Al Wala' Wal Bara'

Al- Wala wal- Bara ʾ ʾ a ( Arabic الولاء والبراءة ) is a legal term and Muslim rule when dealing with the followers of other religions. Translated it says "friendship / support and avoidance ." This refers to the principle, to stay away from all non-Muslims and to seek the proximity of Muslims and to support them in an emergency against non-Muslims.

Grounds

In support of the following Quranic verse is often used:

" O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends! They are guardians of each other (but not with you ). If any of you followed them, he is one of them (and not to the community of believers ). God leads the people who do wrong not right. "

Ibn Qayyim al - Gauziyya († 1350), a hanbalitischer theologian has stated in his work on the treatment of wards those Quranic verses that prescribe the definition of non-Muslims: Sura 2.105 / 109/120; Sura 3.28 / 75/118-120; Sura 4.44 to 45 / 51-52/138-139/144; Sura 5.51 to 53 ( see above); 5.57-58 / 80-81; Sure 9.8 to 9 /23 /28; Sura 58.14 to 15 /22; Sure 60.1 to 4 / 13

The Koranexeget Ibn Kathir explains this verse and verse 57 in the same sura with the words: " This is the deterrence of the friendship (al- muwālāt ) with the enemies of Islam, the book owners, polytheists and their followers.

In addition to the prophets Unna, expressed as a Prophet Muhammad ascribed saying: " We are asking the polytheists / variant: the unbelievers not to help, " lecture Ibn Qayyim also instructions and writing the Caliph of the Umayyad and the Abbasid who warned protegee under Islamic rule to deal in official business.

Nevertheless, there were in the first centuries of Islam even on the religious level contacts with other faiths without apparent distinction intentions. According to some reports, the Muslims have probably already commissioned in the late 7th century Christians with the production of copies of the Koran and its dissemination in the conquered territories. Of particular importance in this case came to the Christians of Al- Hira; even knew about her role Ahmad ibn Hanbal to report. These copies of the Koran, however, have - found little recognition - in addition to the official text of Uthman ibn Affan Koran. The well-known scholar of Egypt, Abd Allah ibn Wahb († 812), Malik ibn Anas, a student of reports that his first teacher, who is said to have taught him the art of writing and reading, was a Christian. This reasoned in the Koran by Ibn Qayyim and detail unhandled attitude toward the non-Muslim population in the conquered territories is always the subject in more detail discussion of the Aliens Law ( Siyar ), since Abu Hanifa at the latest. It also comes in modernity in numerous legal opinion ( fatwa ) that clearly emphasize the demarcation of Muslims by non-Muslims as groundbreaking and as a principle of law expressed.

According to Sayyid Qutb, the leading theoretician of the Muslim Brotherhood of the 20th century, Wilaya means according to the above verse not a rejection of pure friendship, but only the unconditional rejection of protection and alliance relationships with the have the "Book ", ie Jews and Christians, so alternatively translated as " do not take for protectors " ( ref: Meaning of the Qur'an, pp. 374f ). This is historically given not only in the Medinan period of prophecy, in which the cause of revelation of Surah 5.51 to 53 ( asbab al - nuzul ) is to be seen, but also in the modern age for Qutb. Because of the for Qutb historically demonstrable hostility of the Jews and Christians to Islam he keeps turning in matters of faith impossible.

Contemporary opinions

Prominent scholars of the present have expressed different schools of thought on this Islamic principle.

The Egyptian scholar Yusuf al -Qaradawi believes that friendship and social relations with non-Muslims are allowed. The commandment to refrain from social contacts, he sees only against persons or groups of persons justified that actively fight Islam or Muslims. Likewise, it is allowed by Qaradawi to seek at the state level for non -Muslims in the technical, political and military questions for help. This is according to him but to those forbidden fight Islam itself.

The Saudi Grand Mufti Abd al Aziz ibn Baz was of a different opinion. Per se, friendly relations with non-Muslims is forbidden. He will only be permitted if it is either the purpose pursued, the appropriate people to convert to Islam, to comply with the laws of hospitality, or when handling them serve the Muslim community. Friendly relations without such a special reason is inadmissible for Muslims to other faiths. The Salafi scholars Saleh ibn Fawzan, according to it was impossible with other faiths to lead friendly relations, as it was obliged as a Muslim to hate other religions. It would be legally allowed to accept gifts from them, but not to congratulate them for a festive occasion.