2 fatwas seems to directly contradict, please help!

[Serinity]

:salam:

https://islamqa.info/en/147779 - This
and
https://islamqa.info/en/189207 - This

Seems to tell the opposite. Can we really not be friends with anyone but a believer? And do not give food to anyone but someone pious?

Then what about giving food to homeless people (non muslims)??

I feel I have to sadly disobey the Prophet :saw: ........
Basically, they seem to completely contradict!

And I can not carry hatred for people. Did that, done that, it brought me no where!! Wallah!
And Allah :swt: knows best.

[aaj]

Wa’alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

It doesn't really contradict. The atheist response is stating a general stand of Islam, in that we must be kind to all creation and not oppress others or abuse their rights. Giving to homeless comes under charity. During the Islamic rule, Muslims should to send charity to non-muslims in non-Muslim countries because everyone's needs were already met and didn't qualify or had the need within the Islamic Empire.

The first response is more specific. First it talks about making friends. If you look at the real meaning of being friend with, you will know it entails a lot more than just hi/hello and lets hang out. You have trust in each other, you take each others and close allies and protectors. You sit together, eat together and have gatherings together. There's lot more to being friends then just the surface level we think of as 'friendship'.

The Prophet ﷺ reminds us of the importance of good company in this hadith (record of the Prophet ﷺ): “A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

As the hadith illustrates, same can be said of eman and faith. A believer friend will invite you to good and support you where as a disbeliever will invite you to haram (alcohol, free mixing, parties, etc) and will have negative affect your eman. Which is why this hadith in there can related to the above one.

Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Do not keep company with anyone but a believer and do not let anyone eat your food except one who is pious.”

Eat your food here also could mean more than what's said/understood on the surface.

It mentions the example of Ibrahim a.s. and the hostility and hatred between him and his people. They were open enemies of him and his Lord so that is clear. At the same time there is an incident where a traveler had come to his place for rest and food and upon finding out he is a kuffar, Ibrahim a.s. drove him off. Then Allah asked him why did he do that when Allah Himself does not deny sustenance to the disbelievers. So Ibrahim a.s. realized his mistake and ran after the traveler to bring him back and offer him food.

Rest of the response talks about “You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) will not find any people who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)..."

Which is true. Would you make friends with those who are enemies of Islam? would you make friends with Trump and his ilk or bibi and his kind?

So i don't really see any contradiction here. Rather each needs to be understood in its context.

[cooterhein]

Would you make friends with those who are enemies of Islam?

Sure, I don't see why not. I'd make friends with those who are enemies of Christianity too, as long as we have some common values and interests outside of the strictly religious.

would you make friends with Trump and his ilk

I would not be inclined to make friends with Trump, but I would and have become friends with his ilk even though we disagree on some political issues. I have also informed some of his ilk about third party options, and some of them have shown a willingness to consider jumping ship.

or bibi and his kind?

I could see myself being happy about having Bibi as a friend. That would be cool. I could also see myself being friends with his kind, just as long as his kind is non-hostile to the slightest criticism. If I'm allowed to disagree with some of the things that Bibi says and does, I'll be okay. For that matter, I could befriend a Muslim, just as long as that Muslim is non-hostile to the slightest criticism, and as long as I'm allowed to tactfully disagree with some of the things that the Quran says and some of the things that Muhammed has done. Anyone who's willing to be reasonable around those who don't share all their beliefs, and anyone who's not completely hostile to polite disagreement, is probably going to be okay with me.

Now you just have to ask yourself, are you cool? Are you reasonable, are you non-hostile? Can you be non-hostile? That's the sticking point. The whole issue here is, how open are you, how open can you be, how open should you be? So don't try to turn this around and put it on non-Muslims for being non-Muslim, that's a given, you need to decide what kind of person you're going to be toward them. Hostile or non-hostile? That's the big one.

Regarding the matter of is it a contradiction: One does appear to be a hostile position, and the other is decidedly non-hostile. There is a difference, that much cannot be denied. Does a difference necessarily equate with a contradiction? Not always, and the opinion of a non-Muslim on the contradiction issue is never going to be one that carries much weight, but I would summarize the main difference in terms of hostility. Seeing that as a contradiction is rather easy to do, working it out as a non-contradiction is difficult and you'd only do it because you believe you have to. It's a conclusion that follows from necessity, not from the weight of evidence and reason. That's my contribution.

If you look for the word "hostility" in the first link, you'll find it right next to "hatred." If you look for hostility in the second link, you will not find it. That much is quite plain.

[aaj]

Sure, I don't see why not. I'd make friends with those who are enemies of Christianity too, as long as we have some common values and interests outside of the strictly religious.

I think you are failing to understand the concept of "enemy" here. Just because you disagree with me on Islam doesn't necessarily mean you are my enemy. But if you killing and oppressing people then you are an enemy. I don't care if you and i both love video games, cereals and playing chess. Those "likes" and "interests" are trivial in the reality of the situation.

I would not be inclined to make friends with Trump, but I would and have become friends with his ilk even though we disagree on some political issues. I have also informed some of his ilk about third party options, and some of them have shown a willingness to consider jumping ship.

Again, this is more than just political differences. That islamophobe wants to put pig's soaked blood in every Muslim (man, woman and child). That is a call for genocide. And any one of his ilks, who things like him is of the the same camp.

I could see myself being happy about having Bibi as a friend. That would be cool. I could also see myself being friends with his kind, just as long as his kind is non-hostile to the slightest criticism. If I'm allowed to disagree with some of the things that Bibi says and does, I'll be okay. For that matter, I could befriend a Muslim, just as long as that Muslim is non-hostile to the slightest criticism, and as long as I'm allowed to tactfully disagree with some of the things that the Quran says and some of the things that Muhammed has done. Anyone who's willing to be reasonable around those who don't share all their beliefs, and anyone who's not completely hostile to polite disagreement, is probably going to be okay with me.

Again, misplaced understanding here. He is a war criminal who continually engages in war crimes and human rights violations through his barbaric occupation and oppression. He cries 6 million jew holocaust when he and his kind may have killed more than that in their 60 years of occupation of that land. He is a prime example of an enemy of Islam, one who occupies Muslim lands and murders Muslims. So making friends is akin to sleeping with the enemy, which is what I was alluding to in explaining the verse regarding making friends with those who oppose the Prophet and Allah.

Now you just have to ask yourself, are you cool? Are you reasonable, are you non-hostile? Can you be non-hostile? That's the sticking point. The whole issue here is, how open are you, how open can you be, how open should you be? So don't try to turn this around and put it on non-Muslims for being non-Muslim, that's a given, you need to decide what kind of person you're going to be toward them. Hostile or non-hostile? That's the big one.

I disagree. It is not that one is trying to put the blame on the non-Muslims, rather see the reality around the world. What person you are going to be towards others depends only what kind of a person they are to begin with. If you are going to be in my face telling me I should "go back where i came from" arrogantly, do you think you will get much love from me? On the other hand, if you are looking to build bridges and understanding and promoting good and forbidding evil in the society, do you not think i would reciprocate in kind?

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[cooterhein]

It is not that one is trying to put the blame on the non-Muslims, rather see the reality around the world. What person you are going to be towards others depends only what kind of a person they are to begin with. If you are going to be in my face telling me I should "go back where i came from" arrogantly, do you think you will get much love from me? On the other hand, if you are looking to build bridges and understanding and promoting good and forbidding evil in the society, do you not think i would reciprocate in kind?

I told you not to try and turn it around. I asked you what kind of person you plan on being. Hostile or non-hostile, as a general rule? You did turn it around, using slightly different phrasing. Now you want to know if I'm going to be "in your face" and whatnot. You want to know if I'm looking to build bridges and understanding, that sort of thing.

But I asked you not to turn it around, and that is what you immediately did. So I ask again, do you generally want to take a hostile approach toward non-Muslims or a non-hostile approach? Do you seek to be a hostile person or a non-hostile person where this is concerned? Worry less about the wide variety of people that are not you, and just tell me what sort of person you want to be. As a matter of fact, don't say a word about the wide variety of people who are not you. Just do you for a second.

[aaj]

are you always looking for confrontation?

Regardless of your beliefs or political views or anything. The following is a general statement that fits everybody.

What person you are going to be towards others depends on what kind of a person they are to begin with.

[cooterhein]

are you always looking for confrontation?

It's a very simple question. I'll rephrase slightly. Do you have a personal bias toward hostility or non-hostility, when it comes to non-Muslims in general, in your own personal life? Which of those do you have a preference for? Preference, bias, pick whichever you like. Just as long as you're able to speak on your own behalf.

[Umm Malik]

{۞ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَجْعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ الَّذِينَ عَادَيْتُم مِّنْهُم مَّوَدَّةً ۚ وَاللَّهُ قَدِيرٌ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (7) لَّا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ (8) إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَىٰ إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ (9)** [الممتحنة : 7-9]


( 6 ) There has certainly been for you in them an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
( 7 ) Perhaps Allah will put, between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them, affection. And Allah is competent, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
( 8 ) Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.
( 9 ) Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
60_7/9

[talibilm]

:salam:

https://islamqa.info/en/147779- This
and
https://islamqa.info/en/189207 - This

Seems to tell the opposite. Can we really not be friends with anyone but a believer? And do not give food to anyone but someone pious?

Then what about giving food to homeless people (non muslims)??

I feel I have to sadly disobey the Prophet :saw: ........
Basically, they seem to completely contradict!

And I can not carry hatred for people. Did that, done that, it brought me no where!! Wallah!
And Allah :swt: knows best.

:sl: Bro Serenity

You are not wrong when you say '' I can not carry hatred for people '' and that's true when we will also find a few of our so called Muslims more disgusting than kaffirs in behaviour.

You've misunderstood the first part of this fatwa which is proved from the second part itself of the same fatwa which says .

''Secondly: There is nothing wrong with giving Zamzam water to a sick kaafir for the purpose of healing, or with treating him if one is a doctor, or with helping him if he is sick and in need, or with visiting him when he is sick. There is nothing wrong with any of that, especially if there is the hope that this will soften his heart towards Islam or if that kaafir deserves it because of some previous kindness that he showed, or other praiseworthy purposes. It is proven in al-Bukhaari (2276) and Muslim (2201) that Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) treated the chief of a tribe who had been stung by a scorpion with ruqyah by reciting al-Faatihah, and he recovered, and his people were mushrikeen. There is no doubt about the sanctity of the Qur’aan, and that treating a kaafir with ruqya by reciting Qur’aan is a more serious matter than simply giving him Zamzam water to drink or as a remedy. It says in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (13/34): There is no difference of opinion among the fuqaha’ that it is permissible for a Muslim to treat a kaafir with ruqya, and they quoted as evidence the hadeeth of Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted above. The point here is that the tribe with whom they halted and from whom they sought hospitality, but they refused to give them any hospitality, were kaafirs, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not object to him doing that. End quote. For more information please see the answer to questions no. 6714, 12718, 129113. And Allah knows best.''

I know an incident when Prophet Ibrahim A.S chased out a beggar who refused to say bismillah at the food he was oferred even on several insistings of Prophet Ibrahim, but Allah desecended an Angel warning Ibrahim 'something like '' who are You to stop the rizk to my Slave when I have been feeding all along untill now though i know he disbelieves me .....'' .There are many incidents that old Jews who did not pay Jizya was helped with state funds for his lifelong food at Caliphs times.

So the hadith which you are confused is here with that fatwa below i quote ,

''Praise be to Allaah.Firstly: The believer should not make friends with anyone but a believer and he should not take as a close friend anyone but a monotheist (haneef), because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Do not keep company with anyone but a believer and do not let anyone eat your food except one who is pious.”Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2395); classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. Making friends with disbelievers has a negative impact on the believer, because he may be influenced by some of his religious customs or it may lead to a weakening in his heart of the principle of befriending or supporting believers and disavowing disbelievers (al-wala’ wa’l-bara’), or he may fail to denounce in his heart this person or those who follow his religion, because of frequently mixing with them and getting used to them.


My explanation is 'about '' do not let anyone eat your food except one who is pious.” is in the sense do not take them as your close companions as brothers eating your food (in your dear private house with you wife , kids ) and sleeping and enjoying time together since we will be VULNERABLE to the effects or fitna of their kuffar and thinkings (my experience too). The word PIOUS mentioned here PROVES and also reiterates the SAME POINT as well that Eat & Sleep with Pious people so that you get the effects of their Eeman That's what the fatwa is saying above. Does this mean we should not feed a Not that much Pious Muslim ??? No is the answer, FEEDING any hungry person muslim or non muslim IS WELCOME BY ISLAM. But feeding a Pious person who are NORMALLY SHY TO BEG anyone except Allah DESERVE feeding first , and you will get double or more rewards is also seen from the Noble Quran.

So Both Fatwas do not contradict each other IMO except the quoting of the verse of Ibrahim A.S (mostly quoted by Extremists ) as in the fatwa WHICH IS A BLUNDER when they did not note or the sheik from whom they quote did not take the whole context of the sura, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION (errors can happen & so are difference in opnions)

''Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the ruling on mixing with kaafirs and treating them kindly in the hope that they might become Muslim. He replied: There is no doubt that the Muslim is obliged to hate the enemies of Allah and disavow them, because this is the way of the Messengers and their followers. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibraaheem (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allaah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allaah Alone’”[al-Mumtahanah 60:4]

This was said by Ibrahim A.S probably after the fire pit incident by his people when he left them for good leaving from his father's town. reading the whole Sura makes to understand Muslims should not hate or fight with some one who did not chase our Prophet or us from our homes.

First 9 verses of SURA 60 IS THE PROOF for our stance where the above verse of Ibrahim a.s is present

60:1 '' O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists, etc.) as friends, showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth (i.e. Islamic Monotheism, this Quran, and Muhammad SAW), and have driven out the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) and yourselves (from your homeland) because you believe in Allah your Lord! If you have come forth to strive in My Cause and to seek My Good Pleasure, (then take not these disbelievers and polytheists, etc., as your friends). You show friendship to them in secret, while I am All-Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal. And whosoever of you (Muslims) does that, then indeed he has gone (far) astray, (away) from the Straight Path.

60:2 '' Should they gain the upper hand over you, they would behave to you as enemies, and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you with evil, and they desire that you should disbelieve. ''


These verses were revealed when one of our Sahaba, Hatib bin Abi Balta, mistakenly in love exposed the secret of peaceful invasion of Mecca by Muslims to his kaffir family residing at Mecca. see Ibn Kathir or tafsir ibn abbas Minqabbas

http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1540&Ite mid=116


60:7 ''Perhaps Allah will put, between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them, affection. And Allah is competent, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.''

is another Proof for what I mean. So why should Allah make us love a kafir later ??? So taking a single verse out of context is very dangerous misguidance. Some do it just to prove their Point. Here another two verses that STRENGTHENS our stance


60:8 '' Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.

60:9 '' Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

May Allah forgive them and all of us for our mistakes knowingly or unknowingly. Ameen.

[Muslim Woman]

:sl:

...I feel I have to sadly disobey the Prophet :saw: ........
.....
And Allah :swt: knows best.

Yes , Allah knows best and He ordered us to obey His Prophet pbuh. So , next time , be very careful what you say/write.

Islam does not teach us to hate people. Try to learn about Islam from learned persons. In'sha Allah your confusion will be removed.

[Serinity]

I wrote that because I was impulsive. ^

Scholars should be more explicit and not just take ayats and make it sound different. Smh. I am not reading more from that fatwa site.

[darkbro]

{۞ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَجْعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ الَّذِينَ عَادَيْتُم مِّنْهُم مَّوَدَّةً ۚ وَاللَّهُ قَدِيرٌ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (7) لَّا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ (8) إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَىٰ إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ (9)** [الممتحنة : 7-9]


( 6 ) There has certainly been for you in them an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
( 7 ) Perhaps Allah will put, between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them, affection. And Allah is competent, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
( 8 ) Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.
( 9 ) Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
60_7/9

^This one is actually much more accurate since it is the highest source: higher than hadith, scholar words, fatwa, and even random thoughts. We are not allowed to be a best friend of people who oppose muslims but we are allowed to befriend those who dont.

But, still..

Remember a story where our prophet visited a sick jew who always cursed him--one day the jew didnt appear and Prophet looked for him, realizing he was sick. The jew entered Islam afterwards.

Or, the story where a blind old man in the medina market where Prophet gave food everyday? Everytime Prophet gave food, the man cursed Muhammad and told the 'kind man' dont follow Muhammad. Upon realising that Muhammad is the person giving him foods--after Prophet's death--he entered Islam.

Look the cause of descending the surah Al-Mumtahanah where it was someone who told the secret of a war to his kuffar best friend.

[darkbro]

I wrote that because I was impulsive. ^

Scholars should be more explicit and not just take ayats and make it sound different. Smh. I am not reading more from that fatwa site.

You should have had a good understanding of quran before reading the hadiths before reading fatwas. That is the sequence, so you can be more knowledgeable thus prepared when reading internet.

[Serinity]

It makes sense to not make friendship or ally yourself with those who oppose Muslims.

Yeah, I think I will have to study Islam more.