What is the ruling on a Muslim who utters a word of disbelief while not intending its meaning?
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The questioner : My Shaykh, regarding a Muslim who utters a word of disbelief while not intending its meaning, is he ruled to be a disbeliever?
The Shaykh : Do you mean apostasy?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : He is not ruled to be a disbeliever.
The questioner : He is not ruled to be a disbeliever. Now, if a disbeliever says "La ilaha illa Allah" while not intending its meaning, is he ruled to be a Muslim?
The Shaykh : How do you know he does not intend its meaning?
The questioner : Ah, he does not intend its meaning, for example, he is a non-Arab or he did not understand it with its conditions.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : He did not understand it, he did not understand its conditions.
The Shaykh : All right, since he said it, it is a protection.
The questioner : Even though he does not ... its meaning.
The Shaykh : Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah, whereas faith is to believe in the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah." That is, if a person says "La ilaha illa Allah," let us assume he knows its meaning and disbelieves in it, and says with his tongue what is not in his heart, what is he called?
The questioner : A hypocrite.
The Shaykh : A hypocrite. Now, is this worse or the one you asked about?
The questioner : No, the one you asked about is naturally the latter, the one you asked about is the worse one.
The Shaykh: May Allah forgive you.
The questioner : I changed it.
The Shaykh : All right, you changed it, so correct it, which one is worse?
The questioner : Which one is worse? The hypocrite, naturally.
The Shaykh : The hypocrite. Does saying "La ilaha illa Allah" benefit him?
The questioner : It does not benefit him.
The Shaykh : It benefits him.
The questioner : The hypocrite or the other one?
The Shaykh : This is what.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh: No, no.
The questioner : I am just asking you, O my master.
The Shaykh : Give me the answer, may Allah guide you, which one is worse?
The questioner : The hypocrite.
The Shaykh : All right, does saying "La ilaha illa Allah" benefit him?
The questioner : It does not benefit him.
The Shaykh : You made a mistake.
The questioner : You told me about the hypocrite and then you twisted the question, meaning.
The Shaykh : Do not wander, do not wander, I am repeating the words to you, which one is worse?
The questioner : The hypocrite is worse.
The Shaykh : All right, stop at this phrase, does his Islam benefit him? You say no, I tell you you are wrong, do not wander, think about this point.
The questioner : I mean the man you are talking about is the one who.
The Shaykh : He, he, the one you are talking about, may Allah guide you, for you, my brother, you are not talking about him and I am talking about him, we have reached a point, which one is worse?
The questioner : The hypocrite.
The Shaykh : All right, you are talking about him and I am not talking about him?
The questioner : No, we are both.
The Shaykh : So then, this point we have reached together, does this hypocrite's Islam benefit him?
The questioner : His Islam does not benefit him.
The Shaykh : His Islam benefits him, read the hadith.
The questioner : His Islam benefits him ... .
The Shaykh : Read the hadith.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Here he is going to change his words.
The questioner : All right, no problem, I did not understand the question.
The Shaykh : No problem.
The questioner : I did not understand the question.
The Shaykh : Say you did not understand.
The questioner : I did not understand the question.
The Shaykh : All right, the one who does not understand the question answers.
The questioner : I understood it in another way.
The student : Like Nazeer today.
The questioner : All right, O my master, repeat the question to me.
The Shaykh : There is no power nor strength except with Allah, this is the hypocrite.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : If he says "La ilaha illa Allah," his saying benefits him.
The questioner : Yes, it benefits him in this world.
The Shaykh : All right, that one which is less severe in evil, if he says "La ilaha illa Allah," does it benefit him?
The questioner : It benefits him in this world and the Hereafter.
The Shaykh : All right, is the matter finished?
The questioner : The question is still there.
The Shaykh : No problem, but the important thing is that we understand.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Step by step.
The student : ... Our Shaykh said this world, and now he said in this world and the Hereafter.
The Shaykh : No problem, now let us see, now he wants to ask.
The questioner : Both are the same in not intending the meaning, why did we rule on the first one you asked me about? Both are the same in intending the meaning, may Allah guide you, the one who does not intend its meaning, which is the Muslim who uttered disbelief and the disbeliever who said "La ilaha illa Allah" not intending its meaning, both are the same in not intending the meaning, why did we not rule on the first one, who is the Muslim, why did we not rule on him as a disbeliever, and why did we rule on the second one as a Muslim, it should be, I mean. My Shaykh, by the way, the owner of this question is from the group of those who suspend judgment, they follow the path of declaring people disbelievers, so we are presenting the question to you and we want the answer to respond to them, so that you do not think that I am the one asking.
The Shaykh : In any case, this, my brother, is not the correct method, because when the man is present, words may come out of him that we understand his problem from in a more complete way, so now you are conveying for him, perhaps your conveying is incomplete, my answer to this incomplete conveying will perhaps be incomplete regarding the viewpoint of the one being conveyed, and so the problem is not solved.
The questioner : All right, my Shaykh, I have a doubt, all right.
The Shaykh : ... .
The questioner : Do you want an answer?
The Shaykh : So if you had kept it hidden, it would have been better for you, meaning, you do not speak about others.
The questioner : It is a real doubt that this person placed before us, and we want the answer.
The Shaykh : No problem, the doubt that falls before knowledge.
The questioner : The question, I ask.
The Shaykh : No, do not ask, take the answer without repeating the question. There is a difference between one who is originally a Muslim and one who is originally a disbeliever. The original state is that we hold onto the original state until the opposite is proven to us. So, if a person is a Muslim and utters a word of disbelief, we do not pay attention to his words because they contradict what is known to us of his Islam. As for this one who says "I testify that there is no god but Allah," we know him to be a disbeliever, so we take his testimony and say: It does not benefit him in the Hereafter, but it benefits him in this world, acting on the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the difference, and it is a clear difference. We do not have the ruling that one who utters a word of disbelief while not intending it is ruled by the apparent. Do we have this ruling in Islam? I do not have it with me.The Shaykh .
The student : You wandered.
The Shaykh : You wandered.
The questioner: All right.
The Shaykh : It is all on this point, the whole matter stands on this point. I say, is there in Islam that we take a person by his tongue?
The questioner : No, no, no.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. This settled the whole point because it is repeated. No, no, no, no, no, praise be to Allah.
The student : It is confirmed.
The Shaykh : Do we have in Islam that if a disbeliever says "La ilaha illa Allah," we take his words at face value and leave his heart to Allah?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Is this difference not enough for you?
The questioner : It is not enough for me.
The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar, why?
The questioner : Because when the disbeliever said "La ilaha illa Allah," he did not intend its meaning, meaning the conditions of "La ilaha illa Allah" were not fulfilled in it, such as knowledge of its meaning.
The Shaykh : You are repeating your words.
The questioner : I am telling you I am not satisfied, that is why I am repeating, because I am not satisfied. Why am I repeating? Because I am not satisfied.
The Shaykh : Is this what one who is not satisfied does?
The questioner : Or what else am I supposed to do, all right?
The Shaykh : If you are not satisfied, you must bring something other than what was said, and now you are in your place, go back, what is the benefit? You are repeating your words and I am repeating the answer to you.
The questioner : So let us leave the question.
The Shaykh : No, it is not finished, mention the hadith.
The questioner : Which hadith?
The Shaykh : I was commanded.
The questioner :Sunan an-Nasa'i 3983Sahih (Darussalam) .
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner :Sunan an-Nasa'i 3983Sahih (Darussalam) .
The Shaykh: All right.
The questioner :Sunan al-Bayhaqi 13:23 .
The student : .
The questioner : .
The Shaykh : What does it mean:?
The questioner : It means the intention is for Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : All right, why is this hadith not enough for you? This is first. Second: the hadith of the man who was killed after he was under the blow of the sword and said "La ilaha illa Allah," why is that not enough for you?
The student : Now you have opened up his heart.
The Shaykh : What will be enough for you? You have two hadiths on the matter, what will be enough for you? You have two hadiths and they are not enough for you?
The questioner : Regarding the Muslim who uttered disbelief, it is established that he is not a disbeliever except by intending its meaning, but when the disbeliever says "La ilaha illa Allah," and we read and study and memorize tawhid (the oneness of Allah) that whoever negates it will not be a monotheist, and this man when he said "La ilaha illa Allah," just "La ilaha illa Allah," do we rule for him as a Muslim, is that what you mean?
The Shaykh : If someone else said this, I would say he does not believe in the Sunnah.
The questioner : Shaykh, by Allah, I know it is the saying of the Mu'tazilah, but ... .
The Shaykh : You are refuting the Messenger of Allah and you have no news.
The questioner : Shaykh, I know it is the saying of the Mu'tazilah, I know, by Allah, I am more knowledgeable, but.
The Shaykh : You are refuting, knowing that you are refuting the hadith, am I not answering?
The questioner : In any case, let me review it.
The Shaykh : I want an answer from you, you know that you are refuting the hadith? What does it mean you are affiliated with the hadith? He will repeat the story for us.
The questioner : No, no, I will not repeat it.
The student : ... .
The Shaykh : Come on, my master, let him rest a little, do you have anything now?
The student: Our Shaykh.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The student : ... .
The Shaykh: All right.
The Shaykh : Do you mean apostasy?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : He is not ruled to be a disbeliever.
The questioner : He is not ruled to be a disbeliever. Now, if a disbeliever says "La ilaha illa Allah" while not intending its meaning, is he ruled to be a Muslim?
The Shaykh : How do you know he does not intend its meaning?
The questioner : Ah, he does not intend its meaning, for example, he is a non-Arab or he did not understand it with its conditions.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : He did not understand it, he did not understand its conditions.
The Shaykh : All right, since he said it, it is a protection.
The questioner : Even though he does not ... its meaning.
The Shaykh : Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah, whereas faith is to believe in the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah." That is, if a person says "La ilaha illa Allah," let us assume he knows its meaning and disbelieves in it, and says with his tongue what is not in his heart, what is he called?
The questioner : A hypocrite.
The Shaykh : A hypocrite. Now, is this worse or the one you asked about?
The questioner : No, the one you asked about is naturally the latter, the one you asked about is the worse one.
The Shaykh: May Allah forgive you.
The questioner : I changed it.
The Shaykh : All right, you changed it, so correct it, which one is worse?
The questioner : Which one is worse? The hypocrite, naturally.
The Shaykh : The hypocrite. Does saying "La ilaha illa Allah" benefit him?
The questioner : It does not benefit him.
The Shaykh : It benefits him.
The questioner : The hypocrite or the other one?
The Shaykh : This is what.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh: No, no.
The questioner : I am just asking you, O my master.
The Shaykh : Give me the answer, may Allah guide you, which one is worse?
The questioner : The hypocrite.
The Shaykh : All right, does saying "La ilaha illa Allah" benefit him?
The questioner : It does not benefit him.
The Shaykh : You made a mistake.
The questioner : You told me about the hypocrite and then you twisted the question, meaning.
The Shaykh : Do not wander, do not wander, I am repeating the words to you, which one is worse?
The questioner : The hypocrite is worse.
The Shaykh : All right, stop at this phrase, does his Islam benefit him? You say no, I tell you you are wrong, do not wander, think about this point.
The questioner : I mean the man you are talking about is the one who.
The Shaykh : He, he, the one you are talking about, may Allah guide you, for you, my brother, you are not talking about him and I am talking about him, we have reached a point, which one is worse?
The questioner : The hypocrite.
The Shaykh : All right, you are talking about him and I am not talking about him?
The questioner : No, we are both.
The Shaykh : So then, this point we have reached together, does this hypocrite's Islam benefit him?
The questioner : His Islam does not benefit him.
The Shaykh : His Islam benefits him, read the hadith.
The questioner : His Islam benefits him ... .
The Shaykh : Read the hadith.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Here he is going to change his words.
The questioner : All right, no problem, I did not understand the question.
The Shaykh : No problem.
The questioner : I did not understand the question.
The Shaykh : Say you did not understand.
The questioner : I did not understand the question.
The Shaykh : All right, the one who does not understand the question answers.
The questioner : I understood it in another way.
The student : Like Nazeer today.
The questioner : All right, O my master, repeat the question to me.
The Shaykh : There is no power nor strength except with Allah, this is the hypocrite.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : If he says "La ilaha illa Allah," his saying benefits him.
The questioner : Yes, it benefits him in this world.
The Shaykh : All right, that one which is less severe in evil, if he says "La ilaha illa Allah," does it benefit him?
The questioner : It benefits him in this world and the Hereafter.
The Shaykh : All right, is the matter finished?
The questioner : The question is still there.
The Shaykh : No problem, but the important thing is that we understand.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Step by step.
The student : ... Our Shaykh said this world, and now he said in this world and the Hereafter.
The Shaykh : No problem, now let us see, now he wants to ask.
The questioner : Both are the same in not intending the meaning, why did we rule on the first one you asked me about? Both are the same in intending the meaning, may Allah guide you, the one who does not intend its meaning, which is the Muslim who uttered disbelief and the disbeliever who said "La ilaha illa Allah" not intending its meaning, both are the same in not intending the meaning, why did we not rule on the first one, who is the Muslim, why did we not rule on him as a disbeliever, and why did we rule on the second one as a Muslim, it should be, I mean. My Shaykh, by the way, the owner of this question is from the group of those who suspend judgment, they follow the path of declaring people disbelievers, so we are presenting the question to you and we want the answer to respond to them, so that you do not think that I am the one asking.
The Shaykh : In any case, this, my brother, is not the correct method, because when the man is present, words may come out of him that we understand his problem from in a more complete way, so now you are conveying for him, perhaps your conveying is incomplete, my answer to this incomplete conveying will perhaps be incomplete regarding the viewpoint of the one being conveyed, and so the problem is not solved.
The questioner : All right, my Shaykh, I have a doubt, all right.
The Shaykh : ... .
The questioner : Do you want an answer?
The Shaykh : So if you had kept it hidden, it would have been better for you, meaning, you do not speak about others.
The questioner : It is a real doubt that this person placed before us, and we want the answer.
The Shaykh : No problem, the doubt that falls before knowledge.
The questioner : The question, I ask.
The Shaykh : No, do not ask, take the answer without repeating the question. There is a difference between one who is originally a Muslim and one who is originally a disbeliever. The original state is that we hold onto the original state until the opposite is proven to us. So, if a person is a Muslim and utters a word of disbelief, we do not pay attention to his words because they contradict what is known to us of his Islam. As for this one who says "I testify that there is no god but Allah," we know him to be a disbeliever, so we take his testimony and say: It does not benefit him in the Hereafter, but it benefits him in this world, acting on the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the difference, and it is a clear difference. We do not have the ruling that one who utters a word of disbelief while not intending it is ruled by the apparent. Do we have this ruling in Islam? I do not have it with me.The Shaykh .
The student : You wandered.
The Shaykh : You wandered.
The questioner: All right.
The Shaykh : It is all on this point, the whole matter stands on this point. I say, is there in Islam that we take a person by his tongue?
The questioner : No, no, no.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. This settled the whole point because it is repeated. No, no, no, no, no, praise be to Allah.
The student : It is confirmed.
The Shaykh : Do we have in Islam that if a disbeliever says "La ilaha illa Allah," we take his words at face value and leave his heart to Allah?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Is this difference not enough for you?
The questioner : It is not enough for me.
The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar, why?
The questioner : Because when the disbeliever said "La ilaha illa Allah," he did not intend its meaning, meaning the conditions of "La ilaha illa Allah" were not fulfilled in it, such as knowledge of its meaning.
The Shaykh : You are repeating your words.
The questioner : I am telling you I am not satisfied, that is why I am repeating, because I am not satisfied. Why am I repeating? Because I am not satisfied.
The Shaykh : Is this what one who is not satisfied does?
The questioner : Or what else am I supposed to do, all right?
The Shaykh : If you are not satisfied, you must bring something other than what was said, and now you are in your place, go back, what is the benefit? You are repeating your words and I am repeating the answer to you.
The questioner : So let us leave the question.
The Shaykh : No, it is not finished, mention the hadith.
The questioner : Which hadith?
The Shaykh : I was commanded.
The questioner :
I have been commanded to fight the people
أمرت أن أقاتل الناسThe Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner :
until they bear witness to La ilaha illallah
حتى يشهدوا أن لا إله إلا اللهThe Shaykh: All right.
The questioner :
If they testify, they are protected from me in their blood, except
فإن شهدوا عصموا مني دماءهم إلاThe student :
And their reckoning is with Allah.
وحسابهم على اللهThe questioner :
And their reckoning is with Allah.
وحسابهم على اللهThe Shaykh : What does it mean:
And their reckoning is with Allah.
وحسابهم على اللهThe questioner : It means the intention is for Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : All right, why is this hadith not enough for you? This is first. Second: the hadith of the man who was killed after he was under the blow of the sword and said "La ilaha illa Allah," why is that not enough for you?
The student : Now you have opened up his heart.
The Shaykh : What will be enough for you? You have two hadiths on the matter, what will be enough for you? You have two hadiths and they are not enough for you?
The questioner : Regarding the Muslim who uttered disbelief, it is established that he is not a disbeliever except by intending its meaning, but when the disbeliever says "La ilaha illa Allah," and we read and study and memorize tawhid (the oneness of Allah) that whoever negates it will not be a monotheist, and this man when he said "La ilaha illa Allah," just "La ilaha illa Allah," do we rule for him as a Muslim, is that what you mean?
The Shaykh : If someone else said this, I would say he does not believe in the Sunnah.
The questioner : Shaykh, by Allah, I know it is the saying of the Mu'tazilah, but ... .
The Shaykh : You are refuting the Messenger of Allah and you have no news.
The questioner : Shaykh, I know it is the saying of the Mu'tazilah, I know, by Allah, I am more knowledgeable, but.
The Shaykh : You are refuting, knowing that you are refuting the hadith, am I not answering?
The questioner : In any case, let me review it.
The Shaykh : I want an answer from you, you know that you are refuting the hadith? What does it mean you are affiliated with the hadith? He will repeat the story for us.
The questioner : No, no, I will not repeat it.
The student : ... .
The Shaykh : Come on, my master, let him rest a little, do you have anything now?
The student: Our Shaykh.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The student : ... .
The Shaykh: All right.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.