Loyalty and Disavowal
Loyalty and disavowal are among the spiritual acts that stem from the creed of faith. The believer who has believed in Allah, His messengers, His books, His angels, the Last Day, and divine decree, both its good and its evil, will have his heart filled with love and allegiance, and he will incline toward supporting the believers with truth. This results in disavowal of the beliefs and ideas that contradict what he believes in.
A Muslim must preserve his Islamic identity, which is loyalty (al-wala’). As for disavowal (al-barā’), it means that the Muslim must ensure that his creed is not confused with any doubts that may taint it. The term “loyalty” is also used in several broader meanings, including love, support, and guardianship over an orphan or a woman’s guardian. Allah, the Exalted, said: “Some of them are allies of others” (i.e., they support one another).
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: “It is obligatory upon every Muslim that his love, hatred, allegiance, and enmity follow the command of Allah and His Messenger. He should love what Allah and His Messenger love, hate what Allah and His Messenger hate, ally with whom Allah and His Messenger ally, and oppose whom Allah and His Messenger oppose.”
Sheikh Abdulrahman al-Sa’di said: “Since loyalty and disavowal are dependent on love and hatred, the essence of faith is to love Allah’s prophets and their followers for Allah’s sake, and to hate His enemies and the enemies of His messengers for Allah’s sake.”
Evidence from the Qur’an:
Allah, the Exalted, said: “Your ally is none but Allah and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed – those who establish prayer and give zakah, and they bow [in worship]. And whoever allies himself with Allah and His Messenger and those who believe – indeed, the party of Allah, they are the victorious.” (Qur’an 5:55)
And Allah, the Exalted, said: “The believing men and believing women are allies of one another.” (Qur’an 9:71)
Evidence from the Sunnah:
Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said, “Which bond of Islam is the strongest?” They said, “Prayer.” He said, “Good, but it is not that.” They said, “Fasting Ramadan.” He said, “Good, but it is not that.” They said, “Jihad.” He said, “Good, but it is not that.” Then he said, “The strongest bond of faith is to love for the sake of Allah and to hate for the sake of Allah.”
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he does not wrong him nor abandon him. Whoever fulfills the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs. Whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship, Allah will relieve him of a hardship from the hardships of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection.”
Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “The believer to another believer is like a building whose parts reinforce each other,” and he interlaced his fingers.
Evidence of Disavowal:
From the Qur’an: Allah, the Exalted, said: “O you who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allah against yourselves a clear case?” (Qur’an 4:144)
From the Prophetic Sunnah: Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was accepting pledges of allegiance. I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was accepting pledges of allegiance, and I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, extend your hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you, and set conditions for me, for you are more knowledgeable.’ He said, ‘I will pledge allegiance to you on the condition that you worship Allah alone, establish prayer, pay zakah, show sincere advice to the Muslims, and dissociate yourself from the polytheists.’”
Manifestations of the Believers’ Allegiance:
Emigrating to lands of Muslims, supporting and assisting Muslims, offering them sincere advice, wishing them well, respecting them, feeling pain at their pain, rejoicing at their joy, respecting their rights, praying for them, and seeking forgiveness for them.
Forms of the Polytheists’ Allegiance:
Being pleased with the disbelief of the disbelievers, taking them as helpers and supporters or allies, entering their religion, or referring to them for judgment instead of the Book of Allah. Also included are pure love for them, leaning toward them, taking them as confidants instead of the believers, being pleased with their deeds, or imitating them.
