In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Allegiance and Disallegiance (Part I)

(Speech was delivered by Imam Mohammed Baianonie at Islamic Center of Raleigh, N. C., on October 11, 1996)

When we talk about the concept of allegiance and Disallegiance, we are really talking about an important issue of the Islamic aqeedah. It is a vital and inseparable part of "La Ilaha Illa Lah." If it is not abided by, a person may get out of Islam (may Allah forbid!) This is clarified in a lot of Qur’anic verses, among one of them is in Surat Alma’eda, (verse 51 and 52), what can be translated as,

"O you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies, they are allies with one another, and those of you who have allegiance to them are of them. Allah does not guide the oppressors. You see people, who have sickness in their heart, hurry to get close to them, they say: we fear a crisis befalls us. May Allah come with a victory or a command from him so that they will become regretful for what they have hidden within themselves."

This speech "O you who believe" is addressed to all Muslims, to all that fit the description of belief regardless of place or time till the Last Day. It is a prohibition to take the Jews and the Christians as allies-also regardless of place or time.

Someone may ask the question: What is the allegiance that Allah forbids the believers to have between them and the Jews and the Christians?

It means cooperation and mutual support. It does not mean following them in their religion because it is impossible for a believer to have any inclination to follow the Jews and the Christians in their religion. It is really the allegiance of cooperation and mutual support, which were confused by the Muslims in the early days of Islam. They speculated that this kind of allegiance is allowed for them because of mutual interests and relations that were prevalent in that period of time, especially in the early period of Almadinah, then Allah forbade them to have this kind of allegiance and ordered it abolished after the truth had been revealed about the impossibility of establishment of allegiance of cooperation and support between the Muslims and the Jews in Almadinah.

Restricting the meaning of allegiance to cooperation and mutual support is well defined and clear in Qur’an. That was clarified in the relationship between the Muslims in Almadinah and the Muslims who had not migrated to it in that period of time. Allah says in surat Al-Anfal, (verse 72), what can be translated as, "And you have no allegiance to them until they migrate." This does not mean the allegiance in religion because the Muslim, by all means, is an ally with a Muslim in religion. But what is meant here is the allegiance of cooperation and support which cannot exist between the Muslims in the land of Islam and the

Muslims that have not migrated to them yet. This is the meaning of allegiance that this verse forbids it to be between the believers and the Jews and the Christians, after it was established between them in the early stages of Almadinah.

The kindness of Islam with the People of the Book and our dealing with them with kindness and justice like Allah ordered is one thing, and taking them allies is another. But this issue is confused by some Muslims who did not understand the reality of this Deen and its mission to establish a unique society on earth which is different from any established entity, the fact that causes confrontation between people with different ideologies and different outlooks.

Those who are confused about this reality lack the understanding of the reality of the aqeedah, as much as they lack the awareness of the nature of this confrontation, and the nature of the position of the People of the Book that they took against it. These Muslims are guided away from the Qur’anic guidelines that clearly describe to us: The People of the Book are allies with one another in the war against Muslims. This is an unchanging issue, they hate Islam of a Muslim, and they will not be pleased until the Muslim follows them, and they showed animosity with their tongues and what their chests hide is much grater.

It is a great ignorance and a lack of awareness to believe that we have the same way as the People of the Book, a great error to believe that Muslims and the People of the Book meet on the same road or have a common plan to implement cooperatively for the benefit of Muslims. If we do believe that we meet the Jews and the Christians on the same path, then we disbelieve the verses of Qur’an and disbelieve the history.. The People of the Book were those who drew the pagans to fight the prophet (S.A.W.) and the Muslims in Almadinah and were their protectors, they were the ones who ignited the crusader wars for two hundred years, they were the ones who committed horrible acts and terrorizing crimes in Al’Andalous, and they were the ones who committed the ugly crimes in Bosnia, they were the ones who expelled the Muslims from Palestine and replaced them with the Jews and they are the ones who are behind every crisis that befalls the Muslims. After all this, some of us still think that a cooperation and support should be between them, to achieve some mutual interests and us.

Those people do not read Qur’an and if they do , they do not understand it and they confused the kindness of Islam which is an attribute of Islam and thought that it is an invitation to support and cooperation which Qur’an cautions us from.

Allah (S.W.T.) then says what may be translated as, "They are allies with one another." It is a reality beyond time, because it is emanating from the nature of things. They are not and will not be allies with Muslims at all. This is confirmed by the history and conforms the reality. This rule has not been broken even one single time.

Then Allah (S.W.T.) describes the outcomes of this reality. If the Jews and the Christians are allies with one another, then no one will be ally with them unless he is one of them and with this the attribute of belief is not his attribute any more. "Those who are allies with them, they are of them" and with this, he will be oppressing himself, his deen and his ummah, and because of his oppression, Allah categorizes him with those whom he gave allegiance to and Allah will never guide him to the truth "Allah does not guide the oppressors."

Yes, it is a great warning for Muslims, but it is not too severe for them because it represents the truth. There is no way that a Muslim pledges his allegiance to the Jews or to the Christians, and yet keeps his belief and Islam at the same time.

Islam obliges Muslim to establish his relations with people based upon the aqeedah. Allegiance and disallegiance are part of aqeedah. For this reason, it is not allowed for an allegiance to exist between Muslim and a non-Muslim because they cannot cooperate and support each other as long as their beliefs are different. Also, they cannot devise a plan to achieve the interest of Islam and Muslims.

Then Allah (S.W.T.) says what can be translated as, "You see those who have sickness in their hearts hurry to get close to them, they say: we fear a crisis to befall us." This is the reason that drives them to be allies with the Jews and the Christians.

That was the excuse of Abdullah Bin Ubai Bin Salloul who was one of those who have sickness in their hearts and who was the leader of hypocrites ( I fear hardship.) This is the excuse, which is a clear sign for a heart disease and the absence of belief in Allah. Allah (S.W.T.) is the protector, and He is the supporter, and asking victory from someone other than Allah is a falsehood. Qur’an recorded his weak and frail excuse to be an example for every one who fits the description of Bin Salloul till the Last Day. His heart got sick, his belief disappeared and he thought that the power, protection and victory are in the hands of the enemies of Allah.

Allah (S.W.T.) addresses His servants in Surat Al-Momtahanah, (verse 4), what can be translated as, "There was a great model for you in Ibrahim and those who believed with him; they said to their people: we do not belong to you and we reject what you worship without Allah. We disbelieved in you and animosity and hatred have appeared between you and us until you believe only in Allah."

And the prophet (S.A.W.) said in a good hadith, "The strongest tie of Iman is the allegiance for the sake of Allah and disallegiance for the sake of Allah and love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah."

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