3 Jumaadal Oola 1448 AH | ٣ جمادى الأولى ١٤٤٨ هـ | Wednesday, 14 October 2026 · Jamaica time

Is it Kufr to read oath to obtain my US Citizenship?

18 Shawwaal 1437 | 24 July 2016

Question

I have emigrated from an arab muslim country to US and lived

there for almost 20 years. I became a US citizens and gave up my original

arab muslim country citizenship even though I can keep both citizenship in

both countries. My original arab muslim country ruled by islamic law but

there is a lot of corruption and in America we have freedom of religion and

we have mosques. I love America, and have my home there, and my understanding

that a muslim should love the land he lives in and be a good role model

citizen and respect the law as long as he is not asked to do anything

prohibited in islam.

I wrote and said the following oath upon taking US

citizenship:" I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely

renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince,

potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a

subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws

of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms

on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform

noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required

by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian

direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely

without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

One day I was searching something on the net and read something that was

concerning, which was a fatwa by someone( I think from Salafi school of

thought) answering someone who asked about the US citizenship oath and the

sheikh said that such oath is an absolute allegiance (Wiliya Mutlaga) and

hence is considered Kufur!!!!!!

I love my religion islam. I also love The United States and alhamduliallah

feel happy there Did I commit any apostasy(kufur) by saying and writing the

above oath? Am I still a muslim!!! Please advise me and Jazzak Allah Khair

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

If your intention was merely to follow the procedures necessary to obtain your citizenship, then that would not constitute Kufr.

You may also refer to "askimam.org" regarding this matter.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Saeed Ahmed Golaub
Islamic Solutions
Jamaica

This answer is based specifically on the question asked and should be read together with the question. Read our full disclaimer.

↑