Is every disbeliever an associate of partners with Allah, and vice versa, and is the one who rules by other than what Allah has revealed an associate of partners with Allah?
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The Shaykh : As for the one whose inner state and heart we do not know, we say that his ruling by other than what Allah has revealed is not like the ruling of the Jews, because the Jews did not believe in the legitimacy of what Allah revealed. As for this Muslim who rules by other than what Allah has revealed, he believes in its legitimacy but does not act upon it, like the one who believes in the prohibition of riba (usury or interest) but practically consumes riba, or like the one who commits zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) while believing that zina is forbidden but practically commits zina. So, is the one who commits a sin, whether small or large, declared a disbeliever?
You have understood the answer from the mentioned verse:[An-Nisa 4:48], and the discussion on this is also lengthy, and the time has ended, but I feel I must provide a very important benefit on the occasion of this verse: [An-Nisa 4:48]:
You must know well that every kufr (disbelief) is shirk (associating partners with Allah) and every shirk is kufr, and that we do not distinguish legally between kufr and shirk. Everyone who disbelieves has associated partners with Allah, even if it does not appear to you on the surface that this disbeliever has associated partners with Allah. Many people imagine that kufr is broader than shirk, and shirk is more specific than kufr, for example:
We are now discussing ruling by other than what Allah has revealed. So, if we see a ruler who rules by other than what Allah has revealed and believes that Allah’s law is not suitable for this time, what do we say about him?
He is an apostate from his religion. Is he an associate of partners with Allah?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is the answer, and this is exactly the error. He is not an associate of partners with Allah linguistically, but he is an associate of partners with Allah legally. This is what I wanted to point out. Why?
We said: This is ruling by other than what Allah has revealed, and he believes that this ruling is permissible, so he has disbelieved and become an apostate from his religion. But is he an associate of partners with Allah?
The answer is: Yes,[Ash-Shuraa 42:21] And briefly and concisely: Everyone who makes it permissible to follow his desires has made his desire his god, and he is an associate of partners with Allah. This is a very necessary matter, because first of all, you may be surprised by this one who ruled by other than what Allah legislated and saw that the law is not suitable for this time. Is it possible that Allah forgives him or not?
You will all say one thing: No, our Lord does not forgive him. They will demand evidence. What is the evidence? You will say:[An-Nisa 4:48] So the answer will come: This is what he associated with, so how can you say Allah does not forgive him?
Did you notice the precision in the matter?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But if you understand that everyone who disbelieves has associated partners with Allah, and there is no separation between kufr and shirk, legally, not linguistically. The legal language is often broader and sometimes more specific, and the discussion is long, but the summary is that I remind you of some Qur'anic proofs that give you this meaning so that you are clear about it. It is the story that our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, narrated in Surat al-Kahf between the believer and the disbeliever:[Al-Kahf 18:32-36] Now the question, according to common usage, is this kufr or shirk?
The questioner : Kufr and shirk.
The Shaykh : No, I mean according to common usage?
The questioner : Disbelief.
The Shaykh : Kufr. This is what I want to point out. It is kufr because he denied the resurrection, or at least doubted the resurrection and rising:[Al-Kahf 18:35] This is kufr and not shirk. [Al-Kahf 18:36-38] Why did he say to him: I do not associate anyone with my Lord?
Because that kufr is shirk, because when he judged that there is no resurrection and no rising, then he wished upon Allah and said:[Al-Kahf 18:36]: So this one associated his mind with his Lord, so he judged by other than His judgment and other than His knowledge: [Ya-Sin 36:78] and so on.
Then our Lord continued the story of the dialogue between the two, so what did He say at the end:[Al-Kahf 18:42] Where is his shirk?
The one who does not know this legal reality asks: Where is his shirk?
It is kufr, he did not associate partners, but know that every disbeliever is an associate of partners with Allah, in addition to the fact that every associate of partners with Allah is a disbeliever. So, if it is said that the one who rules by other than what Allah has revealed, making it permissible in his heart, has disbelieved and become an apostate from his religion, is he forgiven?
The answer is: No. When we use the verse as evidence:[An-Nisa 4:48] Interpret it to mean that he disbelieves in it, because every kufr is shirk. This is what I wanted to conclude this session with you. And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
You have understood the answer from the mentioned verse:
Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills
إن الله لا يغفر أن يشرك به ويغفر ما دون ذلك لمن يشاءIndeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills
إن الله لا يغفر أن يُشرك به ويغفر ما دون ذلك لمن يشاءYou must know well that every kufr (disbelief) is shirk (associating partners with Allah) and every shirk is kufr, and that we do not distinguish legally between kufr and shirk. Everyone who disbelieves has associated partners with Allah, even if it does not appear to you on the surface that this disbeliever has associated partners with Allah. Many people imagine that kufr is broader than shirk, and shirk is more specific than kufr, for example:
We are now discussing ruling by other than what Allah has revealed. So, if we see a ruler who rules by other than what Allah has revealed and believes that Allah’s law is not suitable for this time, what do we say about him?
He is an apostate from his religion. Is he an associate of partners with Allah?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is the answer, and this is exactly the error. He is not an associate of partners with Allah linguistically, but he is an associate of partners with Allah legally. This is what I wanted to point out. Why?
We said: This is ruling by other than what Allah has revealed, and he believes that this ruling is permissible, so he has disbelieved and become an apostate from his religion. But is he an associate of partners with Allah?
The answer is: Yes,
Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented?
أم لهم شركاء شرعوا لهم من الدين ما لم يأذن به اللهYou will all say one thing: No, our Lord does not forgive him. They will demand evidence. What is the evidence? You will say:
Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him
إن الله لا يغفر أن يشرك بهDid you notice the precision in the matter?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But if you understand that everyone who disbelieves has associated partners with Allah, and there is no separation between kufr and shirk, legally, not linguistically. The legal language is often broader and sometimes more specific, and the discussion is long, but the summary is that I remind you of some Qur'anic proofs that give you this meaning so that you are clear about it. It is the story that our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, narrated in Surat al-Kahf between the believer and the disbeliever:
(32) And present to them an example of two men: We granted to one of them two gardens of grapevines, and We bordered them with palm trees and placed between them [fields of] crops. (33) Each of the two gardens produced its fruit and did not fall short thereof in anything. And We caused to gush forth within them a river. (34) And he had fruit, so he said to his companion while he was conversing with him, "I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in [numbers of] men." (35) And he entered his garden while he was unjust to himself. He said, "I do not think that this will perish - ever. (36) And I do not think the Hour will occur. And even if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will surely find better than this as a return."
وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلًا رَّجُلَيْنِ جَعَلْنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيْنِ مِنْ أَعْنَابٍ وَحَفَفْنَاهُمَا بِنَخْلٍ وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمَا زَرْعًا * كِلْتَا الْجَنَّتَيْنِ آتَتْ أُكُلَهَا وَلَمْ تَظْلِم مِّنْهُ شَيْئًا وَفَجَّرْنَا خِلَالَهُمَا نَهَرًا * وَكَانَ لَهُ ثَمَرٌ فَقَالَ لِصَاحِبِهِ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَنَا أَكْثَرُ مِنكَ مَالًا وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرًا * وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَذِهِ أَبَدًا * وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَى رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًاThe questioner : Kufr and shirk.
The Shaykh : No, I mean according to common usage?
The questioner : Disbelief.
The Shaykh : Kufr. This is what I want to point out. It is kufr because he denied the resurrection, or at least doubted the resurrection and rising:
He said, "I do not think that this will perish - ever.
قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَذِهِ أَبَدًاAnd even if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will surely find better than this as a return." (37) His companion said to him while he was conversing with him, "Have you disbelieved in He who created you from dust and then from a sperm-drop and then proportioned you [as] a man? (38) But as for me, He is Allah, my Lord, and I do not associate with my Lord anyone.
وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَى رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًا * قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا * لَّكِنَّا هُوَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي وَلَا أُشْرِكُ بِرَبِّي أَحَدًاBecause that kufr is shirk, because when he judged that there is no resurrection and no rising, then he wished upon Allah and said:
And even if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will surely find better than this as a return."
وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَى رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًاAnd he presents for Us an example and forgets his [own] creation. He says, "Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?"
وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلًا وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَن يُحْيِي الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٌThen our Lord continued the story of the dialogue between the two, so what did He say at the end:
so he began to turn his hands about [in dismay] over what he had spent on it, while it had collapsed upon its trellises, and said, "Oh, I wish I had not associated with my Lord anyone."
فَأَصْبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى مَا أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَى عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أُشْرِكْ بِرَبِّي أَحَدًاThe one who does not know this legal reality asks: Where is his shirk?
It is kufr, he did not associate partners, but know that every disbeliever is an associate of partners with Allah, in addition to the fact that every associate of partners with Allah is a disbeliever. So, if it is said that the one who rules by other than what Allah has revealed, making it permissible in his heart, has disbelieved and become an apostate from his religion, is he forgiven?
The answer is: No. When we use the verse as evidence: