What is our obligation regarding messages and pamphlets that declare rulers and peoples disbelievers, and there are other messages that do not consider declaring someone a disbeliever except through denial and refutation, such as the message...
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The questioner : May Allah forgive you. Recently, some books, booklets, and pamphlets have appeared that speak on a great issue, which is the issue of disbelief (kufr). Those who speak on this issue have divided into two groups:
Some are strict and declare governments disbelievers, as well as those who work with them, and they also declare societies disbelievers. And some, who are the second group, are lenient in this matter and said: Disbelief does not occur in practical disbelief.
The Shaykh : In belief.
The questioner : That is, it must be in the belief aspect, and it must be refutation and denial. If it is not so, then there is no disbelief. I have before me a message that spoke on this issue, spread among people, was printed in large quantities, and distributed to people. It is titled: *Misleading with the Rulings of the Issue of Takfir*, by an author who named himself Murad Shukri. He mentioned many issues in this book. I will cite two examples, O honorable Shaykh. He said on page 17: "And in these lines, my successful brother, I have summarized the statements of the great scholars and their leaders in every era, the people who know the doctrines of the Salaf and those after them. And I return to you with a summary even more concise than that: No one is certainly declared a disbeliever except the one who refutes the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And refutation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is not established except after the establishment of two things: First, the establishment of the text with certainty by necessary, mass-transmitted consensus that it was issued by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Second, the establishment of the meaning likewise by necessary, mass-transmitted consensus that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intended such and such. And then we are certain that the one who opposes these two conditions is a refuter, and the denier is like him, so he is a refuter of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) without any doubt or opposing interpretation. So he is a disbeliever. So know and strive for this verification and secure your religion from the obsessives."
And he said on page 28, after mentioning the statements of people: These texts - meaning the aforementioned ones - "These aforementioned texts are clear and evident that refuting the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), denial, declaring lawful, stubbornness, rejection, and negation are all one meaning. And with this report, it is not possible for any action to be a disbelief that removes one from the religion except if it necessarily and certainly contains refutation. This is like cursing Allah or cursing the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), or prostrating to an idol, or throwing the mushaf in filth, and the like of that, without any doubt that is exposed or problem that is assumed." So what is your guidance, O honorable Shaykh, regarding these two types?
The Shaykh : This issue, as I mentioned, is a serious one, and it is declaring someone a disbeliever (takfir), declaring someone an innovator (tabdi'), declaring someone an open sinner (tafsiq), and so on. You will find some people hesitate to say: This is forbidden or this is lawful, except after that is established by the Shari'ah. And they say: It is not for me to make lawful or make forbidden; making lawful and making forbidden belongs to Allah and His Messenger. But in the issue of takfir, they are lenient and declare disbeliever one whom Allah and His Messenger did not declare a disbeliever. And this poor man did not know that the danger of takfir is greater than the danger of making lawful and making forbidden. Because if a person declares a disbeliever one who is not deserving of it, his disbelief returns to him, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) informed us. Whether we say it returns to him by Shari'ah or by divine decree, he will not be free from being a disbeliever if he declares a disbeliever one whom Allah and His Messenger did not declare a disbeliever.
And as for restricting takfir to belief, this is also an error, contrary to the Qur'an and the Sunnah and the statements of the Salaf. As for the Qur'an, Allah the Exalted mentioned about Iblis that he disbelieved, even though Iblis affirmed Allah Mighty and Majestic, and knew what He has of names and attributes and power. And with this, he disbelieved by leaving the prostration that he was commanded to do. And this is not doctrinal disbelief, but it is practical disbelief.
And as for the Sunnah, it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 82b And he said: Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) And this is practical disbelief; he disbelieves by leaving the prayer while believing in its obligation.
And as for its contradiction with the statements of the Salaf, Abdullah ibn Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not consider any of the actions - and pay attention to his saying 'of the actions' - leaving which is disbelief, except the prayer."
So disbelief is of two types:
Disbelief of denial and refutation, and disbelief of arrogance and refusal, and both are established.
And as for the one who goes to the extreme who declares every person a disbeliever who is not on his opinion, this is also on a great danger. And he is likely to be from the Khawarij who declare disbeliever by the major sin and say that the doer of the major sin is a disbeliever who will remain in the Fire forever. So you must follow the middle path; do not exceed what the Book and the Sunnah indicate. The servants are the servants of Allah; He is the One who rules that this one is a disbeliever or this one is a Muslim. And you are not one who makes lawful, nor one who makes forbidden, nor one who declares disbeliever, nor one who denies disbelief. The matter is with Allah Mighty and Majestic. So my opinion is that these are those who go to the extreme and these are those who are lenient. So whoever declares disbeliever by everything is one who goes to the extreme, and whoever denies practical disbelief is one who is lenient. Yes.
Some are strict and declare governments disbelievers, as well as those who work with them, and they also declare societies disbelievers. And some, who are the second group, are lenient in this matter and said: Disbelief does not occur in practical disbelief.
The Shaykh : In belief.
The questioner : That is, it must be in the belief aspect, and it must be refutation and denial. If it is not so, then there is no disbelief. I have before me a message that spoke on this issue, spread among people, was printed in large quantities, and distributed to people. It is titled: *Misleading with the Rulings of the Issue of Takfir*, by an author who named himself Murad Shukri. He mentioned many issues in this book. I will cite two examples, O honorable Shaykh. He said on page 17: "And in these lines, my successful brother, I have summarized the statements of the great scholars and their leaders in every era, the people who know the doctrines of the Salaf and those after them. And I return to you with a summary even more concise than that: No one is certainly declared a disbeliever except the one who refutes the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And refutation of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is not established except after the establishment of two things: First, the establishment of the text with certainty by necessary, mass-transmitted consensus that it was issued by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Second, the establishment of the meaning likewise by necessary, mass-transmitted consensus that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intended such and such. And then we are certain that the one who opposes these two conditions is a refuter, and the denier is like him, so he is a refuter of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) without any doubt or opposing interpretation. So he is a disbeliever. So know and strive for this verification and secure your religion from the obsessives."
And he said on page 28, after mentioning the statements of people: These texts - meaning the aforementioned ones - "These aforementioned texts are clear and evident that refuting the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), denial, declaring lawful, stubbornness, rejection, and negation are all one meaning. And with this report, it is not possible for any action to be a disbelief that removes one from the religion except if it necessarily and certainly contains refutation. This is like cursing Allah or cursing the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), or prostrating to an idol, or throwing the mushaf in filth, and the like of that, without any doubt that is exposed or problem that is assumed." So what is your guidance, O honorable Shaykh, regarding these two types?
The Shaykh : This issue, as I mentioned, is a serious one, and it is declaring someone a disbeliever (takfir), declaring someone an innovator (tabdi'), declaring someone an open sinner (tafsiq), and so on. You will find some people hesitate to say: This is forbidden or this is lawful, except after that is established by the Shari'ah. And they say: It is not for me to make lawful or make forbidden; making lawful and making forbidden belongs to Allah and His Messenger. But in the issue of takfir, they are lenient and declare disbeliever one whom Allah and His Messenger did not declare a disbeliever. And this poor man did not know that the danger of takfir is greater than the danger of making lawful and making forbidden. Because if a person declares a disbeliever one who is not deserving of it, his disbelief returns to him, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) informed us. Whether we say it returns to him by Shari'ah or by divine decree, he will not be free from being a disbeliever if he declares a disbeliever one whom Allah and His Messenger did not declare a disbeliever.
And as for restricting takfir to belief, this is also an error, contrary to the Qur'an and the Sunnah and the statements of the Salaf. As for the Qur'an, Allah the Exalted mentioned about Iblis that he disbelieved, even though Iblis affirmed Allah Mighty and Majestic, and knew what He has of names and attributes and power. And with this, he disbelieved by leaving the prostration that he was commanded to do. And this is not doctrinal disbelief, but it is practical disbelief.
And as for the Sunnah, it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Between man and polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of salat.
بين الرّجل وبين الشّرك والكفر ترك الصّلاةThe covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصّلاة فمن تركها فقد كفرAnd as for its contradiction with the statements of the Salaf, Abdullah ibn Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not consider any of the actions - and pay attention to his saying 'of the actions' - leaving which is disbelief, except the prayer."
So disbelief is of two types:
Disbelief of denial and refutation, and disbelief of arrogance and refusal, and both are established.
And as for the one who goes to the extreme who declares every person a disbeliever who is not on his opinion, this is also on a great danger. And he is likely to be from the Khawarij who declare disbeliever by the major sin and say that the doer of the major sin is a disbeliever who will remain in the Fire forever. So you must follow the middle path; do not exceed what the Book and the Sunnah indicate. The servants are the servants of Allah; He is the One who rules that this one is a disbeliever or this one is a Muslim. And you are not one who makes lawful, nor one who makes forbidden, nor one who declares disbeliever, nor one who denies disbelief. The matter is with Allah Mighty and Majestic. So my opinion is that these are those who go to the extreme and these are those who are lenient. So whoever declares disbeliever by everything is one who goes to the extreme, and whoever denies practical disbelief is one who is lenient. Yes.