How disbelievers see Muslims
Fatwa No: 18007

Question

Is the view of non-Muslims towards Muslims positive or negative, given that man has a natural predisposition towards Islam?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

 

There is no doubt that many non-Muslims see Muslims from a negative perspective, as illustrated by Allaah in many verses in the Quran. Allaah Says (what means): {Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of envy from themselves [even] after the truth has become clear to them. So pardon and overlook until Allaah delivers His command. Indeed, Allaah is over all things competent.}[Quran 2:109]

Therefore, Allaah The Almighty warned us against following their path and prohibited us from loving and supporting non-Muslims in many verses. Allaah Says (what means):

{And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire.}[Quran 11:113]
{O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allaah guides not the wrongdoing people.}[Quran 5:51]

As for your statement that man has a natural predisposition towards Islam, you may be referring to the Saying of Allaah (which means): {So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allaah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allaah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.}[Quran 30:30]

This verse is explained by a narration on the authority of Abu Hurayrah in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said that every child is born with a natural instinct that prepares them to accept the true religion, but his parents make him a Jew, Christian or Magian. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Therefore, a non-Muslims is not considered as a Muslim by instinct, rather the child is born with a natural predisposition towards Islam but his parents deviated him to disbelief. Thus he became a non-Muslim and can no longer be considered a Muslim by instinct.

Allaah Knows best.

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