Third: Sayings of scholars on this issue

1. Imam Abu Bakr Al-Isma'ili: "Ahlus-Sunnah consider a land a Land of Islam, not a Land of Disbelief, as long as the call to prayer and the prayers themselves are visible, and the people can perform them safely." 2. Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah: "Whether a land is a Land of Disbelief, Faith, or Sin is not a permanent quality. It changes based on its inhabitants." Also: "The rulings of places change with the people's conditions. A place may be a Land of Disbelief when its people are disbelievers, then become a Land of Islam when its people become Muslim." 3. Imam Ash-Shawkani: "Consider who has the upper hand. If Muslims issue the commands and prohibitions in a land, and any non-Muslims there cannot openly practice disbelief without Muslim permission, then it is a Land of Islam. It doesn't matter if some acts of disbelief appear, as long as they appear from protected non-Muslims (like Jews and Christians living under Muslim rule). If the opposite is true, then the land is the opposite." 4. Ibn Hazm: "A land is attributed to whoever dominates, rules, and owns it." 5. Ad-Dusouqi: "Lands of Islam do not become a Land of War just because disbelievers take control of them – not until Islamic rituals (or most of them) stop. As long as Islamic rituals (or most) are still practiced, it does not become a Land of War." 6. As-Sarakhsi: "A Land of Islam is a place under Muslim control, where Muslims feel safe." 7. Imam Al-Albani: "Today's Islamic lands are not like they used to be, but in any case, they are not lands of disbelief. They are lands of Islam." 8. Imam Al-Albani, answering a question: Someone asked: "Is a land only Islamic if Islamic law is applied, even if most people are non-Muslim? And is a land a Land of Disbelief if it does not rule by Allah's law, even if most people are Muslim?" Al-Albani answered: "No, that's not correct." He explained that rulers who don't apply Islamic law are of two types: · Those who admit Islam should rule but fail due to weakness or desires – these are sinful, not disbelievers. · Those who say Islam is not suitable for modern times – these are apostates (disbelievers). He said that Muslims should first focus on correcting themselves and uniting. Fighting a non-Muslim ruler should only happen when Muslims are strong and organised, not as a sudden, chaotic revolution that spills innocent blood. 9. Imam Muhammad ibn Salih Al-Uthaymin: "A Land of Islam is where Islamic rituals are practiced, regardless of who the rulers are. Even if a non-Muslim rules it, as long as Islamic rituals are visible (call to prayer, Friday prayer, Eid, fasting, Hajj, etc.), it remains a Land of Islam. The idea that a land is only Islamic if the rulers are Muslim is incorrect. If we applied that today, almost no lands would be Islamic." He added that if both Islamic and non-Muslim rituals appear, then you look at who is in charge and the majority. 10. Imam Ahmad ibn Yahya An-Najmi: A land where the call to prayer and prayers are held in masjids is called a Land of Islam. We cannot declare the state or its people disbelievers just because they rule by man-made laws, unless the rulers openly claim that man-made laws are equal to or better than Allah's law. A person who commits a sin while still believing it is a sin remains a Muslim (he is a sinner, not a disbeliever). Fourth: Which Islamic rulings are meant in these definitions? The key is the appearance of major Islamic rituals without fear or prevention: Friday prayer, Eid prayers, the call to prayer (Adhan), fasting Ramadan, Hajj, etc. It does not mean that all laws must be Islamic. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used the call to prayer as the sign to distinguish a Land of Islam from a Land of Disbelief. If he heard the Adhan, he would not attack. If he didn't, he would. Conclusion from all the above: 1. A land is judged based on the appearance of major Islamic rituals (prayers, Friday prayer, Eid, Adhan, etc.) without needing permission or facing denial – and that Muslims have power and dominance.