Dr. Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Qadri
Shaykh Ul Fiqh, Jamia Nizamia; Founder - Director
Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center
Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center
<span class="content1">Islam is a universal religion. It is the only religion which assures success, betterment and peace of all human beings. Its message of peace is for all mankind and all its sections. The existence of Muslims is for the benefit of others and to provide relief to them as Allah SWT says: <br /> Al Imran-110: "Ye are the best community that hath been raised up for mankind. Ye enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency; and ye believe in Allah; and if the People of the Scripture had believed it would have been better for them. Some of them are believers; but most of them are evil-doers". <br /> When the reason behind the creation of Muslims is to benefit and provide relief to others, then no matter where Muslims live, Islam permits it. Islam absolutely allows Muslims to settle in a Non-Muslim country provided the rules of Islam can be followed. Hejira (Hijrat) is not necessary for Muslims but it is allowed when the need arises as Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) told the Sahabah in Makkah: "It is good if you go to Abyssinia because the King of that land is such that in his land, nobody is oppressed. It is the best land till Allah SWT opens another way for you." The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered the Sahabah to go to Abyssinia even though the King of that land was Non-Muslim and the government was a non-Islamic one. <br /> In that non-Islamic country, what kind of relations were maintained with the Non-Muslims and what standard of morality did the Muslims display can best be understood by the brilliant speech of Hadhrat Ja'afar (May Allah be pleased with him), which he gave in the court of the King of Abyssinia - " O King, All of us were ignorant and dim-witted. We worshipped idols, ate unsacrificed carrion and indulged in various types of immodesty. We broke relations with our relatives. We mistreated our neighbors. The strong among us oppressed the weak. We were in this state when Allah SWT had mercy on us. He sent down a Prophet from among us, whose lineage, truth and honesty, modesty was well known to us. He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) invited us towards to Allah SWT and taught us to know and believe that Allah SWT is One and to worship Him only; and to leave those idols which we and our forefathers worshipped. He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) <br /> commanded us to worship only Allah and not to hold anybody as an associate with Allah. He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) commanded us to perform Salaat i.e. Prayers, Zakat i.e. charity and Sawm i.e. fasting." Hadhrat Ja'afar mentioned the rules of Islam and said, "The True Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered us to be truthful. He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered us not to break trust, to honor our relations, to treat our neighbors well, to refrain from bloodshed and stopped us from all kinds of immodesty, from unlawful actions, from lying, from embezzling the money of orphans and from slandering virtuous women. Thus, we acknowledged Him (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) as the Prophet and believed in Him (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and followed whatever He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) brought for us from Allah SWT. Accordingly, we worship only Allah SWT and do no consider anybody as an associate to Him. Whatever Allah SWT made lawful for us, we consider it lawful and whatever is made unlawful for us we consider it unlawful. <br /> Only because of this, our people turned into our enemies. They troubled us to no end. They tortured us in many ways so that we may return to worship of idols and consider those filthy, unlawful things as lawful. When they crossed all limits in their torment and torture, when they constrained us, when they came between us and our religion, then we left our land and preferred you to others and assumed your neighborhood in the hope that you will not oppress us." <br /> Najashi said "Do you remember any of the Word of Allah SWT which your Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) brought?" Hadhrat Ja'afar said "Yes". Najashi said, " Recite something from it, so that I may listen." Hadhrat Ja'afar (May Allah be pleased with him) recited the beginning verses of Surah Maryam. The King and all the courtiers started weeping. The Kings beard was wetted with his tears. When the recitation ended, the King said," This Word and the words which Sayyeduna Isa (Prophet Jesus) brought are the light of one and the same truth." He told the Quraish delegation frankly, "I will not hand over these people to you and there is no chance of it." (Subul ul Huda war Rasshad) <br /> THE COMMANDMENT TO BE HONEST WITH NON-MUSLIMS <br /> The following Hadith proves that fulfillment of even a forced promise is also necessary <br /> Hadhrat Hudhaifah bin Yaman (May Allah be pleased with him), was coming to Madina Tayyaba along with his father to meet the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) On the way, he met the army of Abu Jahl. The army of Abu Jahl told them that they would not allow them to go to the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) because you will fight against us. At last they promised that they would not join the army against them. Hadhrat Hudhaifah and his father made this promise under compulsion. Then they let them go and both of them came to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa salam). The Battle of Badr came to be. Somebody said, "O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), these 2 are new men. Permit them also to fight because they were forced to make that promise." Hadhrat Hudhaifah (May Allah be pleased with him) also expressed his eager desire but the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "No. Fulfill the promise which you made to Abu Jahl. Breaking trust is not the mark of a Momin (believer); so, you cannot participate in this battle." Al-Isaba <br /> This incident shows that when a Muslim makes a promise to a Non-Muslim compatriot, then Islam declares the fulfillment of that promise to be necessary. Provided the promise does not go against the commandments of Islam. <br /> The teachings of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) provide relief to the whole humankind. <br /> The example of Muslims who have fulfilled their promises to Non-Muslims even in desperate circumstances is ideal and unparalleled in history. <br /> MONETARY HELP TO NON-MUSLIMS <br /> It is a special characteristic of Muslims to spend on Non-Muslims and to sympathize with them in periods of crises and difficulties. The best example which the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) set for Muslims can be found in this Tradition, "A year when the people of Makkah al Mukarramah were in the clutches of a famine, the Holy Prophet Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam sent 500 Dirhams each to Abu Sufyan and Safwan bin Umayya to distribute them among the poor and destitute of Makkah." (Radd ul Muhtaar Vol II Pg No.92) <br /> HELPING WEAK AND POWERLESS NON-MUSLIMS <br /> The laudable attributes of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) which were described by Hadhrat Sayyada Khatija tul Kubra (May Allah be well pleased with Her) include," He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) used to maintain good relations with His relatives" Obviously, those relatives were Non-Muslims only. He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) used to lift the load of the weak i.e. He Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam used to hoist the load of Non-Muslims, the handicapped, the old and the weak on to His own blessed back. He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) used to host people and used to help the troubled people for the sake of Allah SWT. When Heraclius (Harqil) questioned Abu Sufyan about the teachings of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), he answered, "He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) teaches us to offer Salaat (prayer), to speak the truth, to abstain from adultery and to maintain good relations with our relatives." <br /> This is the treatment of the Holy Prophet's (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) warm-heartedness, kind treatment and sympathy with the Non-Muslims. Muslims consider this as a religious duty and believe that following this Tradition i.e. a Sunnah of the Benevolent Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and leads to divine reward. <br /> HONESTY OF MUSLIMS RUNS THE WORLD- A CONFESSION BY THE JEWS <br /> Islam has permitted trade and other such affairs with Non-Muslims. After the conquest of Khaibar, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) entered into an agricultural partnership with the greatest enemies of Islam-Jews. They would work on the lands and give half of their produce to the Muslims. Every year at harvest time, the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would send Hadhrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (May Allah be well pleased with him) to estimate the produce. Sunan- Abu Dawood <br /> Hadhrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (May Allah be well pleased with him) used to divide the produce into two portions and would tell the Jews to select one of their choice. Seeing this justice, the Jews used to exclaim, "The world runs because of the honesty of Muslims." Hadhrat Ibn e Rawaha (May Allah be well pleased with him) used to tell them, "O Jews, among all the creation of Allah , you are the most hateful to me. You killed Prophets (Peace be upon them all) and you slandered Allah SWT but your hate cannot force me to oppress you in any way." Sharh Ma'ani al Asaar. <br /> This shows how fairly Muslims have been dealing with Non-Muslims that there is not even a trace of oppression and excessiveness. In the same way Muslims can enter into mortgage agreements with Non-Muslims. There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) pawned His shield with a Jew for a loan of grain. <br /> </span>