Islam and Patriotism

Royal Holloway University of London/11th June 2010

“As-salámu ‘alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!”

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem. Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”

O You who believe, – Fear Allah, as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims.

Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.”

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory.

In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says:

O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;― Be conscious of Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you.`

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s khutbah is about Patriotism: love for one’s country. Is it wrong to love one’s country? Should we love our country more than we love Justice, or God? Should our love for country blind us to what’s right and what’s wrong? In our mass media there are frequent questions as to whether we Muslims can be trusted, whether we are loyal to this country or whether our loyalties lie elsewhere. Living under constant suspicion is not acceptable. We have a duty set out clearly what Islam has to say about Patriotism so that we can remove unfounded fears and phobias about our presence here in Britain, in Europe and the West generally.

But first we must question those who question our patriotism. There’s always a reason why people frame such questions. What is their agenda? Before we give a hasty answer, we must understand why the question is being asked.

The English poet, Ben Johnson wrote: “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.” By this he meant that when leaders no longer command any moral authority, when they can no longer justify their views by rational argument, by moral and ethical criteria, they resort to rousing calls for patriotism. It is sometimes a last desperate attempt to justify immoral and unethical actions by making a crude appeal to the emotions of the public. What does Islam say?

The Holy Quran urges Muslims to

‘enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong’ and it describes the Believers as

“…the best of people, those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and who have faith in Allah.” [sura 3:110]

“Ta’ muroona bil ma’roof, watan hawna ‘anil munkar, wa tu’minoona bil-Laah.”

This has nothing to do with your emotions, your nationality, your race, your political party, or whether you are rich or poor, Christian, Jewish or Muslim. It’s a simple matter of right and wrong. Which side are you on, the side of good or evil? Do you work for God or against God? In the USA there is a motto: “One Nation under God.” It’s very important to understand clearly what God stands for, and what the Nation stands for. The two are not always on the same side! During the American Civil War, one General turned to Abraham Lincoln and said: “Don’t worry, Mr President, God is on our side!” The President replied: “What really worries me is: Are we on God’s side?” A very important difference…

Muslims in the USA, Canada, Europe and elsewhere in the ‘West’ should not be forced to make a false choice. Loyalty to a country should never be a simple matter of ‘my country right or wrong’. That’s basically immoral, unethical and ultimately disloyal and un-patriotic. The most loyal thing a citizen can do is to speak out when things are going the wrong way. When politicians wage unjust wars it is our duty to speak out. We must be witnesses to fair dealing. We must be just, not only when it’s easy, but also when it’s unpopular and risky. We must always be fair and just, even to our enemies.

“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others towards you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do“.  Sura 5:8 al-Maa’ida.

Allah commands justice. It’s not an option. It’s an obligation. We must be critical, inwardly and outwardly. Jihad-al-nafs, the lifelong struggle against the lower Self, makes us constantly self-critical and self-purifying. We must also critically analyse what our political leaders are up to, and what they do in our name. This is our right and our responsibility as citizens. Beware of the politician who tells you that to make us feel safe over here, we have to make life unbearable for someone else over there. Patriotism is no excuse for foreign invasions, driven by Big Oil and the arms industry. Invading other countries does not make us safer. We must remind our governments to be even handed and consistent where human rights are concerned, at home and abroad. The lives of Iraqis, Afghans and Palestinians are just as valuable as British or American lives. No one life has more value than any other. We are all God’s creatures.

Muslims are called upon to the highest of callings… to follow in the footsteps of the Prophets, to be witnesses to fair dealing, even if it be against our families and our own interests. We are called on to wear a noble garment: Ambassadors of Allah, Khaleefatul-Laah. trustees and caretakers of planet earth. This most honourable of titles carries a heavy responsibility. There is no place of narrow national, tribal or secular loyalties. Yes, we may be Arab or Pakistani by birth, British, European or American by nationality and Muslim by faith. There’s absolutely no problem, no contradiction in that. But our first loyalty is to Allah, creator of the heavens and the earth. This means upholding the truth and being faithful to our conscience. This should make us the most patriotic of all citizens, not simply blind followers of capricious politicians.

As Allah has said:

“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 loveth those who are just” [Sura 60:8, al-Mum’tahina]

Sometimes, the most patriotic thing to do is to tell your leaders that they are wrong. Muhammad Ali, the boxer, did so when he refused to fight in Vietnam. He was called all sorts of nasty names. His patriotism was questioned, but later his stand was vindicated and he became an international hero. Nelson Mandela fought the unjust laws of the Apartheid regime in South Africa. He paid for that by spending 27 years in prison. He was accused him of being a traitor, being un-patriotic and un-South African. But today most South Africans treat him like their saviour, and his struggle inspires people who love justice and fair dealing, all over the world.

Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.

Second Khutbah:

Sub’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem

Glory to Allah!  Praise to Allah! There is no power and no strength except from Allah!

Muslims who live in the West should be brave, honest and truthful. We must ‘speak truth to power’ and not feel that our citizenship and our loyalty is compromised in doing so. A nation that encourages healthy debate and self-criticism, holding its rulers to account, is a healthy nation. It’s not just a human right to speak the truth to power. It’s an Islamic duty. It’s a sacred responsibility.

Prophet Muhammad sws once declared that:

“The best jihad is to speak a word of truth in the court of an unjust ruler”

Muslims are reminded to put wrong things right with their hands, and if they cannot do that, they must speak out against it, and if they are too weak to do so, then they must at the very least, hate the injustice in their hearts.

Allahu a’lam. And Allah knows best.

One thing we must be absolutely clear. Suicide bombing and other acts of indiscriminate violence have no precedent in the prophetic sunnah. This is not the way to address injustices; it is not the way of our noble and illustrious predecessors. While we deplore injustice and oppression, Islam also provides a moral and ethical compass for our actions. As citizens we have a duty to awaken the moral and ethical consciousness of our fellow citizens. We Muslims also have a duty to keep our neighbourhoods safe. Prophet Muhammad (sws) declared that

“A Muslim is he from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe, and a true Believer is one in whom all of mankind has a sanctuary for life and property.”

We should be a safe pair of hands, trustees, caretakers of other people and their possessions. We must never give our neighbours any reason for fear or suspicion. In many ways the western countries we live in offer us far more freedom, hospitality and personal security than we find in many Muslim majority countries. Let’s never forget that!

We are not allowed to undermine the security or integrity of the countries we live in. We must earn the trust of our neighbours. We are obliged to remind our fellow citizens, and our governments, to be consistent on human rights issues, and to be even handed with people living inside and outside our national borders. This is the only way we can earn respect and promote world peace in a lasting way for the future.

Dear Sisters and brothers,

Let us pray to Allah and ask for His divine Mercy and intervention. O Allah, help us to become worthy and valued citizens of every land where Muslims live. Help us to earn the respect and affection of our neighbours, through our adab, our good conduct and through our service to society which we render out of love and gratitude to You.

Brothers and sisters, to conclude our khutbah:

InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa eetaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fuhshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-idzukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Sura 16:90),

“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to others and to relatives; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.”

Fadth kuroonee adth kurkum, wash kuroolee walaa tak furoon [2:152].

“and remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.”

wala thikrul-Laahi akbar, Wal-Laahu ya’lamu maa tasna’oon.” [29:45].

“and without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.”

Ameen.                   Aqeemus salaah!