Re: defininition of a muslim?
The one who say Shahada{I declare that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad(SAW) is his (final and last ) Messenger.} is a Muslim. SIMPLE
Not really.
It is not sufficient to simply believe in the Kalima in order to be a Muslim. The Nation of Islam (NOI), Rashad Khalifa's Submittors, Qadianis, also believe in the Kalima. Yet, there is Ijma (consensus) on the fact that these are all Kaafir sects, despite the fact that they ALL claim to believe in the Kalima.
People have the misconception that believing in the Kalima is itself enough to be a Muslim, and they will mistakenly cite Hadith to support their claim. But these people do not understand what the Kalima really stands for. Let me explain through an analogy: when I signed a rent agreement, I had to read two pages of a document. At the end of the document, I had to sign my name after writing the words "I attest that the name above refers to me, and that I accept all the conditions in this document." The Kalima is much like this. Despite the fact that it is only one sentence, it is confirmation of all of the accepted Islaamic belief. In the analogy, the Quran and Sunnah would take the place of the two page rent document, and the Kalima would be your signature attesting to it.
A person who signs a rent document without really accepting the terms in the document is guilty of comitting perjury. Likewise, a person who simply mouths the Kalima but does not accept the terms of the Quran and Sunnah is also guilty of "perjury" against Allah. Saying the Kalima without believing in the Quran and Sunnah invalidates ones Kalima. Furthermore, much like violating one of the preconditions in the rent agreement would be illegal, so too is are there certain actions or beliefs a person can hold which are Kufr.
We all know that the Kalima is not enough to be a Muslim. Why couldn't I create a sect that recited the Kalima but encouraged drinking alcohol, eating pork, avoiding prayer, avoiding Zakaat, etc. ?
Surely, the Kalima is NOT enough to define what is or what is not a Muslim. There HAS to be more; otherwise, anyone can claim to be a Muslim and just completely destroy our faith. In fact, thats what Musaylima tried to do in the time of the Prophet, and the Prophet (s) fought him off. Musaylima created a cult that believed in the Kalima but had all these other beliefs against Islaam; the Prophet (s) REJECTED it and declared war on him. Again, proof that the Kalima is NOT enough since the Prophet (s) rejected Musaylima's cult that did say the Kalima.
What if someone believed in both the Kalima and the Articles of Faith, but such a person believed it is OK to eat pork and drink alcohol. What if a person creates a sect in which it is encouraged to drink alcohol and eat pork? Will such a person also be in the folds of Islaam? Ofcourse not!
As we can see, it is NOT sufficient to believe in the Kalima or the Articles of Faith. Indeed, there are many beliefs that take one outside the folds of Islaam. Changing the deen of Islaam is KUFR. For example, a person who said that Zakaat is wrong or un-necessary, such a person would automatically become a Kaafir.
If it were really true that to be a Muslim you simply had to believe in the Kalima, then one could errect an entire new religion and still be a Muslim so long as your tongue recites the Kalima. This would destroy all consistency in the deen of Islaam, leaving each follower to make their own Akhaam of Islaam.
Indeed, there are many things which can throw a person outside the folds of Islaam. For example, aiding the Kufaar in destroying the Muslims is considered Kufr. There are countless examples which contradict ANY claim that saying the Shahada is simply enough to be a Muslim.
