How does a muslim minority deals with the non-muslim majority?

Question:
To what extent can Muslims work in a fair and friendly way with Christians and people of other faiths who live around them? Also, given that the Muslim minorities live amongst a majority of Christians, is it permissible for the Muslims to work and do business with them and to respond to their invitations and for them to respond to our invitations? Is it also permitted for Muslims to mix with them, whether in order to invite them to Islaam or merely out of courtesy? If the answer is that it is permissible, how can we reconcile it with the fact that in some books of usool al-fiqh it is stated that we should force them aside when we pass on a narrow path? In addition, it is stated that we should bring up our children to loathe, despise and avoid them. Could you possibly throw some light on this?

Answer:
Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala) says:
{Allaah does not forbid you to be kind and just with those who have neither made war on your religion nor driven you from your homes. Allaah loves those who are just and equitable}, [Soorah al-Mumtahinah, Aayah 8].

A person's dealings with others falls into one of three categories:
1. He deals with them fairly and justly;
2. He deals with them fairly and justly;
3. He deals with them unjustly.

Dealing with people unjustly is prohibited. Even with the rights of non-Muslims, it is not permitted for you to deal with them unjustly and with oppression. Ibn Qayyim (Rah) when commenting on the words of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam):
((If the people of the Book give Salaam upon you, then answer them by saying, And upon you)) says, "This is if they say, 'As-Salaam' in a way which is not clear and it is possible and likely that they in fact said: "As- which means "poison". However, if they say, "As-Salaamu 'alaykum" clearly, then you should reply by saying, "Wa 'alaykum as-Salaam" also in a clear manner.

Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala) says:
{If you are greeted by anyone, then reply with a better greeting or at least return the same greeting}, [ Soorah an-Nisaa, Aayah 86].

This is what justice calls for. However, the reason for the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) saying:

((If the people of the Book give as-Salaam upon you, then answer them by saying, And upon you)) is made clear in a hadeeth narrated by ibn 'Umar. The Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said:

((The People of the Book say, "As-Saam 'alaykum" (May you be poisoned) so if the People of the Book give as-Salaam upon you, then reply by saying, 'Wa 'alaykum)) (And upon you.). And so the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) clarified the reason for this ruling.

Therefore, if they say distinctly, "As-Salaam" there is no objection for you to reply clearly, "Wa 'alaykum as-Salaam". If they congratulate us or give us best wishes, we can return the greeting to them. However, to give them best wishes on the occasion of their religious festivals is completely forbidden. It is prohibited, for example, to give them best wishes at Christmas or on the occasion of any other of their festivals because to wish them well by affirming their festivals of disbelief is to be contented and happy that these are their festivals. In the same way that it is prohibited to wish them good health over a drink of wine or any other prohibited subsume, it is also forbidden to wish them well by affirming their religious rites.

The matter of responding to their invitations is something that needs elaboration. If there is benefit in it and it is an opportunity to invite to Islaam, then there is no objection to it. The Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) responded to an invitation of a Jew, who gave him bread, barley and dissolved fat. It is, however, something that we as Muslims must be very cautious about. Friendship and love for them, inclining to them and being content with their disbelief is not permitted because the need to have a sound and pure heart is extremely important for Muslims. The heart if it inclines to them or becomes content with their disbelief is in great danger.

For this reason, Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala) says:
{You will not find a people who believe in Allaah and the Last Day being friendly with those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger, even though they are their fathers, sons, brothers, close relatives or from their own tribe}, [Soorah al-Mujaadalah, Aayah 8].

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen
al-Aqalliyaat al-Muslimah - Page 81, Fatwa No.22

The Selfishness of Terrorists

By Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin al-`Ubaykaan

So when you speak, do not only consider your own self saying: 'We want to establish Jihaad and we want to be martyrs...' This does not give you the right to be a cause for the destruction of others, the fact that you want to be a martyr.

This is selfishness, a person like this only thinks of himself. All he wants, is to be killed in the cause of Allaah and to enter Jannah [according to his belief], that's all, without looking at the interests and well being of others. This is not permissible, this is not the behavior of Muslims.

Translator: Nadir Ahmad, Abu Abdul-Waahid

Printed From: http://www.madeenah .com/article. cfm?id=1244

Tazkirah Menjelang 'Ied #8: Khutbah Setelah Shalat

Termasuk Sunnah Nabi dalam khutbah 'Ied adalah dikerjakan setelah shalat. Di dalam kitab Shahih al-Bukhari[1], al-Bukhari membuat bab khusus, yaitu: "Bab al-Khutbah ba'da al-'Ied" (Khutbah Setelah Shalat 'Ied).

Dari Ibnu 'Abbas radhiyAllahu 'anhuma, dia berkata:

شهدت العيد مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأبي بكر وعمر وعثمان رضي الله عنهم فكلكم كانوا يصلون قبل الخطبة

Mufti Gets Wide Support on Call to Saudi Youth

Saudi Islamic scholars and officials have voiced full support for the statement made by Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, urging young Saudi men not to run after the calls for jihad made by foreign groups with vested interests. They also agreed with the mufti that it is the duty of an Islamic ruler to call for jihad and not for any ordinary individual to do so.

In his statement on Monday, Al-Asheikh strongly criticized Saudis for joining the war in Iraq. He said that young men were playing into the hands of suspicious entities that exploited the young in order to realize their vested interests. The mufti also reminded Saudi youth of the meaningless war they are fighting in Iraq as the country endures total confusion without clear objectives. He also warned them against disobeying Islamic scholars and Muslim rulers.

The mufti’s statement follows media reports that a significant number of Saudis have been fighting alongside insurgents against US-led occupation forces in Iraq.

“Our youth have become a commodity, bought and sold by (Middle) Eastern and Western agencies...they have become instruments for carrying out heinous acts,” Al-Asheikh said referring to reports of Saudis taking part as suicide bombers in Iraq.

“I advise those with money to be careful about where it is spent so that it does not damage Muslims. I urge religious scholars and preachers to explain the truth and take young people by the hand so that they see the reality,” the mufti said.

“I decided to make this statement after observing that for several years Saudis have been leaving for jihad. They did this because they are passionate about their religion but they are not wise enough to know right from wrong,” he said.

The mufti also reminded the youth that rejecting Islamic scholars and rulers was a major sin in Islam. “A person who obeys the ruler obeys me and who rejects the ruler rejects me,” the mufti said, quoting a saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

“It is the duty of the ruler, not any other individual, to call for jihad,” said Sami ibn Ahmed Al-Khayyat, director of the department of issues and investigations at the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in the Makkah region. “Youth are not allowed to call for jihad by themselves instigated by religious passion.” Speaking to Arab News, Khayyat also said that youth should not go to Muslim countries facing security problems with the intention of jihad. He emphasized the need for propagating the message of Islam in a wise manner, winning the hearts of people and engaging them in constructive dialogue.

Ahmed ibn Qassim Al-Ghamdi, director of the commission’s office in Makkah, emphasized the important position of jihad in Islam. “But the present calls for jihad are made by groups having vested interests and have resulted in Muslims killing each other,” he explained.

Dr. Khaled Bajahzer, a professor in Islamic studies, highlighted the role of youth in society and urged them to make use of their time and energy in a constructive manner. “Muslim youth should not go for jihad by just hearing some calls or listening to deviant religious edicts,” he said and hoped that Saudis would follow the mufti’s advice.

New Website For Authentic Fatwas

An email from Abu 'Abdullaah (Fatwa-Online/E-Fatwa mailing list):

http://www.alifta. com

Now Website for Authentic Fatwas

The Presidency for Scientific Research and Religious Edicts (Dar Al-Ifta), the Riyadh-based organization comprising prominent Islamic scholars that issues fatwas, has set up a website for its religious rulings. The site (www.alifta.com) provides quick access to the fatwas issued by Dar Al-Ifta, which is affiliated to the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars headed by Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh.

The site features fatwas issued by prominent Islamic scholars and has devoted a section for the fatwas of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz, the former mufti who died in 1999.

Visitors to the new website will be able to ask questions on various topics and get replies from well-known scholars. The launch of the website comes in response to calls for the authentication of religious edicts in Saudi Arabia. Certain radical groups sometimes issue sketchy fatwas urging Muslim youths to take part in jihad. The website is aimed at giving Muslims a place to review authentic and widely accepted fatwas issued by the Islamic authority in the Kingdom.

On the main page of the site, one can find the fatwas of the permanent committee for ifta, fatwas of Sheikh Bin Baz, and of the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars as well as the Islamic Research Magazine.

The site also contains some of the Hadiths reported by prominent women followers of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) including Khadeeja, Safiya, Zainab, Hafsa, Aisha, Fatma, Asma bint Abibakr, Um Salama and Um Dardaa.

Saudis and expatriates in the Kingdom welcomed the new fatwa website and said it would help the public to receive authentic religious rulings and opinions on various issues.

Mohammed Habeeb, director general of the Dawa Center in Al-Salama district in Jeddah, said Dar Al-Ifta’s site is very informative and would benefit a large number of people worldwide. However, he stressed the need for further developing the site with interactive facilities.

“People have been waiting for this site for quite a long time,” Habeeb told Arab News. “It is a nice website containing religious edicts made by prominent scholars like Bin Baz and Bin-Othaimeen.”

He called upon Dar Al-Ifta to translate the religious rulings into English and other major languages. “There is a multi-language website set up by Egypt’s Al-Azhar. Many foreigners make use of it.”

Saudi Arabia has emphasized the need for the compilation of religious edicts in order to unite Muslims. In a previous statement, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal underscored the important roles that Islamic institutions, such as the Islamic Fiqh Academy, play in protecting Islamic beliefs and ideology.