Disbelief is an attitude

The second lesson the believers should comprehend is the famous saying that implies that disbelief is a confrontational attitude toward them. Muslims must also realize that the disbelievers enmity toward them will persist, until, if they are able, they turn them away from their religion. However, today, we live in a state of naivet, expecting the oppressive disbelievers to support us and restore our usurped rights. We expect that the criminals among them, who unjustly seize and violate the lands, assets and honor of Muslims, would one day preserve our integrity, protect our countries, defend our rights and hand us what we have been deprived of. Strangely, we expect all this from the disbelievers, in effect, imitating a victim expecting his or her killer to have mercy! How would they do anything like that, when they have already destroyed us, appropriated our property, ruined our honor and pillaged our land? Would we expect them to say: "Please take back your land; and, I will now safeguard your dignity and repay your property and wealth"? Indeed, this gullibility of ours has now been numbed by the misleading information and interlaced events of todays world. In this respect, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able.} [Quran 2:217] This is their goal and they have summoned each other to achieve it. The entire bloc of disbelieving powers has come together to publish the abusive and cynical cartoons. They do this and plot together in an atmosphere that reeks of rejection of faith; Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so, there will be Fitnah on earth and great corruption.} [Quran 8:73] This verse was preceded by a contrasting one that describes the status of the believers: {Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allaah and those who gave shelter and aided - they are allies of one another.} [Quran 8:72].

In these verses of Chapter Al-Anfaal (The Bounties), Allaah The Almighty first clarifies that the believers are each others supporters, as are disbelievers of their like. The last part of the verse where He Says (what means): {If you do not do so, there will be Fitnah on earth and great corruption}, seemingly makes the context somewhat strange. Perhaps it implies that if the believers are not allies of one another and fail to realize that the disbelievers are amongst themselves, it would be cause for Fitnah (trials and tribulations) and great corruption on earth. In other words, the reason behind the occurrence of Fitnah today, is that Muslims do not support one another or that they align themselves with disbelievers, when Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, take not those who have taken your religion in ridicule and amusement among the ones who were given the Book before you nor the disbelievers as allies. And fear Allaah, if you should [truly] be believers.} [Quran 5:57] This is a warning for the believers to not make those among the disbelievers or People of the Book who have exploited their religion as a source of entertainment or target of mockery, their allies. However, this is the first error that we have fallen into today. The other important point is that the support of Allaah The Almighty for the believers is contingent on them being allies of Him, His Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and the believers. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Your ally is none but Allaah and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed - those who establish prayer and give Zakaah (obligatory charity), and they bow [in worship]. And whoever is an ally of Allaah and His Messenger and those who have believed - indeed, the party of Allaah - they will be the predominant. } [Quran 5:55-56] This indicates that predominance is for the group of [believers in] Allaah The Almighty; and when it experiences injustice, disgrace and humiliation, it is owing to a failing in its allegiance to Him, His Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and other Muslims. This loyalty represents a love, perseverance till victory as well as an offer of support and help to them. This is important, because if we have noticed, when the disbelievers are

summoned to fight Islam and Muslims, the covert elements and public figures, all unitedly respond. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {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 Allaah, your Lord. If you have come out for Jihaad (fighting) in My cause and seeking means to My satisfaction, [take them not as friends].} [Quran 60:1] Here, He cautions the believers against taking His and their enemies as allies and interacting with them warmly, when they have disbelieved in the truth that came to them. The reason behind that is that they [are essentially the same as those who] drove the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, out, and forced the believers to struggle against them by fighting them just because of their faith. The part of the verse that reads (which means): {If you have come out for Jihaad in My cause and seeking means to My satisfaction}, is actually an encouragement from Allaah The Almighty, urging the believers to do so. Furthermore, there is an inherent implication here that if this is truly the case, then we are not to secretly extend a conciliatory gesture to, or seek as supporters, those who actually consider us as enemies merely because we believe in Allaah The Almighty. Furthermore, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {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. If they gain dominance over you, they would be to you as enemies and extend against you their hands and their tongues with evil, and they wish you would disbelieve.} [Quran 60:1-2] These aspects of abuse, disrespect, arrogance, ill-conduct and corrupt behavior that they conceal beneath slogans of freedom and human rights, in addition to their polytheism and disbelief, all occur today in plain sight, so that the believers know how to love, and be allies amongst each other, and of, Allaah The Almighty and His

Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. Therefore, Muslims are, in some way, responsible for the abuse that is being inflicted on the honor of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, Islam and the Quran. Each of us is accountable for warding off evil, as per his or her capacity. Then, as Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And those who abuse the Messenger of Allaah - for them is a painful punishment.} [Quran 9:61]