A discussion regarding one who has fallen into major shirk (associating partners with Allah).

The Shaykh : And from another angle, I want, in the spirit of mutual advice, to seize this opportunity and discuss with you the issue of declaring people disbelievers (takfir) regarding those who commit shirk. Just now, I thought that when the incapacitated Syrian was here, were you...
Al-Halabi : No.

The Shaykh : ButAbu Layla : alone?
Al-Halabi : He wasAbu Layla : Yes

The Shaykh : A few days ago, less than a week, two visitors came from Damascus. It appears they also raised this issue there among our Salafi brothers, and unfortunately, they have become strangers there. These two are also carrying the banner of takfir. The point is, I asked one of them, "What is your opinion? Does every one who falls into disbelief have disbelief attributed to him?" He stared at me with his eyes, and I felt he did not understand me, so I elaborated on the matter. After some discussion, I asked him, "What is your opinion about the people of the period of ignorance (Ahl al-Fatrah)? Are they disbelievers?" He said, "Yes." I said, "The conversation is over now." I cut the conversation short for a reason, which is...
Abu Layla : Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah. The session was for one person, and the two men that this man brought, along with others, attended on the basis that they would be listeners, and they did listen. When the session ended, at about ten o'clock, around this time or shortly after, they raised the issue despite our objections. They wanted to raise the topic, even though we did not give them the opportunity. He said, "What is your opinion about people who call for aid from other than Allah? There is a disagreement between us and our Salafi brothers. I do not know what our Salafi brothers there say to these people, and what these people say to them. But I felt that they are young and have not yet matured in knowledge as they should. So I posed the previous question to him. When I followed the first question with the second, which is explicit and known among scholars, asking, "What is your opinion about the people of the period of ignorance (Ahl al-Fatrah)? Are they disbelievers?" he said, "Yes." I said, "The matter is finished now, and the time is up." What I want to say is, it is not hidden from you that we cannot declare the people of the period of ignorance (Ahl al-Fatrah) disbelievers. Do you say in Sham, "by the handful" or "in a lump"? Do you know the word? It reached you?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : In a general sense, we cannot speak of the people of the period of ignorance who were in the age of ignorance and before it. However, we say a word of truth: everyone to whom the call of a Prophet reached and who disbelieved in it is a disbeliever. Based on that, we say that the hadiths that came to clarify this, such as , you know this hadith. As for these individuals, we rule as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ruled. We do not give a general ruling that all the people of the period of ignorance between Isma'il (peace be upon him) and Muhammad (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him) are all in the Fire, or that they are all in Paradise. No, rather, whoever believed in Allah and His Messenger as Allah and His Messenger intended is in Paradise. As for the one to whom the call did not reach, I think you believe with us that this person has a different reckoning in the Hereafter. This is an introduction and a preamble, and I think there is no disagreement between us on this, if Allah wills. Now, many of our brothers, the students of knowledge, perhaps from among the scholars.