The Arab Race – Shaykh al-Albaani (rahimahullaah)

April 19, 2011


source: silsilat ul-ahaadeeth idh-dha’eefa – the series of weak narrations – hadeeth no. 163

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“If the Arabs are humiliated, Islaam is also humiliated” – grading of hadeeth: mawdoo’ (fabricated)

Shaykh al-Albaani (rahimahullaah) comments:

“The glory of Islaam is not connected with Arabs only; rather Allaah may give it glory by other than them from the believers, as that happened during the time of the Ottoman Empire especially in its beginning. So Allaah had given glory to Islaam through them until its authority spread to the middle of Europe. Then, when they started to abandon the Sharee’ah (Islamic Legislation) and incline toward the European laws – taking that which is lower in exchange for that which is better – their authority diminished from those countries and others until it had disappeared from their (own) countries as well! Hence, only something little remained there of the manifestations that could indicate their Islaam! So by that, all of the Muslims were humiliated after their glory, and the disbelievers entered most of their countries and concentrated on humiliating them. And even if these (countries) were apparently freed from (the disbelievers’) colonization, they colonize them in secret under the screen of many projects such as the economy and the like! Therefore, it is established that Islaam is given glory and humiliated by the glory and humiliation of its people whether they are Arabs or non-Arabs, and ‘there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab except by taqwaa.’[1] So O Allaah! Give glory to the Muslims and inspire them to return to Your Book and the Sunnah of Your Prophet [sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam] until You give glory to Islaam by them.

However, that does not negate the Arab race being better than the race of the rest of the nations; rather, this is what I believe in – even though I am Albanian but indeed I am Muslim, all praises and thanks are to Allaah – because the precedence of the Arab race that I have mentioned is that which ahl us-sunnah wal jamaa’ah[2] are upon, and a group of mentioned narrations about this matter indicates (this), such as (the Prophet’s) (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) statement: ‘…Indeed Allaah chose Bani Kinaanah from the offspring of Ismaa’eel, and chose Quraysh from Bani Kinaanah, and chose Bani Haashim from Quraysh, and chose me from Bani Haashim.’[3]

But this should not cause the Arab to boast of his race – because it is from the affairs of jaahiliyyah which our Prophet Muhammad (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), the Arab, had abolished, as clarified earlier – just as we should not be ignorant of the reason why the Arabs deserve precedence, which is what they were distinguished with in regard to their understanding, language, manners and works, and that qualified them to be the carriers of the Islamic da’wah to the other nations. So indeed if the Arab knows this and follows it, it will enable him to be – like his predecessors – a righteous member in carrying the Islamic da’wah. As for if he gives that up, then he doesn’t have any excellence at all; rather, the non-Arab who possesses the Islaamic manners is better than him no doubt, since true excellence is only following the eemaan (faith) and knowledge with which Muhammad (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was sent. So whoever is stronger in it, he is better. And excellence is only by defined names in the Book and the Sunnah, such as Islaam, eemaan (faith), birr (righteousness), taqwaa, knowledge, righteous deeds, ihsaan and the like, and (it is) not by a person merely being an Arab or non-Arab, as Shaykh ul-Islaam ibn Taimiyah (rahimahullaah) said, and this is what (the Prophet) (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) pointed out with his saying: ‘Whoever’s deeds slow him down, his lineage will not make him go faster.’ Muslim narrated it.

In summary: Indeed the excellence of the Arabs is only due to virtues that are realized amongst them, but if (these virtues) disappear because of their negligence of their Islaam, their excellence will also disappear, and whoever from the non-Arabs adheres to (these virtues) will be better than them; ‘there is no superiority of the Arab over the non-Arab except by taqwaa.’ Therefore, the going astray of the one who calls to Arabism becomes clear, (who calls to it) while he does not possess any of its excellent characteristics at all; rather, he is a European inwardly and outwardly!”

[1] piety and fear of Allaah
[2] those who adhere to that which the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his Companions were upon with regard to ‘aqeedah (belief), manhaj (methodology) and all other matters of the religion
[3] Saheeh at-Tirmithee #3606

Source : asaheeha translations