We would like first to stress that Muslims should work together to remove oppression from the oppressed regardless of whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims.
In Islam, there is nothing to prohibit a Muslim from cooperating with non-Muslims as long as such cooperation is proper and is governed by rules of the Shari`ah. Referring to this, Allah Almighty says: “Allah forbiddeth you not those who warred not against you on account of religion and drove you not out from your homes, that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loveth the just dealers.‏ Allah forbiddeth you only those who warred against you on account of religion and have driven you out from your homes and helped to drive you out, that ye make friends of them. Whosoever maketh friends of them (All) such are wrong doers.” (Al-Mumtahanah: 8-9)
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, A Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states the following: “There is nothing wrong for us Muslims in joining hands with organizations such as Amnesty International. To do so, in my mind, is not only permissible but also mandated by Islam.
It is important for us to know that we Muslims are part of a larger body of humanity; we must cooperate in all good causes with others so long as it is for the cause of truth and justice.
Organizations such as Amnesty International have credibility and reputation. But if you know that they are doing something which is clearly haram, then you must stay away from it, if you can do so. But that should not prevent you from helping them in their larger causes that are noble and therefore perfectly Islamic.
Indeed, we have precedents for this cooperation in the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said about hilf al-fudul (the pact of virtue): “if I were called upon to something similar in Islam, I would have no hesitation in joining it.”
Remember Allah will not punish us for things we have no control over.”
Moreover, Sheikh Muhammad Nur Abdullah, President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and member of the Fiqh Council of North America, adds:
“The general principle that governs this case and similar ones is the following verse: “And cooperate with one another towards piety and righteousness and never cooperate towards sin and aggression.” (Al-Ma’idah: 2) So, if the purpose of this organization is good and Islamically accepted, then joining the organization would be automatically acceptable.
As for Amnesty International, they generally aim at defending the oppressed and appealing for rights. However, one has to check each local organization whether they work for that purpose or not because sometimes local organizations have different or hidden agendas.”