Is it permissible to declare a specific person a disbeliever based solely on circumstantial evidence?
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The questioner : He asks: Is it permissible to declare a specific person a disbeliever based solely on circumstantial evidence, or is it not permissible? We ask for clarification of this issue, as people have stumbled in it. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : First, it must be known that declaring someone a disbeliever or not declaring them is not for us to decide; it belongs to Allah and His Messenger. It is a legal ruling in which a person cannot judge by his intellect. Rather, one must refer to the Book and the Sunnah in this matter.
First: It is necessary to know that this statement or action is one of the causes of disbelief. By what means do we know this? We do not know this except through the Book and the Sunnah. If we doubt whether the Book and the Sunnah indicate that this is disbelief, then it is obligatory to refrain and not declare someone a disbeliever. One must be certain that the Book and the Sunnah indicate that this is disbelief; otherwise, it is not permissible to rule that it is so.
Second: If it is established that it is disbelief, it is necessary to look at whether this is disbelief for this specific person or not. It may not be disbelief for the specific person, either because he is ignorant, or because he is interpreting the text figuratively, or because of extreme joy, or because of extreme anger, or for other reasons that remove the ruling of the statement or action. It may also be due to coercion. For this reason, the one who said, "O Allah, You are my slave and I am your Lord," was not declared a disbeliever. This is in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):. He was not declared a disbeliever for this word, even though this word is disbelief. However, he was not declared a disbeliever because, due to his extreme joy, he said, "O Allah, You are my slave and I am your Lord." Likewise, one who is coerced into disbelief while his heart is at rest with faith is not declared a disbeliever.
Therefore, the important point is that two things are necessary: The first thing is that it is established that this statement or action is disbelief. The second thing is that we know it applies to the specific person, meaning that he is knowledgeable and not excused by ignorance, forgetfulness, coercion, or the like.
The Shaykh : First, it must be known that declaring someone a disbeliever or not declaring them is not for us to decide; it belongs to Allah and His Messenger. It is a legal ruling in which a person cannot judge by his intellect. Rather, one must refer to the Book and the Sunnah in this matter.
First: It is necessary to know that this statement or action is one of the causes of disbelief. By what means do we know this? We do not know this except through the Book and the Sunnah. If we doubt whether the Book and the Sunnah indicate that this is disbelief, then it is obligatory to refrain and not declare someone a disbeliever. One must be certain that the Book and the Sunnah indicate that this is disbelief; otherwise, it is not permissible to rule that it is so.
Second: If it is established that it is disbelief, it is necessary to look at whether this is disbelief for this specific person or not. It may not be disbelief for the specific person, either because he is ignorant, or because he is interpreting the text figuratively, or because of extreme joy, or because of extreme anger, or for other reasons that remove the ruling of the statement or action. It may also be due to coercion. For this reason, the one who said, "O Allah, You are my slave and I am your Lord," was not declared a disbeliever. This is in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
Allah is more joyful with the repentance of His slave than one of you is when he rejoiced over his camel, on which was his food and drink, and it was lost from him. He sought it but did not find it, then he lay down under a tree waiting for death. Then he found his camel on his head, so he took its reins and said, "O Allah, You are my slave and I am your Lord." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: He erred due to the intensity of his joy.
لله أشد فرحا بتوبة عبده من أحدكم حين فرح بناقته كان عليها طعامه وشرابه فضاعت عنه وطلبها فلم يجدها ثم اضطجع تحت شجرة ينتظر الموت فإذا بناقته على رأسه فأخذ بخطامها وقال اللهم أنت عبدي وأنا ربك. قال النبي صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم : أخطأ من شدة الفرحTherefore, the important point is that two things are necessary: The first thing is that it is established that this statement or action is disbelief. The second thing is that we know it applies to the specific person, meaning that he is knowledgeable and not excused by ignorance, forgetfulness, coercion, or the like.