The relationship with Non-Muslims
The Glorified Allah commands:
“Allah does not forbid you respecting and appreciating those who have not made war against you on account of (your) religion, and have not driven you away from your homelands, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves those who are grateful. Allah only forbids you respecting those who made war upon you because of (your) religion, and drove you away from your homelands and backed up (others) in your expulsion. Whoever makes friends with them, those are the unjust”. (Mumtahane 60/8-9).
According to these verses there are three redlines to be valued in the relationship with Non-Muslims.
1- Their war against our religion.
2- Their concrete effort to drive us away from our homes and homelands.
3- Their support towards those who drive us away from our lands.
We do not establish friendship with those who cross these redlines.
Tevbe/ Immunity 5th Verse.
“So when the sacred months have passed away, (the recognized 4 month- long- period) then slay the polytheists wherever you find them, and catch them and imprison them and lie in wait for them in every ambush. Then, if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate (zekat), leave their way free to them. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Tevbe/ 9/5)
It’s maintained that the relationship between Muslims and Non-Muslims is established by this verse. This verse is one of that group of verses related with the last ultimatum given to the Mecca’s polytheists who crossed all the three redlines, broke the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiya, were claimed untouchable for one year, and finally profited another four-month-long period in peace. These decrees are inapplicable for as long as there are no similar circumstances. It’s not correct to give other meanings to this verse.
Non-Muslim’s Insult
The Glorified Allah commands:
“You shall certainly be tried with a difficult test in the matter of your wealth and your souls, and you shall certainly hear from those who have been given the Scripture before you and from those who are polytheists much annoying words; it’s impossible to escape from that. And, if you are patient and protected (by yourselves); this is one of the affairs which require determination.” (Ali –İmran/The House of Imran, 3/186)
As clarified in this verse, it is not recommended another way against annoying words and insults that are not part of the actions mentioned as redlines, but the patience, providence and determination.
Our Prophet, Mohammed (p.b.u.h), never took any action against the hypocrites, which at first became Muslims and later turned away from the religion and were the source of many troubles for Him and for the Muslims. The Surah Munafikin is very important in relation to this issue.
The Glorified Allah commands:
“The hypocrites came to you. “We bear witness that you are most surely Allah’s Messenger” they said. Allah most surely knows that you are His Messenger, but Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are surely liars. They make their oaths a shelter, and thus turn away from Allah’s way. Surely evil is that which they do!… That is because at first they believed, then disbelieved. So a different structure/ a seal is set upon their hearts, so that they do not understand. And when you see them, their look will please you. If they speak, you will listen to their speech. (they are) as if they were big pieces of wood clad with garments. They think every noise is against them. They are the enemy. Beware of them. May Allah destroy them, they are so liars!
And when it is said to them: Come, the Messenger of Allah will ask forgiveness for you”, they turn back their heads. You may see them turning away while they are big with pride.
İt is the same to them whether you beg forgiveness for them or do not beg forgiveness for them. Allah will never forgive them. Because, Allah does not guide the transgressing people.
They it is who say: Do not spend upon those who are with the Messenger of Allah, until they break up and go away. Allah’s are the treasures of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand. They said : “Let’s return to
Zaid bin Erkam, in relation to these verses explained the story below: We went to a battle together with Allah’s Messenger. The army was very concerned. Abdullah bin Ubeyy said to his men: Don’t give anything (to eat etc.) to those who are near the Messenger, so they will break up and go away. Let’s return first to
Immediately I went near the Messenger and explained to Him what I heard. Right after, He called Abdullah bin Umeyy and interrogated him about this words. But Abdullah bin Umeyy swore and said that he hadn’t told such a thing. “Zaid has lied” , he said. That was so hard for me. After sometimes Allah revealed the Sura Munafikin.
Elmalili Muhammed Hamdi Yazir in this topic says briefly:
Abdullah was a honored man inside his people. Usaid bin Hudair came and said: O Messenger of Allah! Don’t care about him and be polite with him. I swear that when Allah selected you as His Messenger, Abdullah’s people were preparing the crown for him. So, he thinks you took away his kingship.
Abdullah bin Umeyye’s son was a virtuous believer. When he learned what his father had said, he came near The Messenger and told: “O Messenger! İ heard that you want to kill Abdullah bin Ubeyy as a result of his words. If you want to do this, command me and İ will bring you his head. I swear to God as all Hazradj is aware of that in these lands there is no other son more respectful to his father than me. İ fear that if you order someone else to murder him, he would murder my father and I, later, would not be able to support seeing the murderer of my father walking around and İ would kill him, too. In this case İ would be the killer of a believer in response to the murdering of a disbeliever and for this reason I would be thrown to fire.
The Messenger of Allah said: “No! We have to behave him well. We have to behave him well as long as he is among us.”
Regardless the fact the behavior of Abdullah was too bad, the Messenger of Allah in compliance with the verses mentioned above behaved well toward him as he had not crossed one of the redlines. These kinds of people are mostly disturbed by the mentioning of the truth. Just like it has been reflected in the verses above, after their incorrect behaviors have been proclaimed in details and they have been condemned by the public opinion, which agrees that they should be righteously punished, being nice to them makes of these people solitary individuals as even their companions start to abandon them. Likewise, the good behavior of the prophet, made the people near Abdullah convert to Islam.
The Murdering of the ones who abandon Islam and Offend the Prophet
The expression mentioned in the previous verse ‘…at first they believed, then disbelieved …..’ clearly demonstrates that these individuals are murted. Despite the commands clearly expressed in this and other similar verses all sects have unanimously concluded that the murted should be murdered.
Regardless the fact that the verses include no other command beside: ‘They are the enemy. Beware of them’, once more, without demonstrating any steady evidence the sects have unanimously concluded that the people who insult, offend, or denigrate the Prophet should be murdered.
Today, the major and most emergent problem is the leading of Muslims to the Quran line.
