What is the ruling on praying behind someone who has some acts of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and mocks the Sunnah?
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The questioner : In addition to the brother's question, meaning if the imam has a type of shirk (associating partners with Allah), meaning he writes amulets or mocks the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
The Shaykh : (Peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : such as the beard and shortening the garments, and so on?
The Shaykh : My brother, this issue of the beard and others, this means his sin is upon his own head. As for shirk (associating partners with Allah), that is the serious matter. But we, the people of the Sunnah, must know that not everyone who falls into shirk (associating partners with Allah) has shirk (associating partners with Allah) attributed to him. Not everyone who falls into shirk (associating partners with Allah) has shirk (associating partners with Allah) attributed to him, meaning that the ruling of the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) applies to him. This is because shirk (associating partners with Allah) is divided into categories. What concerns us now from these categories are two. The first category is shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the heart and shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the tongue. If a Muslim who prays and fasts commits shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the tongue, this shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the tongue may express shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the heart, or it may not. It is not permissible to rule that this one who commits shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the tongue is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) of the heart, except after asking him for details and clarification. If we assume that his shirk (associating partners with Allah) was of the first type, then he is a Muslim who has what we have and upon him is what is upon us. Perhaps you have heard the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to that man who heard a sermon from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and wanted to show his obedience to him, so he said to him: So this man committed shirk (associating partners with Allah), but this was shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the tongue. He should have said: "What Allah willed, then what you willed." But he made a mistake and said: "What Allah willed and what you willed," so he made him a partner by pairing him with his Lord. And of this nature is So if the one you say is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) has shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the tongue, then he is a Muslim. And if it is revealed that his shirk (associating partners with Allah) is shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the heart, then at that time, it is also not permissible to rush to declare him a disbeliever (takfir) as long as he testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, except after the proof is established against him. If the proof is established against him and he persists in his shirk (associating partners with Allah) and misguidance, then at that time we cast him away as a pomegranate seed is cast away. But without this clarification, it is not permissible to declare a Muslim who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah a disbeliever, let alone if he prays the five prayers and leads the Muslims in prayer. It is necessary to note this distinction. Do you have anything else?
The questioner : And if he writes amulets
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : He writes amulets
The Shaykh : It is a mistake, my brother. This is a mistake. But we say that it is necessary to distinguish between practical disbelief (kufr) and creedal disbelief (kufr), verbal disbelief (kufr) and disbelief (kufr) of the heart. This is forbidden (haram) and not permissible for him, but it is not permissible to declare him a disbeliever (takfir) merely on the basis of these actions.
The Shaykh : (Peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : such as the beard and shortening the garments, and so on?
The Shaykh : My brother, this issue of the beard and others, this means his sin is upon his own head. As for shirk (associating partners with Allah), that is the serious matter. But we, the people of the Sunnah, must know that not everyone who falls into shirk (associating partners with Allah) has shirk (associating partners with Allah) attributed to him. Not everyone who falls into shirk (associating partners with Allah) has shirk (associating partners with Allah) attributed to him, meaning that the ruling of the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah) applies to him. This is because shirk (associating partners with Allah) is divided into categories. What concerns us now from these categories are two. The first category is shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the heart and shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the tongue. If a Muslim who prays and fasts commits shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the tongue, this shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the tongue may express shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the heart, or it may not. It is not permissible to rule that this one who commits shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the tongue is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) of the heart, except after asking him for details and clarification. If we assume that his shirk (associating partners with Allah) was of the first type, then he is a Muslim who has what we have and upon him is what is upon us. Perhaps you have heard the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to that man who heard a sermon from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and wanted to show his obedience to him, so he said to him:
"What Allah wills and what you will." He (peace be upon him) said: "Have you made me a rival to Allah? Say: What Allah wills alone."
ما شاء الله وشئت فقال عليه السلام : أجعلتني لله ندا قل ما شاء الله وحدهA man from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw in a dream, while he was walking in one of the alleys of Madinah, that he met a man from the Jews. The Muslim said to him: "You are a good people, O Jews, if only you did not associate partners with Allah by saying that 'Azir is the son of Allah." The Jew said: "And you are a good people, O Muslims, if only you did not associate partners with Allah by saying: 'What Allah willed and what Muhammad willed.' Then he walked a little and met a man from the Christians. He said to him: "You are a good people, O Christians, if only you did not associate partners with Allah by saying that 'Isa is the son of Allah." The Christian said: "And you are a good people, O Muslims, if only you did not associate partners with Allah by saying: 'What Allah willed and what Muhammad willed.' When morning came, he went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and related the vision to him. He said to him: "Did you relate it to anyone?" He said: "No." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon to the people and said: "O people, for a long time I have heard one of you saying: 'What Allah willed and what Muhammad willed.' So do not say 'What Allah willed and what Muhammad willed,' but say 'What Allah willed alone.' And in a narration: 'What Allah willed, then what you willed.'"
أن رجلا من أصحابه صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم رأى في المنام بينما كان يمشي في بعض أزقة المدينة لقي رجلا من اليهود فقال له المسلم : نعم القوم أنتم معشر يهود لولا أنكم تشركون بالله فتقولون عزير ابن الله فقال اليهودي : ونعم القوم أنتم معشر المسلمين لولا أنكم تشركون بالله وتقولون : ما شاء الله وشاء محمد ثم سار قليلا فلقي رجلا من النصارى فقال له: نعم القوم أنتم معشر النصارى لولا أنكم تشركون بالله وتقولون عيسى ابن الله فقال النصراني: ونعم القوم أنتم معشر المسلمين لولا أنكم تشركون بالله فتقولون ما شاء الله وشاء محمد فلما أصبح به الصباح جاء إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وقص عليه الرؤية قال له : هل قصصتها على أحد ؟ قال : لا فخطب عليه الصلاة والسلام في الناس وقال : يا أيها الناس طالما كنت أسمع أحدكم يقول : ما شاء الله و شاء محمد ألا فلا تقولوا ما شاء الله وشاء محمد ولكن قولوا ما شاء الله وحده وفي رواية ما شاء الله ثم شئتThe questioner : And if he writes amulets
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : He writes amulets
The Shaykh : It is a mistake, my brother. This is a mistake. But we say that it is necessary to distinguish between practical disbelief (kufr) and creedal disbelief (kufr), verbal disbelief (kufr) and disbelief (kufr) of the heart. This is forbidden (haram) and not permissible for him, but it is not permissible to declare him a disbeliever (takfir) merely on the basis of these actions.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.