Monotheism and Jews

[iqadeer]

I have always wondered about the concept of Tawheed or Monotheism vis-a-vis Jewish beliefs. I understand the Christians have a glaring defect here since they believe in Trinity but what about the Jews? Please bear in mind that I have no doubts about their kufr since they rejected prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and there is a clear Hadith from him on this. I just ask out of curiosity.

[Fareeha]

The following audio cassettes may give an answer to your question efficiently:

Concept of God in Major Religions By Dr. Zakir Naik - Two Cassettes: Part One and Two.

[Syma]

asalaamualaykum bruvas and sisters

i was not sure if we should hate jews! when i was at school i had a jew teacher who i use to call all sorts of horrible things because i was tought at a young age we should hate em. I got a guilt in my heart i might get pnuished for what i did. will i be punishe for calling my teacher rude names because he was a jew? hope sm1 is able to answer my questions :$

jazakallha khair

w/salaam

[furat]

Assalaamu Alaykum, brothers and sisters,
wa Rahmatu'llaahi wa Barakaatahu
Romdhaan Kareem!


In the Name of Allah the Merciful the Compassionate.
O Divine, please bless our master Muhammed,
his household and purified companions.

Praises unto Allah, no god but Him: He gives us
means of electronic communications to exchange
our knowledge and share our experiences and love,
so as to strengthen our imaan. Wa'Llaahu Akbar!


The problem of Judaism is not their creed, but in the daily life beliefs:

1). 5:64 "The Jews say: Allah's hand is tied down. Their hands are tied down and they are accursed for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty. He bestows as He will."

From WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE
by Rabbi Harold Kushner, Avon Books, 1981:

“Bad things do happen to good people in this world, but it is not God who wills it. God would like people to get what they deserve, but He cannot always arrange it.” (s. 42) “God can't do everything, but He can do some important things.” (s. 113) ”I recognize His limitations. He is limited in what He can do by law of nature, and by the evolution of human nature and human moral freedom.” (s. 134)

Nay! We cast the truth against the falsehood, so that it breaks its head, and lo! it vanishes; and woe to you for what you describe. (21:18)

O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. (4:171)


2). 3:75 "Among the People of the Scripture there is he who, if you trust him with a weight of treasure, will return it to you. And among them there is he who, if you trust him with a piece of gold, will not return it to you unless you keep after him. That is because they say: "We do not have to be honest when dealing with the Gentiles!" Thus, they attribute lies to Allah, knowingly."

Leviticus 19:13: "Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning."

Talmud Baveli, Sanhedrin 57a: "It applies to the withholding of a labourer's wage. One Cuthean from another, or a Cuthean from an Israelite is forbidden, but an Israelite from a Cuthean is permitted."

Note: "Cuthean" is a Mushrik Jewish tribe, interpreted as 'Gentile' in general ("Thus, they attribute lies to Allah, knowingly."). http://www.come-and-hear.com/sanhedrin/sanhedrin_57.html


There are just too many outright horrible things in the Talmud to be quoted here (http://www.geocities.com/onemansmind/jc/Talmud.html). Yet one thing to be remembered about that book - and it is about 12 thick volumes large - is that it is compiled over 2 000 years. It is only natural that it would at times include some filth. Imagine, if there were such a book in Catholicism! What would they have done with all their macabre fatwas from the early Middle Ages, when they tried to wipe out ALL other brands of Christianity, like with the holocaust of the Cathars in Southern France, and later on during the Crusades, when their Popes literally taught that the Muslims were baby-eaters (though the story of Maarrah during the Crusades in Syria tells us something else).

And also they taught that the outskirts of the Eath were inhabited by creatures who had human bodies but with heads of animals. And some of the tafsirs that we have say stuff like that the Earth is a plate resting on an elephant that stands on a wale etc. In fact, in Iran and Saudi there were shaykhs who were teaching that the Earth was flat as recently as back in the 80's. (It is true!)

And so the Catholics don't have a complete volumnous book with teachings build upon each other like bricks in a brickhouse steadily throughout the two millennia. Instead they have their Church so that every Pope issues or abrogates whatever he wants, in accordance with the political requirements of his time. The Jews, however, have their one unique encyclopaedea in which they compiled everything concerning halakhah (fiqeh), and it is still there to read. {The encyclopaedic book of ta'weel is the Zohar, which still till this day can only be really understood by the Qabalis (Sufis).}

However, despite the aforementioned, the reason many try to discredit the Jews by quoting bad stuff from the Talmud is because many Jews still believe much of those things. Like, for example, that Ishmael (as), i.e. the Arabs, is "the evil of the privy" and so on. http://www.geocities.com/alabasters_archive/goldstein_significance.html http://www.abbc2.com/historia/farakhan.htm


3). 19:59-60: "After them came generations who lost the Salah, and pursued their lusts, so they will meet perdition. Except those who repent and believe, and work righteousness: these will enter the Garden and will not be wronged in the least."

Abraham Solomon Hankin, JUDEO-ARABIC LITERATURE:

"The story of R. Abraham the son of Maimonides is one of the most striking episodes in the history of this influence [of Islam on Judaism]. R. Abraham (d. 1237), who had inherited the function of Ra'is al-Yahud (leader of the Jews) from his father, was not only a leader and a halakhic scholar, but also an outstanding Sufi. He wrote a great pietist Sufi compendium named Kifat al-'abidin (The Sufficient Book for the Servants of God), and tried to win his generation over to the Sufi way of life and to prove to them, with the help of a great many quotations from Jewish sources, that this was the true way for God-fearing men. Although opinions differ as to his sources, there is no doubt that he was deeply influenced by the world of Sufism, with which he had become closely acquainted in Egypt. Rabbi Abraham argued that Islam, especially in its Sufi version, preserved many elements of the practices and teachings of the ancient Jewish Sages, which the latter had intentionally neglected with the appearance of pietist heretic circles. http://www.islamicproductions.com/jews.htm Among these elements were kneeling and prostration during prayer, ritual immersions, nightly prayers, etc. Early Islam adopted these ceremonies, as well as the attending feelings of awe for the Day of Judgment and disgust of this world. In the world of Islam all these elements were developed in a special way in the Sufi movement, and that is why they are so closely related to the ancient Jewish Sages.

R. Abraham did not, however, content himself with theoretical study alone. His conviction induced him to demand the return to the ancestral customs by imitating the Muslim surroundings, for instance in the matter of prayer. In one section of his work he suggests the removal of pillows from the synagogues and instead to spread prayer-mats and carpets on the floor as in the mosques, and to prostrate as the Muslims in prayer, and he praises the respectful silence in the mosques, which was in flagrant contrast to the noise and lack of devotion in the synagogues of his day. R. Abraham's suggestion, however, was not adopted, as we learn from the genizah documents. The members of his congregation filed a complaint against him with al-Malik al-'Adil, the ruler, the brother and heir of Saladin, that he tried to force upon them innovations (Bid'a) forbidden by their religion. This was in contravention of the laws of Islam, which in this respect were also applied to the non-Muslim communities under its jurisdiction. R. Abraham was compelled to apologize to the Muslim ruler and to announce that he did not intend to abuse his authority as leader of the Jewish community by introducing such religious innovations." http://shekel.jct.ac.il/~green/judeo-arabic.html

And thus have We revealed the Book to you. So those whom We have given the Book believe in it, and of these there are those who believe in it, and none deny Our communications except the unbelievers. (29:47)

(So) argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is One, and unto Him we surrender. (29:46) Cursing non-Muslims is wrong and benefits neither Islam nor our souls.


4). Therefore, finally, the Book of Allah also states very clearly that at least some of them are real believers (a) and are beloved by Him SWT (b).

b). 7:137 "And We made a people, considered weak, inheritors of lands in both east and west, - lands whereon We sent down Our blessings. The fair promise of thy Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel, because they had patience and constancy."

a). 46:10 "Say: "See ye (O Arabs)? If this be from Allah, and ye reject it, and a witness from among the Children of Israel testifies to its similarity (with earlier scripture), and has believed while ye are arrogant, (how unjust ye are!) truly, Allah guides not a people unjust.""

From 'Interview with Maryam Jameelah' (a Jewish revert in the 1950's):

"Q: Have you ever had the opportunity to talk about Islam to the other Jews?

A: There is one particular incident which really stands out in my mind when I had the opportunity to discuss Islam with a Jewish gentleman.

Dr. Shoreibah, of the Islamic Center in New York, introduced me to a very special guest. After one Jumha Salat, I went into his office to ask him some questions about Islam but before I could even greet him with "Assalamu Alaikum", I was completely astonished and surprised to see seated before him an ultra-orthodox Chassidic Jew, complete with earlocks, broad-brimmed black hat, long black silken caftan and a full flowing beard. Under his arm was a copy of the Yiddish newspaper, "The Daily Forward".

He told us that his name was Samuel Kostelwitz and that he worked in New York City as a diamond cutter. Most of his family, he said, lived in the Chassidic community of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, but he also had many relatives and friends in Israel. Born in a small Rumanian town, he had fled from the Nazi terror with his parents to America just prior to the outbreak of the second world-war.

I asked him what had brought him to the mosque? He told us that he had been stricken with intolerable grief ever since his mother died 5 years ago. He had tried to find solace and consolation for his grief in the synagogue but could not when he discovered that many of the Jews, even in the ultra-orthodox community of Williamsburg, were shameless hypocrites. His recent trip to Israel had left him more bitterly disillusioned than ever. He was shocked by the irreligiousness he found in Israel and he told us that nearly all the young sabras or native-born Israelis are militant atheists.

When he saw large herds of swine on one of the kibbutzim (collective farms) he visited, he could only exclaim in horror: "Pigs in a Jewish state! I never thought that was possible until I came here! [Note: From what I've heard they actually build a wooden parquet floor over the ground for those farms, because it is against the Law in Israel to have pigs on the "Earth" of 'Yisrael'.] Then when I witnessed the brutal treatment meted out to innocent Arabs in Israel, I know then that there is no difference between the Israelis and the Nazis. Never, never in the name of God, could I justify such terrible crimes!" Then he turned to Dr. Shoreibah and told him that he wanted to become a Muslim but before he took the irrevocable steps to formal conversion, he needed to have more knowledge about Islam.

He said that he had purchased from Orientalia Bookshop, some books on Arabic grammar and was trying to teach himself Arabic. He apologized to us for his broken English: Yiddish was his native tongue and Hebrew, his second language. Among themselves, his family and friends spoke only Yiddish. Since his reading knowledge of English was extremely poor, he had no access to good Islamic literature. However, with the aid of an English dictionary, he painfully read "Introduction to Islam" by Muhammad Hamidullah of Paris and praised this as the best book he had ever read.

In the presence of Dr. Shoreibah, I spent another hour with Mr. Kostelwitz, comparing the Bible stories of the patriarchs and prophets with their counterparts in the Holy Quran. I pointed out the inconsistencies and interpolations of the Bible, illustrating my point with Noah's alleged drunkenness, accusing David of adultery and Solomon of idolatry (Allah Forbid) and how the Holy Quran raises all these patriarchs to the status of genuine prophets of God and absolves them from all these crimes.

I also pointed out why it was Ismail and not Isaac who God commanded Abraham to offer as sacrifice. In the Bible, God tells Abraham: "Take thine son, thine only son whom thou lovest and offer him up to Me as burnt offering." Now Ismail was born 13 years before Isaac but the Jewish biblical commentators explain that away be belittling Ismail's mother, Hagar, as only a concubine and not Abraham's real wife so they say Isaac was the only legitimate son. Islamic traditions, however, raise Hagar to the status of a full-fledged wife equal in every respect to Sarah.

Mr. Kostelwitz expressed his deepest gratitude to me for spending so much time, explaining those truths to him. To express this gratitude, he insisted on inviting Dr. Shoreibah and me to lunch at the Kosher Jewish delicatessen where he always goes to eat his lunch. Mr. Kostelwitz told us that he wished more than anything else to embrace Islam but he feared he could not withstand the persecution he would have to face from his family and friends. I told him to pray to God for help and strength and he promised that he would. When he left us, I felt privileged to have spoken with such a gentle and kind person." http://www.jews-for-allah.org/Jewish-Converts-to-Islam/Maryam-Jameelah.htm

Specially He chooses for His mercy whom He pleases; and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace. (3:74)


5). As for the issue of Hadith, I only know this: each time the Holy Prophet (saawas) was visited by a Jew or a Christian, he invited them to Islam, and left them be if they declined. But the only people he never asked to join, while apraising their righteousness, were the Samaritans (whom also the Holy Prohet Jesus, alayhim as-salaam, praised) and the Ethiopians (and the first person, according to the Bible, to accept the Christian da'wah after Christ was one). And interestingly both these groups (Samaritans, Abessynians, as well as the Karaite Jews http://i-cias.com/e.o/karaism.htm) have exactly the same salah as Muslims. That is, on the ground and with no chairs. Plus wudhoue also (Ethiopian Christians also practice circumcision and abstain from hashamah - khanzeer).


And Allah is exalted! All due to Him Alone, guides whom He pleases and forgives whom He pleases.

wassalaam

[suhayl]

will i be punishe for calling my teacher rude names because he was a jew?

Ask for forgiveness and pray for the guidance of your teacher.. Allah will forgive. HE is the most merciful

[ammar85]

asalaamualaykum bruvas and sisters

i was not sure if we should hate jews! when i was at school i had a jew teacher who i use to call all sorts of horrible things because i was tought at a young age we should hate em. I got a guilt in my heart i might get pnuished for what i did. will i be punishe for calling my teacher rude names because he was a jew? hope sm1 is able to answer my questions :$

jazakallha khair

w/salaam
You should feel guilty...Regardless of whether or not he was Jewish, he was your teacher and you should respect him. Furthermore, why is it his problem if he is Jewish? Why is it a PROBLEM in general?
I would think the first thing we all think of is Isreal. But Isreal is a "government" and does not represent all of the Jewish people despite what they say. I don't see how we can blame Jews in general for the fault of others (Regardless of current problems, or past problems). IT would be like blaming all Muslims for the actions of Bin Laden.

[Omar HH]

The Jews is a very big group. Some of the Jews we learn in the Qur'an believed that Uzair was the Son of Allah (Astaghfirallah) and believed other things.

As for some Modern Jews - their creed was codified by Moses Maimondes and includes:

In his commentary on the Mishna (tractate Sanhedrin, chapter 10), Maimonides formulates his 13 principles of faith. They described his views on:

The existence of God
God's unity
God's spirituality and incorporeality
God's eternity
God alone should be the object of worship
Revelation through God's prophets
The preeminence of Moses among the prophets
God's law given on Mount Sinai
The immutability of the Torah as God's Law
God's foreknowledge of human actions
Reward of good and retribution of evil
The coming of the Jewish Messiah
The resurrection of the dead

This is the Jewish belief.

For the Islamic belief go see the Tahawi Creed or another book which described authentic Islamic belief.

[al-Hanbali]

check this out:

http://www.abbc.net/historia/shahak/english.htm

this is by far one of the best books on the history of judaism I have ever read and it was given to me by a freind. You will enjoy it in sha Allah.

[Mikaeel]

the website that judaism book is on contains many lies and innacuracies. i would avoid it. to get information about jews and judaism on sites like those is equivalent to gtetting information about islam on answeringislam.com. may Allah guide the Jewish people to Islam. amen.

[al-Hanbali]

Im sure there are many things in it that can be questioned, but bear in mind that the author is a jew himself and citizen of Isreal. Some might say that his book is similal to a liberal (read: apostate) Muslim living in say, Saudia Arabia writing about the history of Islam. That might be true in some instances, however i wouldnt discount the book entirely. Could you shed some light on where the author is incorrect? Much of what he brings up seems almost as a commentary on Surah al Baqarah and the description therein given to the Yahud.

People sometimes wonder how the Jews commit Shirk. This book gives a good historical answer to that.
wa billah at-Tawfiq

[Mikaeel]

salaamaleikum bro. i havent read the book. however, i have read some very innacurate and foolish things on the radioislam website that the book is on. thats what i was reffering to.

[Yahya]

:salam:

A couple of things:

A - Jews are Kuffaar
Jews are kuffaar, not simply because they reject the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam) but also because liken Allah to His creation, and in particular to humans.


26: Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." Here, their corrupted book claims that man is in the image and likeness of God.



B - Jews do not deserve respect
Allah says in the Qur'an what means "Indeed those who commit kufr, whether they be from the People of the Book or from among the polytheists, are in the fire of Jahannam, living forever therein. THEY ARE THE WORST OF THE CREATION" [Surat al-Bayyinah: 6]

This means that they are worse than pig dung.

However, you should still be cordial with them and say only nice things to them, etc. But understand that the reason why we do this is because we are taught by our ISLAMIC VALUES to always behave with good adab. It is NOT because they deserve to be treated that way. We exhibit proper manners at all times because we respect our own religion, not because we respect theirs.

:jazak:
Yahya

[Kareem]

:salam:

A couple of things:

A - Jews are Kuffaar
Jews are kuffaar, not simply because they reject the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam) but also because liken Allah to His creation, and in particular to humans.

Here, their corrupted book claims that man is in the image and likeness of God.



B - Jews do not deserve respect
Allah says in the Qur'an what means "Indeed those who commit kufr, whether they be from the People of the Book or from among the polytheists, are in the fire of Jahannam, living forever therein. THEY ARE THE WORST OF THE CREATION" [Surat al-Bayyinah: 6]

This means that they are worse than pig dung.

However, you should still be cordial with them and say only nice things to them, etc. But understand that the reason why we do this is because we are taught by our ISLAMIC VALUES to always behave with good adab. It is NOT because they deserve to be treated that way. We exhibit proper manners at all times because we respect our own religion, not because we respect theirs.

:jazak:
Yahya
several sahabis married women from ahlul kitaab. i sincerely doubt that they didnt respect and love their wives. let the mufasireen do the tafsir bro.

[Mikaeel]

haha. yahya... u need more learning done bro.

[Yahya]

several sahabis married women from ahlul kitaab. i sincerely doubt that they didnt respect and love their wives. let the mufasireen do the tafsir bro.

First off, this is how it was explained to me by a sheikh.

Second, on what evidence is your doubt based? Have you never heard the Hadeeth where Umar bin al-Khattab urged Hudhayfah (radiyallah anhum wa 'ardaa) to divorce his christian wife by saying something like, "she is calling to the fire"?

Have you not read in the Qur'an THE NUMEROUS AYAHS about the Jews and their kufr? Have you not specifically read in the Qur'an that Allah does not love the kaafireen? [Surat Al Imran :32 ] Are you implying that the Sahaba would say that they DO love something that Allah specifically said He did not love?

[Kareem]

First off, this is how it was explained to me by a sheikh.

Second, on what evidence is your doubt based? Have you never heard the Hadeeth where Umar bin al-Khattab urged Hudhayfah (radiyallah anhum wa 'ardaa) to divorce his christian wife by saying something like, "she is calling to the fire"?

Have you not read in the Qur'an THE NUMEROUS AYAHS about the Jews and their kufr? Have you not specifically read in the Qur'an that Allah does not love the kaafireen? [Surat Al Imran :32 ] Are you implying that the Sahaba would say that they DO love something that Allah specifically said He did not love?
yes i have heard the hadith, that is no proof, because several sahabis and i think including Hudhayfah and Uthman radiallahu anhum refused. i myself dislike marriages with ahlul kitaab here in the west BUT, do you really think Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala expects us to HATE the people who are allowed to marry, do you really think he expects us to hate the people whom we are allowed to raise our children with?

so what makes you think those verses apply to each and every single person of Ahlul Kitaab, now don't get me wrong here im not denying they are kuffar but, do you really think the sahabah would marry someone whom they would hate?

did Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam hate his uncle Abu Talib? did he hate King Negus whom he sent the muslim Ummah to to seek refuge?

did Abu Hurayrah love and respect or hate his mother before she converted?

Dif Hudhayfah radiallahu anhu hate his wife? did Uthman Radiallau anhu?

should a person with non muslim parents hate them and not respect them?

[Omar HH]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tariqul-Islam/message/884

As-Salaamu-Alaikum

What does it mean to hate the kufar! Is courtesy or kindness due
to the disbelievers? Ustadh Abdullah provides a very interesting
response to this very important question. Do you have a question
about Islam? Please send it to us at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Tariqul-Islam

Was-Salaam Khalil Muhsin




Question:

Is a Muslim not allowed to love his non-Muslim wife because the
Qur'an says that you will never find a person who believes in Allah
and the Last Day loving someone who opposes Allah and his Messenger?

Does that mean a Muslim must hate his non-Muslim wife?


Ustadh Abdullah's response:



Allah says in surah Al-Mujadilah 58: 22,



((You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day
loving those who resist Allah and His Messenger even though they
were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their
kindred…)).



This verse can give the impression that it is absolutely prohibited
to love any one who doesn't believe in Allah and His messenger, and
that such people are not due any courtesy, kindness, or compassion
regardless of who they may be.



But how does one reconcile between this and the verse in Surah Al-
Maidah 5: 5 where Allah says,



((…[Lawful unto you in marriage] Are (not only) chaste women who are
believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book revealed
before your time – when you give them their due dowers, and desire
chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues…))?



How can it be that Allah allows one to marry a woman from the People
of the Book (Jews and Christians) when they are people who don't
believe in Allah and His messenger? And if they don't believe in
Allah and His messenger, they must be of those who are opposed to
Allah and His messenger. And how can one be married to one that he
is not permitted to love? for Allah says:



((And from His signs is this, that He created for you mates from
among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and
He has put love and mercy between your hearts…)) [Qur'an 30: 21].



But Allah is the possessor of far-reaching wisdom (al-hikmah al-
baligha). And all of his decrees and judgments take on the same
character. So there must be a flaw in our understanding, not in the
words of the Creator. For if the Qur'an had been from one other than
Allah, we would find in it much discrepancy.



In reality, Allah clearly makes a distinction between two kinds of
unbelievers. One kind is clearly opposed to Allah and His messenger
and the spread of Islam. These, we are not permitted to have any
form of friendship and alliances with. And another kind is a group
of unbelievers who – in spite of not believing in Allah and His
messenger – do not entertain any malice and enmity against Islam and
the Muslims. These are those who we are allowed to show kindness
toward and have alliances with.



Allah says in Surah Al-Mumtahinah 60: 7 about them and their
relationship with believers,



((It may be that Allah will grant love (and friendship) between you
and those whom you (now) hold as enemies. For Allah has power (over
all things). And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.))



Then He says in the following two verses,



((Allah forbids you not with regard to those who fight you not for
(your) faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly
and justly with them. For Allah loves those who are just. Allah only
forbids you with regard to those who fight you for (your) faith, and
drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out
from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as
turn to them (in these circumstances) that do wrong.))



These verses make it clear that kindness, courtesy, and respect are
due to those unbelievers who do not act in clear opposition to us
and do not resist or oppose Allah and His messenger through open
enmity against them or the Muslims.



As for love, this is something that no human has control over in
reality. For it is Allah who controls hearts as He says,



((And know that Allah comes between a man and his heart…))

[Qur'an 9: 24]



And the Messenger (pbuh) said with regard to the love of his wives,



"O Allah! This is my portion in what I control. So do not take me to
task for what over which You have control but I have no control."
[Abu Dawud and Darimi]



And what he meant was the preference he has given in his heart to
some of his wives over others of them.



If one could truly control who he/she loves, one would be obliged to
even hate our own mothers and fathers who are not believers. But
Islam doesn't oblige any such thing. Look at what Allah says about
our unbelieving parents,



((But if they strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of
which you have no knowledge, obey them not; Yet bear them company in
this life with justice (and consideration)…))

[Qur'an 31: 15]



Even our Messenger (pbuh) had love for his mother who – according to
the interpretation of some scholars – was an unbeliever destined for
Hell, who died before hearing the message of Islam.



It is reported that he asked Allah if he could visit her grave. And
Allah allowed him. Then he asked Allah if he could pray for her, and
He didn't allow him to do so. Imam Ahmad reports him as saying after
he was asked why he was crying,



"I asked my Lord – Mighty and Majestic – if I could ask forgiveness
for my mother, but He didn't allow me. So my eyes welled up with
tears out of compassion for her from (fear of) the Fire…"



So the Prophet's tears clearly indicate his love for his mother. And
were one to say that it was his duty to hate his mother because she
was an unbeliever, we must also accept that the Prophet (pbuh) fell
short of Allah's expectation of him – God forbid. But such a thought
is not and cannot ever be accepted from any Muslim who believes in
Allah and the Last Day.



Furthermore, the Prophet said,



"Whoever loves for Allah, hates for Allah, gives for Allah, and
withholds for Allah, his faith is complete." [Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi,
and Ahmad]



And loving for the sake of Allah means to love what Allah loves,
which is obedience and good-will to others. And what He hates is
disobedience and transgression.



But that love and hate are totally unattached from the person
characterized by the thing hated or loved. So loving a person in its
highest form is related to the extent that that person obeys Allah.
And hating that person is directly related to the degree that that
person does what Allah hates. So the love and hatred are directed at
the action, not at the individual.



The proof is that were one to accept Islam tomorrow, we would be
obliged to love that person for his/her belief in Allah after we had
hated them for their lack of belief in Allah. This can only mean
that we are to hate kufr, not the kafir. And we are to love iman,
and love the mu'min because of his/her iman, not because of who they
are.

Otherwise, we'll be influenced by envy and vanity against others in
such a way that we'll refuse to accept them as true believers or
true Muslims on the basis of our distrust of their sincerity.



But Allah is the proprietor of this din, Islam. It is not our din.
So we are not those who stand judge over people and determine who is
a true believer and who is not. The religion belongs to Allah. He
guides whom He pleases. And if He so wills, He will replace an
ungrateful people who have generations of Islam in their families'
histories with a people who are not so ungrateful who may happen to
be first or second generation Muslims.



Islam is not the religion of the Arab, the Pakistani, or any other
race of people; just as it is not the religion of the Afro-American
or Latino. It is the religion of Allah. So as Arabs or Indo-
Pakistanis have no right to belittle other races of peoples who
enter Islam and consider them to be entering the din of the Arab or
Indo-Pakistani, Afro-Americans are also not to belittle Euro-
Americans and the like when they enter the din of Islam and look at
them as if they are entering into the din of the Afro-American.



Allah, Most High, says ((And let not the hatred of a people drive
you to not act justly. Be just! It is closer to God-Consciousness.
And be conscious of (your duty to) Allah! Verily Allah is well
acquainted with all that you do.)) [Koran 5: 8]



So to answer the question, ask yourself the following:

- Is Islam a sensible and practical religion?

- If so, how could you cohabit with someone that you are
religiously supposed to hate?

- And why would the Creator permit for you to cohabit with
someone he told you that you should hate as your enemy?

- How could you have children with a woman that you hate?

- How could you trust a woman you're supposed to hate with
the duty of raising your children and educating them?



If you answer these questions objectively, I believe that you'll be
able to help yourself, in sha Allah.



And Allah knows best.

Was Salam

Abdullah

Ustadh Abdullah bin Hamid Ali is the first American to attend and
graduate from the University of Al- Qarawiyeen's Faculty of Shariah
The focus of his study was the understanding of the science of fiqh,
Usool Al-Fiqh, and`Aqeedah. He has studied under some of the top
scholars of Islam including Dr Abdullah Ghaazeewee, Professor of
Usool Al-Fiqh, Sheikh Muhammad At-Ta'weel, Muftee, Scholar, and
Professor of Usool Al-Fiqh, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ghaazee Husainee,
Grand Muftee of Morocco and Professor of Al-Fiqh Al-Muqaaran, Sheikh
Ahmad Zweetin, Professor of Fiqhul-Hadeeth and many others!

Please visit us at http://lamppostproductions.org for more
interesting articles from a variety of Islamic scholars!

[Umar]

Please bear in mind that I have no doubts about their kufr since they rejected prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and there is a clear Hadith from him on this. I just ask out of curiosity.

Not only they rejected Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur'an, but they had already rejected Isa (pbuh) and the Injil as well.
They seem themselves as the chosen people, with a special relationship with Allah. This, however, is no longer true. Allah has condemned them for rejecting His prophets and His books and for changing His words (in the Torah I presume).