Is every one who rules by other than what Allah has revealed considered to have exited the religion?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The reality connected to this topic, as we know, is that ruling by other than what Allah has revealed leads to disbelief in belief and verbal disbelief as well. So, the one who does not consider it permissible is, in our view, one who has committed a major sin, and the one who considers it permissible is known to be in a state of disbelief in belief regarding the religion.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : The question now is: But now we know of the rulers who call themselves the legislative authority, who legislate these laws that are far removed from the law of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Does their mere action of doing so mean that they consider themselves to have exited the religion?
The Shaykh : This example or any other.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : We must apply the previous rule, which is: the legal reality is fixed, namely the distinction between practical disbelief and disbelief in belief. Their statement is undoubtedly disbelief.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Verbal disbelief, and then one looks at what is in their hearts.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : If they believe that they have the authority to legislate, then the statement of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) applies to them:[At-Tawbah 9:31], and the other verse: [Ash-Shuraa 42:21]. So, these people do not escape, at the very least and with certainty, verbal disbelief.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Or practical disbelief. Then, some among them may have fallen into disbelief in belief or disbelief in the heart, and some may not. And this, of course, is what is in the hearts, which no one knows except the Knower of the Unseen. If they express it with their tongues, as we often hear from some of those who do not pray, for example, saying to you, "This prayer was in a time that has passed and ended," then this is the clearest expression of what is in his heart. So, he deserves to be declared a disbeliever, and it is not permissible to marry him, deal with him, or do anything with him. So, this question also falls under this scale of distinguishing between disbelief in belief and practical disbelief.
The questioner : Okay, do the members of the legislative authority also fall under the same ruling? The members of the authority who are the ones who actually enact the laws?
The Shaykh : Without a doubt, without a doubt, because all violations of the Shari'ah, my brother, are the same in that they may involve either disbelief in belief or disbelief through sin. For example, the one who consumes riba (usury or interest); riba is not less than any other sin, especially since the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) included it among the seven major sins.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, so is the one who consumes riba and commits a major sin declared a disbeliever? The same detailed distinction applies.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Between considering it permissible practically, in which case he is one who has committed a major sin, and considering it permissible in his heart as well, in which case he is not a Muslim. So, any sin is weighed by this scale.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : The question now is: But now we know of the rulers who call themselves the legislative authority, who legislate these laws that are far removed from the law of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Does their mere action of doing so mean that they consider themselves to have exited the religion?
The Shaykh : This example or any other.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : We must apply the previous rule, which is: the legal reality is fixed, namely the distinction between practical disbelief and disbelief in belief. Their statement is undoubtedly disbelief.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Verbal disbelief, and then one looks at what is in their hearts.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : If they believe that they have the authority to legislate, then the statement of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) applies to them:
They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِOr have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented?
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُThe questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Or practical disbelief. Then, some among them may have fallen into disbelief in belief or disbelief in the heart, and some may not. And this, of course, is what is in the hearts, which no one knows except the Knower of the Unseen. If they express it with their tongues, as we often hear from some of those who do not pray, for example, saying to you, "This prayer was in a time that has passed and ended," then this is the clearest expression of what is in his heart. So, he deserves to be declared a disbeliever, and it is not permissible to marry him, deal with him, or do anything with him. So, this question also falls under this scale of distinguishing between disbelief in belief and practical disbelief.
The questioner : Okay, do the members of the legislative authority also fall under the same ruling? The members of the authority who are the ones who actually enact the laws?
The Shaykh : Without a doubt, without a doubt, because all violations of the Shari'ah, my brother, are the same in that they may involve either disbelief in belief or disbelief through sin. For example, the one who consumes riba (usury or interest); riba is not less than any other sin, especially since the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) included it among the seven major sins.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, so is the one who consumes riba and commits a major sin declared a disbeliever? The same detailed distinction applies.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Between considering it permissible practically, in which case he is one who has committed a major sin, and considering it permissible in his heart as well, in which case he is not a Muslim. So, any sin is weighed by this scale.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.