The One who revealed the religion through His Prophet, who commanded loyalty to the Muslims and forbade taking the Jews and Christians as allies—indeed, He commanded you to hate them and strive against them to the best of your ability—has He commanded you to undertake the guarding of their pigs?” If he says this, his falsehood becomes evident. But if he says, “Rather, it is a command cast into my heart,” he would not be lying. He should then be told: “This is a command from Satan, not the command of the Most Merciful which He revealed in His Books and sent His messengers to convey. It is, however, among the things He has brought into being and decreed, like the polytheism of those who said:

‘If Allah had willed, neither we nor our fathers would have associated partners with Him.’”

Some among these people suppose that the men through whom the unbelievers—polytheists and People of the Book—receive support are allies of Allah, and that they are not required to follow the Messenger, like the angels assigned to the children of Adam, attending them in succession. I said to one of their shaykhs: “Muhammad was sent to both communities, humans and jinn; he was not sent to the angels. Thus, any human or jinn who does not believe in him is an enemy of Allah, not an ally of Allah. The angels are a different case.”

He should then be told: “The angels do not assist the unbelievers in committing sins or fighting the Muslims; it is only the devils who assist them in that. The angels may, however, be charged with their creation, their provision, and the recording of their deeds, for none of that is sinful.” Thus, the answer lies in distinguishing between them and the angels in these two respects.