Is the ruler of Iraq a disbeliever, and is it permissible to curse him?

Q: Is it permissible to curse the ruler of Iraq? Because some people say: As long as he pronounces the two testimonies, we should refrain from cursing him. And is it certain that he is a disbeliever? What is your opinion, Your Eminence, regarding the view of those who say that he is a disbeliever?

A: He is a disbeliever, even if he says: There is no god but Allah, even if he prays and fasts, as long as he does not disavow the atheistic principles of Ba'athism and declare that he has repented to Allah from them and what they call for; for Ba'athism is disbelief and misguidance. So unless he declares this, he is a disbeliever. Just as Abdullah ibn Abi was a disbeliever while he was praying with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and saying: There is no god but Allah, and testifying that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and he was one of the most disbelieving of people, and that did not benefit him because of his disbelief and hypocrisy. So those who say: There is no god but Allah, from among the people of disbelieving beliefs like the Ba'athists and the communists and others, and they pray for worldly purposes, this does not save them from their disbelief; for it is hypocrisy from them. And it is known the severe punishment of the hypocrites, as it came in the Book of Allah: [Al-Nisa: 145].
And Saddam, with his claim of Islam and his claim of jihad, or his saying: I am a believer, all of this does not benefit him in any way and does not take him out of hypocrisy. And in order for one who claims Islam to be considered a true believer, it is necessary to explicitly repent from what he used to believe previously and confirm this with action; for the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah: 160]. So verbal repentance and actual reform must be accompanied by clarification, otherwise the claimant is not truthful. If he is truthful in his repentance, let him disavow Ba'athism, let him leave Kuwait, let him return the injustices to their people, and let him declare his repentance from Ba'athism and that its principles are disbelief and misguidance.
And that the Ba'athists should return to Allah and repent to Him, embrace Islam, and adhere to its principles in word and deed, outwardly and inwardly, and be upright upon the religion of Allah, and believe in Allah and His Messenger, and believe in the Hereafter, if they are truthful. As for pretense and hypocrisy, it is not acceptable to Allah nor to the believers.
He says : And He the Exalted and Majestic says: They deceive Allah and those who believe, but they do not deceive except themselves, and they do not perceive. In their hearts is a disease, so Allah increased their disease, and for them is a painful punishment for what they used to lie. And when it is said to them: Do not cause corruption in the land, they say: Indeed, we are reformers. Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they do not perceive. And when it is said to them: Believe as the people have believed, they say: Shall we believe as the fools have believed? Unquestionably, it is they who are the fools, but they do not know. [Al-Baqarah: 8 - 13]. This is the state of Saddam and his like, from among those who declare Islam out of hypocrisy and deception, while he makes Muslims taste various types of harm and injustice, and he establishes his atheistic Ba'athist creed.