The Islamic Belief of Al-Wala’ and Al-Bara’: Love and Hatred for the Sake of Allah
Source: Fatawa Arkan al-Islam
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
In Islam, the concept of “Al-Wala’” and “Al-Bara’” is a fundamental and essential belief. It is obligatory for a Muslim that his loyalty (Wala’) and disavowal (Bara’) should be solely for the pleasure of Allah ﷻ.
❀ Bara’: It means to show disavowal towards everything from which Allah ﷻ has declared disavowal.
❀ Wala’: It means to have love, friendship, loyalty, and cooperation with those who are upon the religion of Allah and are beloved to Him.
① Example of Ibrahim (عليه السلام) and his companions
﴿قَد كانَت لَكُم أُسوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فى إِبرهيمَ وَالَّذينَ مَعَهُ إِذ قالوا لِقَومِهِم إِنّا بُرَءؤُا۟ مِنكُم وَمِمّا تَعبُدونَ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرنا بِكُم وَبَدا بَينَنا وَبَينَكُمُ العَدوَةُ وَالبَغضاءُ أَبَدًا…﴿٤﴾ سورة الممتحنة
“Indeed, there is for you an excellent example in Ibrahim (عليه السلام) and those with him when they said to their people: ‘Surely, we disavow you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We reject you, and between us and you enmity and hatred has appeared forever.’”
This verse is a clear proof for complete disavowal from the polytheist people.
② Allah and His Messenger are free from the polytheists
﴿وَأَذنٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسولِهِ إِلَى النّاسِ يَومَ الحَجِّ الأَكبَرِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ بَرىءٌ مِنَ المُشرِكينَ وَرَسولُهُ…﴿٣﴾ سورة التوبة
“And a proclamation from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the Day of the Greater Hajj that Allah is free from (all obligations to) the polytheists and so is His Messenger…”
This was publicly announced on the Day of Hajj al-Akbar that Allah and His Messenger are free from the polytheists.
❀ Disavowal from every polytheist and disbeliever on a personal level.
❀ Disavowal from every action disliked by Allah and His Messenger ﷺ — even if it does not reach the level of disbelief but is an act of sin and disobedience.
﴿وَلـكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَيكُمُ الإيمـنَ وَزَيَّنَهُ فى قُلوبِكُم وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيكُمُ الكُفرَ وَالفُسوقَ وَالعِصيانَ أُولـئِكَ هُمُ الرّشِدونَ ﴿٧﴾ سورة الحجرات
“But Allah has made faith beloved to you and has beautified it in your hearts, and He has made disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience hateful to you. Such are the rightly guided.”
❀ If a believer commits a sin but still has faith in his heart:
✿ Love is maintained for him due to his faith.
✿ Dislike is held for his action due to the sin.
This is similar to a bitter medicine — unpleasant in taste but appreciated for its healing benefit.
❀ A disbeliever is the enemy of Allah, His Messenger ﷺ, and the believers.
❀ Complete disavowal from him is obligatory upon every Muslim.
﴿يـأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا لا تَتَّخِذوا عَدُوّى وَعَدُوَّكُم أَولِياءَ تُلقونَ إِلَيهِم بِالمَوَدَّةِ…﴿١﴾ سورة الممتحنة
“O you who have believed! Do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth…”
﴿يـأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا لا تَتَّخِذُوا اليَهودَ وَالنَّصـرى أَولِياءَ…﴿٥١-٥٢﴾ سورة المائدة
“O you who have believed! Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you — then indeed, he is (one) of them…”
﴿وَلَن تَرضى عَنكَ اليَهودُ وَلَا النَّصـرى حَتّى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُم…﴿١٢٠﴾ سورة البقرة
“And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion.”
﴿وَدَّ كَثيرٌ مِن أَهلِ الكِتـبِ لَو يَرُدّونَكُم مِن بَعدِ إيمـنِكُم كُفّارًا…﴿١٠٩﴾ سورة البقرة
“Many among the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed…”
❀ Disavowal is obligatory from every prohibited act.
❀ It is not permissible to approve of or adopt prohibited actions.
❀ A sinful believer will be disapproved of for his sin, but loved for his faith.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatawa Arkan al-Islam
Meaning of Al-Wala’ and Al-Bara’
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
In Islam, the concept of “Al-Wala’” and “Al-Bara’” is a fundamental and essential belief. It is obligatory for a Muslim that his loyalty (Wala’) and disavowal (Bara’) should be solely for the pleasure of Allah ﷻ.
Definitions
❀ Bara’: It means to show disavowal towards everything from which Allah ﷻ has declared disavowal.
❀ Wala’: It means to have love, friendship, loyalty, and cooperation with those who are upon the religion of Allah and are beloved to Him.
Evidences from the Qur’an
① Example of Ibrahim (عليه السلام) and his companions
﴿قَد كانَت لَكُم أُسوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فى إِبرهيمَ وَالَّذينَ مَعَهُ إِذ قالوا لِقَومِهِم إِنّا بُرَءؤُا۟ مِنكُم وَمِمّا تَعبُدونَ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرنا بِكُم وَبَدا بَينَنا وَبَينَكُمُ العَدوَةُ وَالبَغضاءُ أَبَدًا…﴿٤﴾ سورة الممتحنة
“Indeed, there is for you an excellent example in Ibrahim (عليه السلام) and those with him when they said to their people: ‘Surely, we disavow you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We reject you, and between us and you enmity and hatred has appeared forever.’”
This verse is a clear proof for complete disavowal from the polytheist people.
② Allah and His Messenger are free from the polytheists
﴿وَأَذنٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسولِهِ إِلَى النّاسِ يَومَ الحَجِّ الأَكبَرِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ بَرىءٌ مِنَ المُشرِكينَ وَرَسولُهُ…﴿٣﴾ سورة التوبة
“And a proclamation from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the Day of the Greater Hajj that Allah is free from (all obligations to) the polytheists and so is His Messenger…”
This was publicly announced on the Day of Hajj al-Akbar that Allah and His Messenger are free from the polytheists.
Obligation of Bara’ upon the Believer
❀ Disavowal from every polytheist and disbeliever on a personal level.
❀ Disavowal from every action disliked by Allah and His Messenger ﷺ — even if it does not reach the level of disbelief but is an act of sin and disobedience.
﴿وَلـكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَيكُمُ الإيمـنَ وَزَيَّنَهُ فى قُلوبِكُم وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيكُمُ الكُفرَ وَالفُسوقَ وَالعِصيانَ أُولـئِكَ هُمُ الرّشِدونَ ﴿٧﴾ سورة الحجرات
“But Allah has made faith beloved to you and has beautified it in your hearts, and He has made disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience hateful to you. Such are the rightly guided.”
Attitude towards a Sinful Believer
❀ If a believer commits a sin but still has faith in his heart:
✿ Love is maintained for him due to his faith.
✿ Dislike is held for his action due to the sin.
This is similar to a bitter medicine — unpleasant in taste but appreciated for its healing benefit.
Attitude towards a Disbeliever
❀ A disbeliever is the enemy of Allah, His Messenger ﷺ, and the believers.
❀ Complete disavowal from him is obligatory upon every Muslim.
﴿يـأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا لا تَتَّخِذوا عَدُوّى وَعَدُوَّكُم أَولِياءَ تُلقونَ إِلَيهِم بِالمَوَدَّةِ…﴿١﴾ سورة الممتحنة
“O you who have believed! Do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth…”
Prohibition of Friendship with Jews and Christians
﴿يـأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا لا تَتَّخِذُوا اليَهودَ وَالنَّصـرى أَولِياءَ…﴿٥١-٥٢﴾ سورة المائدة
“O you who have believed! Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you — then indeed, he is (one) of them…”
Nature of the Disbelievers
﴿وَلَن تَرضى عَنكَ اليَهودُ وَلَا النَّصـرى حَتّى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُم…﴿١٢٠﴾ سورة البقرة
“And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion.”
﴿وَدَّ كَثيرٌ مِن أَهلِ الكِتـبِ لَو يَرُدّونَكُم مِن بَعدِ إيمـنِكُم كُفّارًا…﴿١٠٩﴾ سورة البقرة
“Many among the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed…”
Bara’ Regarding Actions
❀ Disavowal is obligatory from every prohibited act.
❀ It is not permissible to approve of or adopt prohibited actions.
❀ A sinful believer will be disapproved of for his sin, but loved for his faith.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
