Our Understanding of Patriotism in Islam ( 1 )  - We understand that loyalty to a given country does not contradict with loyalty to Islam. This is true so long as this loyalty is constrained with the laws of Islam. It is worth mentioning that loyalty to Islam fans the fires of loyalty to man's homeland.
Islam never denies patriotism:
Islam never condemned man’s attempt to develop, strengthen and defend his own country and protect its sanctities. Islam, rather, overemphasizes these notions and supports them. This is done only through a noble and classy understanding and in a way that conforms to the Islamic approach with all its constituents.
- people get used to their homeland, where they were born and raised, even if this homeland of them was a barren desert or a poor land. This is an innate and natural disposition of all normal human beings. The Islamic Law goes in conformity with this natural disposition and commendable behavior without repugnant exaggeration or irresponsible facilitation.
- If void of fanaticism and extremism and if held as an evidence of man’s faith or disbelief, patriotism goes in harmony with the Islamic notion and never contradicts it.
- The contradiction arises when man's fanatic loyalty for his homeland, community or kin and kindred comes at the expense of his loyalty to the bond of Islam. This is not accepted by one's logic or heart. It is also rejected by religion, for no matter how precious man's homeland is, it is never more precious than the believer's religion and holding to the strong relation Allah established among Muslims. This is the case, no loyalty should be sworn on the basis of patriotism but rather on the basis of faith fraternity and the religious bonds.
- We believe that those loyal to their religion are the best of patriots. They are the ones that sacrifice their souls for their homelands. They are also the ones who work for the best interest of their homelands while many of those bragging about patriotism never do more than talking and paying lip services.
Ü Islam commends religious positivism that spares the Muslim the trouble of prattling and distances him from verbosity. Islam spurs Muslims into making their deeds speak louder than their words. They should not surrender to daydreams, but rather face realities. They should abandon recreation and slackness only to embark on working actively. Allah almighty says, "And say: "Work (righteousness): soon will Allah observe your work, and His Messenger, and the Believers" (Al tawba: 105(
- Out of all the Divine Messages and other man-designed doctrines, Islam is the only one that gives a lot of attention to the Muslims' homelands and protecting them. Before this attention, one cannot but stand deeply impressed and astounded.
Ü Islam lauds shedding blood, sacrificing Muslims' souls and spending money to fend off any attack targeting one inch of the Muslims' homelands. Jihad (the fight in Allah's Cause) is an obligatory act of worship imposed on each one capable of fighting once the enemy sweeps into the lands of Islam.
Muslims whether equipped lightly or heavily must go out for war and fight till each inch of their homeland is regained. True patriotism is that stemming from religion and controlled in men's hearts by its teachings.
Patriotism is not a commodity of verbosity imported – among others - and then translated literally and stuffed into minds without any refining or polishing processes.
Ü We renounce overrating patriotism to the extent of holding it prior to religion and faith bond.
Ü We also condemn the dereliction of some Muslims concerning patriotism on the pretext that it is anti-religious likening it to unjust fanaticism.
Both attitudes are out of normal and overruled, and religion is somewhere on the scale between the two extremes.
Our understanding of the Muslim’s relation with his fellow citizens
Ü Patriotism and loyalty to the homeland are not to find expression only at the time of war and calamities. They are a permanent behavior rooted in man's soul controlling his relation with his fellow citizens that share his homeland and its love with him. He co-exists with his fellow citizens, whether Muslims or not, in a way that serves the best interests of his homeland and adds to its potentials.
- The Muslim’s loyalty to his homeland and his Islamic spirit co-existence, entail his being just and charitable to all his fellow residents, even if they embrace not his religion. History stands out as a witness to the just nature of Islam with the non-Muslims living under the rule of Islam.
Ü Islam was just in coexisting with the People of the Scripture in a way surprising even to them. Islam has forbidden doing them injustice and ordered treating them in a fair way, and being charitable to them. Islam has not only given them freedom of creed, "Let there be no compulsion in religion" (Al Baqara: 256).
- Islam has not stopped at this point, it has defended and protected them. The honor and rights of the People of the Book are safeguarded by Islam. At that time, the Muslim ruler was obliged by virtue of Islam to defend the People of the Book’s churches, synagogues, monasteries as well as all the places of worship as long as the People of the Book did abide by the contract of Zimma (between the Muslims and the People of the Book).
- This was so as to keep the promise given them by means of this contract and as a reward for their abiding by it. It is highly important to clarify that this is not an acknowledgement on the part of Islam that their creeds are correct ones. It is rather an acknowledgement of their right to elect whatever religion they desire.
Ü One of the main objectives of Islam concerning non-Muslims is to deal with them in a legal way. Islam, thus, allows trading with non-Muslims, accepting their presents, hiring them, being hired by them, having partnership with them, ????, and eating the slaughtered animals of the People of the Book. Islam also permits marrying their women, visiting their patients and many other secular activities and legal transactions that never harm either religion.
- By this, Islam poses as the most perfect example of peaceful cohabitation among people of various religions and cultures. This stunned the non-Muslim to the extent that the people of the Balkan said following the Turkish conquest of their lands, "The turbine of the Turkish is far better than the crown of the Pope.
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