Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Sir,

My question is what relations we can keep with non-muslims. There is one Hindu and one Christian in our office the Hindu is secretary to Director and he sits and eat with us, whereas the christian is peon and therefore responsible for providing tea and arranging food for us.

Regards,

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Relation with non-muslim

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: My question is what relations we can keep with non-muslims.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 60 Surah Mumtahina verse 8:

8 Allah forbids you not with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.

9 Allah only forbids you with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith and drive you out of your homes and support (others) in driving you out from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances) that do wrong.

Islam has divided the disbelievers into two categories:

1. Those who do not fight the believers because of their faith, and,
2. Those who fight the believers because of their faith.

Islam guides that the believers should deal kindly and justly with all mankind, for indeed they are all sons of Adam, and thus our brothers in humanity. The life, the property, and the honor of all of the sons of Adam are sacred and it is not permissible for one to abuse the rights of another, regardless of their belief. Islam does not prohibit the believers to take as friends those amongst the disbelievers who do not fight them, and guides the believers to deal with them in a just and kind manner.

But if the disbelievers are amongst those who fight the believers because of their faith, and strive to drive them out of their land and their homes or support those who drive them out of their homes…Islam prohibits the believers to take such evil amongst them as friends.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan