If someone were to say that the statement of Allah the Exalted: “And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed—those are the wrongdoers”—means disbelief, how do we respond to him?

The student: ... . ?

The Shaykh : Yes, we respond by saying that it is incorrect. How can it mean one thing when Allah repeats it with multiple expressions? The principle is that a difference in wording indicates a difference in meaning. However, some scholars said: Describing the ruler as a disbeliever does not preclude describing him as an open sinner, because Allah the Exalted described the disbelievers as open sinners, saying: , and He described the disbelievers as wrongdoers, saying: . Thus, He attributed these three descriptions to a single described entity. There is no objection to describing a person with multiple descriptions. Undoubtedly, the disbeliever is a wrongdoer, and undoubtedly, he is an open sinner who has departed from obedience. In fact, his open sinfulness is absolute, whereas the open sinfulness of the disobedient believer is qualified. However, if we apply the difference in these words to different circumstances, it is more eloquent. We would say that disbelief encompasses wrongdoing and open sinfulness, so its implication of them is by commitment. Therefore, merely describing him as a disbeliever is also describing him as a wrongdoer and an open sinner. Then we derive a new benefit regarding judging by other than what Allah has revealed, where it becomes pure wrongdoing, not disbelief, or open sinfulness, not disbelief, ...
No, I say that making the difference in wording a difference in meaning is better, because this is the principle. And the scholars said in this issue: It is preferable to interpret the speech as establishing a new ruling rather than as emphasizing a previous one. Yes.