Re: Loyalties
Question:-
What allegiances or loyalties does Islam recognize? What is the Ummah? Does it refer to the Muslim nation or community?
Answer:-
Umma does not refer to any man made entity but to the people who have surrendered to Allah, Muslims as a whole.
A Muslim is one whose loyalty and allegiance is to Allah only. It is not to a state, group, race, tribe, family, flag, government, territory, king, president, profession, club, company, religion, system or ideology. There is, therefore, no such thing as nationalism or patriotism in Islam as these are forms of idolatry.
This could and does bring Muslims in conflict with secular authorities.
However, allegiance to Allah implies that a Muslim is or ought to be always on the side of Truth, Virtue and Justice which are Attributes of Allah. The cultivation of these is certainly an advantage for all whereas loyalty or obedience to anything else has disadvantages because of its limitation. It is these limitations which bring conflicts between people with different allegiances and loyalties.
"O ye who believe! Be ye staunch in justice, witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or (your) parents or (your) kindred, whether (the case be of) a rich man or a poor man, for Allah is nearer unto both (them ye are). So follow not passion lest ye lapse (from truth) and if ye lapse or fall away, then lo! Allah is ever Informed of what ye do." 4:135
"Unto Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth, and religion is His for ever. Will ye then fear any other than Allah?" 16:52
"The erudite among His servants fear Allah alone. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Forgiving." 35:28
"He only shall tend Allah's sanctuaries who believes in Allah and the Last Day and observes proper worship and pays the poor-due and fears none save Allah. For such (only) is it possible that they can be of the rightly guided." 9:18
"From where ever you come forth turn your face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship; and where ever you may be (O Muslims) turn your faces toward it (when ye pray) so that men may have no argument against you, save such of them as do injustice - Fear them not, but fear Me! - and so that I may complete My grace upon you, and that ye may be guided." 2:150
"So fear not mankind, but fear Me. And exchange not My revelations for a little gain. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are disbelievers." 5:44
"Whoso judges not by what Allah has revealed, these are the wrong-doers. 5:45 and 47
The fear of God banishes all other fears:-
"Lo! those who say: Our Lord is Allah, and thereafter walk aright, there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve." 46:13
"O Children of Adam! When messengers of your own come unto you who narrate unto you My revelations, then whosoever refrains from evil and amends - there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve." 7:35
But all who Surrender to Allah are advised:-
"And hold fast, all of you together, to the cable of Allah, and do not separate. And remember Allah's favour unto you: How ye were enemies and He made friendship between your hearts so that ye became as brothers by His grace; and (how) ye were upon the brink of an abyss of fire, and He did save you from it. Thus Allah makes clear His revelations unto you, that haply ye may be guided." 3:103
"Then set your purpose for religion as a man upright by nature - the nature made by Allah in which He has made men; there is no altering (the laws of) Allah's creation; that is the right religion, but most people do not know - turning to Him only, and be careful of your duty to Him and keep up prayer and be not of those who ascribe partners to Him, of those who split their religion and became schismatic, every sect rejoicing in its own tenets." 30:30-32
Loyalty has a sequence of priorities:-
"The Prophet is closer to (or has a greater claim on) the faithful than they have on themselves, and his wives are (as) their mothers; and the possessors of (genetic) relationship have the better claim in the ordinance of Allah to inheritance, one with respect to another, than other believers, and Muhajir (those who fled from Mecca), except that you do some good to your friends; this is written in the Book." 33:6
Though God has sent many Messengers who founded various religions and communities, the allegiance is not to these separate Religions or sects:-
"And, verily, this your religion (or brotherhood) is one religion (or brotherhood), and I am your Lord; so keep your duty unto Me. But they (mankind) have broken their religion (or affair) between them into sects, each sect rejoicing in its own tenets." 23:52-53
"Never will the Jews nor the Christians be pleased with you till you follow their religion. Say: Verily, the Guidance of Allah that is (the only or real) Guidance. And if you were to follow their desires after what you have received of Knowledge, then you would have against Allah neither any Wali (protector or guardian) nor any helper." 2:120
According to a Hadith narrated by Abu Da'wud, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, "He is not one us who calls for Asabiyyah (nationalism, tribalism or sectarianism) or who fights for `Asabiyyah or who dies for `Asabiyyah."
In the Hadith recorded in Mishkat al-Masabith, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, "He who calls for `Asabiyyah is as if he bit his father's genitals (by which he was produced)."
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