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bitter hostility and deep hatred will pass way, as it is also stated in the hadith, “Hate your enemy mildly; he
may become your friend one day.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhî. Al-Bayheqi reported it in Shi‘ab al-iman from
Abû Hurairah. Al-Suyuti called it “good,” transmitting the first part as “Love your friend mildly; he may
become your enemy one day.”)
The prohibition against befriending the enemies of Islâm is even more emphatic when they are stronger than
the Muslims, crushing hopes and generating fear in the minds of people. In such a situation, only hypocrites
and those in whose hearts there is a disease hasten to befriend them, giving them help today in order to
benefit from them tomorrow. Allâh Ta‘ala describes this situation as follows: Yet thou seest those in whose
hearts is a disease racing toward them (the enemies of Islâm), saying, ‘We are afraid that a change of
fortune may befall us.’ But it may be that Allâh will give (thee) the victory or some decision from Himself, and
then they will become regretful for what they thought secretly within themselves. (5:55 (52))
And again, Give to the hypocrites the tidings that they will have a grievous punishment. Do those who take
the unbelievers as friends instead of the Believers seek honor among them? For indeed all honor belongs to
Allâh alone. (4:138-139)
Seeking Help From Non-Muslims
There is no harm done if Muslims, at either the private or governmental level, seek help from non-Muslims in
technical matters which have no connection with the religion—for example, in medicine, industry, or
agriculture. At the same time it is of course extremely desirable that Muslims become self-sufficient in all
such fields.
We see from the life of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) that he employed ‘Abdullah bin ‘Uraiqit, a polytheist, to be his
guide on his flight (hijrah) from Makkah to Madinah. Scholars have concluded from this that a person’s
unbelief does not mean that he is basically untrustworthy, for what could be more risky than depending on a
guide to show the route, particularly in fleeing from Makkah to Madinah?
Going considerably beyond this, scholars say that it is permissible for the leader of the Muslims to seek help
from non-Muslims, especially the People of the Book, in military matters, and to give them an equal share of
spoils with the Muslims. Al-Zuhri reported that Allâh’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.) sought help from some of the
Jews in a war and gave them a share of the spoils and that Safwan bin Umayyah fought on the side of the
Prophet (s.a.w.s.) while still an idolater. (Reported by Sa‘id in his Sunan.) The condition for seeking help
from a non-Muslim is that he be trusted by the Muslims; otherwise, help may not be sought from him. Since
it is prohibited to seek help from unreliable Muslims, such as those who spread rumors and anxieties, this is
the more true in the case of non-believers. (AI-mughni, vol. 8, p. 41.)
The Muslim is permitted to give gifts to non-Muslims and to accept gifts from them. It is sufficient here to
mention that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) accepted gifts from non-Muslim kings. (Reported by Ahmad and al-
Tirmidhî) Scholars of ahadith state that there are many ahadith which report that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
accepted gifts from non-Muslims, and Umm Salmah, a wife of the Prophet, narrated that the Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) told her, “I have sent al-Najashi (The Christian ruler of Abyssinia who secretly embraced Islâm.
(Trans.)) a robe and some silk.” (Reported by Ahmad and al-Tabarani.)
Indeed, Islâm respects a human being only because he is human; how much the more then, if he is from the
People of the Book and still more if he is a dhimmi? Once a funeral procession passed by the Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) and he stood up. Thereupon someone remarked, “O Messenger of Allâh, it is the funeral of a Jew.”
The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied, “Was he not a soul?” (Compiled by al-Bukhâri.) Thus, truly, in Islâm every
human being has a dignity and a place.
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The Extension of Islâm’s Universal Mercy to Animals
The universal mercy of Islâm embraces not only human beings, whether unbelievers, People of the Book,
orMuslims, but all other living creaof Allâh as well. Accordingly, Islâm prohibits cruelty to animals. Thirteen
hundred years before any societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals were established, Islâm had
made kindness to animals a part of its faith and cruelty to them a sufficient reason for a person to be thrown
into the Fire.
The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) related to his Companions the story of a man who found a dog panting with thirst. The
man went down into a well, filled his shoes with water which he gave to the dog, and continued to do so until
the dog’s thirst was quenched. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, ‘Then Allâh was grateful to him and forgave him
his sins.’ The Companions asked, ‘Is there a reward for us in relation to animals, O Messenger of Allâh?‘ He
replied ‘There is a reward in (relation to) every living creature.’ (Compiled by al-Bukhâri.)
Side by side with this radiant picture of Allâh’s forgiveness and pleasure, the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) drew another
picture depicting Allâh’s anger and punishment. He said, A woman was sent to the Fire because of a cat.
She imprisoned her and neither fed her nor set her free to feed upon the rodents of the earth. (Compiled by
al-Bukhâri.)
Respect for Allâh’s living creatures reached such an extent that when the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) saw a donkey
with a branded face, he denounced such a practice saying, “I would not brand an animal except on the part
of its body farthest from its face.” (Compiled by Muslim.) In another report, he passed by a donkey with a
branded face and said, “Have you not heard that I have cursed anyone who brands an animal on its face or
who hits it on its face?” (Reported by Abû Daoud and al-Tirmidhî)
We have already mentioned that when Ibn ‘Umar saw some people practicing archery using a hen as a
target, he said, “The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) cursed anyone who made a living thing into a target.”
And Ibn ‘Abbas said, The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) forbade that animals be made to fight each other, since people
would goad animals into fighting each other until one of them was pecked or gored to death, or close to it.
Ibn ‘Abbas also reported that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) strongly condemned the castration of animals. (Reported
by al-Bazzar on sound authority.)
The Qur‘ân condemned the Arabs of jahiliyyah for their slitting the ears of cattle, calling this a practice
inspired by Satan. (4:119)
In relation to the method of slaughtering an animal, we have already pointed out that Islâm insists that the
manner of slaughter should be that which is least painful to the victim and its requiring that the knife be
sharpened but not in front of the animal. Islâm also prohibits the slaughtering of one animal in front of
another. Never, prior to Islâm, had the world witnessed such concern for animals, a concern which was
beyond its imagination.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The purpose of writing this book did not extend beyond discussing what is halal and haram in actions and
outward behavior. As for the halal and haram in the actions of the mind and the movements of the soul, it
was not our intention to deal with them in this volume even though such diseases of the soul as envy and
covetousness pride and arrogance, hypocrisy and ostentation, greed and lust, are among the major sins.
Islâm declares unrelenting war on them, and the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has warned of their evil consequences
characterizing some of them as “the diseases of earlier nations” and calling them “the razor” which shaves
not hair but religion
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