characterisation of non-Islamic states and governments and his call for Muslims to be “hostile” to them: “And every State which does not rule in accordance with Allah's Revelation is an [evil or rebellious against God] 11 and unjust State which disbelieves in the Quranic Verses". Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz may Allah have mercy on his soul he says in his book Criticism of Arab Nationalism and the State or government, it does not judge by what Allah the Exalted has revealed, is a state or a government which is rebellious or evil … unjust – what’s that? Oppressive, Disbeliever in the provisions of clear Quranic Verses … clear texts of Qur’an and Sunnah; and then he carries on to say, we should be hostile to it. It is a duty (wajib) to hate it.15 Now, this is the statement of Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz may Allah the Exalted have mercy on his soul.” 197. Second, the Claimant reinforces the first passage by citing a further statement from Sheikh bin Baz which likens non-Muslims to “idolaters”: “A person who follows a law other than Allah’s law, or who follows legislation other than Allah’s legislation, is the same as a person who worships an idol.” 198. Third, the Claimant then distinguishes between the linguistic and religious meaning of jihad. He states that the linguistic (lughawi) meaning of jihad is “struggle against the evil within oneself…” and that the religious meaning of jihad is "fighting physically against the enemies of Islam…".16 When later questioned by a member of the audience, the Claimant re-iterated that the religious meaning of jihad was "fighting in the path of Allah the enemies of Islam…" (see further below). 199. Fourth, the Claimant then quotes Sheikh bin Baz to that effect that religious Jihad (i.e. "fighting in the path of Allah the enemies of Islam") is “...one of the best methods of getting closer to Allah…”: “But again sadly, you know, you find that this [i.e. fighting physically against the enemies of Islam] is not mentioned because sometimes we have the defeatist mentality and we don’t want to support, you know, those who are really struggling and striving and fighting in the path of Allah the Glorified and the Exalted. And again, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz may Allah have mercy on his soul, you will be surprised or you shouldn’t be surprised but, you know, he had a book, or has a book again in the Fatwas (Legal Opinions) you'll find it The Merits of Jihad and Mujahideen (Fighters for Islam) … He says after a very beautiful introduction and then he says, “To proceed, Jihad in the path of Allah is one of the best methods of getting closer to Allah. As for jihad in the path of 11 The experts agree that the correct translation of fasiq is “evil of rebellious against God” rather than “obscene”. 15 The words “It is a duty (wajib) to hate it” are the Claimant’s own words, added as a gloss to those of Sheikh bin Baz. 16 The Claimant uses the word ‘Shari’y’ which means literally ‘in Shari’a Law’ but which he translates as ‘religious’. 44