A writer in one of the newspapers described Abu Bakr as the first to establish the ideology of takfir (declaring someone a disbeliever); what is the ruling on this statement?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: A writer in one of the newspapers describes Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as the first to establish the ideology of takfir (declaring someone a disbeliever); what is the ruling on this statement?

Answer:
Praise be to Allah. This indicates the mentality of this writer, and that it is a foolish mentality, where he accuses the best of the Ummah of this accusation. Abu Bakr did not declare a Muslim to be a disbeliever; he did not declare a Muslim to be a disbeliever. Takfir (declaring someone a disbeliever) is the declaration of disbelief against a Muslim. As for declaring a disbeliever to be a disbeliever, that is the truth. And takfir (declaring someone a disbeliever) is not absolutely prohibited; it is applied to whoever deserves it. As for applying it to whoever does not deserve it, that is the condemned takfir (declaring someone a disbeliever). Yes.