The Ruling on Backbiting the One Who Openly Commits Sins and Boycotting Him
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
He also asks and says: Is speaking about the character of a person who commits unlawful sexual intercourse, or leaves the prayer, or breaks the fast in Ramadan considered backbiting or not?
Answer: One who openly commits sins is not subject to backbiting. One who does not pray must be rebuked, his fault must be mentioned, people must be warned against him, and he must be boycotted. His supplication is not answered, he is not visited, and he is not visited when he is sick until he repents to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Likewise, one who openly commits lewd acts among people, such as committing unlawful sexual intercourse openly among people or drinking intoxicants—all these apparent sins—deserve that their perpetrator be boycotted, rebuked, and disciplined. The greatest of these is leaving the prayer, for it is disbelief, major shirk (associating partners with Allah). Even if he does not deny its obligation, it is major shirk according to the more correct of the scholars' opinions; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) As for the one who denies the obligation, he disbelieves by the consensus of the Muslims.
The scholars have clarified that one who openly commits sins deserves to be boycotted. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) boycotted three of the Companions who lagged behind the expedition without a valid legal excuse. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) boycotted them, and the Companions boycotted them for fifty nights until they repented and Allah accepted their repentance.
It is not permissible for Muslims to be lenient with the one who leaves the prayer. Rather, it is obligatory to boycott him and to strive in the means of his guidance. If he is guided, well and good; otherwise, it is obligatory for the one in authority to call him to repentance. If he repents, well and good; otherwise, he is to be killed through the Shari'ah court or what serves as its equivalent. He is called to repentance in case he returns, in case he repents. Let them not find the faith of the people [to be weak] when they know that they have left the prayer while claiming Islam. Likewise, one who openly commits sins by drinking intoxicants, or riba (usury or interest), or gambling, or the like of these apparent sins, must be prevented from doing so. The hudud (fixed Qur'anic punishments) must be applied to him if the sin carries a hadd, such as intoxicants. Or he must be disciplined and given a discretionary punishment (ta'zir) that deters him if the sin does not carry a hadd, such as gambling and riba (usury or interest) and the like. This is among the causes of the rectitude of the Muslims, the rectitude of society, the disappearance of vices, and the appearance of virtues. If people are left without deterrence, wrongs will spread, evils will appear, and society will become corrupt. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. We ask Allah for safety and well-being. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Answer: One who openly commits sins is not subject to backbiting. One who does not pray must be rebuked, his fault must be mentioned, people must be warned against him, and he must be boycotted. His supplication is not answered, he is not visited, and he is not visited when he is sick until he repents to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Likewise, one who openly commits lewd acts among people, such as committing unlawful sexual intercourse openly among people or drinking intoxicants—all these apparent sins—deserve that their perpetrator be boycotted, rebuked, and disciplined. The greatest of these is leaving the prayer, for it is disbelief, major shirk (associating partners with Allah). Even if he does not deny its obligation, it is major shirk according to the more correct of the scholars' opinions; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفرThe scholars have clarified that one who openly commits sins deserves to be boycotted. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) boycotted three of the Companions who lagged behind the expedition without a valid legal excuse. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) boycotted them, and the Companions boycotted them for fifty nights until they repented and Allah accepted their repentance.
It is not permissible for Muslims to be lenient with the one who leaves the prayer. Rather, it is obligatory to boycott him and to strive in the means of his guidance. If he is guided, well and good; otherwise, it is obligatory for the one in authority to call him to repentance. If he repents, well and good; otherwise, he is to be killed through the Shari'ah court or what serves as its equivalent. He is called to repentance in case he returns, in case he repents. Let them not find the faith of the people [to be weak] when they know that they have left the prayer while claiming Islam. Likewise, one who openly commits sins by drinking intoxicants, or riba (usury or interest), or gambling, or the like of these apparent sins, must be prevented from doing so. The hudud (fixed Qur'anic punishments) must be applied to him if the sin carries a hadd, such as intoxicants. Or he must be disciplined and given a discretionary punishment (ta'zir) that deters him if the sin does not carry a hadd, such as gambling and riba (usury or interest) and the like. This is among the causes of the rectitude of the Muslims, the rectitude of society, the disappearance of vices, and the appearance of virtues. If people are left without deterrence, wrongs will spread, evils will appear, and society will become corrupt. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. We ask Allah for safety and well-being. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.