Issue of National Flags and the Ruling on Them

Brother A:
Akhee you don’t have anything on the use of nationalistic flags?


Brother B:
Not anything written, no


Brother B:
I asked about it before though


Brother A:
As far as I am aware they are prohibited, but their is not much on it apart from indirect references on nationalism, etc


Brother A:
"...I do not believe in nationalism either, but as long as there is no Khilaafah, I do support the Iraqi, Palestinian, Paki, Chechen etc. etc. flags, because those flags counter the american , jewish, hindu, russian flags, that the purpose, there is no Khilaafah so what else should they do ? ..." - a comment from a brother


Brother B:
I asked Shaykh Sulaymaan [Al-'Ulwaan] about it, he said that they are used in two ways:
1- That they person uses it as a way to represent the country in a glorifying way, which is kufr, because it is glorification of that countries laws, etc.
2- That the person uses it to identify where they are from as opposed to another group, this is Haraam, but not kufr


Brother B:
I guess an example is in Hajj


Brother B:
A lot of people use the flags so when people get lost, they know where their group is


Brother B:
This isn’t allowed, but not kufr


Brother B:
But people that put the flags on their walls, cars, etc.


Brother B:
This is kufr


Brother A:
Would the use of flags as a gathering point fall under Makrooh, in that case?


Brother B:
Haraam, yeah


Brother A:
na3m


Brother B:
Because what does the flag represent?


Brother B:
The government


Brother B:
Not the people


Brother B:
And even if we said the people, then we are raising a flag that represents all the people of that country equally as partners under that flag


Brother A:
Na'am it’s representing of the taaghoot


Brother B:
So let's say I am from Ash-Shaam, so I raise a Lebanese flag, so does a Murtadd, a Dirzee (Druze) and a Nasraanee (Christian)


Brother B:
Then a brother from India raises that flag, so does a sikh, a hindu, a murtadd, etc


Brother B:
What group is everyone with?


Brother B:
Wa Allaahu A'lam


Brother A:
Na'am that’s like a socialist mind frame


Brother A:
We are all one, no religion, race, etc


Brother B:
Yeah exactly


Brother B:
It’s just an extension of nationalism


Brother B:
It’s the sign of that countries nationalism, that’s all


Brother B:
There was a narration I recall


Brother A:
how when the two groups, Ansaar and the Muhaajiroon [A hadith and this narration that was mentioned is mentioned by Ibn Katheer in “Tafseer Al-Qur’ān Al-‘Atheem” Volume: 1/517] I believe where sitting and soon it turned into a slight fumble when each group would throw insults and use the calls of ignorance


Brother A:
To insult them


Brother A:
Much like when they have a cricket match, Pakistan vs. India, then afterwards the two brothers on opposite sides of the street start taunting each other with similar insults


Brother B:
Yeah right again


Brother B:
I’ll put something quick about nationalism, then we'll post it all together


Brother A:
Na3m, I am still talking to the brother, so afterwards we can organise the conversation In Shaa' Allaah

**************

People must understand that the ruling regarding flags is an extension of the ruling of nationalism itself. A flag is the representation of that nation. Not only that, but as was mentioned earlier, that Imaam Sulaymaan Ibn Naasir Al-‘Ulwaan, may Allāh free him, even mentioned that the fact that the majority of the people of that nation may be Muslim, this doesn’t make a difference in the ruling of the flag. This is also known in the issue of whether the country is deemed Daar Al-Islaam or Daar Al-Kufr. The people of that country don’t make a difference; it is what that country rule with. Even though this is a slightly different topic, the point is to show that the claim that some people use to say that flags are allowed as long as the country is one where Muslims are the majority, is a false claim. Another issue is that you will be hard pressed to find people who raise the flags of their country who don’t say that their country is the best. Arabs believing that they are better than every one else. Indians and Pakistanis believing that they are better than everyone else.

Then within these groups, people from Saudi Arabia believing they are better than the rest of the Arabs, and the Lebanese doing the same thing, etc. It is a disease. And the thing that represents this disease is the national flags that people wave and then try to pass off as them supporting their Muslim brothers. They don’t understand that when the raise a flag, the flag doesn’t differentiate between the Muslims and the kuffaar that stand underneath it, but it does differentiate between the Muslims who stand under it and those who stand underneath the flag of another country.

I will leave with the words of our Imaam, ‘Abdul-Qaadir Ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azeez.

Imaam ‘Abdul-Qaadir Ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azeez, may Allāh free him, said in his book “Fundamental concepts regarding Al-Jihaad”:

“I say: And from this, you can see that the Sharī’ah-oriented tie, which binds the Muslims, is the tie of being a member of the religion of Islām. And this tie has responsibilities, such as the assistance and the empathy and the support and other than that. And in order to weaken this Sharī’ah-oriented tie and then break up the unity of the Muslims and divide their ranks; the disbelievers developed substitute ties:

Such as the tie of land; “The Nation”. And this is what is referred to as the tie of nationality. And it means that the people are attributed to their country. And (in this system) there is no differentiating between them based upon their religions. And this tie declares that the benefit of the nation is prioritized ahead of anything else. And this is falsehood according to the (Islāmic) law (Shara’), because it should not be that what the Muslim is attributed to, and his allegiance is for, be a piece of land. This is because it may be that one day he has to make Hijrah, in the Path of Allāh, away from that land. Allāh, Glory be to Him, threatened the one who puts the land ahead of that which holds the pleasure of Allāh and His Messenger (pbuh), in His, the Most High’s, statement:

قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُواْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ
Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight… are dearer to you than Allāh and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allāh brings about His Decision (torment). And Allāh guides not the people who are Al-Fāsiqīn. [2]

So the tie of nationality is what was referred to in His, the Most High’s, statement: …the dwellings in which you delight… And the Prophet (pbuh) said, “I am disavowed from every Muslim who resides amongst the backs of the polytheists (Mushrikīn).” [3] And the tie of nationality declares the equality between the Muslim and the non-Muslim in the same country – and this is evil (Munkar); he (pbuh) said, “Islām dominates and it is not dominated.” [4] – just as the tie of nationality declares that the Muslim who is not from the children of that country is a foreigner to the Muslim in it. And this is from the most evil of evils, as the Muslim is the brother of the Muslim, even if their countries are far apart.

And from the ties of pre-Islāmic ignorance (Jāhiliyyah), is the tie of ethnicity (Qawmiyyah). And that is to attribute oneself to a particular race and a particular people. The individual becomes angry for their sake and fights for their sake and raises this tie over all others. And this is a call of the pre-Islāmic ignorance, about which the Messenger of Allāh (pbuh) said, “Leave it, for it is filthy.” [5] And he (pbuh) judged upon the one who fights for it by (saying): “His death is a death of Jāhiliyyah.” [6] And this tie of ethnicity (Qawmiyyah) is what was referred to in the aforementioned verse of At-Tawbah, in His, the Most High’s, statement: …your kindred… And in it there is a threat to the one who prioritizes it ahead of the pleasure of Allāh and His Messenger (pbuh). And Allāh, Glory be to Him, has given us examples of His Prophets when they freed themselves from their disbelieving peoples. He, the Most High, said:

قَالَ يَا نُوحُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَالِحٍ
He said: “O Nūh, verily, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous… [7]

And He, the Most High, said:

قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَاء مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاء أَبَدًا حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ
Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrāhīm and those with him, when they said to their people: “Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allāh, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allāh Alone.” [8]

And these verses clarify how the Sharī’ah-oriented tie is the faith (Īmān) in Allāh, alone. And there is to be no consideration to any other tie than that. So the allegiance and the enmity are based upon the faith (Īmān): …until you believe in Allāh Alone.”

And from the ties of Jāhiliyyah is the tie of a single language or color or shared interests. And they are blameworthy, based upon His, the Most High’s, statement:

وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا
…the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline… [9]

None of these ties have any consideration, especially when they contradict that which is necessitated from the rulings of the (Islāmic) legislation (Shara’). And these ties were not brought forward except by the disbelievers, in order to divide the Muslims and to ignite the enmity between them. And it is what Allāh, the Most High, warned us about with His statement:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوَاْ إِن تُطِيعُواْ فَرِيقًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ يَرُدُّوكُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ كَافِرِينَ
O you who believe! If you obey a group of those who were given the Scripture they would (indeed) render you disbelievers after you have believed!

…until His, the Most High’s, statement:

وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاء فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا
And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allāh, and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allāh's Favour upon you for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islāmic Faith), …

…until His, the Most High’s, statement:

وَلاَ تَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاخْتَلَفُواْ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment. [10]

And the point of what has passed, is that the Muslim must know that the allegiance and the support and the effort; all of this is only bound by the tie of faith (Īmān). And there is no consideration given to any other tie, from the ties of Jāhiliyyah in this matter. So it is unlawful (Harām) upon the Muslims to have allegiance or to fight upon the likes of these ties and the Muslim in the furthest of the East is the brother of the Muslim in the furthest of the West, even if their colour and their race and their language are different. And supporting him and assisting him in the truth, is obligatory in accordance with ones ability.”

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FOOTNOTES:

[1] There are many examples in the Seerah where the Messenger of Allāh (pbuh) had rebuked those who upheld nationalism. One occasion a party of Jews conspired to bring about disunity in the ranks of the Muslims after seeing the Aus and Khazraj within Islām.

A youth from amongst them was sent to incite remembrance of the battle of Bu'ath where the Aus had been victorious over the Khazraj, and he recited poetry to bring about division between them. As a result there was a call to arms. When the news reached the Messenger of Allāh (pbuh), he (pbuh) said, "O Muslims, remember Allāh, remember Allāh. Will you act as pagans while I am present with you after Allāh has guided you to Islām, and honoured you thereby and made a clean break with paganism; delivered you thereby from disbelief; and made you friends thereby?" When they heard this they wept, and embraced each other. This incident clearly highlights how the Messenger of Allāh (pbuh) rebuked any forms of tribalism.

Allāh then revealed, "O you who believe! Fear Allāh as He should be feared and die not except in a state of Islam with complete submission to Allāh. And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allāh (i.e. Qur'ān), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allāh's favours on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace you became brothers; and you were on the brink of the pit of fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allāh make His signs clear to you that you may be guided." [Surah Al'Imran (3); ayah 102-103]

It is narrated by Qatada that Ibn Abi Hathim said that in the verses quoted above Allāh has ordered the Muslims to hold fast to the book of Allāh, His Deen, and to his covenant, and He has forbidden the Muslims to divide amongst themselves and to dispute with each other.

[2] Sūrat At-Tawbah, 24

[3] Narrated by Abū Dāwūd from Jarīr and Al-Albānī authenticated it

[4] Narrated by Ad-Dāraqutnī from ‘Ā’ith Ibn ‘Amr and Al-Albānī declared it “Hasan ” Trans. Note: He declared it “Hasan” in “Irwā’ Al-Ghalīl” #1268 and in “Sahīh Al-Jāmi’ ” #2778

[5] Narrated by Al-Bukhārī from Jābir

[6] Narrated by Muslim

[7] Sūrat Hūd, 46

[8] Sūrat Al-Mumtahinah, 4

[9] Sūrat At-Tawbah, 24

[10] Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān, 100 - 105