What is your opinion of the one who says: The people of the Sunnah and the community do not declare a specific person a disbeliever, or one who associates partners with Allah, or a hypocrite, unless something of that appears from him?

The questioner : Our Shaykh, what is your opinion of the one who says: The people of the Sunnah and the community do not declare a specific person a disbeliever, or one who associates partners with Allah, or a hypocrite, unless something of that appears from him?

The Shaykh : This is the truth.
The Shaykh : "So this is the truth, there is no doubt in it *** So leave me alone regarding the intentions of the people of the path."

The questioner : Our Shaykh, this statement, meaning as a completion of the question: and they leave the secret to Allah, does this not contradict the existence of practical disbelief among the people of the Sunnah and the community?

The Shaykh : What is it that contradicts? It is not what contradicts? Repeat the phrase.

The questioner : From the beginning?

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : What is your opinion of the one who says: The people of the Sunnah and the community do not declare a specific person a disbeliever, or one who associates partners with Allah, or a hypocrite, unless something of that appears from him?

The Shaykh : Stop for a moment, one person said: I believe in the cross, did disbelief not appear from him?

The questioner : It has become clear.

The Shaykh : Okay, what is the objection that is raised against this?

The questioner : They leave the secret to Allah.

The Shaykh : The secret in an action, we have no evidence that this action conceals from its doer what is contrary to it. One who considers riba (usury or interest) permissible, or considers zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) permissible, have we revealed his heart to show that he considers it permissible in his heart and belief? No, but his case is left to Allah. If Allah knows from him the heart’s permissibility, He will keep him in the Fire, otherwise He will put him in the Fire to the extent he deserves, except if He forgives him. But here the exception is "except what appears from him." Where is the contradiction in their statement?

The questioner : The one who holds this statement has a statement regarding the existence of practical disbelief among the people of the Sunnah, meaning it seems to contradict his statement in some cases?

The Shaykh : This is ignorance or neglect, and both are bitter. When we say: practical disbelief and creedal disbelief, it is because the matter is apparent and it is possible that it is creedal disbelief, but it has not appeared. However, if it appears, the matter is finished. So here the example appeared first, here except: what is the phrase?

The questioner : They do not declare a specific person a disbeliever!

The Shaykh : Except, the last part.

The questioner : Except that this contradicts, they do not declare a specific person a disbeliever, or one who associates partners with Allah, or a hypocrite, unless something of that appears from him.

The Shaykh : This is it, so disbelief appeared from him and the matter is finished. Meaning, the Jews, the Christians, and the polytheists, and so on, disbelief has appeared from them, so we rule that they are disbelievers. We have the apparent evidence. If a person knows what is forbidden, but we have nothing indicating that he considered this haram (forbidden) permissible, except if he says with his tongue: I drink khamr (intoxicants) and I consider it permissible, even though Allah has forbidden it. This is disbelief appearing from him; the other possibility is no longer present at all.

The questioner : May Allah bless you.