The Evils Of Nationalism

Islaam has forbidden the calls of jaahiliyyah (the prelslaamic days of

ignorance) and there are many textual evidences which forbid all of the

characteristics and manners of jaahiliyyah and their actions, except

those (good and decent) practices which Islaam agreed to. And there is no

doubt that the call to nationalism is from these calls of jaahiliyyah,

since nationalism is a call to other than Islaam and an aiding of other

than the truth. And how many ills, evils and serious wars has such

calls of jaahiliyyah caused to their people, causing great harm to their

souls, their wealth and their possessions. The consequences of such calls

(for the Muslims) was a splitting up of their unity and a planting of

enmity and hatred of each other in their hearts and a fragmentation and

splitting between tribes and nations.

Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H) rahimahullaah said: [ Majmoo ul-Fataawaa (3/456).]

"Everything which is outside

the call of Islaam and the Qur'aan, with regards to lineage, land,

nationality, schools of thoughts and ways, then it is from the calls of

jaahiliyyah. Indeed, even when the Muhaajirs (those Companions who

migrated from Makkah to Madeenah) and the Ansaars (those Companions who

aided and supported those who migrated) argued, such that one of the

Muhaajirs said:" O Muhaajirs! (implying; rally to my aid) " And one of the

Ansaar said: "O Ansaar!" Upon hearing this, the Prophet sallallaahu

'alayhi wa sallam said: "Is it with the calls of Jaahiliyyah that you

call, and l am still amongst you!" And he became very angry at that." [ Related by

al-Bukhaaree (8/137).]

And from the textual evidences pertaining to this issue is Allaah the Most

High's saying:

"And stay in your homes and do not display yourselves,

like the display of the times of jaahiliyyah (pre lslaamic ignorance). But

establish the Prayer, give the Zakaat and obey

Allaah and His Messenger.

" [Soorah alAhzaab 33:33]

"When those who disbelieved placed in their hearts pride and arrogance the

pride and arrogance of jaahiliyyah then Allaah sent down His tranquillity

upon His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and upon the Believers

..." [Soorah alFath 48 26].

The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Whosoever leaves off

obedience and separates from the Jamaa'ah and dies, he dies a death of

jaahiliyyah. Whoever fights under the banner of the blind, becoming angry

for 'asabiyyah (partisanship and party spirit), or calling to 'asabiyyah,

or assisting 'asabiyyah, then dies, he dies a death of jaahiliyyah." [ Related by Muslim in his Saheeh (6/21), from Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu

anhu.]

Also in Saheeh Muslim (8/120) the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa

sallam said: ?lndeed Allaah has revealed to methat you should have

humility, and that no one should act proudly and oppressively over anyone

else, nor should anyone boast over anyone else."

And there is no doubt that the call to nationalism is a call to 'asabiyyah

(partisanship and party spirit) and it is a call to becoming angry for the

sake of 'asabiyyah and fighting for 'asabiyyah. And there is no doubt

also, that the call to nationalism is a call to transgression, pride and

arrogance, since nationalism is not a divinely revealed way of life which

prevents its people from oppression and proud boasting. Rather it is an

ideology from the time of jaahiliyyah which leads its people to boasting

about it and having 'asabiyyah for it even if they are the oppressors and

the others are the oppressed ! So O noble reader consider this and the

truth will be clear to you.

And from the textual evidences connected with this is what at-Tirmidhee

relates from Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam that he

said: "Let people stop boasting about their forefathers who have died, who

are merely fuel for the Hell Fire; or they will certainly be more

insignificant with Allaah than the beetle which roles dung with its nose.

Allaah has removed from you the party spirit of the days of jaahiliyyah

and the boasting about one's forefathers. Indeed a person is either a

pious Believer or a wretched sinner. All of mankind are the children of

Aadaam, and Aadam was created from clay.[ Hasan: Related by Abu Daawood (no.5116) and

at-Tirmidhee (no.4233) from

Abu Hurayrah radiallaabu anhu. It was authenticated by Ibn Taymiyyah in

Kitaabul-lqtidaa (p.35).]

The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said: "Indeed there is no

excellence for an arab over a non-arab, nor a non-arab over an arab, nor

a white person over a black one, nor a black person over a white one,

except through taqwaa (piety and obedience to Allaah) [Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (5/411) and it was authenticated by Ibn

Taymiyyah in Kitaabul-lqtidaa (p.69).]

And this accords with Allaah the Most High's saying:

"O mankind! We have created you from male and female and have made you

into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Indeed the most

noblest of you with Allaah is the one who has the most taqwaa." [Soorah

al-Hujuraat 49:13].

So Allaah the One free from all defects- made clear in this noble aayah

(verse) that people have been made into nations and tribes so that they

may come to know each other, not that they should boast and have pride

over one another. And Allaah the Most High considered the most noblest of

them to be the one with the most piety and taqwaa. Likewise, the

previously mentioned narration shows the same meaning, and guides to the

fact that it is from the ways of jaahiliyyah to vainly boast and to have

false pride for one's fore fathers and ancestry. This is what the calls of

jaahiliyyah lead to, whereas Islaam is in opposition to this.

Rather Islaam calls to modesty, humility, taqwaa and to having love for

the sake of Allaah, and that the true and sincere Muslims are merely one

of the categories of the children of Aadam 'alayhis salaam, and that the

Muslims are a single body and a single structure; each part supporting

the other and each part feeling the pain that the other parts are

suffering as occurs in an authentic hadeeth (narration) from the Prophet

sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, that he said: "The Believer to the Believer

is like a solid building, one part supports the other." And he interlaced his

fingers to demonstrate this. [ Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.481) and Muslim (no.2585) from

Abu Hurayrah radiallaabu anhu.]

The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam also said: "The example of the

Believer in their mutual love and mercy is like the example of a body, if

one part of the body feels pain, then all the body suffers in

sleeplessness and fever. [ Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.6011) and Muslim (no.2586) from

an-Nu'maan

ibn Basheer radiallaahu anhu.]

O people! I call to you in the name of Allaah. Does your nationalism call

you to these noble manners of mercy and kindness to the Muslims the arabs

and the non arabs and of having mutual sympathy and concern for them, and

feeling pain at their pain? No by Allaah ! Rather it calls you to having

allegiance with those who have evil character and it calls you to

cultivating enmity and hatred for those who deny this

false creed of nationalism . So beware, O Muslim who desires safety and

salvation, and consider the reality of the affair with a fair

consideration, without being prejudiced with party spirit and desires.

Only then you will see the reality as it truly is.

So may Allaah guide me and you to the means of safety and salvation.

And it is related by Imaam al-Bukhaaree in his Saheeh (8/137), that a

young man from the Muhaajirs and a young man from the Ansaar quarreled.

So the Muhaajir said: "O Muhaajirs! (meaning: rally to my help)" And the

Ansaaree said: "O Ansaar'" So the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam

heard this and said: ''Is it with the call off jaahiliyyah that you are

calling out, and I am present amongst you !"

Even though the term Muhaajir and Ansaar are two ascriptions which are

beloved to Allaah the One free from all defects and He has praised these

two groups with a very great praise, in His the Most High's saying:

"And the first to embrace Islaam from the Muhaajirs and the Ansaar, and

those who followed them in goodness, beliefs and actions. Allaah is well

pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. He has prepared for

them Gardens of Paradise, beneath which rivers flow, to live therein

forever. That is the supreme achi evement." [Soorah at-Tawbah 9:100].

Yet in the above incident, this ascription to the Muhaajirs and seeking

the help from them, and the Ansaar and seeking the help from them, when

the likes of this was considered to be from the calls of jaahiliyyah,

then what about those who claim allegiance to nationalism and seek help

through that and become angry for that? Will this not be more fitting to

be considered one of the calls from the days of jaahiliyyah? This is a

matter in which there is no doubt, and it is one of the clearest of all

matters.

And this is what has been established in the authentic hadeeth

(narration), from alHaarith alAsh'aree radiallaahu 'anhu, that the Prophet

sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "I order you with five things which

Allaah ordered me with: The Jamaa'ah, hearing, obeying, hijrah (migration)

and jihaad in the way of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic. So whosoever

separates from the Jamaa?ah by a handspan, throws the yoke o Islaam from

his neck, unless he repents. And whosoever calls with the call of

jaahiliyyah (the days of ignorance), then he is from the hoarded heap of

Hell Fire" It was said: Even if he fasts and prays? He said: "Even if he

fasts and prays. So call with the call of Allaah which Allaah gave: The

Muslims, the Believers, Worshippers of Allaah.' [Saheeh: Related by

at-Tirmidhee (nos.2863) and at-Tilyaalasee (no.1161)

and others. It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in his checking to

Ibn Abee 'Aasim's as-Sunnah (no.1036).]

This hadeeth is absolutely clear with regards to rendering futile the

calls to nationalism. Its callers deserve that they should be from the

heap of Hell Fire, even if they fast and they Pray and claim that they are

Muslims. So what a severe threat and severe warning is given here; warning

every muslim from the calls of jaahiliyyah and warning them from entering

into this even if such calls are adorned with false talks and enchanting

speeches . Rather it is a deception and a blind following which leads its

people to the worst and most despicable of ends. And we ask Allaah for

safety and freedom from that.

By Jawad

Taken from:

[Nuqdul-Qawniyyatul Arabiyyah (pp.39-44), slightly edited by By Abdul'Azeez.]