Many Muslims around the world are curious to know if nationalism is kufr?
Nationalism is based on giving racial and national groups the power to be real and important. It separates human society into small, separate groups based on geography, race, language, history, political organization, and other factors. These groups are called “aliens,” and they are often hostile to each other. Nationalism doesn’t talk to everyone in the world. It only talks to people in their own countries, and its goal is to build national states, not a world society.
Nationalism is kufr: Overview
So is nationalism is kufr? Then Islam talks about everyone as a single person. Its system is not for a country, a race, or a specific area. It is for the whole human society. In devotion, politics, the economy, and social life, everyone who accepts this system is treated as an equal and brother. They also have the same rights and responsibilities. In the end, the goal of Islam is to build a world-wide monotheistic society that doesn’t care about where you live or what race, language, or culture you come from, and joins them all together in one community. Islam doesn’t like when people are divided into groups based on their blood and where they live. It doesn’t believe that national and racial differences are real. It only looks at chastity, belief, faith, and good deeds to see how good each person is.
Nationalist perspective
A nationalist only sees things from his own country’s point of view, and he thinks that other people are limited. He has two criteria, one for himself and his friends, and another for people from other countries. He also has two ways of treating people, one for himself and one for people from outside his country. He doesn’t let people outside of his country enjoy the same benefits that he does.
Islam, on the other hand, spreads its message to everyone and doesn’t have the short-term nationalist attitude. Its goal is to spread the message of God, culture, and spirituality to people all over the world, which is why it is important to have free relationships between people. It wants everyone to be perfect, and it doesn’t like selfishness or tribal egoism. Nationalism encourages people to serve their own country, even if that means giving up the rights and interests of other countries. This is called “nationalism.” Islam, on the other hand, tells each person to think about the whole world, even if that means giving up their own interests or giving up the group’s.
The Quran emphasizes the universal unity of mankind:
Is nationalism is kufr from Quran perspective:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاء وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا
(النساء:1)
“O people! be careful of (your duty to) your Lord, Who created you from a single being and created its mate of the same’ kind, and spread from these two many men and women.”(4:1)
Differences in origin, education, and home country do not impact the essence and cannot be replaced by a fixed number of units, it is said.
وَهُوَ الَّذِيَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ فَمُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمُسْتَوْدَعٌ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَفْقَهُونَ
(98:الأنعام)
“And He it is Who has brought you into being from a single soul, then there is for you a resting- place and a depository.” (6:98)
Racial, tribal, national, and familial distinctions have no validity in law and cannot be used to determine equality or inequality or to establish superiors and inferiors. They exist only to make it easier for people to interact with one another:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
(الحجرات:13)
“O you men! Surely We have created you of a male and a female and made you tribes and families that you may know each other; surely the most honorable of you with God is the one among you most careful of his duty.” (49:13)
The objective of dividing people into tribes and groups is to learn more about each other, not to demonstrate love or hatred, seek supremacy, or engage in conflict. Faith, belief, and chastity are the sole requirements.
As a crime that causes human suffering and calls for divine retribution, the Quran views the separation of humanity into political and national groups.
قُلْ هُوَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًا مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًا وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُم بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الآيَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ
(الأنعام:6)
More evidence from Quran about is nationalism is kufr
“… or to confuse you in sects and to make some of you taste the violence of one another.” (6:65)
It slams Pharaoh’s separation of humans and claim of supremacy based on land and blood as a major transgression.
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلا فِي الأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
(4:القصص)
“Now Pharaoh had exalted himself in the land and had divided its inhabitants into sects…” (28:4)
According to the Quran, there is not a single passage that speaks to the legitimacy of nationality or the divide of humanity based on territory or blood. There are no national or ethnic advantages enshrined in the Quran, just compassion and contentment.
It has been frequently stated by the Prophet (S) that human beings constitute a single Ummah, and there is no legitimacy in geographical or racial supremacy. He states:
“There is no superiority for Arabs over non-Arabs, or for non-Arabs over Arabs. All are sons of Adam.”so nationalism is kufr.
Religion and chastity are the sole factors for determining if a person is a member of the human race:
“There is no superiority for one over another except by religion and chastity. All people are sons of Adam and Adam is from earth.”
nationalism is kufr ;According to another of the stories attributed to the Prophet (S),
“There is no superiority for Arabs over non-Arabs, for non- Arabs over Arabs, for the white over the black and for the black over the white, except by chastity.”
All of the Qureish were born from Adam and Adam came from the earth. In his first public speech, the Prophet (S) said: “O people, all of you are from Adam, and Adam came from the earth.” It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from. There is no pride in lineage, and there is no pride in non-Arab people over non-Arab people. Your value to God is based on your chastity.
Thus, the Prophet (S) made it clear that there is no way to be proud or superior because of blood ties. The only things that matter are faith, conduct, and good behavior. The Prophet (S) always talked about how people were one and not separate racial and national groups. During his daily prayers, he said, “Shahadatein,” which means there is no other god but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet. He then said, “I testify that all servants of God are brothers.”
Nationalism or Internationalism?
nationalism is kufr….
Muslims have a global purpose, not a national one, according to the teachings of the Quran. Islam opposes tribal and national groupings that just care about their own self-interests and builds up a single civilization.
It’s a call to arms for all nations to unify under one banner:كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم مِّنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
(110:آل عمران)
“You are the best of the nations raised up for the benefit of men: you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong.” (3: 110)
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلاَّ لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلاَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
(143:البقرة)
“And thus We have made you a medium (just) nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people” (2:143)
The Prophet’s mission was not a tribal and national one, but a universal mission:
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ فَآمِنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
(158:الأعراف )
“Say O people! Surely I am the apostle of Allah to you all…. (7:158)
هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ
(33:التوبة )
“He it is Who sent His apostle with guidance and religion of truth that He might cause it to prevail over all religions.” (9:33)
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلاَّ كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لا يَعْلَمُونَ
(28:سبأ )
“And W e have not sent you but to all the men as a bearer of good news and as a warner.” (34:28)
In his sixth year of emigration, the Prophet wrote letters to Heraclius, Kasra, King of Iran, Najashi of Ethiopia, and Maghighus of Egypt, welcoming them to Islam since his mission was not limited to any one country or tribe.
The Quranic faith and school are open to everyone.
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلاَّ رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
(107:الأنبياء) so nationalism is kufr.
“And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds.” (21: 107)
وَمَا هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
(52:القلم )
“And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.” (68: 52)
تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَالَمِينَ نَذِيرًا
(1:الفرقان)
“Blessed is He Who sent down the Furqan upon His servant that he may be a warner to the nations. “ (25: 1)
Should God be the focus of the loyalty or the country?
Islam, on the other hand, holds that one’s devotion should be directed toward God and His faith, rather than one’s country. As the Qur’an instructs:
مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلاَّ أَسْمَاء سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُم مَّا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ لِلَّهِ أَمَرَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
(40:يوسف)
‘The only one who can judge you is Allah, and He has instructed you to serve no one else except Him.’
(12:40)
While in nationalism, one’s love for one’s country serves as a foundation, in Islam one’s belief in God and total devotion to Him serves as the foundation.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
(4:الفاتحة)
“Thee do we serve and thee do we beseech for help.” (1:4)
As a result of nationalist ideals, a person’s allegiance and attachment to the country should be given the highest priority, even above his or her devotion to God. This is a kind of polytheism in and of itself. If you offer praise to anything other than God, it’s idolatry, and you’re following Satan’s lead:
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُواْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلالاً بَعِيدًا
(60:النساء)
“Have you not seen those who assert that they believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you? They desire to summon one another to the judgment of the Shaitan, though they were commanded to deny him, and the Shaitan desires to lead them astray into a remote error.” (4:60)
Islam, on the other hand, places a higher value on faith, belief, and God than does nationalism.
(50)فَفِرُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
(51) وَلا تَجْعَلُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
(50-51:الذاريات)
“Therefore Fly to Allah: I am a plain Warner unto you from Him. And do not set up with Allah another god: Surely I am a plain Warner to you from Him.” (51:50-51)
nationalism is kufr as Islam, on the other hand, argues that patriotic feelings are only real when they are unaffected by other influences (presumably God and religion). It is a fundamental principle of Islam that a person who professes monotheism must devote all of their devotion only to God.
