The Categories of Boycotting a Muslim

The Shaykh : This is because boycotting is divided into categories. First, there is the one whom it is obligatory to boycott. This is like the one who commits a religious innovation and calls people to his innovation, if he does not stop except by being boycotted. It is obligatory for us to boycott him, because boycotting him, O Mas'ud, has a benefit, which is that he stops calling people to the innovation. So if we find a person calling people to the belief that the Qur'an is created, or that Allah the Exalted is in every place, it is obligatory for us to boycott him. We do not greet him, we do not return his greeting, we do not accept his invitation, and we do not speak to him as a friend would, because boycotting him in this case has a benefit. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he ordered the boycotting of one who commits a forbidden act. The one who commits a forbidden act is less severe than the one who calls to an innovation, because the caller's call to it continues, whereas the one who commits the forbidden act has done it and it is over. Among those whom the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered to be boycotted for committing a sin were those who left Ka'b ibn Malik, Hilal ibn Umayyah, and Murarah ibn al-Rabi'. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to be boycotted until one of them would greet a relative who was dear to him, and he would not return his greeting. Now, if this caller is one whom it is obligatory to boycott, like a person who commits an innovation and calls people to it, it is obligatory for us, indeed it is forbidden for us, to accept his invitation. Now, we are in the process of categorizing boycotting. The second category of boycotting is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory. This is the recommended boycotting that is not obligatory, which is boycotting the one who commits a sin less than an innovation, if there is a benefit in boycotting him. For example, boycotting a person who shaves his beard. Shaving the beard is forbidden. So if we see a person who has persisted in that, and there is a benefit in boycotting him, which is that he returns to the fold of the Sunnah, then boycotting him here is a recommended practice (sunnah) until he returns. The same is said about the smoker, and the same is said about the employee in interest-based institutions. If someone asks, "Why do you not say that it is obligatory?" We say, "We do not say it is obligatory because we do not ensure that he will abandon the forbidden act by it. If we were to ensure that he would abandon the forbidden act by it, then boycotting him would be obligatory." Now, this boycotting, what is it? It is a recommended practice (sunnah) with a condition, O brothers: the condition is benefit. If there is no benefit in this, then he is not to be boycotted, because the original ruling is that boycotting a believer is forbidden, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) . So if there is no benefit, for example, if this person who shaves his beard, if we boycotted him, he would only increase in hatred toward us, distance from us, and aversion to the truth, and he would remain shaving his beard, then boycotting him here becomes forbidden, because nothing is achieved from it except the opposite of what we want. As for what some committed, zealous brothers do, boycotting the people of sins absolutely, that is an error and contrary to the Sunnah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said . Is the one who commits a sin your brother? He is my brother, whatever major sins he commits, except if he commits disbelief. And with this, it is not permissible to boycott the people of sins except for the presence of a benefit. Now, if a person passes by you with a cigarette in his hand and greets you, do you return his greeting? Yes, you return his greeting, because if you did not return it, that would be a further persistence in his sin, his hatred of you, and his aversion to the truth that you speak of. The intended goal is benefit and the removal of harm. The third category of boycotting is permissible boycotting, but this category is limited to three days or less. This is the boycotting that occurs between a person and his brother due to a misunderstanding, a disagreement over the price of a sale, or a job, for example, "I do not see it as proper conduct for him to work with me," so he boycotted him. How long is that allowed? Three days only. This is permissible boycotting, it is not required, and it is not forbidden. This is permissible boycotting, but it is limited to three days. Who is the one whose invitation is not accepted? The one whom it is obligatory to boycott.