We find in *al-Durar al-Saniyyah* their statement: “The layperson has the right to declare a specific polytheist a disbeliever without referring to the scholars!”

The questioner:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, the father. The questioner says: We find in the books of the Imams, such as *al-Durar al-Saniyyah* and others, that the layperson has the right to declare a specific polytheist a disbeliever without referring to the scholars. Does this conflict with the obligation for the general public not to engage in the issue of declaring specific individuals disbelievers?

The Shaykh:
By Allah, I have not seen this statement, and I do not think it is in the study that a layperson declares people disbelievers when he does not know what he is doing. I do not think this exists. If it does exist, it has another aspect; one must have seen the beginning of the statement, the end of the statement, and the context.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, the father. The questioner says: I led the people in prayer as the imam in the 'Isha' prayer,

The Shaykh:
But it may be said that apparent matters are grounds for declaring someone a disbeliever, which the common people and others know, such as shirk (associating partners with Allah) and kufr (disbelief) against Allah. If you hear a person deny Allah, or prostrate to other than Allah, or slaughter for other than Allah, you judge him by his action. The action and others condemn this. Yes. As for hidden matters that require knowledge and insight, no, these are not the concern of the common people. Yes.