The Criterion for Major and Minor Kufr and the Ruling on Judging by Other Than What Allah Has Revealed

The questioner:
The first question asks: What is the criterion for declaring kufr (disbelief) in its two types, minor and major, and what is kufr that is practiced?

Another questioner:
And what is the ruling regarding the rulers of the people of innovation and their followers, such as the Rafidah and others?

The Shaykh:
Kufr is of two types, and shirk (associating partners with Allah) is of two types: major and minor. The ruling in this matter is based on the evidence of the Shari'ah. If the evidence of the Shari'ah indicates that something is major kufr and major shirk, then it is major kufr and major shirk, such as calling upon other than Allah, seeking aid from other than Allah through idols, statues, the people of graves, the jinn, the awliya (close friends of Allah), the sun, the moon, and the stars, and the like. Calling upon other than Allah, and seeking aid from other than Allah through the dead, inanimate objects, and those who are absent, all of this is major shirk. Similarly, denying what Allah has made obligatory, whether it is a meaning of the religion that is known by necessity, such as denying the obligation of prayer, or the obligation of fasting in Ramadan, or the obligation of Hajj with the ability to perform it, or zakah, or dutifulness to parents, or the like. Denying this is a departure from Islam; it is major kufr. If a person is a new Muslim, something may be hidden from him, so it is explained to him what may have been hidden. If it is explained to him and he persists, he is a disbeliever.
Similarly, denying what Allah has forbidden from the matters known from the religion by necessity, meaning by the evidence of the Shari'ah, such as the prohibition of zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), the prohibition of khamr (intoxicants), the prohibition of oppressing people, the prohibition of riba (usury or interest), the prohibition of undutifulness to parents, and the like, which is known from the religion by necessity. If one denies this and says, "No, it is not forbidden," he is a disbeliever. If a person is ignorant and claims ignorance, it is explained to him with evidence until his ignorance is removed and the argument is established against him. As for what is mentioned in the evidence that is kufr and shirk but does not reach this level, it is minor kufr. Such as riya' (showing off in worship), like the riya' of the Amal. Swearing by other than Allah, saying, "What Allah willed and so-and-so willed," or "If not for Allah and so-and-so," this is minor shirk. ." Disowning one's father in a matter other than his father, this is minor kufr, unless one considers it permissible. Judging by other than what Allah has revealed is minor kufr if one does not consider it permissible, such as judging by bribery or the like, where one knows that he is being unjust and that he is wrong. This is minor kufr, as Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, and others said.
The limit for this is that every student of knowledge should pay attention to the chapter on the ruling of the apostate. He should pay attention to this chapter in all four schools of jurisprudence, which detail the types of major and minor kufr. I advise myself and my brothers to pay attention to this chapter, and it is a chapter worthy of attention, because this is a serious matter. So I advise paying attention to this chapter, looking at the evidence, and the words of the scholars, and that the believer should be careful in this matter, and not rush in what may be difficult for him until he is reassured of the Shari'ah ruling. Yes.