What is your opinion regarding the statement of the Shaykh of Islam that one should not follow the disbelievers even in worldly matters such as crafts?
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The questioner : He said, (may Allah have mercy on him): "It is not conceivable that any of their matters is ever complete." So now, O Shaykh, (may Allah preserve you) ... you find that they ... so how is the answer to this?
The Shaykh : The answer is regarding matters of worship or matters of transactions, but the issue of craftsmanship has no bearing on the subject. Yes.
The questioner : He says: "Therefore, opposing them in this is beneficial and good for us in all their matters, even in their perfection in some of their worldly affairs."
The Shaykh : Who bought what?
The reader: "Even in their perfection in some of their worldly affairs, it may be harmful to the matter of the Hereafter or to what is more important than it, namely the matter of this world. So opposing them in this is good for us."
The Shaykh : By Allah, this is what we understood from the Shaykh's words. Although the apparent meaning of his words now is that even in matters of craftsmanship, I do not think this is what anyone would say, because our agreement in the perfection of craftsmanship is not for its sake, but we want to be better than them. Unless that leads to us being engrossed in the matters of this world and forgetting the Hereafter, in which case that is possible. And the statement that nothing of their matters is complete—no one means that, because reality refutes this. And it is not befitting for us to say such a thing, so that it is said, "What are these minds?" It is said: The complete thing among their matters must be countered by a deficiency in their religious matters, or it is said: There must be something complete in their religion, because all of their religion is abrogated and invalid. Yes, Zaki.
The Shaykh : The answer is regarding matters of worship or matters of transactions, but the issue of craftsmanship has no bearing on the subject. Yes.
The questioner : He says: "Therefore, opposing them in this is beneficial and good for us in all their matters, even in their perfection in some of their worldly affairs."
The Shaykh : Who bought what?
The reader: "Even in their perfection in some of their worldly affairs, it may be harmful to the matter of the Hereafter or to what is more important than it, namely the matter of this world. So opposing them in this is good for us."
The Shaykh : By Allah, this is what we understood from the Shaykh's words. Although the apparent meaning of his words now is that even in matters of craftsmanship, I do not think this is what anyone would say, because our agreement in the perfection of craftsmanship is not for its sake, but we want to be better than them. Unless that leads to us being engrossed in the matters of this world and forgetting the Hereafter, in which case that is possible. And the statement that nothing of their matters is complete—no one means that, because reality refutes this. And it is not befitting for us to say such a thing, so that it is said, "What are these minds?" It is said: The complete thing among their matters must be countered by a deficiency in their religious matters, or it is said: There must be something complete in their religion, because all of their religion is abrogated and invalid. Yes, Zaki.