The Ruling on Imitating the Jews, the Christians, and Other Disbelievers
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A message was sent to the program, and it appears that the sender is affected, though he did not mention his name; rather, he wrote "Al-Zulfi" at the end of the message. Our brother says: You know that it is obligatory for the Muslim to have a distinct personality that follows the teachings of the pure religion, by maintaining his appearance and clothing, adhering to the pure Sunnah, and not imitating the detestable customs of his society. Rather, he should follow the law of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Since customs have come into the Islamic world from the West and Christian lands, and have even entered into some systems, such as military systems and the civil service system, and since the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us to differ from the Jews and Christians in everything, and in the hadith: or as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and since there is a hadith in which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , does the Muslim sin by this imitation? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with all good.
Answer: Yes, it is obligatory for the Muslim to be independent and to distance himself from imitating the enemies of Allah, as Allah has commanded him to do. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) warned the community against following the ways of the disbelieving nations that came before them, whether Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, or other disbelievers. This indicates the obligation for Muslims to be independent in their specific attire, the acts of obedience that Allah has made obligatory for them and legislated for them, and so on, and that they should not imitate their enemies, neither in their morals, nor in their deeds, nor in their words, nor in their festivals, nor in their attire. For this reason, Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated with a good chain from Ibn Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in a long hadith:Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 10:131 The beginning of it is: .
So it is obligatory for the believers and Muslims to distance themselves from imitating the enemies of Allah in all matters, and to be independent in all their affairs so that they are distinguished from their enemy, and so that they are recognized wherever they are by their Islamic attire, methods, and customs, and their Islamic deeds. However, if there is something shared, such that... Muslims and disbelievers do it, this is not called imitation, as is the case now with riding airplanes, cars, and trains. These were originally with our enemies, then Allah made it easy for us to benefit from them, so this has now become shared and does not contain imitation of the enemies of Allah. Nor does their use of these airplanes, or these trains or cars, prevent us from using them. Likewise, regarding the forces that are used in war, Muslims may take them so that they can defend their religion and their lands, and so that they act upon the saying of the Exalted: [Al-Anfal: 60].
So matters in which Muslims have benefit are permissible for them to take from their enemy, and this is not called imitation because of the preparation and general benefit for Muslims. Likewise, things in which Muslims have shared and which have become the custom of everyone do not contain imitation. Rather, imitation is in what they have specialized in and which has become their specific attire. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you. So, there is a measure, O Shaykh, which seems to me that in worldly matters, you do not see any harm in that?
The Shaykh: If there is benefit for us in it and it is not specific to the polytheists, as for what is specific to the polytheists and we have no benefit in it... but what has benefit, we take it. We take it from them and we argue with the saying of the Exalted: [Al-Anfal: 60]... And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: [Al-A'raf: 32].
The presenter: May Allah reward you. So, caution is in matters of religion?
The Shaykh: The religion, which is their attire and morals, is not from our religion. As for what is from our religion, we use it, even if they imitate us in it, or even if they share it with us. For example, if they all agree to let their beards hang down, we let ours hang down even if they do, we do not differ from them in that, rather we let them hang down because we are commanded to let them hang down. Likewise, if they build mosques and pray in their mosques, we do not demolish our mosques. What is from our religion, we adhere to it even if they share it with us.
The presenter: Likewise, some systems adopted for work and workers and the like?
The Shaykh: Likewise... those that benefit us, we adopt them, such as the traffic system, the police system, such a system... such a system... that benefits the community. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Do not imitate the Jews, for whoever imitates a people will be gathered with them.
لا تشبهوا بـاليهود ، فمن تشبه بقوم حشر معهمYou will surely follow the ways of those who came before you, heel following heel, so that if they entered the hole of a scorpion, you would enter it. They said: O Messenger of Allah! The Jews and Christians? He said: Who else?
لتتبعن سنن من كان قبلكم حذو القذة بالقذة، حتى لو دخلوا جحر ضب لدخلتموه، قالوا: يا رسول الله! اليهود والنصارى ؟ قال: فمن؟!Answer: Yes, it is obligatory for the Muslim to be independent and to distance himself from imitating the enemies of Allah, as Allah has commanded him to do. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) warned the community against following the ways of the disbelieving nations that came before them, whether Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, or other disbelievers. This indicates the obligation for Muslims to be independent in their specific attire, the acts of obedience that Allah has made obligatory for them and legislated for them, and so on, and that they should not imitate their enemies, neither in their morals, nor in their deeds, nor in their words, nor in their festivals, nor in their attire. For this reason, Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated with a good chain from Ibn Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in a long hadith:
And whoever imitates a people is one of them.
ومن تشبه بقوم فهو منهمI was sent before the Hour so that Allah may be worshipped alone, and I was made to have my provision under the shadow of my spear, and I was made to have humiliation and degradation upon whoever opposes my command, and whoever imitates a people is one of them.
بعثت بين يدي الساعة حتى يعبد الله وحده، وجعل رزقي تحت ظل رمحي، وجعل الذل والصغار على من خالف أمري، ومن تشبه بقوم فهو منهمSo it is obligatory for the believers and Muslims to distance themselves from imitating the enemies of Allah in all matters, and to be independent in all their affairs so that they are distinguished from their enemy, and so that they are recognized wherever they are by their Islamic attire, methods, and customs, and their Islamic deeds. However, if there is something shared, such that... Muslims and disbelievers do it, this is not called imitation, as is the case now with riding airplanes, cars, and trains. These were originally with our enemies, then Allah made it easy for us to benefit from them, so this has now become shared and does not contain imitation of the enemies of Allah. Nor does their use of these airplanes, or these trains or cars, prevent us from using them. Likewise, regarding the forces that are used in war, Muslims may take them so that they can defend their religion and their lands, and so that they act upon the saying of the Exalted:
And prepare against them whatever you are able of power
وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍSo matters in which Muslims have benefit are permissible for them to take from their enemy, and this is not called imitation because of the preparation and general benefit for Muslims. Likewise, things in which Muslims have shared and which have become the custom of everyone do not contain imitation. Rather, imitation is in what they have specialized in and which has become their specific attire. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you. So, there is a measure, O Shaykh, which seems to me that in worldly matters, you do not see any harm in that?
The Shaykh: If there is benefit for us in it and it is not specific to the polytheists, as for what is specific to the polytheists and we have no benefit in it... but what has benefit, we take it. We take it from them and we argue with the saying of the Exalted:
And prepare against them whatever you are able of power
وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍSay, "Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?"
قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِ وَالطَّيِّبَاتِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِThe presenter: May Allah reward you. So, caution is in matters of religion?
The Shaykh: The religion, which is their attire and morals, is not from our religion. As for what is from our religion, we use it, even if they imitate us in it, or even if they share it with us. For example, if they all agree to let their beards hang down, we let ours hang down even if they do, we do not differ from them in that, rather we let them hang down because we are commanded to let them hang down. Likewise, if they build mosques and pray in their mosques, we do not demolish our mosques. What is from our religion, we adhere to it even if they share it with us.
The presenter: Likewise, some systems adopted for work and workers and the like?
The Shaykh: Likewise... those that benefit us, we adopt them, such as the traffic system, the police system, such a system... such a system... that benefits the community. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.