The Trap of Imitating and Following the Disbelievers

In the Noble Qur’ān, Allāh Ta’ālā informs us about the disbelievers of the People of the Book, i.e., the Jews and the Christians, that they desire and wish that those who believe should come onto disbelief.

Study the following verses:

A faction of the People of the Scripture wish they could mislead you. But they do not mislead except themselves, and they perceive it not.^[1]

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.^[2]

And never will the Jews and the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion.^[3]

The main reason for this wish of the Jews and Christians is that they are jealous of those who have true faith, i.e., genuine Muslims. Most of them are aware that their religions, in the current state, are false, baseless, and hollow. Therefore, they love and wish for the Muslims to become disbelievers to be equal. For this reason, they work and strive hard with all their resources to bring Muslims onto the path of disbelief.

They have used military power, missionary work, deceptive ploys, distribution of magazines and literature, and set up institutions to educate Muslim children.

All of this is done to remove and extinguish the light of Nubuwwah and to efface the spirit of īmān from the Muslims.

However, the most efficient tool they have found and utilize to a significant degree is to make the Muslims imitate and copy them, in manners, character, clothing, functions, and social living. The Jews and Christians have concluded that this is the one definite means and cause to debase the Muslim and bring him or her onto their path of destruction. With this objective in mind, they have set up their institutions and invite Muslims to them, with promises of a brighter and better future, only for the Muslims to walk out looking like one of them. Whilst living amongst them, a Muslim picks up thoughts, ways, manners, and doubts that affect his faith, leaving him or her a complete zombie with no idea of what Islam or a proper Muslim is.

The protective barrier that Allāh Ta’ālā has placed around us is the instruction:

O you who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allāh against yourselves a clear case?^[4]

Once we know the desire and wish of the non-Muslim, it stands to reason that we will step back and not fall into the trap.