What is the ruling on a Muslim who joins the Socialist Party?
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The questioner : Shaykh, regarding the Socialist Party, if a Muslim citizen registers in it under motives such as need or escaping a specific reality, what is the ruling, first, on one who registers with the intention of joining the Socialist Party?
The Shaykh : I remind those present, or at least some of them, of what may be known to them, that disbelief (kufr) is divided into two types: practical disbelief and creedal disbelief. These systems that contradict Islam, such as communism which has taken root in Iraq and then suffered what it suffered due to its rulers, anyone who belongs to one of the disbelieving parties, his case revolves around whether his disbelief is practical disbelief or creedal disbelief. As you know, we lived in Syria, and in Syria as well, the Ba'ath Party is in control. We know that some of the youth there joined the Ba'ath Party. We do not doubt that this party, like other parties, is a disbelieving party. There is no difference between a communist, socialist, or democratic party; they are all names indicating one thing, which is disbelief. However, the Muslim who belongs to these parties, at least appears to us to be a Muslim; he prays, for example, and fasts. So we say that his action is undoubtedly an act of disbelief. This means that at the least, his disbelief is practical disbelief, and at the worst, his disbelief is creedal disbelief. The difference is clear from the two names: action and belief. So the socialist you are asking about, if he joined that party and worked with it, if it was out of belief, he is a disbeliever who has apostatized from his religion. And if it was out of need, poverty, and destitution, and not out of belief, then his disbelief is practical disbelief, not creedal disbelief. This is the rule that must be applied to all Muslims who live under the various systems that rule their countries other than the rule of Islam. I hope I have answered you.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And beware of it.
The Shaykh : I remind those present, or at least some of them, of what may be known to them, that disbelief (kufr) is divided into two types: practical disbelief and creedal disbelief. These systems that contradict Islam, such as communism which has taken root in Iraq and then suffered what it suffered due to its rulers, anyone who belongs to one of the disbelieving parties, his case revolves around whether his disbelief is practical disbelief or creedal disbelief. As you know, we lived in Syria, and in Syria as well, the Ba'ath Party is in control. We know that some of the youth there joined the Ba'ath Party. We do not doubt that this party, like other parties, is a disbelieving party. There is no difference between a communist, socialist, or democratic party; they are all names indicating one thing, which is disbelief. However, the Muslim who belongs to these parties, at least appears to us to be a Muslim; he prays, for example, and fasts. So we say that his action is undoubtedly an act of disbelief. This means that at the least, his disbelief is practical disbelief, and at the worst, his disbelief is creedal disbelief. The difference is clear from the two names: action and belief. So the socialist you are asking about, if he joined that party and worked with it, if it was out of belief, he is a disbeliever who has apostatized from his religion. And if it was out of need, poverty, and destitution, and not out of belief, then his disbelief is practical disbelief, not creedal disbelief. This is the rule that must be applied to all Muslims who live under the various systems that rule their countries other than the rule of Islam. I hope I have answered you.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And beware of it.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.