What is the response to those who interpret Ibn 'Abbas's statement, "disbelief less than disbelief," as meaning he did not intend it to apply to one who legislates in imitation of Allah's rulings and legislation, but rather intended it for one who changed the system of governance?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : I mean, the last question, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : They interpret it.
The questioner : ... our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The questioner : They interpret the statement of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted,[Al-Ma'idah 5:44], as a matter of etiquette, claiming that Ibn 'Abbas did not intend this statement to apply to one who legislates in imitation of the rulings and legislation of Allah the Exalted and brings forth legislation that imitates the legislation of Allah. Rather, they claim he intended this only for one who changed and altered the system of governance from a monarchy to, I mean, from a shura or caliphate to a monarchy, and so on. So I ask for an answer to this.
The Shaykh : This interpretation is of no benefit to them at all. That is because, first, like any of their interpretations, we will say to them: What is your evidence for this interpretation? And they will be unable to give an answer. This is the first point. Second, the verse in which 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas said this word is well known:[Al-Ma'idah 5:44]. How did the scholars of tafsir interpret it? Let us return to the discussion from the beginning.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The scholars of tafsir agreed that disbelief is of two types: doctrinal disbelief and practical disbelief. And they said regarding this specific verse that one who does not act upon a ruling revealed by Allah is in one of two states: either he does not act upon this ruling out of disbelief in it, in which case he is among the people of the Fire, abiding therein forever; or he does not act upon it out of following his desires, not out of disbelief in the doctrine, but only in practice, like those disbelievers who do not believe in Islam, about whom there is no debate. This is regarding doctrinal disbelief. And like those Muslims among whom are the one who deals in usury, the one who commits unlawful sexual intercourse, and the one who steals, and so on. These are not called disbelievers in the sense of apostasy if they believe in the lawfulness of the prohibition of these matters. In that case, the scholars of tafsir in this verse explicitly stated the opposite of what they interpreted. They said: The ruling revealed by Allah, if one does not act upon it out of disbelief, he is a disbeliever. And if he does not act upon it while believing in the ruling, but he is lax in applying it, then his disbelief is practical disbelief. So they contradicted not only the early Salaf, but also their followers among the mufassirun, fuqaha, and muhaddithin. So they contradicted the saved sect. And this is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
Abu Layla : Our brother mentioned in the course of his speech that passage.
The Shaykh : Yes.
Abu Layla : Yes, if we understand, our Shaykh, what is the intent in this...
The Shaykh : He thought that the speech of the traveler, I mean, it has a connection to our topic, but I told him...
Abu Layla : Yes.
The Shaykh : This speech is poetic and beautiful, but it is not an answer to our question.
Abu Layla : Yes.
The Shaykh : So I do not know what he aimed at.
Abu Layla : May Allah reward you with good, our Shaykh.
The questioner : I have a benefit for you in a report from 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). When they asked him, "Are they polytheists or disbelievers?" he said, "No, but they fled from disbelief." I found it in the Sunan of al-Bayhaqi with its chain, and I found it also in the Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah, but it is not with me here. It is possible that if I call you or give it to the brother...The Shaykh : 'Ali, I mean, it will benefit you with it.
The Shaykh : The benefit was not completed.
The questioner : Of course.
The questioner : Yes.
The questioner : The Shaykh is speaking about authenticity.
The Shaykh : Ah
Al-Halabi : Our Shaykh, it has been a while since he verified the authenticity. As for the sources, their matter is easy, I mean...
The Shaykh : In any case, may Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : May Allah bless you
The Shaykh : Let me leave. Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. I bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : They interpret it.
The questioner : ... our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The questioner : They interpret the statement of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted,
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَThe Shaykh : This interpretation is of no benefit to them at all. That is because, first, like any of their interpretations, we will say to them: What is your evidence for this interpretation? And they will be unable to give an answer. This is the first point. Second, the verse in which 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas said this word is well known:
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The scholars of tafsir agreed that disbelief is of two types: doctrinal disbelief and practical disbelief. And they said regarding this specific verse that one who does not act upon a ruling revealed by Allah is in one of two states: either he does not act upon this ruling out of disbelief in it, in which case he is among the people of the Fire, abiding therein forever; or he does not act upon it out of following his desires, not out of disbelief in the doctrine, but only in practice, like those disbelievers who do not believe in Islam, about whom there is no debate. This is regarding doctrinal disbelief. And like those Muslims among whom are the one who deals in usury, the one who commits unlawful sexual intercourse, and the one who steals, and so on. These are not called disbelievers in the sense of apostasy if they believe in the lawfulness of the prohibition of these matters. In that case, the scholars of tafsir in this verse explicitly stated the opposite of what they interpreted. They said: The ruling revealed by Allah, if one does not act upon it out of disbelief, he is a disbeliever. And if he does not act upon it while believing in the ruling, but he is lax in applying it, then his disbelief is practical disbelief. So they contradicted not only the early Salaf, but also their followers among the mufassirun, fuqaha, and muhaddithin. So they contradicted the saved sect. And this is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
Abu Layla : Our brother mentioned in the course of his speech that passage.
The Shaykh : Yes.
Abu Layla : Yes, if we understand, our Shaykh, what is the intent in this...
The Shaykh : He thought that the speech of the traveler, I mean, it has a connection to our topic, but I told him...
Abu Layla : Yes.
The Shaykh : This speech is poetic and beautiful, but it is not an answer to our question.
Abu Layla : Yes.
The Shaykh : So I do not know what he aimed at.
Abu Layla : May Allah reward you with good, our Shaykh.
The questioner : I have a benefit for you in a report from 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). When they asked him, "Are they polytheists or disbelievers?" he said, "No, but they fled from disbelief." I found it in the Sunan of al-Bayhaqi with its chain, and I found it also in the Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah, but it is not with me here. It is possible that if I call you or give it to the brother...The Shaykh : 'Ali, I mean, it will benefit you with it.
The Shaykh : The benefit was not completed.
The questioner : Of course.
The questioner : Yes.
The questioner : The Shaykh is speaking about authenticity.
The Shaykh : Ah
Al-Halabi : Our Shaykh, it has been a while since he verified the authenticity. As for the sources, their matter is easy, I mean...
The Shaykh : In any case, may Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : May Allah bless you
The Shaykh : Let me leave. Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. I bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.