What is the ruling on insulting the religion in a state of anger? Does he owe an expiation, and what are the conditions of repentance from this act?
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The questioner : What is the ruling in the Shari'ah, in your view, regarding a man who insulted the religion in a state of anger? Does he owe an expiation? And what are the conditions of repentance from this act? This is because I have heard scholars say that you have exited Islam with this statement, and they also say that your wife has become forbidden to you. Please inform us about this matter?
The Shaykh : The ruling regarding one who insults the Islamic religion is that he becomes a disbeliever. Insulting the religion and mocking it is apostasy from Islam and disbelief in Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and His religion. Allah the Exalted has narrated about a group who mocked the religion of Islam; He narrated that they used to say:[At-Tawbah 9:65]. Allah the Exalted made it clear that their talk and play were mockery of Allah, His verses, and His Messenger, and that they disbelieved in Him. So He said: [At-Tawbah 9:65-66]. Thus, mocking the religion of Allah, or insulting the religion of Allah, or insulting Allah and His Messenger, or mocking them, is disbelief that expels one from the religion. However, there is a scope for repentance from it, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Az-Zumar 39:53]. If a person repents from any form of apostasy with a sincere repentance that fulfills the five conditions of repentance, then Allah the Exalted will accept his repentance. The five conditions of repentance are: first, sincerity to Allah in his repentance, such that the motive for his repentance is not showing off, seeking reputation, fear of creation, or hope for something he will gain from this world. If he makes his repentance sincere to Allah, and the motive for it becomes mindfulness of Allah the Exalted, fear of His punishment, and hope for His reward, then he has been sincere to Allah the Exalted in it.
The second condition is that he regrets what he did of the sin, such that he finds in himself grief and sorrow for what has passed, and he sees it as a great matter that obligates him to get rid of it. The third matter, or the third condition, is that he ceases the sin and the persistence in it. If his sin was leaving an obligatory act, he must perform it and make up for it if possible. If his sin was committing a forbidden act, he must cease it and stay away from it. This includes, if the sin relates to the rights of created beings, that he pays them their rights or seeks their forgiveness.
The fourth condition is the resolve not to return to it in the future, such that he has a firm resolve in his heart not to return to this disobedience from which he repented.
The fifth condition is that the repentance be within the time of acceptance. If it is after the time of acceptance has passed, it will not be accepted. The passing of the time of acceptance is general and specific. As for the general, it is the rising of the sun from the west; so repentance after the sun rises from the west is not accepted, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-An'am 6:158]. As for the specific, it is the arrival of the term of death. If the term of death arrives, then repentance does not benefit, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: [An-Nisa 4:18]. I say: If a person repents from any sin, even if it is insulting the religion, his repentance is accepted if it fulfills the conditions we mentioned. However, let him know that a word may be disbelief and apostasy, but the one who speaks it may not become a disbeliever because of it, due to the presence of a barrier that prevents ruling on his disbelief. So, regarding this man who mentioned that he insulted the religion in a state of anger, we say to him: If your anger was intense such that you did not know what you were saying, and you did not know at that moment whether you were in the sky or on the earth, and you spoke words that you were not aware of and did not recognize, then this speech has no ruling, and you are not ruled as an apostate, because it is speech that occurred without will and intention. And all speech that occurs without will and intention, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not hold one accountable for it. Allah the Exalted says regarding oaths: [Al-Baqarah 2:225]. And He says in another verse: [Al-Ma'idah 5:89]. So if this person who spoke the word of disbelief was in intense anger, not knowing what he was saying and not knowing what came out of him, then his speech has no ruling, and he is not ruled as an apostate at that time. And if he is not ruled as an apostate, then his wife’s marriage is not annulled from him, but she remains in his protection. However, a person should strive to cure this anger with what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised when a man asked him, saying: O Messenger of Allah! Advise me? He said: . He repeated it several times, saying: . Let him control himself and seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan. If he is standing, let him sit. If he is sitting, let him lie down. If the anger intensifies, let him perform ablution, for these things will remove his anger. How many people have regretted greatly the execution of what their anger demanded, but only after it was too late.
The Shaykh : The ruling regarding one who insults the Islamic religion is that he becomes a disbeliever. Insulting the religion and mocking it is apostasy from Islam and disbelief in Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and His religion. Allah the Exalted has narrated about a group who mocked the religion of Islam; He narrated that they used to say:
We were only conversing and playing.
إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ(65) And if you ask them, they will surely say, "We were only conversing and playing." Say, "Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?" (66) Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.
وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ قُلْ أَبِاللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ * لا تَعْتَذِرُوا قَدْ كَفَرْتُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْSay, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُThe second condition is that he regrets what he did of the sin, such that he finds in himself grief and sorrow for what has passed, and he sees it as a great matter that obligates him to get rid of it. The third matter, or the third condition, is that he ceases the sin and the persistence in it. If his sin was leaving an obligatory act, he must perform it and make up for it if possible. If his sin was committing a forbidden act, he must cease it and stay away from it. This includes, if the sin relates to the rights of created beings, that he pays them their rights or seeks their forgiveness.
The fourth condition is the resolve not to return to it in the future, such that he has a firm resolve in his heart not to return to this disobedience from which he repented.
The fifth condition is that the repentance be within the time of acceptance. If it is after the time of acceptance has passed, it will not be accepted. The passing of the time of acceptance is general and specific. As for the general, it is the rising of the sun from the west; so repentance after the sun rises from the west is not accepted, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: