In The Name of Allah The Beneficent The Most Merciful
وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ
And incline not toward those who do wrong, lest the Fire should touch you, and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor you would then be helped. (Hud: 113)
In explanation of this verse, Shaykh Rabee [hafidhahullaah] commented:
[Do not] incline towards the oppressors- those who oppress the people, [such as shedding] their blood, [stealing or taking] their wealth and [violating] their honour; or they oppress the people in their religion by way of innovations and various forms of misguidance and the dissemination of dangerous propaganda and calls that oppose Islam. Do not incline towards anyone from these type of people; do not aid him and do not help him with his falsehood. The verse encompasses all of these types [of oppressors]. Every follower of falsehood is an oppressor; every innovator is an oppressor; everyone who violates a Muslim’s honour is an oppressor. So, do not incline towards any of them and thus you are afflicted by the fire, because when you incline towards the sinner, the innovator, the oppressor, the criminal, the one who violates peoples’ honour and those who violate the sanctity of the divine legislation, it is as if you are pleased [with him] – as if you are aiding and supporting him. Therefore, the believer should be careful of falling into this destructive inclination. Allaah [The Exalted] said:
وَلَوْلَا أَن ثَبَّتْنَاكَ لَقَدْ كِدتَّ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا قَلِيلًا
And had We not made you stand firm, you would nearly have inclined to them a little. (Al-Israa: 74)
Allaah [The Blessed and Exalted] said to his Messenger [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam]: [شَيْئًا قَلِيلً -you would nearly have inclined to them a little]. [Ref 1]
Imaam Ash-Shanqeetee [rahimahullaah] stated about this Aayah: This noble ayah [i.e. Al-Israa Ayah 74] makes explicitly clear the Messenger’s innocence from inclining towards the disbelievers a little let alone inclining towards them. That is because [لَوْلاَ (i.e. And had it not )] necessitates negation of the occurrence of something, so the phrase ‘you would have nearly inclined’ is negated by [لَوْلاَ ] due to Allaah’s bestowal of firmness to the noblest person amongst His creation [i.e. Muhammad (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam)]. So it is established with certainty that he never inclined towards them the least let alone inclining towards them. [Ref 2]
Therefore, the believer should be careful of this type of inclination, for indeed it is from the causes of deviation and misguidance, and Allaah refuge is sought. [Allaah said]:
فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ
So when they turned away (from the Path of Allah), Allah turned their hearts away (from the Right Path). And Allah guides not the people who are Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah). [As-Saff: 5] [Ref 3]
Ref 1: An Excerpt from Al-Wasaayaa Al-Manhajiyyah Pg 20. By Shaikh Rabee [hafidhahullaah]. slightly paraphrased
Ref 2: An Excerpt from ‘Adwaa Al-Bayaan’ By Imaam Ash-Shanqeetee [rahimahullaah]. slightly paraphrased
Ref 3: An Excerpt from Al-Wasaayaa Al-Manhajiyyah Pg 20. slightly paraphrased
Do Not Aid the Oppressors - An Admonition by Shaykh Rabee Ibn Haadi, Accompanied by a Benefit from Imaam Ash-Shanqeetee In The Name of Allah The Beneficent The Most Merciful وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ
