﷽
Q. Can national flags of different countries be hung or put in a shop for attraction?
A. We advise to avoid it; however, it does not mean that we say it’s impermissible as there is a lack of evidence to state that. But it’s preferably avoided except if there are things that are warned against or images of living beings then this is a different affair. As for if it is without any necessity then it’s best to leave it off and continue with your business and you are upon goodness. However, we don’t say it’s impermissible or that it’s prohibited as there is no evidence or proof for this.
– Answered by our Shaykh Abū ʿAbdullāh Zāyd bin Ḥasan bin Ṣaliḥ al-Waṣṣābī al-ʿUmarī حفظه الله
– On Monday evening, 27th Rajab 1446H, via Whatsapp
– Translated by Abū Āsiyah Mużaffar Al-Hindī -may Allāh forgive him, his mashāyikh, his parents, his family and all the Muslims-
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
احسن الله إليك شيخنا، هل يجوز تعليق أو وضع الأعلام الوطنية للدول المختلفة في محل التجاري بغرض الجذب؟
Regarding hanging up flags of Non-Muslim countries
Q. Among some young people it is common to hang up flags and symbols of some non-Muslim countries, and we see them buying and keeping these things, printing them on shirts, pants, belts, glasses, hats, shoes, rulers, pens, rings and watches, and putting them on car seat covers and window decals. Some of them buy the complete flag and put it on the hood or trunk of the car. What is the ruling on buying and selling, keeping and hanging up these flags?
A. One of the aims of Islamic sharīʿah is that the Muslim should be distinct from all disbelievers and evildoers in terms of beliefs, attitudes, behaviour and thinking, and even in outward appearance and language too, and that he should cut off all ties of love, loyalty and support for anyone who disbelieves in Allah and His Messenger. There is a great deal of sharʿī evidence, both in the form of clear texts (of Qurʾān and Sunnah) in the form of rulings derived from those texts, to support this basic Islamic principle, that warns lest one go against it or take it lightly by way of aping and imitating those who do not believe in Allāh or the Last Day, and do not regard as prohibited that which Allāh and His Messenger prohibited. Allāh -may He be exalted- says (interpretation of the meaning):
(ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكَ عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِنْ الْأَمْرِ فَاتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ)
“Then We have put you (O Muḥammad ﷺ) on a plain way of (Our) commandment (like the one which We commanded Our Messengers before you (i.e. legal ways and laws of the Islamic Monotheism)). So follow you that (Islamic Monotheism and its laws), and follow not the desires of those who know not”
al-Jāthiyah 45:18
(وَلَنْ تَرْضَى عَنْكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلَا النَّصَارَى حَتَّى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَى وَلَئِنْ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ بَعْدَ الَّذِي جَاءَكَ مِنْ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنْ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ)
“Never will the Jews nor the Christians be pleased with you (O Muḥammad ﷺ) till you follow their religion. Say: “Verily, the Guidance of Allāh (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) that is the (only) Guidance. And if you (O Muḥammad ﷺ) were to follow their (Jews and Christians) desires after what you have received of Knowledge (i.e. the Qurʾān), then you would have against Allāh neither any Walī (protector or guardian) nor any helper”
al-Baqarah 2:120
(وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ وَاحْذَرْهُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنُوكَ عَنْ بَعْضِ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ)
“and follow not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they turn you (O Muḥammad ﷺ) far away from some of that which Allāh has sent down to you”
al-Mā’idah 5:49
(أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنْ الْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمْ الْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَكَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ)
“Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe (in the Oneness of Allāh – Islamic Monotheism) to be affected by Allāh’s Reminder (this Qurʾān), and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture (the Taurat (Torah) and the Injīl (Gospel)) before (i.e. Jews and Christians), and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were Fāsiqūn (rebellious, disobedient to Allāh)”
al-Hadīd 57:16
The verses that speak of this matter are many and well-known. And the Prophet ﷺ said, when he saw ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas wearing two garments dyed with safflower:
“This is the clothing of the disbelievers, so do not wear it.”
Narrated by Muslim in his Sahīh.
It is proven in as-Sahīhayn that the Prophet ﷺ went against the way of the People of the Book with regard to leaving the hair loose, and he ﷺ said:
“Be different from the mushrikīn: let your beards grow and trim your moustaches.”
Narrated in as-Sahīhayn
The hadiths and reports from the righteous early generation concerning this matter are many and well-known.
From the above it is known that a person cannot be following true Islamic teaching until his outward actions and inward beliefs are in accordance with the command of Allāh and His Messenger. So his loyalty should be to Allāh, His Messenger and his brothers in faith, as Allāh -may He be glorified- says (interpretation of the meaning):
(إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمْ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ)
“Verily, your Walī (Protector or Helper) is Allāh, His Messenger, and the believers, – those who perform As-Salāt (Iqāmat-as-Salāt), and give Zakāt, and they bow down (submit themselves with obedience to Allāh in prayer)”
al-Mā’idah 5:55
The believers are obliged to disavow disbelief and its people, whether they are Christians, Jews, Magians, atheists or followers of any other path or religion that is contrary to Islam.
In order to protect the basic principle mentioned above and to protect the Muslim and his Islam from deviation, the Islamic texts prohibit imitation of the disbelievers in matters that are unique to them, be that words, actions, clothes or general appearance, because that poses a danger to the belief of the Muslim, and lest it lead to him thinking well of the disbelief and misguidance that they follow. The Prophet -blessings and peace of Allah be upon him- said:
“I have been sent ahead of the Hour with the sword, until Allāh alone is worshipped with no partner or associate; my provision has been placed beneath the shade of my spear, and humiliation and ignominy have been ordained for those who go against my commands; whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
Narrated by Imam Ahmad and others with a jayyid isnād.
And he -blessings and peace of Allāh be upon him- said:
“He is not one of us who imitates others; do not imitate the Jews or the Christians.”
A hasan hadith; narrated by at-Tirmidhi and others.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah -may Allāh have mercy on him- said, explaining the Islamic wisdom behind the prohibition on imitating the disbelievers and the obligation to differ from them in outward matters such as dress and the like:
Allāh sent Muḥammad ﷺ with wisdom, namely his Sunnah which is the way and path that He prescribed for him. Part of this wisdom is that He prescribed for him words and deeds that made his way distinct from the way of those who earn His anger and those who go astray, and He enjoined him to differ from them in outward appearance and practices – even if many people cannot see anything wrong with that – for several reasons, including the following:
- Dressing and acting like them will generate feelings of commonality between those who resemble one another, which may lead to some degree of similarity in attitude and deeds. This is something obvious, because the one who wears the garments of fighting soldiers, for example, will find himself starting to behave like them to some extent, and his attitude will be influenced by that, unless something prevents it.
- Being different in dress and behaviour will lead to differences and disconnection, which will result in refraining from that which incurs divine wrath and leads to misguidance, and will lead to joining those who are guided and with whom Allah is pleased. Thus the decree of Allah will be fulfilled, that His friends, who are the successful ones, will be allies of one another and His enemies, who are the losers, will likewise be allies of one another.
- The more a person’s heart is filled with living faith and knowledge of true Islam – I do not mean outward pretence or believing in general terms – the more he will feel distant, both outwardly and inwardly, from the Jews and Christians, and the further he will feel from their behaviour and attitudes that even some Muslims may have adopted.
- Dressing and behaving like them outwardly leads to mixing with them, to the extent that the distinction is no longer there between those who are guided and with whom Allāh is pleased, and those with whom Allāh is angry and who have gone astray, and other reasons why we should be different.
- This has to do with behaving and dressing like them in ways that would otherwise be permissible, were it not for resembling them. But if it is the matter of behaving like them with regard to that which is part of their disbelief, then it is a branch of disbelief, and going along with them in that implies agreeing with one type of their sins. So this is something that one must be careful about.[End quote]
Based on the above, there is no doubt that one aspect of being allied with the disbelievers is imitating them and wearing clothes that bear their symbols, such as the cross and the like, being concerned with their pictures, supporting their sports teams, putting their flags on cars, houses and stores, using their names, calling people to love them and befriend them, being proud of belonging to them and to their prominent figures and leaders, and being impressed by their whims and desires that are contrary to Islam. (The Muslims who do that) do not realise that by doing this, they are demolishing one of the basic principles of Islam in their hearts and in the hearts of the Muslims, and they are exacerbating the weakness of the ummah. Verily to Allāh we belong and to Him is our return.
What all Muslims must do is adhere to the teachings of Islam and the straight path, and beware of deviating from that to the path of those with whom Allah is angry and those who are astray, namely the Jews, Christians and all other polytheists. The Muslims should encourage one another to be righteous and fear Allāh, and to do everything that will bring goodness and glory to Islam and the Muslims; they should refrain from everything that may harm the Muslims or help their enemies against them, and they should refrain from propagating and spreading such things.
And Allāh is the source of strength; may Allāh send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
– Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas
– Shaykh ʿAbdul-ʿAzīz bin ʿAbdullāh ibn Baz, Shaykh ʿAbdul-ʿAzīz Āl ash-Shaykh, Shaykh ʿAbdullāh bin Ghadayyān, Shaykh Ṣāliḥ bin Fawzān Al-Fawzān, Shaykh Bakr Abū Zayd.
انتشرت بين بعض الشباب ظاهرة التعلق بأعلام وشعارات بعض الدول غير المسلمة ، ونراهم يقبلون على شرائها واقتنائها ، ويطبعونها على القمص والبناطيل والأحزمة والنظارات ، والقبعات والأحذية والمساطر والأقلام والخواتم والساعات ، ويجعلونها غطاء لمقاعد السيارات ، وملصقات على الزجاج ، وبعضهم يشتري العلم كاملاً ويفرشه على مقدمة أو مؤخرة السيارة . فما حكم بيع وشراء واقتناء وتعليق هذه الأعلام ؟
“من مقاصد الشريعة الإسلامية المطهرة : أن يكون المسلم متميزاً عن جميع الكفرة والفجار ، في عقيدته وأخلاقه وسلوكه وتفكيره ، بل وفي مظهره ولغته أيضاً ، وقطع جميع علائق المحبة والولاء والنصرة لكل كافر بالله ورسوله ، وقد تكاثرت الدلائل الشرعية نصية واستنباطية مؤكدة هذا الأصل الإسلامي ، محذرة من نقضه أو التساهل به ، عن طريق المحاكاة والتشبه بالذين لا يؤمنون بالله ولا باليوم الآخر ، ولا يحرمون ما حرم الله ورسوله ، فقال الله عز وجل : (ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكَ عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِنْ الْأَمْرِ فَاتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ) الجاثية/18 ، وقال سبحانه : (وَلَنْ تَرْضَى عَنْكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلَا النَّصَارَى حَتَّى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَى وَلَئِنْ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ بَعْدَ الَّذِي جَاءَكَ مِنْ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنْ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ) البقرة/120 ، وقال جل وعلا : (وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ وَاحْذَرْهُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنُوكَ عَنْ بَعْضِ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ) المائدة/49 ، وقال جل وتقدس : (أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنْ الْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمْ الْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَكَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ) الحديد/16 ، والآيات في هذا المعنى كثيرة معلومة . وقال عليه الصلاة والسلام لما رأى على عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص ثوبين معصفرين : (إن هذه من ثياب الكفار فلا تلبسها) خرجه مسلم في صحيحه ، وثبت في الصحيحين أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم خالف أهل الكتاب في سدل الشعر . وقال عليه الصلاة والسلام : (خالفوا المشركين ، وفروا اللحى ، وأحفوا الشوارب) أخرجاه في الصحيحين .
والأحاديث والآثار عن السلف الصالح في هذا الأمر كثيرة مشهورة .
ومما تقدم يُعلم أن المرء لا يكون عاملاً بحقيقة الإسلام حتى يكون ظاهره وباطنه موافقاً لأمر الله ورسوله ، فيكون ولاؤه لله ولرسوله ولإخوانه المؤمنين ، كما قال الله سبحانه : (إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمْ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ) المائدة/55 . ويجب على المؤمن البراءة من الكفر وأهله ، سواء كانوا من النصارى أو اليهود أو المجوس أو الملحدين أو غيرهم من سائر الملل والنحل المخالفة للإسلام .
ومن أجل المحافظة على الأصل المتقدم لدى المسلم وصيانة لإسلامه من الزيغ والانحراف ، جاءت النصوص الشرعية بتحريم التشبه بالكفار فيما هو من خصائصهم ، في الأقوال والأفعال والألبسة والهيئة العامة ؛ لما في ذلك من الخطر على عقيدة المسلم ، وخشية أن يجره ذلك إلى استحسان ما هم عليه من الكفر والضلال ، فقال عليه الصلاة والسلام : (من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم) رواه الإمام أحمد وغيره بسند جيد ، وقال عليه الصلاة والسلام : (ليس منا من تشبه بغيرنا ، لا تشبهوا باليهود ولا النصارى) حديث حسن ، رواه الترمذي وغيره .
قال شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية رحمه الله تعالى ، مبيناً حكمة الشريعة في تحريم التشبه بالكفار ، ووجوب مخالفتهم في الأمور الظاهرة ؛ كالألبسة ونحوها :
“وقد بعث الله محمداً صلى الله عليه وسلم بالحكمة التي هي سنته ، وهي الشرعة والمنهاج الذي شرعه له ، فكان من هذه الحكمة : أن شرع له من الأعمال والأقوال ما يباين سبيل المغضوب عليهم والضالين ، فأمر بمخالفتهم في الهدْي الظاهر – وإن لم يظهر لكثير من الخلق في ذلك مفسدة – لأمور :
منها : أن المشاركة في الهدي الظاهر تورث تناسباً وتشاكلاً بين المتشابهين ، يقود إلى موافقةٍ ما في الأخلاق والأعمال ، وهذا أمر محسوس ، فإن اللابس لثياب الجند المقاتلة مثلاً يجد من نفسه نوع تخلُّق بأخلاقهم ، ويصير طبعه متقاضياً لذلك ، إلا أن يمنعه مانع .
ومنها : أن المخالفة في الهدي الظاهر توجب مباينةً ومفارقةً توجب الانقطاع عن موجبات الغضب وأسباب الضلال ، والانعطاف على أهل الهدى والرضوان ، وتحقق ما قطع الله من المولاة بين جنده المفلحين وأعدائه الخاسرين .
وكلما كان القلب أتم حياة وأعرف بالإسلام الذي هو الإسلام – لست أعني مجرد التوسم به ظاهراً أو باطناً بمجرد الاعتقادات ، من حيث الجملة – كان إحساسه بمفارقة اليهود والنصارى باطناً وظاهراً أتم ، وبُعْده عن أخلاقهم الموجودة في بعض المسلمين أشد .
ومنها : أن مشاركتهم في الهدي الظاهر توجب الاختلاط الظاهر ، حتى يرتفع التميز ظاهراً بين المهديين المرضيين ، وبين المغضوب عليهم والضالين ، إلى غير ذلك من الأسباب الحكيمة .
هذا إذا لم يكن ذلك الهدي الظاهر إلا مباحاً محضاً ، لو تجرد عن مشابهتهم ، فأما إن كان من موجبات كفرهم كان شعبة من شعب الكفر ، فموافقتهم فيه موافقة في نوع من أنواع معاصيهم ، فهذا أصل ينبغي أن يتفطن له” .
وبناء على ما تقدم فمما لا شك فيه أن من مظاهر الولاء للكفار : التشبه بهم ، وارتداء ملابس تحمل شعاراتهم ؛ كالصليب ونحوه ، والعناية بصورهم ، وتشجيع أنديتهم الرياضية ، وتعليق أعلامهم على السيارات والبيوتات والمحال التجارية ، والتسمي بأسمائهم الخاصة بهم ، والدعوة إلى محبتهم وصداقتهم ، والافتخار بالانتساب إليهم ، وإلى رؤسائهم وأعيانهم ، والانبهار بأهوائهم وأفكارهم المخالفة للإسلام ، وما دروا أنهم بصنيعهم هذا يهدمون أصلاً من أصول الإسلام في أنفسهم وفي نفوس المسلمين ، ويزيدون الأمة وهناً على وهن ، فإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون .
والواجب على جميع المسلمين التمسك بهدي الإسلام المستقيم ، والحذر من الانحراف عنه إلى طريق المغضوب عليهم والضالين ، من اليهود والنصارى وسائر المشركين ، والتواصي بالبر والتقوى ، وكل ما فيه خير وعز للإسلام والمسلمين ، وترك كل ما فيه ضرر على المسلمين والإعانة عليه ، وترويجه ونشره .
وبالله التوفيق ، وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وآله وصحبه وسلم” انتهى .
اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والإفتاء .
الشيخ عبد العزيز بن عبد الله بن باز … الشيخ عبد العزيز آل الشيخ … الشيخ عبد الله بن غديان … الشيخ صالح الفوزان … الشيخ بكر أبو زيد .
انتهى من “فتاوى اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والإفتاء” (26/303) .
