Home » Hanafi Fiqh » Muftionline.co.za » Is taking the following oath to become a US citizen kufr?

Is taking the following oath to become a US citizen kufr?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Muftionline.co.za

Q: I have emigrated from an Arab Muslim country to US and lived there for almost 20 years. I became a US citizens and gave up my original arab muslim country citizenship even though I can keep both citizenship in both countries. My original arab muslim country ruled by islamic law but there is a lot of corruption and in America we have freedom of religion and we have mosques. I love America, and have my home there, and my understanding that a Muslim should love the land he lives in and be a good role model citizen and respect the law as long as he is not asked to do anything prohibited in Islam. I wrote and said the following oath upon taking US citizenship:” I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.” One day I was searching something on the net and read something that was concerning, which was a fatwa by someone (I think from Salafi school of thought) answering someone who asked about the US citizenship oath and the sheikh said that such oath is an absolute allegiance (Wiliya Mutlaga) and hence is considered Kufur! I love my religion Islam. I also love The United States and alhamduliallah feel happy there. Did I commit any apostasy (kufr) by saying and writing the above oath? Am I still a Muslim! Please advise me.

Bismillaah

A: It is difficult to categorically say that it is kufr because one may interpret it that he renounces every other sovereign opposed to the US provided it is not opposed to Islam and the Muslims in any way. If he had intended this then you cannot call that person a kaafir.

And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

This answer was collected from MuftiOnline.co.za, where the questions have been answered by Mufti Zakaria Makada (Hafizahullah), who is currently a senior lecturer in the science of Hadith and Fiqh at Madrasah Ta’leemuddeen, Isipingo Beach, South Africa.

Read answers with similar topics: