Hilf al-Fudul Revisited: The Importance of Interfaith Alliances
Photo: TheCollector.com
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious the Most Merciful
The world is lacking justice. The farce of the Western international order has been exposed. Gone are the laws which claimed to protect human rights and dignity, opening the doors to countries abusing their populations. We’re witnessing a genocide unfolding with no global intervention. This has created a moral dilemma in the international community - split between corruption and conscience.
For Muslims, we must play an integral role in bringing out a new value based order. There is a dire need for a global movement amongst people of conscience to revive values such as justice, human rights and equality. It’s our duty to initiate political alliances across the West, and move from being an oppressed minority to active facilitators of change.
This shift cannot only be done by Muslims themselves, but must involve non-Muslims who wish to be united under a virtue based alliance. This is to unite humanity in a time of mass corruption through a prophetic model.
This article studies the similar movement of Hilf al-Fudul (Alliance of Virtue), before the advent of Islam and what it teaches us about interfaith alliances.
An Age of Corruption
Before the arrival of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, pre Islamic Arabia was known as Jahiliya, or the Age of Ignorance. Society had forgotten the teachings of Monotheism sent by previous prophets. The Ka’aba, built by Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ was now filled with idols, allowing Quriash to gain prominence as the custodians of the Kabah. Unjust killing was rife. Infant daughters buried alive, tribes slaughtered each other in a competition for wealth and status. Rich tribal chiefs oppressed the poor, robberies were common on trade routes, and orphans and slaves were exploited and looked down upon.
It was in this climate a Yemeni merchant sold some goods to a member of the Sam clan. The man refused to pay for the goods, despite being in possession of them. This was because the merchant had no notable tribe associated with him, making him easy to exploit. The merchant retaliated by appealing to Quraish, calling out for justice.
In response, a few individuals assembled in the house of Abdullah bin Ja’dan and pledged to fight oppression and protect the rights of people. The Prophet ﷺ joined the movement, known as Hilf al-Fudul, or the Alliance of Virtue.
The pact was written and placed inside the Ka’aba to entrench their vows.
Distinguished tribes and chieftains joined the organisation from Banu Hashim, Abdul Mutallib, Banu Assad, Banu Zuhrah and Banu Tamim.
The specific policies they adopted were described by Ibn Hisham who said:
“They promised and pledged that they would not find any wronged person among their people, or anyone else who entered Mecca, but that they would support him. They would stand against whoever oppressed them until the rights of the oppressed were restored.” (al-Sīrah al-Nabawīyah 1/133).
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said about the pact:
“Certainly, I had witnessed a pact of justice in the house of Abdullah ibn Jud’an that was more beloved to me than a herd of red camels. If I were called to it now in the time of Islam, I would respond.”
Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
The importance of Hilf al-Fudul cannot be understated.
Though it occurred pre-Islam, the Prophet ﷺ joined forces with Quraish leaders on the principle of humanitarianism, helping the oppressed and needy. It was a wider goal based on the concept of good, while transcending society’s pagan beliefs. It shows that alliances with non-believers when enjoining good is possible.
In Islam, our divine duty is to enjoin good and forbid evil, and respond to opportunities which embody this. Allah سبحانه و تعالى describes this in Surah Imran:
وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌۭ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ١٠٤
Let there be a group among you who call ˹others˺ to goodness, encourage what is good, and forbid what is evil—it is they who will be successful.
Islam calls for interfaith cooperation on the basis of benefiting humanity. Therefore joining charities, NGO’s, businesses, conferences and groups focused on acts of good is encouraged. The aim should be to promote fairness, equality, social justice and fight against corruption. Muslims must be at the forefront of these opportunities and bring these values to all people.
Islamic ethics teaches that Islam is compatible with one’s human conscience. It means that universal principles of justice pre-Islam are in line with Islamic teachings after the advent of Prophethood.
For non-Muslims, they are drawn to these universal values because it appeals to the fitrah (human nature) of all people. In the case of Hilf al-Fudul, Makkan chiefs cooperated in the pact, despite being in a position of power which allows for the exploitation of the weak.
Mahdi Rizq-Allah Ahmad commented on this by saying:
“If people of Jahiliyyah have resisted oppression based on their natural instinct, Muslims are then more expected to resist it with their beliefs because Islam encourages justice.’
Islam recognises goodness in others. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ showed ‘openness and objectivity toward others’ even in his dealings with the Byzantines who expressed hostility to Islam’s rising influence. It was the characteristics of the Prophet ﷺ which allowed the Companions to acknowledge good in other cultures. Therefore cooperating with non-Muslims for a noble cause is in line with the Islamic ethos. (Dawah Institute, pg 1-4)
Promoting Universal Justice In Today’s Age
The decline of contemporary Western civilisation is an opportunity for a global alliance based on justice. A new generation can rise from it who will create new alternatives to the current international order.
The responsibility for today’s Muslims in the West is to embrace value based alliances that cater to these universal values.
The Pro-Palestinian movement represents this opportunity, where ordinary people want to distance themselves from the genocide.
It has brought many diverse groups - whether liberals, socialists or progressives and more who have great empathy to the cause. Westerners are seeing what is happening and are opposing oppression.
This nature of Europeans is described by Amr ibn al-‘As who said about the Byzantines:
“…There are four good qualities in them: they are the most forbearing of people in tribulation, they are the quickest to recover after a calamity, they are the most eager to return after a retreat, and they are good to the poor, the orphan, and the vulnerable. Their fifth quality is good and beautiful: they are the best at stopping the oppression of their kings.”
The mention of these European cultural traits is notable as they are compatible with Islamic beliefs and desirable human qualities.
Currently we are stuck in a narrow, ritualistic discourse that has turned us into a closed community, unable to turn our struggles into a vast global interest.
The political left are most sympathetic towards Muslims, and we should seek opportunities for partnership with those who champion human rights.
However, it’s important for Muslims to assume leadership positions within these interfaith alliances. This allows us to enter into collaborations which protect our Islamic values, which should never be limited, suppressed or changed to align with mainstream ideas.
The central role of Muslims in every partnership is to collaboratively build new institutional power which opposes the might of the genocidal Western establishment. We must join together with all people who protect the oppressed, just as Hilf al-Fudul aimed to do.
May Allah bring forward leaders from this ummah who fight for truth, justice and equality and help create a world built on Islamic values which support and protect the oppressed. Ameen.
_________________________________
Jazakallah khair for reading. Please benefit the ummah by sharing this knowledge and downloading a transcript below. Feel free to use it for your own research or personal study.
Bibliography
Dawah Institute (n.d.) The Prophet Joined and Endorsed a Civil Society Organization. Available at: https://dawahinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Prophet-joined-and-endorsed-a-civil-society-organization.pdf (Accessed: 14 September 2025).
Elias, A.A. (2013) ‘Romans: Five Good Traits’, Daily Hadith Online, 12 June. Available at: https://www.abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2013/06/12/romans-five-good-traits/ (Accessed: 14 September 2025).
Siasat Daily, 2019. Cooperation with all humanity for justice in Hilf al-Fudul. The Siasat Daily – Archive. 15 November. Available at: https://archive.siasat.com/news/cooperation-all-humanity-justice-hilf-al-fudul-1728804/ (Accessed: 14 September 2025).
PBUH.org (n.d.) Hilf al-Fudul. Available at: https://www.pbuh.org/hilf-al-fudul/ (Accessed: 14 September 2025).
Pishva’i, M. (n.d.) History of Islam up to the Demise of the Prophet (S): Section 1 – Introductory Themes. Al-Islam.org. Available at: https://al-islam.org/bn/history-islam-demise-prophet-s-mahdi-pishvai/section-1-introductory-themes?utm_source=chatgpt.com (Accessed: 14 September 2025).
Quran.com (n.d.) “Surah Ali ‘Imran 3:104”, Quran.com. Available at: https://quran.com/ali-imran/104 (Accessed: 14 September 2025).
