily, I shall inform the Messenger of
Allah Ik §$5! JPu." When this reached the Messenger of Allah ffi^djjj! 9oa section of the
Qur'an was revealed about it." ^Abdullah ibn v Umar said, "I saw that man afterwards holding
the reigns of the camel of the Messenger of Allah while being dusted with pebbles (i.e. from
the strides of the camel) saying, 'O Messenger of Allah, we were only engaged in idle talk
while jesting." And the Messenger of Allah ll5 %d$ ! BOv would recite: Was it at Allah, and
His Ayat (verses) and His Messenger that you were mocking? [At-Taiobah, 65]." [Tafsir At-
Tabari, Vol. 14/333 and Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 2/484; publication of Dar Al-Fayha', Damascus
and Dar As-Salam, Riyadh, 2 nd Edition, 1418 H.]

368 An-Nahl, 106.

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"The First: His statement: ... except him who is compelled... Therefore Allah
did not exempt anyone except the one who was compelled and it is known
that the person is not compelled except upon a deed or a statement. As for the
belief ( 'Aqidah) of the heart, then no one is compelled in that.

"The Second: His, the Most High's, statement: That is because they loved
and preferred the life of this world over that of the Hereafter. 369 Therefore
He clearly stated that this disbelief (Kufr) and punishment was not due to
belief or ignorance or hatred of the religion or love for disbelief (Kufr). Rather,
its cause was only that he had in that, a portion from the shares of this
worldly life (Dunya). So he prioritized that ahead of the religion, and Allah,
Glory be to Him, and Most High, knows best." 370

And in the commentary upon the same verses of Surat An-Nahl, Ibn
Taymiyyah, may Allah be merciful to him, said, "And Allah, Glory be to
Him, and Most High, made the prioritization of this worldly life (Dunya) over
that of the Hereafter to be the basis for which necessitated their loss. And
choosing this worldly life (Dunya) over the Hereafter could occur even with
knowledge ( 'Ilm) and inner assent (Tasdiq) that the disbelief (Kufr) will harm
his Hereafter and that he will have no share in the Hereafter." 371

And so with this, it becomes clear to you that disbelief (Kufr) is not granted
any concession (Rukhsah) due to the benefits of the worldly life (Dunya) in any
case, and that this is a false excuse. And even more false that that is the usage
of the Hadith of Hatib to be an evidence for this (conclusion). Rather, most of
the disbelievers (Kuffar) only ever disbelieved out of love of this worldly life
{Dunya) because of what is in it from positions and governance and wealth.
And because of this, Allah put them under the authority of the believers in
order to remove their wealth from them, which prevented them from the
faith (Iman) - through the war booty (Ghanlmah) and the voluntary tribute
(Fay') - and to subdue them physically, as they were too proud to humble

369 An-Nahl, 106.

370 F rom the treatise Kashf Ash-Shubahat Ft At-Taivhtd, by Muhammad ibn x Abdul-Wahhab,
within Majmii 'at At-Taivhtd, page 125-126; publication of Dar Al-Fikr, 1399 H.

371 Majmu' Al-Fatawa, Vol. 7/560.

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themselves to Allah - through execution or slavery. And these are from the
fruits of the Jihad in the path of Allah, the Most High.

This is what concerns the notice upon the huge mistake in using the benefits
of this worldly life (Dunya) as an excuse.

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About the author:

He is Abu Muhammad 'Isam [or 'Asim, which the Shaykh prefers to be called
by] ibn Muhammad ibn Tahir al-Burqawi, known as al-Maqdisi [of
Jerusalem, Palestine], al-'Utaybi in family descent. Originally from the village
of Burqa from the districts of Nablus. He was born there in 1378 AH [1959
Christian Calendar]. His eldest son is Muhammad, and then 'Umar, and then
Ibrahim.

He then left it at the age of 3 or 4, along with his family- and headed for
Kuwait, where he had resided until he had completed his high school studies.
He then studied the sciences in the University of Mosul in Northern 'Iraq, in
accordance with the wishes of his father. And there, Allah allowed him to
connect with a number of Islamic groups and movements.

After that, he traveled about Kuwait and the Hijaz. He had a beautiful
experience there and a great connection with the students of knowledge, and
some of the scholars, from whom he took the keys of knowledge. A few
names amongst those with whom he studied, are Ibn Baz, whose lessons he
had attended within his own home; and he also resided in 'Unayzah for a
period of time, where he had also attended the lessons of al-'Uthaymin.

However, this did not quench his thirst for finding what the Muslim youth
search for of understanding regarding the true state of affairs, and applying
the correct Shar'i rulings upon them, and the correct stance regarding the

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governments of today, and clarifying the path by which to change the state of
the Ummah today.

So he dedicated himself to the study the books of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyyah and his student Ibn al-Qayyim.

He also devoted himself for a very lengthy time to the study of the books of
the Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abdil-Wahhab, and his students, his sons, and
his grandsons from the Da'wah of Najd. Since then, these books had a great
impact in his direction and path.

He traveled to Pakistan and Afghanistan several times, and got acquainted
with many brothers and many groups from all over the Islamic world. Over
there, he joined some educational activities and also Da'wah. And over there,
the book "Millat Ibrahim " was first published, which he had written during
that time.

He also had debates and confrontations with some of the extremist Mukaffirah
(those who pronounce Muslims to be infidels), which led to the writing of
some books, the most important of which is perhaps, "The Thirty-ness
Treatise in Warning from Excessiveness in Takfir". Likewise, he had debates
and confrontations with some of the groups of Irja', which led to the writing
of a number of books, amongst them, "Delighting the Sight by Lifting the
Doubts the Murji'ah of the Era", and "The Distinct Difference Between the
Excuse of Ignorance and Turning Away from the Dm."

And then finally, he came to reside in Jordan, in the year 1992, and came out
openly with the Da'wah of the Prophets and Messengers, that "Worship
Allah and join none with Him in worship". He began by giving a number of
lessons, and contacting some of the brethren who had joined the Afghan
Jihad.

And then this blessed Da'wah began to spread throughout the spaciousness
and width of the land. And when the enemies of Allah from amongst the
sects of the Murji'ah and the puppets of the government had become
infuriated and constrained, they accused our brethren with 'excessiveness in
Takfir' and similar accusations which the groups of Irja' stir against the People

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of the Truth. And thus, some of the preachers of the Truth were expelled
from there, and some were imprisoned.

And in the year 1994, the Shaykh was imprisoned along with a number of the
Muwahhidin [Pure Monotheists] brethren, those who were given a verdict by
the Shaykh regarding the permissibility of carrying out operations against the
Zionist occupiers in Palestine with explosives, which he had saved for them
to use.

The Shaykh spread his Da'wah within the prisons, and he wrote many of his
treatises from there. And one of the first things he wrote in prison was the
series of treatises entitled, "O two companions of the prison! Are many
different lords better or Allah, the One, the Irresistible?" [Ytisuf: 39]- and

these treatises contained various topics regarding Tawhid, the Path of
Ibrahim, 'Ibadah, shirk, and La Hah Ilia Allah, and its nullifications, its
stipulations, and its requisites. And with the Grace of Allah, the Da'wah
spread amongst the prisoners.

The Shaykh remained in the prisons of Jordan for a number of years, and was
later released, even though he was still restricted and watched. His writings
and Da'wah spread, and as a result, he was imprisoned a number of times by
the Jordanian intelligence for a period of time, and likewise, anytime any
activity took place in the country.

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And then came the events of the Blessed Tuesday, and the thrones of the
kuffar were shaken. And the preachers of the Truth were oppressed... the
Shaykh issued a verdict regarding the permissibility of these blessed
operations, and he wrote a treatise with the title, "This is What I Take as My
Din to Allah", in which he expounded upon the legality of these operations,
and the permissibility of targeting that people with these types of operations,
and even operations which are more severe than those. The Shaykh was then
imprisoned due to that for a several months, and then he was released, and
he gave his Da'wah, and incited the Believers to fight against the kuffar.

Then came several operations against American forces in the region, and he
wrote the book, "A Declaration of Disassociation by the Muwahhidin from
the Covenants of the Tawaghit and Their Security to the Enemy
Combatants". And so the people returned him to prison, and he has not
ceased being there, till this day- firmly established upon the Da'wah to Allah,
inciting the Believers.

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Also see from At-Tibyan Publications

Fundamental Concepts Regarding Al-Jihad

(Shaykh Abdul-Qadir ibn ' Abdil-' Aziz)

The Exposition Regarding the Disbelief of the One That Assists the
Americans (Shaykh Nasir ibn Hamad al-Fahd)

A Decisive Refutation of Salafi Publications - Two Volumes
(At-Tibyan Publications)

Essay Regarding the Basic Rule of the Blood, Wealth and Honour of
the Disbelievers (At-Tibyan Publications)

The Clarification of What Occurred in America

(Shaykh Hamud Ibn Uqla Ash-Shu' aybi)

A Letter from the Imprisoned Shaykh Nasir al-Fahd

(Shaykh Nasir ibn Hamad al-Fahd)

Verdict Regarding the Permissibility of Martyrdom Operations

(Shaykh Sulayman ibn Nasir Al-'Ulwan)

Verily The Victory of Allah Is Near

(Shaykh Sulayman ibn Nasir Al-'Ulwan)

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• The People of the Ditch

(Shaykh Rifa'l Surur)

The Doubts Regarding the Ruling of Democracy In Islam

(At-Tibyan Publications)

The Du'a' is the Weapon of the Believer

(At-Tibyan Publications)

• "And Incite the Believers"

(Video-taped lecture by Shaykh 'Abdullah Ar-Rashud)

And many more to come, if Allah permits.

214