The Ruling of the Shari'ah on One Who Curses the Religion
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Question:
This is a letter from 'Abd al-'Aziz 'Ali Hasan Qanawi, an Egyptian working in Iraq. 'Abd al-'Aziz 'Ali Hasan says in his letter: I work in Iraq and live and work with a group of people, some of whom curse the religion of Allah. I advised them, but some of them remain as they are.
So the question is: What is the ruling of the Shari'ah on one who curses the religion? And if he prays, is his prayer valid? And what is my duty toward them? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
Answer:
If you see or hear someone cursing the religion, you should advise him and disapprove of his action; because cursing the religion is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) and apostasy from Islam if the one cursing is a Muslim, he becomes a disbeliever; so you must advise him and disapprove of the evil he commits, based on the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He): [At-Tawbah: 71] and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) : [Al 'Imran: 104] and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 49a narrated by Muslim in the Sahih.
So it is obligatory for you and for other believers to disapprove of the evil; so if you see someone cursing the religion, or not praying, or drinking intoxicants, or being undutiful to his parents, or doing any of the other evil deeds; then it is upon you to disapprove, guide him to good, and advise him, perhaps Allah will guide him through your efforts. If Allah guides him, you will have a reward like his. If he refuses, you should strive to remove him from his job and put an end to his situation. If he is in a Muslim state, you should report him to the state so that it punishes him. If he repents, otherwise he must be killed as an apostate from Islam; based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 2535Sahih (Darussalam) If he repents from his cursing and returns, it is permissible according to some scholars to leave him and not kill him, but he should be disciplined.
Some scholars hold that he should be killed absolutely, even if he repents. But the stronger view, if Allah wills, is that whenever he repents to Allah, returns, feels remorse, and reforms; he is not killed, but there is no harm in disciplining him for what he committed and what he did, by flogging, imprisonment, or the like.
The summary and conclusion is: that it is obligatory for a believer who has such a person to disapprove of him and warn him, and to strive to return him to the right path; if that does not help and it is not feasible, the believer should do what he can to seek his dismissal and removal from his job, and report his case to the authorities, if he is in a country where evil is disapproved of; if you fear for yourself and it is not feasible to report these people or for them to repent, then distance yourself from their company and move to another job, perhaps you will be saved.
And success is from Allah.
The presenter: May Allah reward you, but the questioner says that this companion of his who curses the religion prays, so he asks what is the ruling on his prayer?
The Shaykh: Cursing the religion invalidates deeds. Cursing the religion is disbelief, and disbelief invalidates deeds if one dies upon it. If the disbeliever dies upon his disbelief, his deeds are invalid. But if he repents before he dies, his righteous deeds remain for him.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
This is a letter from 'Abd al-'Aziz 'Ali Hasan Qanawi, an Egyptian working in Iraq. 'Abd al-'Aziz 'Ali Hasan says in his letter: I work in Iraq and live and work with a group of people, some of whom curse the religion of Allah. I advised them, but some of them remain as they are.
So the question is: What is the ruling of the Shari'ah on one who curses the religion? And if he prays, is his prayer valid? And what is my duty toward them? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
Answer:
If you see or hear someone cursing the religion, you should advise him and disapprove of his action; because cursing the religion is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) and apostasy from Islam if the one cursing is a Muslim, he becomes a disbeliever; so you must advise him and disapprove of the evil he commits, based on the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He):
The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاء بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِAnd let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong
وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِHe who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith.
من رأى منكم منكرًا فليغيره بيده، فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه، وذلك أضعف الإيمانSo it is obligatory for you and for other believers to disapprove of the evil; so if you see someone cursing the religion, or not praying, or drinking intoxicants, or being undutiful to his parents, or doing any of the other evil deeds; then it is upon you to disapprove, guide him to good, and advise him, perhaps Allah will guide him through your efforts. If Allah guides him, you will have a reward like his. If he refuses, you should strive to remove him from his job and put an end to his situation. If he is in a Muslim state, you should report him to the state so that it punishes him. If he repents, otherwise he must be killed as an apostate from Islam; based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever changes his religion, execute him.
من بدل دينه فاقتلوهSome scholars hold that he should be killed absolutely, even if he repents. But the stronger view, if Allah wills, is that whenever he repents to Allah, returns, feels remorse, and reforms; he is not killed, but there is no harm in disciplining him for what he committed and what he did, by flogging, imprisonment, or the like.
The summary and conclusion is: that it is obligatory for a believer who has such a person to disapprove of him and warn him, and to strive to return him to the right path; if that does not help and it is not feasible, the believer should do what he can to seek his dismissal and removal from his job, and report his case to the authorities, if he is in a country where evil is disapproved of; if you fear for yourself and it is not feasible to report these people or for them to repent, then distance yourself from their company and move to another job, perhaps you will be saved.
And success is from Allah.
The presenter: May Allah reward you, but the questioner says that this companion of his who curses the religion prays, so he asks what is the ruling on his prayer?
The Shaykh: Cursing the religion invalidates deeds. Cursing the religion is disbelief, and disbelief invalidates deeds if one dies upon it. If the disbeliever dies upon his disbelief, his deeds are invalid. But if he repents before he dies, his righteous deeds remain for him.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.