Pledging to advocate among believers in matters of religion and the preservation of the boundaries that Allah dictated and the application of His Shariah are established in the Quran and the Sunnah, and fulfilling the rights obligated by religion is necessary upon believers. “These rights are as obligatory as prayers, Zakat, fasting, Hajj, and any covenant on what Allah and His Messenger have decreed. This is confirmed for every believer, whether or not a mutual covenant has been made, i.e., a pledge.” (Fatawa 11/100-101)

In summary, all agreements, contracts, and alliances among people, whether in brotherhood or otherwise, are referenced to the Quran and the Sunnah of the Messenger. Every condition that aligns with the Quran and the Sunnah is valid, as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever stipulates such conditions as are not in Allah's Laws, then those conditions are invalid even if he stipulated a hundred such conditions.”

Thus, when a condition contradicts what is set by Allah and His Messenger, it is invalid. For example, assisting someone in all their desires and supporting them against all adversaries, whether right or wrong, or obeying them in everything they command, and so on.

If such conditions are stipulated and one does not fulfill what Allah and His Messenger have commanded while avoiding what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, as agreed upon among Muslims, such as in sale, endowments, and pledges of allegiance to Imam, scholars, and brotherhoods, then it is obligatory for everyone to obey Allah and His Messenger in all matters. There is no obedience to a creation in disobeying the Creator. Allah and His Messenger must be dearer to one than anything else, and one should only obey those who believe in Allah and His Messenger. (Fatawa 35/97)

Whoever upholds the rights of faith is a brother to every believer, and it is obligatory for every believer to uphold their rights, even if no specific contract has been made regarding them. (Fatawa 35/91) As for contracting that their leader is only one, whoever it may be, and their number is only one, whoever it may be, this alliance is certainly forbidden as it includes animosity towards the believers. (Al Bahr Al Zakhkhar, 6/503)

Furthermore, whoever does not violate the rights of faith must be treated accordingly. One should praise their virtues, support them, prevent their vices, and avoid them to the best of their ability, as all people deserve reward, punishment, allegiance, enmity, hatred, and love according to their righteousness and wickedness. Allah says, “So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.” (Az-Zalzalah: 7-8) This is the doctrine of the Sunnah, contrary to the Kharijites, Mu'tazilites, Murji'ah, and Jahmiyyah. Each of these groups aligns themselves differently, while the people of Sunni Islam are moderate, and we are among them, God willing.

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Source: “Al-Mujtama,” Issue No. (789), Year (17), October 28, 1986.

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