(FWD’ING AN EMAIL)
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The following points list twelve actions or beliefs that would
categorize someone as a kaafir or a murtadd (apostate). This list is
not intended to be comprehensive, however it is general and every
person should be forewarned against the matters mentioned therein.
Kufr should be recognized and acknowledged by the Muslims in general
so that they know how to protect themselves from its dangers.
We must however remember never to be hasty in labeling one who claims
to be Muslim as a kaafir (disbeliever) or murtadd (apostate) without
clear and irrefutable evidence. An assignation or specific ruling of
kufr (disbelief) for such a person should generally be left to the
scholars of Islam. Kufr (disbelief) is of two types: action ('amaly)
and belief ('itiqaady ), some of which may be termed “kufr doona
kufr” that is, a degree of kufr less than the total kufr which does
not necessarily put one outside of Islam although such a person’s
Islam may be doubtful or in grave danger. This is the explanation of
Qur’aan 5:44 by the companion Ibn Abbaas (radiallahu 'anhu) collected
by Ibn Jareer and quoted by Ibn Katheer on the authority of 'Ataa.
Ibn Umar (radiallahu 'anhu) reports that the Prophet
(sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said “Any person who called his
brother ‘O Unbeliever’ (has in fact done an act by which this kufr)
would return to one of them. If it were so as he (the accuser)
asserted, (the kufr of the accused would be confirmed, but if the
kufr was not true) then it returned to him (the man who called his
brother Muslim a kaafir).” Muslim.
There are matters which may indeed indicate or even necessitate that
a person be a disbeliever (kaafir) such as defiling the Qur’aan or
cursing the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) regardless of
what the person espouses and it is only Allah who knows the unseen.
As humans we can only judge or make determinations from what is
outwardly evident.
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To disavow Allah’s Lordship (Ruboobiyah) or Deity and singular
right to be worshipped (Uloohiyah) [Qur’aan 4:48 & 116, 5:72, 39:2-3,
51:56] or the message of any of the Messengers of Allah (Tawheed)
[Qur’aan 10:35, 16:36] or to claim that any Messenger or Prophet
(Rasool or Nabiy) came after the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi
wa sallam). [Qur’aan 6:93, 6:21, 7:37, 11:18-19, 18:15, 29:68, 33:40,
39:32, 61:8] -
To deny or reject any of Allah’s Attributes or Names (Asmaa was
Sifaat) i.e. Living, Knowing, Hearing, Seeing, Merciful, having a
face and hands (though we know not in what manner yet certainly not
like His creation), or to add to them that which is not mentioned in
the Qur’aan or authentic Sunnah. i.e. Belief that Allah is not above
His creation & that He is everywhere or in everything or to attribute
any quality that is Allah’s alone to man [Qur’aan 4:48, 6:18 & 61,
10:3, 68 - 69, 20:5, 35:10, 42:11, 72:26 - 27, Ch. 112] -
Setting up intermediaries between oneself and Allah, making
supplication to them, asking their intercession, and placing one’s
trust in them. Calling upon the dead, asking them for help, or
offering them gifts or sacrifices is all shirk. [Qur’aan 2:165 & 255,
5:72, 30:52, 39:44]. To give any of the creation that which is due to
Allah alone or to be pleased with being given worship besides Allah
in any manner [Qur’aan 21:29] thus making or becoming a taaghoot (pl.
tawaagheet). -
To curse, abuse the Name of Allah, to deny or to revile Him or any
of His Messengers or Prophets or Angels. [Qur’aan 2:285, 4:136, 6:10,
57:19] -
To deny, stop, or reject any Fard (obligatory) duty of the Sharia
(Divine Law) i.e. Salaah, Zakaah, Saum, Hajj, Kindness to parents, or
Jihad. [Qur’aan 4:50, 64-65, 80] or to turn away from the religion by
not learning or practicing it’s precepts. [Qur’aan 32:22] -
To deem or to make permissible (halaal) what is clearly forbidden
(haraam) -i.e. adultery, fornication, drinking alcohol, taking drugs,
theft, murder, sorcery, magic; or to make what is halaal haraam -
i.e. to eat meat or seafood, marry plural wives, women to veil, etc.
[Qur’aan 2:102, 174-176,4:69, 6:157] -
To deny or reject any chapter, verse, or letter from the Book of
Allah (Al-Qur’aan) or to purposely give it deviant interpretations
[Qur’aan 3:7, 6:21] i.e. not derived from the Qur’aan itself, the
authentic Sunnah of Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) [Qur’aan
6:153, 16:64] or according to established methods of tafseer. Abu
Hurairah (radiallahu 'anhu) reported that the Rasool
(sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, “Don’t pursue that which you
have no knowledge of”. Ahmed. [Qur’aan 4:59, 10:68-70]. -
To openly show disdain, scorn, contempt for, or treat with levity
the Deen of Islam or it’s tenets, obligatory injunctions or it’s
traditions. [Qur’aan 4:140] To ridicule and deride them or to treat
the Qur’aan as a piece of garbage or filth or to trample or abuse it
as an insult. [Qur’aan 4:83, 140, 6:4-5, 7:50-51, 9:63-66, 20:124,
41:26 27] -
To disbelieve in the Resurrection, Punishment, or Goodly reward on
the Day of Reckoning or that punishment and reward are only abstract,
symbolic or spiritual. [Qur’aan , 56:1-2, 67:8-10, 69] -
To say that the Righteous (Awliyaa’) are above the Prophets
('alaihimus salaam) or that some of the Righteous are exempt from
acts of worship prescribed by Islam according to the Sunnah of
Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam). [Qur’aan 3:85, 8:34, 10:62-
63] -
To rule or judge by other than that which Allah revealed. This is
of different types and the ruling differs depending on the beliefs
and actions. Whoever rules by other than what Allah has revealed
viewing it or believing it to be superior or better than Allah’s
sharia is considered a disbeliever by all the Muslims. Likewise, the
one who substitutes the sharia with man-made laws and views that as
permissible, even if he says that to rule by the sharia is better, is
a disbeliever because he has made halaal what Allah has made haraam.
If one rules as described following whims or in opposition to someone
(i.e. not viewing it as equal, a substitute or superior as described
above) he is considered a major sinner. [2:120, 3:85, 4:115, 5:3, 44,
49, 50, 33:36, 45:18, 58:22]. [explained in detail in Fataawa Ibn
Baz, Vol. 1 Rulings on 'Aqeedah, pg. 991] -
To support or aid the polytheists (mushrikoon) against the
Muslims. [3:28. 118, 4:51, 5:57]