ON THE QUESTION OF LOYALTY | Examiner.com

A true Muslim does not act in such a way as would be destructive to his country’s or nation’s well being. 

Ahmadiyya Times - Staff News
Qamar Ahmad : Atlanta Muslim Examiner

"Unto Caesar, Caesar's and unto God, God's" (Matt. 22:21-22)

That was Jesus Christ peace be upon him’s answer to the question of whether true loyalty belongs to God or the Government.

Our founding father’s succeeded in making the domains of religion and nation mutually exclusive with separation of church and state. Yet through history of American Presidential nominees, opposing politicians have made suggestions that the religious affiliations of a nominee will be an obstacle in discharge of his presidential duties. President JFK, as a nominee for the Democratic Party, replied to such finger pointing thus:

“But if the time should ever come--and I do not concede any conflict to be even remotely possible--when my office would require me to either violate my conscience or violate the national interest, then I would resign the office; and I hope any conscientious public servant would do the same.”

September 12, 1960, address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association

We must ask then: whether a Muslim’s loyalties are to his religion or to the country of his citizenship. Is a Muslim only patriotic to a Muslim country? According to Islam, the two affiliations of God and country are not mutually exclusive. To obey God is to obey the law of the land and to obey the law of the land is to obey God. As such Islam is not much different from Christianity.

Muhammad declared: “To love your country is a part of your Faith.” Thus, the question of divided loyalty does not arise. An American Muslim is to be loyal to America, a British Muslim to Britain, and an Iraqi Muslim to Iraq and so forth and so on. Each acts in his own sphere of influence to bring honor and pride to his homeland. Thus on the one hand this injunction promotes mutual love within a nation; and on the other, it fosters a healthy competition among nations.

According to Holy Quran: "O ye who believe: obey God and obey the Prophet and obey those in authority from among you." Chapter 4: verse 60

A true Muslim does not act in such a way as would be destructive to his country’s or nation’s well being. Rather out of love for his country, he exerts himself in the social, political, economic, and scientific arenas to raise the stature of his nation and country in the world. What if the dictates of the God and Prophet are in conflict with those of the law of the land? For example, a situation can arise where the law of the land persecutes a community based on religious affiliation. Quran is on record on this issue: “, 'Was not Allah's earth spacious enough so that you could have migrated therein?' “(4:98). Thus Muslims are enjoined to take the peaceful approach of migrating away from where their basic human rights are being threatened.

Love for one’s country and fellow countrymen is a natural instinct. One owes much to his motherland. The underlying message here is that one’s loyalties and energies should be employed in bringing good name to one’s country and to avoid acting in a manner that would not. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, India – a Muslim Saint of the 19th century – says:

 "A true Muslim who is aware of the teachings of his faith will always remain sincere in obedience to the government under whose benign shadow he lives his life in peace. Religious difference does not prevent him from true obedience and compliance." (Tohfa Qaisariya p.29)

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