The Ruling on Withholding the Declaration of Disbelief Against One Who Commits an Act of Disbelief Out of Ignorance
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The Ruling on Withholding the Declaration of Disbelief Against One Who Commits an Act of Disbelief Out of Ignorance
What is the ruling on one who withholds declaring a person a disbeliever if he commits an act of disbelief, knowing that some scholars have issued a ruling that he is a disbeliever and others have issued a ruling that he is excused due to ignorance? Is this considered being misguided?
We seek help from Allah! This is the one who is guided. Anyone who withholds a ruling on an issue because the evidence is not clear to him, either because he is a scholar who examined the evidence and found, in his opinion, a contradiction within it, or because he is a layperson and the scholars differ on this issue so he withholds judgment, this is the truth, and this is faith.For Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Isra: 36] So if he rules that he is a disbeliever while he does not know what the evidence is, he has said what he has no knowledge of. And if he rules that he is not a disbeliever while he knows the evidence, he has said what he has no knowledge of. But what is the reality if people differ on this ruling? Is the original state of a Muslim remaining a Muslim or becoming a disbeliever? The original state is that the Muslim remains a Muslim. For this reason, this issue is considered serious. The issue is not a trivial matter to say to a person: he is a disbeliever. The issue is not merely uttering it with the tongue. The issue entails that if you rule that he is a disbeliever, you rule that his blood and wealth are lawful, that his wife is forbidden to him, that the wealth in his possession is not his, and that if he is a ruler, obedience to him is not obligatory, among other rulings that follow from apostasy, which are numerous.
And who are you to rule on the servants of Allah that they are disbelievers when Allah the Exalted has not ruled so? Who are you?!! Is it not the case that if one of us said: This is forbidden, and Allah has not forbidden it, so we say: you are fabricating against Allah?So how if he said: This is disbelief, and it is not disbelief.And how if he said: This is a disbeliever, and he is not a disbeliever in the sight of Allah. For this reason, this school of thought—declaring as disbelievers those against whom the evidence of disbelief has not been established— is exactly the school of the Khawarij, about whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us: (that they recite the Qur'an but it does not pass their throats, and that they emerge from Islam as an arrow emerges from a quiver, and that there is a reward in killing them until the Day of Resurrection) So the issue is very serious. Therefore, a person must fear Allah above all else, and not rule that this is disbelief until it becomes clear, and not rule that this is a disbeliever until the conditions for declaring someone a disbeliever are met.
As for a person saying: Disbeliever, disbeliever, disbeliever. How is this?! This is exactly the school of the Khawarij. The Khawarij were with Ali against Mu'awiyah, and when the reconciliation took place between Ali and Mu'awiyah, they turned against and fought Ali. But praise be to Allah, Allah the Mighty and Majestic destroyed them, and Ali (may Allah be pleased with him, and may Allah reward him well for the Muslim community) killed them a terrible killing, refuge is sought in Allah.
We ask Allah for guidance and success for us and for you in what He loves and is pleased with, and that He grant us adherence to His limits in our judgment of His servants. Indeed, He is capable of all things.
And glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise be to You. I testify that there is no deity but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.
What is the ruling on one who withholds declaring a person a disbeliever if he commits an act of disbelief, knowing that some scholars have issued a ruling that he is a disbeliever and others have issued a ruling that he is excused due to ignorance? Is this considered being misguided?
We seek help from Allah! This is the one who is guided. Anyone who withholds a ruling on an issue because the evidence is not clear to him, either because he is a scholar who examined the evidence and found, in his opinion, a contradiction within it, or because he is a layperson and the scholars differ on this issue so he withholds judgment, this is the truth, and this is faith.For Allah the Exalted said:
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.
وَلا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْؤُولاًAnd who are you to rule on the servants of Allah that they are disbelievers when Allah the Exalted has not ruled so? Who are you?!! Is it not the case that if one of us said: This is forbidden, and Allah has not forbidden it, so we say: you are fabricating against Allah?So how if he said: This is disbelief, and it is not disbelief.And how if he said: This is a disbeliever, and he is not a disbeliever in the sight of Allah. For this reason, this school of thought—declaring as disbelievers those against whom the evidence of disbelief has not been established— is exactly the school of the Khawarij, about whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us: (that they recite the Qur'an but it does not pass their throats, and that they emerge from Islam as an arrow emerges from a quiver, and that there is a reward in killing them until the Day of Resurrection) So the issue is very serious. Therefore, a person must fear Allah above all else, and not rule that this is disbelief until it becomes clear, and not rule that this is a disbeliever until the conditions for declaring someone a disbeliever are met.
As for a person saying: Disbeliever, disbeliever, disbeliever. How is this?! This is exactly the school of the Khawarij. The Khawarij were with Ali against Mu'awiyah, and when the reconciliation took place between Ali and Mu'awiyah, they turned against and fought Ali. But praise be to Allah, Allah the Mighty and Majestic destroyed them, and Ali (may Allah be pleased with him, and may Allah reward him well for the Muslim community) killed them a terrible killing, refuge is sought in Allah.
We ask Allah for guidance and success for us and for you in what He loves and is pleased with, and that He grant us adherence to His limits in our judgment of His servants. Indeed, He is capable of all things.
And glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise be to You. I testify that there is no deity but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.