“My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” (Qur’an 20:114)
﷽
We have the principle of al-walāya (allegiance) and al-barā’a (disavowal), which are either general or specific. The specificity is either established by truth through a text from the Book of Allah and direct hearing from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Or apparent through observation, acknowledgment, testimony of just witnesses, or evident truth supported by proof. If someone’s status is unclear, one should refrain from including them in al-walāya or al-barā’a. No one is definitively assigned to Paradise or Hell except those who are in the state of true allegiance and true disavowal, as established by a text from the Book of Allah and direct hearing from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.
The Companions and others are equal in this principle, except that the default for the Companions is al-walāya (allegiance) only.
Allah’s rulings encompass everyone, and no one is above the ruling of Allah Almighty.
The status of the companions of the Blessed Prophet (saw).
The position of our school is not in agreement with those who call themselves the people of the Sunnah. Their position is that all the companions are considered just and righteous.
However, our school is not built upon the praise of anyone other than the Blessed Prophet (saw). Nor is it built upon the cursing of anyone other than Iblis and his minions.
We can console ourselves with the noble verse of the Qur’an:
“That is a nation which has passed on. It will have [the consequence of] what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do.” (Qur’an 2:141)
For the layperson and the laity, the default position is one of wuqoof. This means pausing or to stop on anyone we are not certain of. It is based upon insufficient data. This is the position of the vast majority of people in our school, as the vast majority are the laity.
That is to say they are in wuqoof with all those companions in which there is some dispute about their status in our school. Uthman, Ali, Talha, Zubayr, for example.
They need not concern themselves with these disputes that happened among the companions. However, the scholars or those who have studied under them take various positions based upon what they feel is sufficient data. That sufficient data may lead them to disavow a companion or to put a companion in guardianship.
What is also important is that everyone in our school ascribes to general friendship as well as general dissociation. So, no matter the conclusions we reach based upon apparent evidence, our friendship or dissociation is with people based upon reality.
What does this mean in a practical sense?
Example 1
You put person A in Bara’ah based upon some apparent evidence. Based upon the current condition of person A.
However, since you declared the Walayah al-Jumlah and that person had a good ending, they are in wilayah with you in reality.
You made an ijtihad based upon the conditions of the person that were apparent to you at the time.
Example 2
You put person A in Walayah based upon some apparent evidence. Based upon the current condition of person A.
However, since you declared the Bara’ah al-Jumlah and that person had a bad ending, they are in bara’ah with you in reality.
You made an ijtihad based upon the conditions of the person that were apparent to you at the time.
How to declare the intention for the general wilayah and the general bara’ah?
Walayah al-Jumlah – The general or common friendship.
One declares (you reading this can declare now.) “I ally with every single person among mankind and jinn who ever lived or ever will live that is righteous.”
Bara’ah al-Jumlah – The general or common dissociation.
One declares (you reading this can declare now.) “I disown every person among mankind and jinn whoever lived or ever will live that will be among the denizens of hellfire.”
It is to say in your heart: Anybody Allah loves, I love him. Anyone whom Allah hates, I hate them.
Thus, if Uthman, Ali, Talha, Zubayr fall into either category, we have already declared our love for them or a disavow of them based upon reality.
How many are those who declare with their tongues that which is not in their hearts?
“They were closer to disbelief than to belief on that day—for saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. Allah is All-Knowing of what they hide.” (Qur’an 3:167)
How can an individual be both in walayah and bara’ah with the righteous?
Possible scenario.
Person A left Gwadar Port. The people of that place know person A to be upright and fair dealing. However, Person A, when he arrives in Port Bell, is known to swindle and cheat people.
The righteous people at Gwadar port judge based upon his outward actions. The righteous at Port Bell judge based upon his outward actions.
The actions of the person in Port Bell never reach the people of Gwadar port.
Walayah and Bara’ah are ultimately not about personal relationships.
Allah is always the focus!
Whether it is a relationship between yourself and another person. Or a relationship between person A and person B. You are neither person A nor person B.
Example: You have someone who is very close to you. Your mother, your father, or even your child. You love this person. You have familiar ties to that person. However, if this person is a sinner. They would be in bara’ah for the duration of the time they indulge the sin. It has nothing to do with your relationship to them at any given moment and everything to do with their relationship to Allah at any given moment.
Example: There is a tyrant ruler. This tyrant ruler gives everyone their full rights. This person prays the five daily prayers. However, he gets drunk. He drinks alcohol. In this case, do you ally with him or dissociate from him? Even though he treats you well and gives you your full rights. Because he drinks alcohol in that condition, he is an enemy of Allah (swt). He will be so for the duration of the time he spends doing so. Your relationship with this ruler may be cordial, but you disown him because it has nothing to do with your relationship to him at any given moment and everything to do with his relationship to Allah at any given moment.
Example: A fellow Muslim for whom, whatever reason, you do not like. Human beings can be fickle. Maybe it is the way they laugh or anything at all you personally find fault with. However, that person prays, fasts and does not commit any sins that you are aware of. No matter your personal feelings towards this person, you must ally with them. They are in wilaya with you, and you cannot put this person in bara’ah based upon personal feelings or a whim. That is because it has nothing to do with your relationship between him and you at any given moment and everything to do with his relationship to Allah at any given moment.
This is more about recognizing the rights of Allah (swt). Allah (swt) reigns supreme over all his creation.
You might be interested to read our other articles on the subject here:
May Allah Guide the Ummah.
May Allah Forgive the Ummah.
Prima Quran 