The obligation of differing from the non-Muslims

Allaah, the Most High, has granted the Muslims a comprehensive set of
rules)Sharee'ah( that cover all religiousand worldly matters. He made
happiness both in this world and in the Hereafter contingent on
working according it and adhering to its guidance. Allaah The Most
High Says )what means(:"Whoever follows My guidance will neither go
astray ]in the world[ nor suffer ]in the Hereafter[."]Quran 20: 123[
Allaahalso Says )what means(:"Whoever follows My guidance – there will
be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve."]Quran 2: 38[
This Sharee'ah is the straight and correct way, which is the way of
those on whom Allaah has bestowed His Grace such as His Prophets, the
sincere, the martyrs, and the righteous. Anything other than this is
the way of those who have earned the wrath of Allaah such as the Jews,
the Christians and the polytheists.
In every Rak`ah )unit( of your prayer, you invoke Allaah to showyou
the straight path and keep you away from the path of those who have
earned His wrath and those who have gone astray. You do this because
you recite chapter Al-Faatihah. This recitation in every Rak`ah is one
of the pillars of Salaah )the prayer(. Therefore, you should reflect
on this Du`aa')supplication(, its objectives and its positive results.
First and foremost, it implies following Allaah's Messengerand
adhering to the Law of Allaah concerning acts of worship, business
transactions, morals and inward and outward manners. It also entails
differing from the disbelievers with regardto their specific acts of
worship, business transactions, morals, and manners. This is because
imitating them outwardly leads to loving them inwardly. Therefore, the
Quran and the Sunnah are replete with evidences that command the
Muslims to differ from the disbelievers and forbid imitating them in
order to keep the Muslims away from all harmful matters. This is
because the actions of the unbelievers are false and only for show,
their endeavours are misleading and their end is certain destruction.
Consequently, all the actions and affairs of a disbeliever are
blighted and fruitless. Allaah, Most High Says )what means(:"But the
disbelievers – their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a
thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is
nothing."]Quran 24: 39[
Allaah also Says )what means(:"The example of those who disbelieve in
their Lord is ]that[ their deeds are like ashes which the wind blows
forcefully on a stormy day."]Quran 14: 18[
Although Allaah has warned us severely against following the way of
the disbelievers, He knew that this would happen as His
Messengerreported that Allaah has decreed this accordingto His
Knowledge. Al-Bukhaari and Muslimreported on theauthority of Abu
Sa`eed al-Khudrithat the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"You will follow the
errors of your predecessors so completely and literally that if they
should go into the hole of a lizard, you would follow them."The people
asked:"O Messenger of Allaah! Do you mean )by 'your predecessors'( the
Jews and the Christians?"Hereplied:"Who else?"
Abu Hurayrahnarrated that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"The Hour will
not come until mynation will follow completely andliterally the errors
of the previousnations." The people asked: "O Messenger of Allaah! Are
you referring to )the people of( Persiaand the Romans?" Hereplied: "Is
there other than these?"]Al-Bukhaari[
Therefore, Allaah's Messengerreported that his nation will follow the
Jews and the Christians, who are the People of the Book, as well as
the people ofPersia and the Romans. Allaah's Messengerforbade
imitating all of them.
Despite the fact that hetold us that his nation would imitate the
errors of the disbelievers, healso stated that a group of his nation
will firmly adhere to the truth until the Hour comes. Healso said that
Allaah wouldmake it such that the Muslim nation would not unanimously
agree on falsehood. Also, heassured us that Allaah frequently raises
certain persons for the sake of His religion whom He uses and appoints
for obeying Him.
As a result, it becomes clear fromthe authentic narrations of the
Prophetthat there will be a group of people who follow and adhere to
his guidance, the religion of Islam. On the other hand, some Muslims
will deviate to the doctrines of the religion ofthe Jews or that of
the Christians.Such deviation is made alluring by Satan. That is why a
servant of Allaah is commanded to ask Allaah to guide him to the
straight path, which is far away from Christianity and Judaism.
The wisdom behind the prohibition of imitating the disbelievers and
commanding us differ from them is so clear. This is because imitating
them outwardly leads to imitating them inwardly which in turn results
in resembling them in their morals and actions. However, being
different from them outwardly leads to differingfrom them inwardly,
which in turn leads to being so completelydistinct from them that one
is rescued from the causes of the wrath of Allaah. Being distinguished
also saves one from going astray and leads to being directed to the
way of guidance and the pleasure of Allaah.
Today many Muslims, both men and women, imitate the disbelievers in
their manners of speaking, dressing, appearance and in so many other
areas that time does not allow me to enumerate them.
Among these aspects is the shaving of beards and growing moustaches.
Allaah's Messengercommanded trimming the moustache and allowing the
beard to grow in a generous manner, thus being distinct from the
disbelievers who shave their beards and grow their moustaches.
Wearing the beard is a symbol of a man's handsomeness and dignity.
Therefore, when he becomes old his attraction remains due to the
existence of the hair of his beard. In contrast, the one who disobeys
Allaah's Messengerby shaving it will have a distorted face devoid of
any beauty when he becomes old. The habituation and blind imitation of
these people lead them to misjudging a bad thing as good and vice
versa. What we say to those people, may Allaah guide us and them, is:
You must repent and return to the truth, for returning to the truth is
far better than continuing with falsehood. The Sunnah of
Allaah'sMessengerhas become clear to you and you have been commanded
to obey and follow in his footsteps.
Allaah Says )what means(:"There has certainly been for you in the
Messenger of Allaah an excellent example."]Quran 33: 21[ Therefore you
have to adhere to his Sunnah and not to change it, despite the great
number of Muslims who neglect it.
The disbelievers are also imitatedin certain acts of worship, such as
building up the areas around graves and making them places of
visitation and worship. Allaah'sMessengersaid:"May Allaah's curse be
on the Jews and the Christians, for they build places ofworship at the
graves of their Prophets."
Healso said:"If any righteous man dies amongst them, they would build
a place of worship athis grave and make pictures of him to place
therein; they are theworst creatures in the sight of Allaah."
These sayings of the Prophetreveal that exaggeration with regard to
graves leads to the gravest shirk, or polytheism, which is obvious to
everybody. Allthis is owing to imitating the Jews and the Christians.
Other forms of imitation are celebrating polytheistic and innovated
days such as the Prophet's birthday and those of presidents and kings.
Celebrating these occasions may be for only one day such as, Mother's
Day, Valentine's Day, birth days and soon, but still all these
celebrations came to the Muslims from the disbelievers. In Islam,
there are only two days of feasts: the Day of Fitr, or ending the fast
of Ramadan, and the Day of Adh-haa)sacrifice(. Celebrating any day
other than these two is Bid`ah)an innovation( in the religion, and
imitation of the disbelievers. Muslims should be mindful of thisand
not be lured by the great number Muslims participating in these sinful
events. Such people either do not know the ruling of Islam concerning
it and celebratethese days due to ignorance, or know the ruling of
Islam and celebrate them despite that. The sin of the latter class is
of course,much greater. I seek refuge with Allaah from the outcast
Satan. Allaah Says )what means(:"There has certainly been for you in
the Messenger of Allaah an excellent example for anyone whose hope is
in Allaah and the Last Day and]who[ remembers Allaah often."]Quran 33:
21[