Reference: Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah – Volume 6, Pages 214-215, Question No.6
Question: There are those who exploit the religion for their own advantage, specifically during the Gulf conflict [of 1991]. So what is your advice regarding that?
Response: That which is obligatory upon all the Muslims is to fear Allaah, and to have sincerity [of worship] in Allaah, and not to do the actions of the hypocrites, whereby they exploit the religion according to their desires; this is how the hypocrite behaves. He turns to the religion when he has a need, and this is abhorred and not permissible. So the hypocrite is worse than the disbelievers, which is why Allaah, The Most High, says:
{Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire;}, [Soorah an-Nisaa., Aayah 145]
So that which is obligatory is to be firm upon the religion in adherence to Allaah and His Messenger, and not because of [some] worldly desires. From amongst the traits of the hypocrite is his being firm upon the religion and making this apparent [for all to see] for his worldly benefit and needs. And if his needs are satisfied, he rejects the religion, and this [action] has no basis in the religion because he is a hypocrite, and the hypocrite is worse than the disbelievers, and refuge is sought in Allaah [from this evil action], as He, The Most High, says:
{Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them.}, [Soorah an-Nisaa., Aayah 145]
…and He, The Most High, says:
{They are the enemies, so beware of them. May Allaah curse them! How are they denying (or deviating from) the Right Path?}, [Soorah al-Munaafiqoon, Aayah 4]
And from their attributes [as] Allaah has mentioned them in His Great Book, in His statement:
{Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Alaah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salât (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allaah but little. (They are) swaying between this and that, belonging neither to these nor to those;)}, [Soorah an-Nisaa., Aayaat 142-143]
So the “muthabthib” [one who is “sometimes here and sometimes there”] is the one who is undecisive – sometimes with the Muslims and sometimes with the disbelievers. And such a person is with the disbelievers if they are victorious and he finds therein [some] benefit [for himself] and sometimes [he is] with the Muslims if they are victorious and he finds therein [some] benefit [for himself].
So he is a “muthabthib”, void of any firmness [in his position] and void of any foresight, rather he is [always] with the one who triumphs and the one with whom he sees [for himself] some worldly benefit. So if he sees benefit [for himself] in being with the disbelievers, then he is with them (joins ranks with them), and if he sees benefit [for himself] in being with the Muslims, then he is with them (joins ranks with them). He is void of any [real] sincere goals and void of [any] firmness in [his] faith – this is the state of the hypocrite, we ask Allaah to protect us from evil and harm.
