Clarification of the Position of the People of the Sunnah Regarding Declaring Those Who Differ in Creed to Be Disbelievers

Question:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab to his brother Hamd al-Tuwajiri, may Allah inspire him with guidance. Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. To proceed: The letter reached you, may Allah make it pleasing to Him. We have reviewed the aforementioned letter, and its author claims affiliation with the school of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him). What his letter contains regarding the attributes contradicts the creed of Imam Ahmad, and what it contains of false doubts in downplaying the matter of shirk (associating partners with Allah), or rather in permitting it, is one of the most clearly invalid matters for one who is free from bias and fanaticism.

Answer:
Yes, meaning the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him), his school and the school of the people of the Sunnah and the community are that they do not declare people disbelievers in general, but rather they declare disbeliever only the one whose disbelief is established by the Book and the Sunnah, meaning that evidence of his disbelief is established from the Book or from the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the position of the scholars of truth, with their consensus on this matter, not the position of the Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him). Yes. May Allah reward you. He said (may Allah have mercy on him): "And what it contains of false doubts in downplaying the matter of shirk, or rather in permitting it, is one of the most clearly invalid matters for one who is free from bias and fanaticism." Yes, the letter that the Shaykh refuted is the one in which it is stated that affirming Islam for the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) who worship other than Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and call upon other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic), or deny what the Muslims have agreed upon as disbelief for whoever follows it. This is what the Shaykh says, and it is said by all Muslim scholars, and praise be to Allah. The lie is clear and known, and its proponents are known, and this falsehood does not harm the Shaykh or affect his da'wah (calling to Islam). Yes. May Allah reward you. He said (may Allah have mercy on him): "And his deception of the masses by claiming that Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab says that whoever does not submit to my obedience is a disbeliever, and we say: Glory be to You, this is a great slander." This misguided criminal attributed to the Shaykh the claim that he says whoever does not submit to my obedience is a disbeliever, and this is a clear lie that no one among the Muslim scholars says, let alone the Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, who is known for his moderation and known for his calling to the truth. Yes. May Allah reward you. He said (may Allah have mercy on him): "Rather, we bear witness to Allah regarding what He knows of our hearts that whoever acts upon tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and disavows shirk and its people, he is a Muslim in any time and any place." Yes, this is the true statement that the Shaykh and others say, and there is consensus among the Muslim scholars that whoever is free from shirk and adheres to tawhid, he is truly a Muslim. May Allah reward you. He said (may Allah have mercy on him): "And we only declare disbeliever the one who associates with Allah in His divinity after we have clarified to him the argument for the invalidity of shirk." Those whom the Shaykh declares disbeliever are those who knew the truth and did not follow it, following their desires or the desires of their Shaykhs from the people of misguidance. These are the ones whom the Muslim scholars in general declare disbeliever, not only the Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab. Yes. May Allah reward you. He said: "After we have clarified to him the argument for the invalidity of shirk, if the Shaykh hears a statement containing disbelief, he does not hasten to declare its speaker a disbeliever until he establishes the argument against him from the Book and the Sunnah, as is the position of the people of the Sunnah and the community." Yes. May Allah reward you. He said (may Allah have mercy on him): "And we also declare disbeliever the one who beautifies it for people or establishes false doubts regarding its permissibility." And the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) also declares disbeliever the one to whom the truth became clear but he did not follow it and did not act upon it, but rather remained upon the school that contradicts the Book and the Sunnah. This is the one whom the Muslims in general declare disbeliever, not only the Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab. Yes. May Allah reward you. He said: "And we also declare disbeliever the one who beautifies it for people or establishes the false doubt regarding its permissibility," meaning shirk. Yes, he declares disbeliever the one who beautifies it for people and calls to it from among the scholars of misguidance, and they are many, and did not clarify it to people. Yes. Or establishes the false doubt regarding its permissibility. Or establishes the doubt, and this is greater than the first; it is greater to establish the false doubt regarding the reality of kufr (disbelief), the kufr of Allah, the schools that contain kufr of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and they are many. Yes. May Allah reward you. And also the one who stands with his sword in defense of these shrines at which shirk is committed with Allah, and also the one who defends these idols at which Allah is worshipped, and Allah has forbidden that, they worship other than Allah at these idols, as is the case with the mushrikin in the time of the Shaykh and others, for they worship the idols and think that this is part of the worship of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and this is explicit kufr. Yes. May Allah reward you. He said: "And also the one who stands with his sword in defense of these shrines at which shirk is committed with Allah, and fights those who deny them, and strives to remove them." Yes, meaning the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) also declares disbeliever the one who defends these idols that are worshipped alongside Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). This is the one whom the Shaykh declares disbeliever and whom the Muslims in general declare disbeliever, so this is a disbeliever by consensus, and it is not only with the Shaykh. Yes. He said (may Allah have mercy on him): "And fights those who deny them and strives to remove them, and Allah is the Helper, and peace." Yes, those who defend these idols and approve of them, these are the ones whom the Muslims in general declare disbeliever, not only the Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, but rather the people of desire, and refuge with Allah, commit foolishness, and how great is this matter? The matter of those who defend the idols and fight those who want to remove them. Yes. May Allah reward you and bless you and your knowledge. This letter has ended, and praise be to Allah. May Allah thank you and benefit with you and your knowledge. And may Allah forgive the Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab and grant him abundant reward. O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.