What is your opinion of those who say that the joining of Iraqis to Kuwait is a step toward unifying the Ummah, and that their withdrawal from Kuwait is treachery?

The questioner : I have heard in some publications that the Tahrir Party states that it is obligatory for Iraq to join Kuwait because it is a step toward unifying the Ummah. They also say that the withdrawal of Iraqis from Kuwait is treachery. What is your opinion of this statement?

The Shaykh : My brother, these people are speaking within the limits of what they know, and we might say they know everything except the Shari'ah. This is a statement we have heard and repeated since the beginning of the fitnah, and some of our brothers present here remember this well. In fact, a heated and intense discussion took place between me and some of the brothers, and it appears he was influenced by this false claim. The matter reached the point with the one referred to that when I explained to him that the desired unity cannot be achieved by violating the rulings of the Shari'ah—meaning by imposing the strong upon the weak, as he and others claim, that two states merge to become one state stronger than if they remained two states—this is pure logical reasoning. However, if this logic is not accompanied by the Shari'ah, it becomes very ridiculous. We agree with them that the union of two states to become one state, where each of the two states is a Muslim state, is undoubtedly without dispute. But the disagreement lies in the path to making two states into one. This is where the disagreement is now. This logic that I quoted from that party and heard from that individual I was discussing with seems to proceed from a non-Islamic principle, which is that "the end justifies the means." I think it is not hidden from you that this is not an Islamic principle. "The end justifies the means" means that whatever the means, if it violates the Shari'ah, it is permissible to adopt it as long as it achieves a desired and legitimate goal. We say, no. Just as the goal must be legitimate, so too the means must be legitimate. Therefore, a Muslim state encroaching upon its Muslim neighbor is not in accordance with the Shari'ah. How can this be, when our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) says in the verse mentioned earlier: , while this claim does not align, near or far, with this noble Qur'anic text. So I argued with the aforementioned person using this Islamic logic, but he did not become convinced. I was then forced to direct the following question to him, and unfortunately my hope was dashed, because I thought...