A polytheist, whether Christian or not, if he says "There is no god but Allah" off the top of his head, does he become a Muslim?
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The questioner : The apostate is from specific people.
The Shaykh : Specific people.
The questioner : From this community, after they were led astray... he said: "There is no god but Allah"; what is his ruling?
The Shaykh : ... .
The questioner : He said: "There is no god but Allah."
The Shaykh : Yes, you need to see what you believe regarding this statement; is this statement intentional or off the top of his head?
The questioner : I mean, does he enter Islam or not?
The Shaykh : Let me answer you; if he intends it, he enters Islam.
The questioner : We, regarding the Christian, the Christian yesterday... the brother "Awni"... the Christian who said: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)"... and even if he did not...
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : What is the ruling on this?
The Shaykh : He became a Muslim.
The questioner : A Muslim.
The Shaykh : If he intends it, he became a Muslim; because the Christians among us in Syria say it...
The questioner : I mean, is he intentional regarding... the matter?
The Shaykh : And where?
The questioner : I am asking for clarification now.
The Shaykh : Where, where? ...
The questioner : In an incident yesterday.
The Shaykh : Of course... because these principles are accepted, if he says it in a dream, would anyone say that he...? For example, we will take it as a hypothetical, or because my method is that we proceed to the closest point of agreement, I am asking you a question because I know your answer will be exactly like my answer now; he said it in a dream; no one will say: he became a Muslim, why? Because the cause for which we declared him a disbeliever to judge him was not found, what is the cause? Intention...
The questioner : ... the evidence in which the verse was revealed:[An-Nisa 4:94].
The Shaykh : ... .
The questioner : This, when he said... what is his ruling?
The Shaykh : He became a Muslim.
The questioner : He became a Muslim; was he intentional or not intentional?
The Shaykh : There is a difference, Professor.
The questioner: Go ahead.
The Shaykh : There is a point where it appears to you that he is not intentional, there is a place where it appears to you that he is not intentional; so here, this speech is not considered, there is a point where it does not appear to you that he is not intentional, and it is possible that he is actually not intentional, so it is possible that this is hypocrisy, and so on, so we, in that case, if it does not appear to us that he is not intentional.
The questioner : Therefore, the clarification of his intention.
The Shaykh : The clarification of his lack of intention; I mean.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, I mean, this intention is clarified, we do not establish...
The questioner : ... this Christian who said: "There is no god but Allah" and was not asked to repent... and was not asked to repent, he said: "There is no god but Allah" intentionally a second time; so he became a Muslim, then he apostatized, he said: "There is no god but Allah" intentionally then apostatized.
The Shaykh : Okay, did something appear to you from his speech from... something other than what his testimony indicates?
The questioner : I mean, the question here is: repetition of apostasy?
The Shaykh : The question... the question does not happen, I asked: did something appear to you in the repetition contrary to what his wording indicates?
The questioner : I saw contempt.
The Shaykh : Yes, so you have the ruling of the apparent.
The questioner : The contempt here.
The Shaykh : I say: disbelief.
The questioner : Disbelief.
The Shaykh : In what appeared to you as disbelief.
The questioner : Apostasy.
The Shaykh : I am telling you, in what appeared to you, I mean what I say, in what appeared to you as disbelief, but I am asking you to clarify what I want with this question, is it possible for you, even by one in a million, that this is not mocking?
The questioner : It is possible.
The Shaykh : Okay, so this possibility that must prevent you from... that the one who disbelieved in his heart; because we have... and we have Islam, and we have faith, now from an Islamic perspective, the ruler might be a legal ruler who cuts his neck, because he is mocking, but there is a possibility of one in a million that he is not mocking.
The questioner : Is the issue not with Islam in this?
The Shaykh : No, glory to Allah! When the legal judge comes with two witnesses who say: Zayd killed 'Amr, is this not the ruling of Islam?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : He will kill him, he will kill him... in reality?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : He will kill him and he is a Muslim.
The Shaykh : And he is a Muslim and believes in Allah and His Messenger... I mean.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Is this not the ruling of the Shari'ah?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But the ruling of the unseen is something else.
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : And it is in itself, I mean, the fact that the Islamic ruling based on appearances executed the ruling of killing this person you are asking about does not mean that this ruling was reversed with Allah and he actually became a disbeliever, and this reminds me of a rule among the Hanafi scholars that the judge's ruling is executed... in appearance and in reality, this is one of the most invalid... this is known to you; so the judge's ruling is executed in appearance... and this is of this kind, Professor.
Another questioner : ... in appearance and in reality?
The Shaykh: No.
Another questioner : ... ... .
The Shaykh : You are the one interpreting it this way, what is your basis for this interpretation?
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : ... in the books of the Hanafis, the judge's ruling is executed in appearance and in reality... a completing phrase, it is executed in appearance and in reality except in wealth, and they give you examples of how it is executed in appearance and in reality; a man named Zayd desired a married woman who has a husband and children, so he brought his witnesses to the judge, the judge is a good Muslim who rules by the Shari'ah... the judge has that this woman was divorced by so-and-so, these are the witnesses, she was divorced and became divorced, she is not lawful for him until she marries another husband, after she was divorced from here by the judge's ruling, the same forger who brought the forged witnesses forged it, he knows what he did; is it permissible for him, is it lawful for him to marry her? It is lawful for him; because the judge's ruling is executed in appearance and in reality, if it were executed in appearance only, it would not be lawful for this forger to marry her; because in the reality of his knowledge, she is still in the protection of the first husband, but he married... by the ruling of the legal judge for him... so his saying to him: take her, it became lawful for him and he knows that he is marrying... this is the meaning of his saying: it is executed in appearance and in reality. But in wealth, no, if Zayd claimed against 'Amr that he has one cent... and brought his witnesses; the legal judge ruled for him with this cent, he does not have the right... he knows that it is forbidden.
Another questioner : And there... the witnesses.
The Shaykh : ... ... and this is a mistake.
Another questioner : Yes, correct.
Another questioner : ... in appearance and in reality.
The Shaykh : And this is a mistake.
Another questioner : Yes, yes, a mistake.
The Shaykh : Is the earth inhabited? The earth is not inhabited, is it!
The questioner : No, it is not inhabited [everyone laughs!].
The Shaykh : Why? Because the truth does not become falsehood, and falsehood does not become truth.
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh: Yes ... .
The Shaykh : Specific people.
The questioner : From this community, after they were led astray... he said: "There is no god but Allah"; what is his ruling?
The Shaykh : ... .
The questioner : He said: "There is no god but Allah."
The Shaykh : Yes, you need to see what you believe regarding this statement; is this statement intentional or off the top of his head?
The questioner : I mean, does he enter Islam or not?
The Shaykh : Let me answer you; if he intends it, he enters Islam.
The questioner : We, regarding the Christian, the Christian yesterday... the brother "Awni"... the Christian who said: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)"... and even if he did not...
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : What is the ruling on this?
The Shaykh : He became a Muslim.
The questioner : A Muslim.
The Shaykh : If he intends it, he became a Muslim; because the Christians among us in Syria say it...
The questioner : I mean, is he intentional regarding... the matter?
The Shaykh : And where?
The questioner : I am asking for clarification now.
The Shaykh : Where, where? ...
The questioner : In an incident yesterday.
The Shaykh : Of course... because these principles are accepted, if he says it in a dream, would anyone say that he...? For example, we will take it as a hypothetical, or because my method is that we proceed to the closest point of agreement, I am asking you a question because I know your answer will be exactly like my answer now; he said it in a dream; no one will say: he became a Muslim, why? Because the cause for which we declared him a disbeliever to judge him was not found, what is the cause? Intention...
The questioner : ... the evidence in which the verse was revealed:
O you who have believed, when you go forth [to fight] in the cause of Allah, investigate; and do not say to one who gives you [a greeting of] peace "You are not a believer,"
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا [ إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُوا ] وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ أَلْقَى إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًاThe Shaykh : ... .
The questioner : This, when he said... what is his ruling?
The Shaykh : He became a Muslim.
The questioner : He became a Muslim; was he intentional or not intentional?
The Shaykh : There is a difference, Professor.
The questioner: Go ahead.
The Shaykh : There is a point where it appears to you that he is not intentional, there is a place where it appears to you that he is not intentional; so here, this speech is not considered, there is a point where it does not appear to you that he is not intentional, and it is possible that he is actually not intentional, so it is possible that this is hypocrisy, and so on, so we, in that case, if it does not appear to us that he is not intentional.
The questioner : Therefore, the clarification of his intention.
The Shaykh : The clarification of his lack of intention; I mean.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, I mean, this intention is clarified, we do not establish...
The questioner : ... this Christian who said: "There is no god but Allah" and was not asked to repent... and was not asked to repent, he said: "There is no god but Allah" intentionally a second time; so he became a Muslim, then he apostatized, he said: "There is no god but Allah" intentionally then apostatized.
The Shaykh : Okay, did something appear to you from his speech from... something other than what his testimony indicates?
The questioner : I mean, the question here is: repetition of apostasy?
The Shaykh : The question... the question does not happen, I asked: did something appear to you in the repetition contrary to what his wording indicates?
The questioner : I saw contempt.
The Shaykh : Yes, so you have the ruling of the apparent.
The questioner : The contempt here.
The Shaykh : I say: disbelief.
The questioner : Disbelief.
The Shaykh : In what appeared to you as disbelief.
The questioner : Apostasy.
The Shaykh : I am telling you, in what appeared to you, I mean what I say, in what appeared to you as disbelief, but I am asking you to clarify what I want with this question, is it possible for you, even by one in a million, that this is not mocking?
The questioner : It is possible.
The Shaykh : Okay, so this possibility that must prevent you from... that the one who disbelieved in his heart; because we have... and we have Islam, and we have faith, now from an Islamic perspective, the ruler might be a legal ruler who cuts his neck, because he is mocking, but there is a possibility of one in a million that he is not mocking.
The questioner : Is the issue not with Islam in this?
The Shaykh : No, glory to Allah! When the legal judge comes with two witnesses who say: Zayd killed 'Amr, is this not the ruling of Islam?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : He will kill him, he will kill him... in reality?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : He will kill him and he is a Muslim.
The Shaykh : And he is a Muslim and believes in Allah and His Messenger... I mean.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Is this not the ruling of the Shari'ah?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But the ruling of the unseen is something else.
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : And it is in itself, I mean, the fact that the Islamic ruling based on appearances executed the ruling of killing this person you are asking about does not mean that this ruling was reversed with Allah and he actually became a disbeliever, and this reminds me of a rule among the Hanafi scholars that the judge's ruling is executed... in appearance and in reality, this is one of the most invalid... this is known to you; so the judge's ruling is executed in appearance... and this is of this kind, Professor.
Another questioner : ... in appearance and in reality?
The Shaykh: No.
Another questioner : ... ... .
The Shaykh : You are the one interpreting it this way, what is your basis for this interpretation?
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : ... in the books of the Hanafis, the judge's ruling is executed in appearance and in reality... a completing phrase, it is executed in appearance and in reality except in wealth, and they give you examples of how it is executed in appearance and in reality; a man named Zayd desired a married woman who has a husband and children, so he brought his witnesses to the judge, the judge is a good Muslim who rules by the Shari'ah... the judge has that this woman was divorced by so-and-so, these are the witnesses, she was divorced and became divorced, she is not lawful for him until she marries another husband, after she was divorced from here by the judge's ruling, the same forger who brought the forged witnesses forged it, he knows what he did; is it permissible for him, is it lawful for him to marry her? It is lawful for him; because the judge's ruling is executed in appearance and in reality, if it were executed in appearance only, it would not be lawful for this forger to marry her; because in the reality of his knowledge, she is still in the protection of the first husband, but he married... by the ruling of the legal judge for him... so his saying to him: take her, it became lawful for him and he knows that he is marrying... this is the meaning of his saying: it is executed in appearance and in reality. But in wealth, no, if Zayd claimed against 'Amr that he has one cent... and brought his witnesses; the legal judge ruled for him with this cent, he does not have the right... he knows that it is forbidden.
Another questioner : And there... the witnesses.
The Shaykh : ... ... and this is a mistake.
Another questioner : Yes, correct.
Another questioner : ... in appearance and in reality.
The Shaykh : And this is a mistake.
Another questioner : Yes, yes, a mistake.
The Shaykh : Is the earth inhabited? The earth is not inhabited, is it!
The questioner : No, it is not inhabited [everyone laughs!].
The Shaykh : Why? Because the truth does not become falsehood, and falsehood does not become truth.
Another questioner : ... .
The Shaykh: Yes ... .
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.