The Ruling on Declaring a Specific Person a Disbeliever
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What is the meaning of the saying of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah: Does declaring a specific person a disbeliever require specific evidence?
You know, may Allah bless you, that rulings are sometimes tied to a description and sometimes tied to a specific person.For example, we say: Every believer is among the people of Paradise; this is a general statement tied to a description. Every believer is in Paradise, and every disbeliever is in the Fire.But do you say to this specific person: Is so-and-so among the people of Paradise? No.
And do you say to this specific person: Is so-and-so among the people of the Fire? No.
So, distinguish between what is tied to a description and what is tied to a specific person.
If a person says a word of disbelief or commits an act of disbelief, we do not declare him a disbeliever until we look at what motivated him to do so, and then we deal with him according to what his condition requires.
A man was forced to prostrate to an idol and he did, and another man was forced to say a word of disbelief and he said it. Are these two men disbelievers? No;Because Allah the Exalted: [al-Nahl:106] His saying: [al-Nahl:106] includes one who disbelieves by word or deed. So, this man prostrated to an idol under coercion, and the man who said a word of disbelief under coercion, is his act disbelief or not? Yes.
His act is an act of disbelief, but is he a disbeliever? No; because there is a barrier to declaring him a disbeliever, which is coercion. And the man who was extravagant with himself,He said to his family: saying, "When I die, burn me and scatter my ashes in the sea," did this thinking that he would thereby escape the punishment of Allah. Then his family did to him what he had said,So Allah, Mighty and Majestic, gathered him and asked him: "Why did you do this?"He said: "My Lord, out of fear of Your punishment." So Allah forgave him. This man’s act was an act of disbelief, why? Because he doubted Allah’s ability to gather him and punish him. But because what motivated him to that was fear of the punishment of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, Allah forgave him.
The meaning of the words of the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) is that it is said: Disbelief is tied to a description and is ruled upon in all cases. Whoever disbelieves in Allah is in the Fire, whoever prostrates to an idol is a disbeliever,Who said: whoever says there is another god with Allah is a disbeliever. But you do not rule on a specific person until you look; he may be ignorant and not know, he may be interpreting the text figuratively, or there may be a condition that necessitates him saying this thing without intent.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed: (That Allah is more joyful with the repentance of a servant than a man who had a mount that was lost in the desert, so he sought it but did not find it, so he despaired, so he lay down under the shade of a tree waiting for death, when he saw the rein of his camel hanging from the tree,So he took the rein and said out of extreme joy: "O Allah, You are my servant and I am your Lord") The word here is a word of disbelief; because he claimed lordship for himself and claimed servitude for Allah. But because he did not intend this, rather he erred out of extreme joy as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, Allah did not hold him accountable.
You know, may Allah bless you, that rulings are sometimes tied to a description and sometimes tied to a specific person.For example, we say: Every believer is among the people of Paradise; this is a general statement tied to a description. Every believer is in Paradise, and every disbeliever is in the Fire.But do you say to this specific person: Is so-and-so among the people of Paradise? No.
And do you say to this specific person: Is so-and-so among the people of the Fire? No.
So, distinguish between what is tied to a description and what is tied to a specific person.
If a person says a word of disbelief or commits an act of disbelief, we do not declare him a disbeliever until we look at what motivated him to do so, and then we deal with him according to what his condition requires.
A man was forced to prostrate to an idol and he did, and another man was forced to say a word of disbelief and he said it. Are these two men disbelievers? No;Because Allah the Exalted:
Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief... except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith
مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِيمَانِهِ إِلَّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالْأِيمَانِWhoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief
مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِيمَانِهِHis act is an act of disbelief, but is he a disbeliever? No; because there is a barrier to declaring him a disbeliever, which is coercion. And the man who was extravagant with himself,He said to his family: saying, "When I die, burn me and scatter my ashes in the sea," did this thinking that he would thereby escape the punishment of Allah. Then his family did to him what he had said,So Allah, Mighty and Majestic, gathered him and asked him: "Why did you do this?"He said: "My Lord, out of fear of Your punishment." So Allah forgave him. This man’s act was an act of disbelief, why? Because he doubted Allah’s ability to gather him and punish him. But because what motivated him to that was fear of the punishment of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, Allah forgave him.
The meaning of the words of the Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) is that it is said: Disbelief is tied to a description and is ruled upon in all cases. Whoever disbelieves in Allah is in the Fire, whoever prostrates to an idol is a disbeliever,Who said: whoever says there is another god with Allah is a disbeliever. But you do not rule on a specific person until you look; he may be ignorant and not know, he may be interpreting the text figuratively, or there may be a condition that necessitates him saying this thing without intent.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed: (That Allah is more joyful with the repentance of a servant than a man who had a mount that was lost in the desert, so he sought it but did not find it, so he despaired, so he lay down under the shade of a tree waiting for death, when he saw the rein of his camel hanging from the tree,So he took the rein and said out of extreme joy: "O Allah, You are my servant and I am your Lord") The word here is a word of disbelief; because he claimed lordship for himself and claimed servitude for Allah. But because he did not intend this, rather he erred out of extreme joy as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, Allah did not hold him accountable.