Between Natural and Religious Loyalties: Part III (Final)

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Between Natural and Religious Loyalties: Part I
Between Natural and Religious Loyalties: Part II

Part III (Final)

Loving Non-Muslims

• There is wala’ of a relative degree, such as what a Muslim feels for a non-Muslims based on ties of kinship, friendship, kindness, then this is part of natural wala’ or loyalty. Examples of this are:
  • Allah commands to keep attend to our parents in kindness, even if they are idolaters. [per Quran 31.15]
  • Permission to marry Jewish or Christian women, while Allah says, what means “He has placed between you love and compassion.” [Quran 30.21]
• Allah confirmed the love that the Prophet (S) had for his uncle, Abu Talib, “You will not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He pleases.”[Quran 28.56]
  • This love and loyalty emanated from the best of creation, the best of all Muslims, so how could such a love be unlawful or against Islam?

• In another verse, Allah says, what means: “See, you are those who love them, but they love you not”, confirming the believers love for non-Muslims.
  • It only rebukes the Muslims for showing that love to those who did not reciprocate, but instead sough to inflict humiliation on them.
  • Mutual love is not something that is forbidden, because natural human relations are based upon peace, tolerance, and a sense of brotherhood.
  • Islam came to affirm these values, as to benefit from them to spread its teaching and exemplary ethics, as opposed to driving away people.

The Abrahamic Example

• The story of Abraham (AS) highlights many facets:
  • “There is for you an excellent example (to follow) in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people: “We are clear of you and of whatever ye worship besides Allah: we have rejected you, and enmity and hatred have appeared between us and you forever until you believe in Allah alone” – But not when Abraham said to his father: “I will pray for forgiveness for you, though I have no power (to get) aught on your behalf from Allah.” (They prayed): “Our Lord! In You we trust, and to You we turn in repentance: to You is (our) final goal.” [Quran 60.4]
• This verse depicts a clear case of mutual enmity, where it says: “and enmity and hatred have appeared between us and you”.
• Adam first called his people, the idolaters, to Allah in sincerity. Only when the idolaters declared their hostility towards him, it was only natural and necessary for Abraham to respond with feelings of enmity to safeguard his own faith from harm and injury.
• Abraham did not disown his own father immediately, but only after months had passed and after his father exhibited violent enmity and contempt for his religion, as can be understood from Quran 9.114. His father’s attitude contravenes the natural ties which Islam urges to foster; ties based on kindness and mercy. [Quran 21.107]

Conclusion

Conducting ourselves with others in a spirit of clemency and natural propriety is to conduct ourselves according to the teachings of Islam, which upholds our natural loyalties to our people, our individual selves, and our countries, as well as our other natural relationships – while at the same time affirming our loyalty to our beliefs and the message of Islam. This loyalty to our faith is, in truth, complementary to our natural loyalties. The Prophet (S) said: “I was only sent to perfect good moral conduct.”