Is nationalism compatible with religion?

Nationalism has no place in religion, because the two belong to different spheres. Every religious person has a nationality, but a true religion has none.

When nationalism appears within religion, it is a warning sign. Either faith is being used for national goals, or one people is raising itself above others in the name of God. In both cases something has gone wrong, with the religion and with the nationalism.

Religion and nation belong to different spheres. Nationalism has no right to interfere with religion, and religion should not intrude into the affairs of the nation. Every believer has a nationality. He can love his country and serve it loyally. But a true religion has no nationality. It belongs to no single people.

The reason lies in the nature of faith. God is the Lord of all people, not of one particular country. The first verse above says that He made people into nations so that they might know one another. The highest rank belongs not to a nation but to whoever fears God most. The second verse shows that the message of Islam was meant for all of humanity from the very beginning.

A religion that is religion in name only can easily be mixed with any value at all, including national pride. A true religion, by contrast, stays open to everyone. That is why a Muslim can love his homeland without turning his faith into a national cause.