The lajnah were asked:

Question:

“Is it permissible to stand in honor of a national anthem or flag?”

Answer: 

“It is not permissible for a Muslim to stand in honor of a national anthem or flag; this is a repudiated Bid‘ah (innovation in religion) as it did not happen during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or that of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them). It also runs counter to the perfection of due, pure Tawhid (monotheism) and to the sincerity of dedicating all glorifications to Allah Alone. It is a means that can lead to Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and involves imitation of the Kufar (disbelievers) and their bad customs, as well as their excessive glorification of their leaders and their exaggerated ceremonies. The Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited acting like and imitating the disbelievers.

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.”

End quote. [Reference]

Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin Al-Abbaad was asked:

Question:

In our lands, if the national anthem is played it is obligatory on everyone who hears it to stand for it. Is there forbiddence in this?

Answer:

“Yes, in it there is harm and it is something forbidden”.

[Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood no. 593]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan

Shaykh Muhammad Nasiruddin Al-Albani was asked:

Question:

“What is the ruling on standing for the flag? And what is the ruling on stopping all movement and standing up straight for the flag and the playing of the national anthem?” 

Answer:

“This is no doubt from the blind imitations of the disbelieving nation Europe, and we have been prohibited from their blind practices by general and specific prohibitions. So, it is not permissible for any Islamic country to build or base something upon their disbelieving traditions. However, the affair returns back to the one who has the option/choice to prevent that from happening, and without doubt this is the Muslim ruler [where there is no other ruler over him in the dunya] who is able to change and substitute these disbelieving traditions and customs to Islamic traditions and customs. As for the one who is a state employee or soldier, [in the army], and has no control over this except to follow this corrupted system which opposes Islam, then this will reveal the levels of the people according to the statement of the prophet:

“Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then let him change it with his tongue; and if he is not able to do that, then with his heart – and that is the weakest of faith.”

And we know from the likes of these problems many more problems will occur consequently in some of the Islamic countries, because the affairs, as we have said, are foreign traditions.

For example: In some of the Arab Islamic countries, it is not allowed for the soldier to grow his beard, so thus the people based on their levels [which have been mentioned in the Hadith] will come to light. So, you will find most people today when they enlist in the army, they shave their beards [and they will say] this is how the system is. Then you will find some of them not [wanting] to shave it but they shave it only because they are forced to. Then you will find some – and this is very few and there are examples of these types of people in Jordan and Syria – who will hold one’s ground and resist and persevere and will thus be met with punishment, prison, etc…then the aid of Allah will come. So, you will indeed find a bearded soldier whereas thousand of people will be without beards. There then the issue correlates to the strength of Iman in the مكلف [one who is obligated to observe the precepts of Islam], as this person who is commissioned to greet/salute the flag without doubt is capable of not greeting it, but he knows that there will be a punishment or jail time waiting for him, and perhaps other [severe] punishments which we do not know of. So therefore, the strong believer who has Iman perseveres and remains patient, where after patience there is aid from Allah as He promised for the believers. And there are those who do not have it in them to remain patient and so they end up giving salutations for the flag while their hearts are detesting this greeting. Like this, it is obligatory that we know that this is indeed something wrong and evil, and the one who is forced to stand at the very least should hate it in his heart because there is no trace of Iman beyond that as comes in some authentic narrations.”

Questioner:

“Does just standing straight up for the flag infringe one’s Tawheed?”

Answer:

“Yes, it infringes one’s Islam and the shareeah and Islamic etiquette…{The Day when all of mankind will stand before the Lord of ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exams)} – Surah Mutaffifeen ayah 6. This type of glorification and exaltation is the type of glorification for idols because this flag is equivalent to a piece of cloth; However, this is a blind imitation of the Europeans unfortunately!”

End quote.

[الأجوبة الألبانية على الأسئلة الكويتية]

Translated by

Ikram Siddiqui
Abu Saif