What is the meaning of the hadith: (Two religions do not coexist in the Arabian Peninsula...) and what is meant by the Arabian Peninsula?
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The questioner : In a question, my professor, if you permit, strayed from the topic.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : We once asked about the topic ofMuwatta Malik 45:18 at the home of our brother Abu Zayd, and we would like, if you please, for you to clarify the meaning of this hadith for us once again, because there has been disagreement about whether you said this or that. We have forgotten now what the details were. It is important to us to hear your opinion anew on the meaning of the hadith, and whether the intended meaning of the Arabian Peninsula is our geographical concept: the Arabian Peninsula including the Emirates, the Gulf, Yemen, and all of it, or is the intended meaning the Hijaz, for example? And is the intended meaning also that "two religions" means two great masses, two states, or does it also include an individual?
The Shaykh : Since you are saying that I researched this topic.
The questioner : We forgot, Professor.
The Shaykh : But your opinions differed; in what did they differ?
The questioner : I mean, is the intended meaning... we have forgotten now what you said. Is the intended meaning a strong group of People of the Book, for example, a religion they profess other than Islam, or is it a single individual? We have clarified to you from the Sunnah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as we know, died (peace and blessings be upon him) and his armor was pledged with a Jew, which indicates that the individual is not included in this hadith.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : I mean, this was an objection to us when we said this; they said no. If it is an individual, there is no problem.
The Shaykh: If what?
The questioner : If it is one person, or two, or three, a small group that has no impact on the Muslims and does not pose a danger to the Muslims, is it not included in the negation in the hadith?
The Shaykh : We do not say an individual or individuals; we say two religions ruling. This is what is negated in the Arabian Peninsula, despite the scholars' disagreement in interpreting it. But we said, either in that session or in another, that Makkah, al-Madinah, Jeddah, and Yemen are among these lands where two religions do not coexist, and from which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the expulsion of the polytheists and the expulsion of the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula. But the issue of an individual or individuals has no relation to the topic. There may be a numerous and abundant people in this peninsula from which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the Jews and Christians to be expelled. If they are living under the rule of Islam, meaning as dhimmis, they are permitted to live in the Arabian Peninsula in the general sense, but it is not permissible for them to live in the Arabian Peninsula in the specific sense, meaning in certain, defined lands.
The questioner : They have a ruling, for example, or...
The Shaykh : They are expelled. No, it is not a matter of ruling now; we have set that aside. They are expelled and live in lands other than the defined lands of the Arabian Peninsula. They live under the system of dhimmah, paying the jizyah from the hand while in a state of humiliation. As for the other lands from which they were ordered to be expelled, they are permitted to visit them for trade or the like, but not to settle there. These people are, with regard to Islamic lands, like Muslims with regard to polytheist lands. Just as it is not permissible for a Muslim to live in the lands of disbelief and settle in the lands of disbelief, but it is permissible for him to go for trade on the condition that he returns to his Muslim land, and conversely, a non-Muslim is not permitted to settle in the lands that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) excluded from the Arabian Peninsula and forbade the polytheists from living in, or, in the more correct meaning, ordered the Muslim rulers to expel them from. For these people to visit these lands to return to their own lands or to other Islamic lands where they live under the banner of Islam and the system of Islam, this is the only thing permissible for them.
The questioner : I mean, once again, forgive me, because I want to focus on the topic.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : If these dhimmis, I mean, these People of the Book, or do we say others, for example, from the polytheists?
The Shaykh : I did not say that; I said the polytheists and the People of the Book.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : We once asked about the topic of
Two deens shall not co-exist in the Arabian Peninsula
لا يجتمع دينان في جزيرة العربThe Shaykh : Since you are saying that I researched this topic.
The questioner : We forgot, Professor.
The Shaykh : But your opinions differed; in what did they differ?
The questioner : I mean, is the intended meaning... we have forgotten now what you said. Is the intended meaning a strong group of People of the Book, for example, a religion they profess other than Islam, or is it a single individual? We have clarified to you from the Sunnah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as we know, died (peace and blessings be upon him) and his armor was pledged with a Jew, which indicates that the individual is not included in this hadith.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : I mean, this was an objection to us when we said this; they said no. If it is an individual, there is no problem.
The Shaykh: If what?
The questioner : If it is one person, or two, or three, a small group that has no impact on the Muslims and does not pose a danger to the Muslims, is it not included in the negation in the hadith?
The Shaykh : We do not say an individual or individuals; we say two religions ruling. This is what is negated in the Arabian Peninsula, despite the scholars' disagreement in interpreting it. But we said, either in that session or in another, that Makkah, al-Madinah, Jeddah, and Yemen are among these lands where two religions do not coexist, and from which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the expulsion of the polytheists and the expulsion of the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula. But the issue of an individual or individuals has no relation to the topic. There may be a numerous and abundant people in this peninsula from which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the Jews and Christians to be expelled. If they are living under the rule of Islam, meaning as dhimmis, they are permitted to live in the Arabian Peninsula in the general sense, but it is not permissible for them to live in the Arabian Peninsula in the specific sense, meaning in certain, defined lands.
The questioner : They have a ruling, for example, or...
The Shaykh : They are expelled. No, it is not a matter of ruling now; we have set that aside. They are expelled and live in lands other than the defined lands of the Arabian Peninsula. They live under the system of dhimmah, paying the jizyah from the hand while in a state of humiliation. As for the other lands from which they were ordered to be expelled, they are permitted to visit them for trade or the like, but not to settle there. These people are, with regard to Islamic lands, like Muslims with regard to polytheist lands. Just as it is not permissible for a Muslim to live in the lands of disbelief and settle in the lands of disbelief, but it is permissible for him to go for trade on the condition that he returns to his Muslim land, and conversely, a non-Muslim is not permitted to settle in the lands that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) excluded from the Arabian Peninsula and forbade the polytheists from living in, or, in the more correct meaning, ordered the Muslim rulers to expel them from. For these people to visit these lands to return to their own lands or to other Islamic lands where they live under the banner of Islam and the system of Islam, this is the only thing permissible for them.
The questioner : I mean, once again, forgive me, because I want to focus on the topic.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : If these dhimmis, I mean, these People of the Book, or do we say others, for example, from the polytheists?
The Shaykh : I did not say that; I said the polytheists and the People of the Book.
Source
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