Is it permissible for anyone to declare a specific person an open sinner, or is the ruling on this like the ruling on declaring someone a disbeliever or an innovator, where one must look at the presence of the conditions and the absence of the impediments?

Question:
Is it permissible for anyone to declare a specific person an open sinner, or is the ruling on this like the ruling on declaring someone a disbeliever or an innovator, where one must look at the presence of the conditions and the absence of the impediments?

Answer:
The discussion here is about declaring someone a disbeliever. As for declaring someone an open sinner, if he commits one of the major sins other than shirk (associating partners with Allah), he is an open sinner. The one who commits zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), or steals, or drinks intoxicants, is an open sinner, and he is ruled to be an open sinner. Yes.