Eating and Sitting with Disbelievers
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The fifth question of Fatwa No. ( 1591 )
Q 5: What is the ruling on eating with, drinking with, sitting with, and transacting with a disbeliever, and does this take one out of the religion?
Q: Merely eating with a disbeliever, sitting with him, or trading with him, whether selling to him or buying from him, and the like of exchanging worldly benefits that do not result in harm to the Muslims in their religion or their worldly affairs, does not take one out of the Islamic faith. Rather, being kind to disbelievers and doing good to them is not considered a sin as long as they have not fought us in religion and have not been at war with us. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Mumtahanah 60:8-9]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made a treaty with the Jews and exchanged benefits with them. He dealt with them after the Battle of Khaybar by having them cultivate its land in exchange for half of what it produced. He ate from a leg of a sheep that a Jewish woman presented to him and his companions, and she had placed poison in its leg to harm the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He accepted a gift from the leader of the Romans after the Battle of Tabuk and reciprocated it. He had a disbelieving servant and offered him Islam, so he embraced Islam. He mixed with disbelievers to convey the call of Allah to them, debate with them, and answer their questions, among other transactions and interactions that do not touch the substance of Islam and do not harm the Muslims in their worldly affairs, but rather convey the Islamic call, establish the proof, or benefit the Muslims in their worldly affairs and return a benefit to them. He passed away (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) with his armor pledged to a Jew in exchange for food he bought for his family. As for sitting with them, eating with them, and transacting with them in a manner of affection, brotherhood, love, and spiritual loyalty—this is not permissible. Rather, it may be disbelief that takes one out of the religion of Islam, such as being pleased with them and their religion, loving them, being sincere to them, or supporting them against the Muslims, or the like of that, may Allah protect us from it. He the Exalted said:
[At-Tawbah 9:23-24] , and He the Exalted said: [Al-Mujadila 58:22] , and He the Exalted said: [Al-Ma'idah 5:51] And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q 5: What is the ruling on eating with, drinking with, sitting with, and transacting with a disbeliever, and does this take one out of the religion?
Q: Merely eating with a disbeliever, sitting with him, or trading with him, whether selling to him or buying from him, and the like of exchanging worldly benefits that do not result in harm to the Muslims in their religion or their worldly affairs, does not take one out of the Islamic faith. Rather, being kind to disbelievers and doing good to them is not considered a sin as long as they have not fought us in religion and have not been at war with us. Allah the Exalted said:
(8) Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. (9) Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
لاَ يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ أَنْ تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ (8) إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَى إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَنْ تَوَلَّوْهُمْ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَAnd the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made a treaty with the Jews and exchanged benefits with them. He dealt with them after the Battle of Khaybar by having them cultivate its land in exchange for half of what it produced. He ate from a leg of a sheep that a Jewish woman presented to him and his companions, and she had placed poison in its leg to harm the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He accepted a gift from the leader of the Romans after the Battle of Tabuk and reciprocated it. He had a disbelieving servant and offered him Islam, so he embraced Islam. He mixed with disbelievers to convey the call of Allah to them, debate with them, and answer their questions, among other transactions and interactions that do not touch the substance of Islam and do not harm the Muslims in their worldly affairs, but rather convey the Islamic call, establish the proof, or benefit the Muslims in their worldly affairs and return a benefit to them. He passed away (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) with his armor pledged to a Jew in exchange for food he bought for his family. As for sitting with them, eating with them, and transacting with them in a manner of affection, brotherhood, love, and spiritual loyalty—this is not permissible. Rather, it may be disbelief that takes one out of the religion of Islam, such as being pleased with them and their religion, loving them, being sincere to them, or supporting them against the Muslims, or the like of that, may Allah protect us from it. He the Exalted said:
(23) O you who have believed, do not take your fathers or your brothers as allies if they have preferred disbelief over belief. And whoever does so among you - then it is those who are the wrongdoers. (24) Say, [O Muhammad], "If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people."
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا آبَاءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَانَكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ إِنِ اسْتَحَبُّوا الْكُفْرَ عَلَى الإِيمَانِ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنْكُمْ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ (23) قُلْ إِنْ كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَYou will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. Those - He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit from Him. And We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him - those are the party of Allah. Unquestionably, the party of Allah - they are the successful.
لاَ تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُولَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ أُولَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَO 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, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.