Love and Hate for Allaah's Sake

Question 94: What is al-Walaa’ wal-Baraa’’?

Response:  al-Walaa’ wal-Baraa’ for the sake of Allaah the most High is for a person to disassociate from everything, which Allaah has disassociated from as stated by Allaah – blessed ad exalted be He: “There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Ibraaheem and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allaah. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever…” [Soorah Al-Mumtahanah: 4]

This should be done with the disbelievers as mentioned by Allaah the exalted: “And [it is] an announcement from Allaah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allaah is disassociated from the disbelievers, and [so is] His Messenger.” [Soorah At-Tawbah: 3] Therefore, it is obligatory upon every believer to disassociate from every mushrik and kaafir. This is with regard to individuals.

Similarly, it is incumbent upon every Muslim to disassociate from every deed that is displeasing to Allaah and His Messenger, even if the deed does not entail kufr such as defiance and disobedience as stated by the exalted: “But Allaah has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience.” [Soorah Al-Hujuraat: 7]

If eemaan and disobedience coexist in a believer, we should show love to him based on his eemaan and hate him on account of his misdeed.  This is something that occurs in our life; you may take a medicine whose taste is bitter and dislike it because of its taste; and at the same time you desire it because it contains cure for [your] ailment.

Some people hate a sinful believer more than a disbeliever. This is amazing and it is reversal of the truth. A disbeliever is an enemy to Allaah, His Messenger and the believers; and it is obligatory upon us to hate him with all our hearts. Allaah said: “O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves [only] because you believe in Allah , your Lord. If you have come out for jihad in My cause and seeking means to My approval, [take them not as friends]. You confide to them affection, but I am most knowing of what you have concealed and what you have declared. And whoever does it among you has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way.” [Soorah Al-Mumtahanah: 1]

Allaah also said: “O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allaah guides not the wrongdoing people.” [Soorah Al-Maa’idah: 51]

These disbelievers will never be pleased with you unless you follow their religion and sell your religion. “Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed…” [Soorah al-Baqarah: 109] This is applicable to everyone guilty of any of these forms of kufr: juhood (rejection), inkaar (denial), takdheeb (disavowal), shirk and ilhaad (deviation concerning Allaah’s names).

As regards deeds, we should disassociate from every unlawful deed. It is not permissible for us to either love prohibited deeds or engage in them. As for a sinful believer, we should disassociate from his misdeeds but we should love him and support him based on the eemaan he possesses.

Source: Fataawaa Arkaan al-Islaam, pp. 124-125 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah shower his mercy on him)

11 Harmful Effects of Envy

Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-'Uthaymeen said:  "The harms of envy are eleven, and they are:

First: It is one of the major sins.

Second: It consumes good deeds just as fire consumes firewood – a weak hadeeth

Third: It is from the traits of the Jews

Fourth: It negates the brotherhood of eemaan

Fifth: It contains lack of pleasure with Allaah’s decree and pre-ordainment

Sixth: It is a means towards misery

Seventh: The envier is following the footsteps of the devil

Eight: It breeds enmity and hatred among the people

Ninth: It may lead to transgression against others.

Tenth: It indicates that the envier has disdain for Allaah’s blessing upon him.

Eleventh: It distracts the heart from Allaah.

Source: Sharh Hilyatu Taalibil- 'Ilm, p. 206 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him)

Backbiting and Abusing a Kaafir

Questioner: Is it permissible to backbite a Kaafir and a Mushrik? Is it permissible to abuse them?

Shaykh al-Albaanee: All of that is permissible, because a Kaafir does not have sanctity except if abusing him would lead to evil. For instance, if a Muslim abuses a Kaafir in his presence or absence and such is conveyed to him, he may abuse the Muslim, his religion, his Prophet and so on; so in this case, it is unlawful for a Muslim to abuse a Mushrik.

Source: Silsilah al-Huda wan-Noor, 001.

Touching the Qur'aan without Ablution

Questioner: What is the intended meaning of this aayah: “None touch it except the purified.” Does the word al-Mutahharoon (the purified) refer to the believers or those who have ablution?

Shaykh al-Albaanee:  The intended meaning of it is neither this nor that. Rather it refers to the angels and it is a statement from Allaah the Mighty and Majestic concerning the angels; and it does not refer to this Qur’aan [in our midst]. It refers to that which is in the Preserved Tablet. So none can touch the mus-haf, which is in the Preserved Tablet except the purified and they are the angels brought near [to Allaah]…

As regards the mus-haf that is in our midst [today], it can be touched by the righteous and the evil doer, the believer and the disbeliever. Therefore, our Lord is not referring to mankind absolutely regardless of whether they are righteous or evil doers. Rather, what He meant, as we have stated, is the angels….

There are narrations from some of the Companions that they used to avoid touching the Qur’aan without ablution. This action of theirs indicates that what is best for someone who intends to touch the Qur’aan or read the Qur’aan [is to perform ablution]. However, to assert that it is prohibited for a woman who is not in the state of purity, not to speak of a man, to touch the Qur’aan, then there is no proof for that at all.

Source: Silsilah al-Huda wan-Noor, Tape 001, fatwa no. 08

  

Saying Salaam to Someone Reciting the Qur'aan

‘Uqbah Ibn ‘Aamir al-Juhanee (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated: “We were sitting in the mosque reading the Qur’aan; then the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) entered and greeted us with the greeting of salaam; so we replied him with the greeting of salaam. Then he (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Learn the Book of Allaah, acquire it and recite it beautifully. By the One in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, it (that is, the Qur’an) is more likely to slip away from you than the camel which is tied.”

Commenting on the above narration, Shaykh al-Albaanee said: “From the fiqh (understanding) contained in this hadeeth is that, it is legislated to greet a person sitting reciting the Qur’aan with the greeting of salaam. It [also] contains a refutation of whoever is of the view that it is disliked to do so. In spite of the fact that such is a mere opinion, it contradicts this hadeeth and the general meaning of the Prophet’s statement: “Spread Salaam amongst yourselves.”

If it is authentically established that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) gave approval to the Companions when they greeted him with the greeting of Salaam while he was performing Salaah in Masjid Qubaa’, and that he would respond to their greetings by making a gesture with his noble hand - then it is more deserving that it should be legislated to offer the greeting of Salaam to someone reciting the Qur’aan outside of the Salaah. And in this case, the reply should be expressed orally, not by gesturing, as is not hidden from the people of understanding. And this is the view of an-Nawawee (may Allaah have mercy on him)

Source: Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah, hadeeth no. 3285, by Shaykh al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy on him)‘