The Ruling on Boycotting a Disbelieving Father and a Disbelieving Brother

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Question:
Umm Hudhayfah asks and says: What is the ruling on boycotting a close relative who is a disbeliever, such as a father or a brother? Is that considered undutifulness to parents, or is it severing family ties?

Answer:
It is obligatory to hate the disbeliever, even if he is among the closest of people, even if he is a father or a son. Allah the Exalted said:

O you who have believed, do not take your fathers or your brothers as allies if they have preferred disbelief over belief.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا آبَاءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَانَكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ إِنِ اسْتَحَبُّوا الْكُفْرَ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ

[At-Tawbah 9:23]

And He, the Exalted and Majestic, said:

You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred

لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ

[Al-Mujadila 58:22]

So hating them is established, and loving them is forbidden. Likewise, boycotting them is obligatory; they must be boycotted until they repent to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. However, the right of the parents is obligatory, even if they are disbelievers: being dutiful to them and being kind to them, without loving them, while disliking what they are upon of disbelief and belief. But one is dutiful to them in return for their conduct in raising him. Allah the Exalted said:

And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ

[Luqman 31:14]

⁽¹⁴⁾ And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination. ⁽¹⁵⁾ But if they endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do.

وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰ أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ

[Luqman 31:14-15]

, so one is dutiful to them, even if they are disbelievers, but he does not love them, nor does he justify what they are upon, what they are upon of disbelief; rather, he hates it and dislikes it, and calls them to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Yes.

Source قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، حكم هجر الأب الكافر والأخ الكافر – الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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