Is the argument from the verse: (If they repent and establish prayer, then they are your brothers) regarding the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer valid?
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They say that the implication of the verse indicates that if they do not do that, they are not your brothers. And brotherhood is not negated by sins, however great they are, but it is negated upon exiting Islam. To what extent is this argument with this verse correct? And it is not hidden from you that the context is speaking about the polytheists.
The Shaykh : My answer is from two aspects: that brotherhood may be general and may be specific. If the brotherhood negated here due to abandoning what Allah made obligatory is the general brotherhood, then their statement is correct. But there is no evidence for this that obligates those who disagree with this opinion to accept it, because it is possible that the negated brotherhood is the specific brotherhood. And they must adopt this strong argument because they distinguish between the one who abandons prayer and the one who abandons zakah in that they do not conclude the disbelief and apostasy of the one who abandons zakah as they do for the one who abandons prayer. And the abandonment of zakah was mentioned along with the abandonment of prayer, so what was their answer? This is a dialectical answer, but it is correct. And we have presented the scientific answer, so what was their answer regarding the one who abandons zakah is our answer regarding the one who abandons prayer.
The questioner : This is an obligation upon them.
The Shaykh: But the answer has already been given.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The questioner : Do you add anything else to the verse?
The Shaykh: As for the verse, I have nothing.
Al-Halabi : Our Shaykh, is it not said that He arranged those actions upon the repentance, which is the repentance of Islam, and consequently, if something is missing, if this repentance is missing, then the other actions have no fruit? Meaning, the speech is about the repentance and those are following the repentance.
The questioner : The context is about the polytheists.
The Shaykh: Your speech is not clear.
Al-Halabi : Meaning, now[At-Tawbah 9:11], the speech about the polytheists is the beginning of the discussion about repentance, the repentance of Islam, entering into Islam, and consequently He arranged those matters; [At-Tawbah 9:11], it does not necessitate that it be due to establishing prayer and giving zakah, but rather due to the repentance in which they entered, and establishing prayer and giving zakah are following the repentance. Consequently, we do not negate from him the brotherhood in religion due to his abandoning prayer only, because in him before the prayer is the repentance which is the foundation.
The Shaykh : Well, but the answer remains the implication of the opposite: either they are your brothers or they are not your brothers.
Al-Halabi : It is correct due to the repentance, not due to the prayer.
The Shaykh : How? Be patient, because he has not yet clarified his intention. The implication of the opposite, and here is the argument: if they do not give zakah, if they do not establish prayer and give zakah, then they are not your brothers.
Al-Halabi : Is it before his saying "establishing prayer and giving zakah" that there is the repentance?
The Shaykh: All right.
Al-Halabi : If they do not repent, and those actions are following.
The Shaykh : Good, if we say: if they do not repent, then they are not your brothers?
Al-Halabi : Of course.
The Shaykh : Well, if they do not repent and do not pray, then they are not...
Al-Halabi : This becomes the other research that you favored, our professor.
The Shaykh : This is what I am avoiding, my brother.
The questioner : In your opinion, if they do not repent and establish prayer and give zakah, then they are not our brothers.
The Shaykh : Yes, we cannot say that the intended meaning is only the first sentence, which is the repentance, but rather the repentance and establishing prayer and giving zakah, this group stands equal to the negation of brotherhood. But this negated brotherhood, is it absolute brotherhood? Meaning, are they polytheists as they were before, or does the brotherhood decrease as they lack? So that the negated one is the brotherhood of perfection, likeMishkat al-Masabih 35Hasan (Zubair `Aliza'i), the negation of perfection and not the negation of validity.
The questioner : So in this last paragraph, did you answer regarding the aspect of the Sunnah, which is their saying that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:, and that Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam), that these hadiths are not to be taken at their apparent meaning?
The Shaykh : Of course, it is disbelief less than disbelief. This was resolved by Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him).
The questioner : Well, is there further clarification in this?
The Shaykh : This is sufficient for you now, this is sufficient for you now.
The Shaykh : My answer is from two aspects: that brotherhood may be general and may be specific. If the brotherhood negated here due to abandoning what Allah made obligatory is the general brotherhood, then their statement is correct. But there is no evidence for this that obligates those who disagree with this opinion to accept it, because it is possible that the negated brotherhood is the specific brotherhood. And they must adopt this strong argument because they distinguish between the one who abandons prayer and the one who abandons zakah in that they do not conclude the disbelief and apostasy of the one who abandons zakah as they do for the one who abandons prayer. And the abandonment of zakah was mentioned along with the abandonment of prayer, so what was their answer? This is a dialectical answer, but it is correct. And we have presented the scientific answer, so what was their answer regarding the one who abandons zakah is our answer regarding the one who abandons prayer.
The questioner : This is an obligation upon them.
The Shaykh: But the answer has already been given.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The questioner : Do you add anything else to the verse?
The Shaykh: As for the verse, I have nothing.
Al-Halabi : Our Shaykh, is it not said that He arranged those actions upon the repentance, which is the repentance of Islam, and consequently, if something is missing, if this repentance is missing, then the other actions have no fruit? Meaning, the speech is about the repentance and those are following the repentance.
The questioner : The context is about the polytheists.
The Shaykh: Your speech is not clear.
Al-Halabi : Meaning, now
But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers
فإن تابوا وأقاموا الصلاة وآتوا الزكاة فإخوانكمthey are your brothers in religion
فإخوانكم في الدينThe Shaykh : Well, but the answer remains the implication of the opposite: either they are your brothers or they are not your brothers.
Al-Halabi : It is correct due to the repentance, not due to the prayer.
The Shaykh : How? Be patient, because he has not yet clarified his intention. The implication of the opposite, and here is the argument: if they do not give zakah, if they do not establish prayer and give zakah, then they are not your brothers.
Al-Halabi : Is it before his saying "establishing prayer and giving zakah" that there is the repentance?
The Shaykh: All right.
Al-Halabi : If they do not repent, and those actions are following.
The Shaykh : Good, if we say: if they do not repent, then they are not your brothers?
Al-Halabi : Of course.
The Shaykh : Well, if they do not repent and do not pray, then they are not...
Al-Halabi : This becomes the other research that you favored, our professor.
The Shaykh : This is what I am avoiding, my brother.
The questioner : In your opinion, if they do not repent and establish prayer and give zakah, then they are not our brothers.
The Shaykh : Yes, we cannot say that the intended meaning is only the first sentence, which is the repentance, but rather the repentance and establishing prayer and giving zakah, this group stands equal to the negation of brotherhood. But this negated brotherhood, is it absolute brotherhood? Meaning, are they polytheists as they were before, or does the brotherhood decrease as they lack? So that the negated one is the brotherhood of perfection, like
He who is not trustworthy has no faith, and he who does not keep his covenant has no religion.
لا إيمان لمن لا أمانة له ولا دين لمن لا عهد لهThe questioner : So in this last paragraph, did you answer regarding the aspect of the Sunnah, which is their saying that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Between a man and disbelief is the abandonment of prayer
بين الرجل والكفر ترك الصلاةThe covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفرThe Shaykh : Of course, it is disbelief less than disbelief. This was resolved by Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him).
The questioner : Well, is there further clarification in this?
The Shaykh : This is sufficient for you now, this is sufficient for you now.
Source
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