The ruling on one who says a word of disbelief then repents and is forbidden from it
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The questioner:
But the polytheists have a doubt they raise in this case, which is that they say the Children of Israel did not disbelieve by that, and likewise those who said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “Make for us a tree of idols,” did not disbelieve.
The Shaykh:
Yes, and they say, yes, this happened with the Children of Israel and with those new to Islam in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). They said, the Children of Israel said,[Al-A'raf 7:138] Does this indicate, in their claim, that one who says a word of disbelief does not disbelieve? The answer is yes.
The questioner:
The answer is that we say the Children of Israel did not do it.
The Shaykh:
They did not do it, for when Moses forbade them, they refrained. When Moses forbade them, they refrained immediately. The Companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), being new to Islam, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them, they refrained immediately and did not take a tree of idols. Had they taken one, they would have associated partners with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So if a person says a word of disbelief or shirk (associating partners with Allah) and is warned about it and forbidden from it, then he repents and leaves it, he does not disbelieve. But you, we forbid you and say to you, and you do not accept. You are forbidden from shirk and from these matters, but you do not accept, as the Children of Israel accepted and as these Companions accepted from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Had you accepted, you would not have disbelieved. Yes.
The questioner:
And likewise, those who asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it.
The Shaykh:
Yes, they did not do it, meaning they did not take a tree of idols. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them, they refrained.
The questioner:
There is no disagreement that if the Children of Israel had done that, they would have disbelieved.
The Shaykh:
If they had done that after Musa forbade them, they would have committed disbelief. There is no disagreement among the scholars on this. Yes.
The questioner:
And likewise, there is no disagreement that if those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade had not obeyed him and had taken a tree of idols after his prohibition, they would have disbelieved.
The Shaykh:
There is no doubt; because if they had defied the prohibition and taken [something] besides Allah, they would disbelieve; because the proof has been established against them, so if they had done what they requested, they would have disbelieved. Yes.
The questioner:
And this is what is required.
The Shaykh:
Yes, this is the required answer, exposing this doubt. Yes.
But the polytheists have a doubt they raise in this case, which is that they say the Children of Israel did not disbelieve by that, and likewise those who said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “Make for us a tree of idols,” did not disbelieve.
The Shaykh:
Yes, and they say, yes, this happened with the Children of Israel and with those new to Islam in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). They said, the Children of Israel said,
make for us a god just as they have gods." He said
اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ قَالَThe questioner:
The answer is that we say the Children of Israel did not do it.
The Shaykh:
They did not do it, for when Moses forbade them, they refrained. When Moses forbade them, they refrained immediately. The Companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), being new to Islam, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them, they refrained immediately and did not take a tree of idols. Had they taken one, they would have associated partners with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So if a person says a word of disbelief or shirk (associating partners with Allah) and is warned about it and forbidden from it, then he repents and leaves it, he does not disbelieve. But you, we forbid you and say to you, and you do not accept. You are forbidden from shirk and from these matters, but you do not accept, as the Children of Israel accepted and as these Companions accepted from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Had you accepted, you would not have disbelieved. Yes.
The questioner:
And likewise, those who asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it.
The Shaykh:
Yes, they did not do it, meaning they did not take a tree of idols. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them, they refrained.
The questioner:
There is no disagreement that if the Children of Israel had done that, they would have disbelieved.
The Shaykh:
If they had done that after Musa forbade them, they would have committed disbelief. There is no disagreement among the scholars on this. Yes.
The questioner:
And likewise, there is no disagreement that if those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade had not obeyed him and had taken a tree of idols after his prohibition, they would have disbelieved.
The Shaykh:
There is no doubt; because if they had defied the prohibition and taken [something] besides Allah, they would disbelieve; because the proof has been established against them, so if they had done what they requested, they would have disbelieved. Yes.
The questioner:
And this is what is required.
The Shaykh:
Yes, this is the required answer, exposing this doubt. Yes.
Source
شرح كشف الشبهات [1433هـ]، شرح كشف الشبهات 26-01-1434هـ — alfawzan.live (13:26)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.