Sheikh Dr.

Husein al-Alsheikh 30-1-1439 (20-10-2017G)

Patriotism in Islam
His Eminence Sheikh Husein ibn Abdul-Aziz Al al-Sheikh, may Allah preserve him,
delivered the Friday khutbah entitled, “Patriotism in Islam,” in which he talked about
love of one’s country in Islam, stating that it is a blessing for which one should be
grateful to Allah. He also referred to the duties that a Muslim has towards his country.

Part One
Praise be to Allah, Who has granted us the favour of security and stability. I bear
witness that there is no god but Allah alone, Who has no partners, the All-Mighty, the
Oft-Forgiving. I also bear witness that our Prophet, Muhammad, is His servant and
messenger, whom Allah chose from among His servants for prophethood. O Allah!
Bestow Your peace and blessings upon him and upon his family and Companions, both
al-Muhajirun (the Emigrants, who emigrated from Makkah to al-Madinah) and al-Ansar
(the Helpers, the dwellers of al-Madinah who supported them).
Now then, O Muslims!
I advise you and advise myself to fear Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, for by
doing so you will gain all good things, and the blessings of Allah will descend upon you.
O Muslims!
One of the most prized feelings for those with a pure, sound nature is the love
they have for the country in which they were born, on whose soil they have lived, and in
which they have eaten from the good things provided for them by Allah, Majesty and
Glory be to Him. This is a fact that is approved by Islamic Law (Shari‘ah), which has
laid down a number of rights and duties regarding one’s country to preserve both
religious and worldly interests. In fact, love of one’s homeland has always been closely
associated with love of oneself, as described by the Great Qur’an. Allah, Majesty and
Glory be to Him, says:

And if We had ordered them (saying), “Kill yourselves

(i.e. the innocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your
homes,” very few of them would have done it ... (An-Nisa’:
66)
Commenting on the story of Musa (Prophet Moses), peace be upon him, and his
return to his homeland along with his family, ibn al-‘Arabi, may Allah have mercy on his
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soul, said, “For the sake of returning to one’s homeland, risks are taken, dangers are
confronted, and hopes are cherished.”
When talking about love of one’s homeland, it is relevant to mention that when
the Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, left Makkah for al-Madinah, he addressed his
old city with sadness and longing, saying, “What a good city you are! And how
beloved you are to me! Were it not that your people drove me out of you I would
not live in any other place” (Reported by at-Tirmidhi). After Allah, Majesty and Glory
be to Him, willed that His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, should emigrate to
al-Madinah, live and settle there, and enlighten it with his message, he said, indicating
that it became his new abode, “O Allah! Make us love al-Madinah as much as we
love Makkah or even more” (Reported by al-Bukhari).
Describing the Emigrants from among the Prophet’s Companions, who are the
best people after the messengers, Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, says:

(And there is also a share in this booty) for the poor

emigrants, who were expelled from their homes and their
property, seeking Bounties from Allah and to please Him,
and helping Allah (i.e. helping His religion) and His
Messenger (Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon
him). Such are indeed the truthful (to what they say). (Al-
Hashr: 8)
Fellow Muslims!
One of Allah’s greatest favours to His servants is to make them enjoy stability in
their country, feeling safe for themselves and their families, worshipping their Lord, and
obeying their Creator. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever
among you wakes up in the morning secure in his household, free from physical
illness, and having enough food for his day, is as if he possessed the whole
world” (Reported by at-Tirmidhi, and its chain of narrators is classified as hasan (good))
Fellow Muslims!
Loving one’s country in Islam means adhering to noble values and righteous
principles. It means cooperating with one another for the good and benefit of one’s
country and people and defending them against any evil or hardship. Allah, Majesty and
Glory be to Him, says:

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... Help one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue,

righteousness and piety), but do not help one another in
sin and transgression ... (Al-Ma’idah : 2)
Loving one’s country requires that every person should live with his fellow
Muslims in his country in a state of mutual love, amicability, compassion, and sympathy,
in compliance with the principle that Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, has set for us:

The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic

religion) ... (Al-Hujurat: 10)
Muslims should also do so in compliance with the hadith in which the Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him, said, “In their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy,
the believers are like one body. When one of the limbs aches, the whole body
responds to it with fever and sleeplessness” (Agreed upon).
It is this type of love that prompts people to exhort one another to hold fast to
piety and righteousness and sincerely advise one another to work for the good and
development of their homeland. Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, says:

Verily! Man is in loss, except those who believe (in Islamic

Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and
recommend one another to the truth [i.e. order one
another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma‘ruf )
which Allah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins
and evil deeds (Al-Munkar) which Allah has forbidden], and
recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings,
harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allah’s
Cause during preaching His religion of Islamic Monotheism
or Jihad). (Al-‘Asr: 2-3)
In this connection, our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Religion is
sincerity,” three times. The Companions asked, “To whom, O Messenger of Allah?” He
said, “To Allah and His Book, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common
folk” (Reported by Muslim).
Brothers in Islam!
It is this love of one’s country that requires people to defend its religion, its clear
way, its immutable principles, its territory, and its cherished possessions, each according

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to his ability, power, and responsibility. Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, refers to
this in the Qur’an when He says:

... They said, “Why should we not fight in Allah’s Way

while we have been driven out of our homes and our
children (families have been taken as captives)?” ... (Al-
Baqarah: 246)
It was to this fact that the Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, alluded when he said,
“Whoever is killed in defence of his money is a martyr; whoever is killed in
defence of his family is martyr; whoever is killed in defence of his religion is a
martyr; and whoever is killed in defence of his life is martyr” (Reported by at-
Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud and authenticated by hadith scholars).
It is this love of one’s country that requires members of society to stand up
against any conspiracy targeting the country’s valued possessions and interests, both
pertaining to its religion and its worldly affairs. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, said, “If anyone of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he is
not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with
his heart; and that is the weakest of faith.” There is no doubt that among the evils we
can see today are the various conspiracies that use every possible means to target the
country’s faith and immutable principles, destroy its valued possessions and resources, or
shake its security and stability.
Servants of Allah!
This sense of patriotism requires every Muslim to love for his country, its rulers,
and its people what he loves for himself, and to preserve its interests just as he preserves
his own interests and personal possessions. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, said, “None of you will be a true believer until he loves for his brother what he
loves for himself” (Agreed upon).
Brothers in Islam!
Loving one’s country in Islam implies that every single member of society should
refrain from doing any harm or damage to the country and its people. As is reported in
authenticated hadiths, one of the rights of the road is to remove harmful objects from it.
There are also authenticated hadiths stating that the Prophet, peace and blessings upon
him, warned against dumping harmful objects in people’s yards, ways, and facilities.
Therefore, a Muslim is required to act towards his country and its people in accordance
with the teachings of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said, “A Muslim

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is the one from whose tongue and hands the Muslims are safe.” One of the
fundamental principles of Islam is, “Let there be neither harm nor infliction of harm”
– which forbids any kind of harm, whether intentional or unintentional, whether done to
oneself or to others, and whether done in the first instance or in return of another person’s
harm.
Fellow Muslims!
One of the duties of the individual Muslim towards his country and its people is to
beware of betraying his country, rulers, or society. Indeed, the most reprehensible form of
such betrayal is to abuse one’s post and position to gain personal benefits. One of the
foulest forms of such betrayal is corruption in its various forms, especially financial
corruption, against which the religious texts have firmly warned:

... and whosoever deceives his companions as regards the

booty, he shall bring forth on the Day of Resurrection that
which he took (illegally) ... (Al ‘Imran: 161)
In addition, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Some people
appropriate the wealth of Allah [i.e. Muslims’ money] without having right to it;
they will be cast in Hellfire on the Day of Resurrection” (Reported by al-Bukhari).
Brothers in Islam!
As part of our duty towards our country, we ought to cooperate with the rulers
whom Allah has put in charge of the affairs of the country by cooperating with them in
all sincerity, outwardly and inwardly. We should also remember that obeying the rulers
without disobedience to Allah is one of the duties that the Islamic Law (Shari‘ah) has
imposed on us. Each one of us must also be keen on achieving unity and bringing
members of society together. We must all be prepared to protect our country from any
scheme that aims to cause harm and spread mischief in our midst. Therefore, fear Allah,
Majesty and Glory be to Him, and fulfil your duties towards your country so that security
and stability may be established in it.
May Allah guide us all to what He loves and accepts, and may Allah bestow His
peace and blessings upon our Prophet, Muhammad.

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Part Two
I praise my Lord and thank Him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah
alone, Who has no partners, and I bear witness that our Prophet, Muhammad, is His
servant and messenger. O Allah! Bestow Your peace and blessings upon him and upon
his family and Companions.
Now then, O Muslims!
If it is established that love for one’s country is a natural disposition that is
approved by the law of Islam, then such love will be even greater if one’s homeland is the
country that houses the Two Holy Mosques within its geographical territory. This is the
country that was founded on Islam as its constitution and way of life and on true
monotheism (tawhid) as the creed that governs all its affairs, and whose courts apply the
purified Islamic laws in their judgements. It is the country whose people live in
accordance with the Sunnah, hold it in high esteem, and reject innovations in religion and
oppose them. Therefore, it is the duty of its people, who are enjoying abundant blessings,
to cooperate with one another to maintain the safety and security of this country and to be
on the alert for any saboteur and alienator, especially in these hard circumstances which
have strongly shaken the whole world.
Maintain your security and protect your country from the storms of deluding trials
that take different forms, may Allah protect you with His care! Beware of the calls of evil
and mischief and the means of sowing discord, disagreement, and division among you.
Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, says:

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah

(i.e. this Qur’an), and be not divided among yourselves ...
(Al ‘Imran: 103)
Be keen, O youth of this country, on adhering to the way that your country has been
known for; namely, the clear and pure way of the Sunnah, which disapproves of
extremism and excess, dismisses any innovation in religion and any deviant thought that
violates the Islamic values, morals, and ways on which this country was founded. It is
according to such values and morals that the people of this country have lived together,

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cooperating with one another to attain all that is good, and helping one another to achieve
all that is useful and beneficial to the country and its people, in sincere, faithful
cooperation with its rulers, in order to bring about the hoped-for benefits and ward off the
anticipated evils. Therefore, do not change the blessings that Allah has bestowed on you
lest He should change your present state for the worse. Allah, Glorified be He, says:

And Allah puts forward the example of a township

(Makkah), that dwelt secure and well-content: its provision
coming to it in abundance from every place, but it (its
people) denied the Favours of Allah (with ungratefulness).
So Allah made it taste the extreme of hunger (famine) and
fear, because of that (evil, i.e. denying Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) which they
(its people) used to do. (An-Nahl: 112)
Allah, Majesty and Glory be to Him, has commanded us to do a deed with which
our souls get purified and with which we attain happiness in this world and in the
hereafter, namely, to frequently ask Him to bestow His peace and blessings upon the
Noble Prophet.
O Allah! Bestow Your peace and blessings upon our beloved Prophet,
Muhammad. O Allah! Be pleased with the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, along with all Your
Prophet’s family and Companions, and those who follow them in righteousness until the
Day of Judgement.
O Allah! Forgive the sins of all believers, men and women, and the sins of all
Muslims, men and women, the living and the dead among them.
O Allah! Forgive the sins of our dead and the sins of all dead Muslims. O Allah!
Forgive the sins of all dead Muslims. O Allah! Forgive them their sins and have mercy on
their souls, O Owner of Majesty and Honour!
O Allah! Make whoever harbours evil intentions towards our country or any
Muslim country preoccupied with his own problems. O Allah! Make whoever harbours
evil intentions towards our country’s religion or worldly affairs preoccupied with his own
problems and make his plotting the cause of his own destruction, O Lord of the Worlds!
O Allah! Make whoever harbours evil intentions towards any Muslim country
preoccupied with his own problems. O Allah! Foil his schemes. O Allah! Make his
plotting the cause of his own destruction, O Lord of the Worlds!

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O Allah! Grant power and glory to Islam and Muslims. O Allah! Grant power and
glory to Islam and Muslims. O Allah! Send down safety, security, and stability on all
Muslim lands.
O Allah! Protect our country and all Muslim countries from deluding trials, O
Owner of Majesty and Honour! O Allah! Protect our country and all Muslim countries
from all deluding trials, both manifest and hidden.
O Allah! Relieve the distress of the distressed among Muslims. O Allah! Relieve
their distress. O Allah! Remove their hardships. O Allah! Grant them relief from every
difficulty. O Allah! Grant them relief from every difficulty. O Allah! Grant them relief
from every difficulty.
O Allah! Send down security upon our fellow Muslims in Syria. O Allah! Send
down security upon our fellow Muslims in Yemen. O Allah! Send down security upon
our fellow Muslims in Libya. O Allah! Send down security upon our fellow Muslims
everywhere, O Owner of Majesty and Honour! O Allah! Send down security upon our
fellow Muslims in all Muslim lands, O Ever-Living! O Self-Subsisting!
O Allah! Guide our ruler and guide the Crown Prince to what You love and
accept. O Allah! Guide them to that which sets right all our religious and worldly affairs.
O Allah! Guide them to that which sets right all our religious and worldly affairs. O
Allah! Guide all Muslim rulers to that which brings forth the good of their subjects, O
Ever-Living! O Self-Subsisting!
O Allah! Give us in this world that which is good and in the hereafter that which
is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire.
O Allah! Grant us rain. O Allah! Grant us rain. O Allah! Grant us rain. O Allah!
Send down rain upon us and do not make us among the despairing. O Allah! Send down
rain upon us and do not make us among the despairing. O Allah! Send down rain upon us
and do not make us among the despairing.
O Allah! Have mercy on us by which You save us from standing in need of
anyone but You, O Ever-Living! O Self-Subsisting!
Servants of Allah!
Remember Allah much and glorify Him morning and afternoon.

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