What is the criterion for disbelief? How can you declare a person a disbeliever?

The questioner: So now we want to ask, okay, what is the criterion for disbelief? How can you declare a person a disbeliever?

The Shaykh: We also went back.

The questioner: No, we need a criterion, meaning we need one, two, without explanation.

The Shaykh : I told you.

The questioner: An enumeration, meaning.

The Shaykh: I told you just now, until his tongue expresses it.

The questioner: He says, "I am a disbeliever."

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner: If he does not say "I am a disbeliever," but he fights against Islam, does not pray, does not fast, and so on.

The Shaykh: If he does not say it.

The questioner: Yes, and he does not pray, does not fast, and fights against Islam.

The Shaykh: He did not say "There is no god but Allah."

The questioner: He might say it.

The Shaykh: May Allah guide you.

The questioner: Our Shaykh, you said in your speech that slips of the tongue reveal what is in the heart, which is disbelief. And our Shaykh, you also said that the one who disbelieves in Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) verbally is called verbal disbelief. So these slips of the tongue, our Shaykh, revealed that he curses Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). And what disbelief is more apparent than cursing the Master (Mighty and Majestic) or cursing the religion? You ruled on him with verbal disbelief.

The Shaykh: There is a difference. The general public are not like the specific group. The general public, unfortunately, we hear them curse the Lord, curse the religion, curse the Prophet, and so on. We do not declare them disbelievers. But we are talking about the rulers. The rulers who have power, who have the state, and who hold the authority. These people may be hypocrites toward the people, and they may pretend to be Muslims, and so on. But their slips of the tongue reveal what is settled in their hearts. This is not like those we mentioned just now from the general Muslims. We often hear one of them say, "The Lord, and so on," or "Oh Shaykh, fear Allah," or "It was a satanic moment, and I seek Allah's forgiveness, may Allah turn us to Him." These are different, and those are different. A slip of the tongue from a strong ruler expresses his belief. So there is no contradiction at all for me between these and those. The important thing, my brother, is if we know a person, we hear a person testify that there is no god but Allah, and perhaps he prays on Friday, or perhaps he prays the festival prayer, or the two festivals, or perhaps he fasts in Ramadan, he pretends to fast, he is a hypocrite toward the Muslim people, and so on. What do we rule about this person? Is he a Muslim or a disbeliever? Are you asking now?

The questioner: He is a Muslim in appearance.

The Shaykh: Okay, now say about him what you said just now, because the topic has changed now. We have a person whose Islam we do not know, but we know his disbelief. So we rule that he is a disbeliever. But the problem is not here. The problem is with a person whose Islam we know. What is his Islam? "There is no god but Allah." It may be accompanied by prayer sometimes, it may be accompanied by fasting, and so on. So he has raised the banner of Islam. We do not deny that he may be a hypocrite. And we all know that the hypocrites were among the Companions of the Messenger (peace be upon him), living among them. And our Lord said: . So these people might be hypocrites. But how are they treated? Are they treated like those who declared disbelief, or like those who concealed disbelief? Here is the issue. Perhaps I have given you the answer.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh: All right.