Summary of Sunni concepts | 15- Concepts about disbelief and hypocrisy

0:00 A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.

0:08 The definition of kufr (disbelief).

0:11 Kufr in the linguistic sense.

0:13 It means to cover and conceal.

0:15 It is said,

0:16 "The farmer covered the seed,"

0:18 meaning he covered it with soil.

0:20 Likewise, kufr of blessings (ingratitude),

0:23 means to deny and conceal them.

0:25 The kafir (disbeliever),

0:27 is the one who denies the blessings of Allah the Exalted.

0:29 Similarly, the word kafir,

0:31 refers to the dark night,

0:33 because it covers things with its darkness.

0:35 As for kufr in the religious sense,

0:37 it is the covering of faith.

0:39 It is the denial of one,

0:41 or more of the pillars of faith,

0:43 such as denying the oneness,

0:45 of Allah the Almighty,

0:47 or denying His angels,

0:49 or His scriptures, or any part of them,

0:51 even a single verse.

0:53 Or denying His messengers,

0:55 and calling them liars.

0:57 Or denying the Last Day,

0:59 or the divine decree (qadar).

1:01 Or denying any of the laws of Allah,

1:03 or His rites upon which there is consensus,

1:05 regarding them.

1:07 Kufr is the opposite of faith.

1:09 It occurs through the heart, the tongue,

1:11 and actions.

1:13 Among the types of kufr are also,

1:15 beyond the kufr of denial and rejection,

1:17 the kufr of refusal and arrogance,

1:19 the kufr of declaring the forbidden as lawful (istihlal),

1:21 the kufr of mockery,

1:23 the kufr of major hypocrisy,

1:25 the kufr of desertion (i'rad),

1:27 and the kufr of doubt.

1:29 Major kufr,

1:32 and minor kufr.

1:34 Major kufr,

1:37 is that which expels one from the fold of Islam,

1:39 like the types mentioned,

1:41 in the previous concept.

1:43 It contradicts the very essence of faith.

1:45 Therefore, Allah does not forgive it,

1:47 except through repentance.

1:49 Its perpetrator will abide eternally,

1:51 in the Fire on the Day of Resurrection,

1:53 if he does not repent from it.

1:55 Minor kufr,

1:57 is that which is termed kufr,

1:59 such as committing some,

2:01 acts of kufr,

2:03 which diminish faith,

2:05 but do not nullify it.

2:07 Examples include ingratitude for blessings,

2:09 fighting a Muslim,

2:11 wailing over the dead,

2:13 slandering lineages,

2:15 minor showing off (riya'),

2:17 and swearing by other than Allah.

2:19 All these actions,

2:21 have been termed kufr in the religious texts.

2:23 However, other religious evidences indicate,

2:25 that it is not intended to mean,

2:27 expulsion from the fold of Islam.

2:29 Rather, the one who commits them is considered,

2:31 to have committed a grave sin.

2:33 Even if he enters the Fire,

2:35 because of them, he will not abide therein eternally.

2:37 When the term,

2:39 "kufr" is used absolutely,

2:41 it refers in principle,

2:43 to major kufr,

2:45 which nullifies all deeds,

2:47 and causes its perpetrator to abide eternally in the Fire,

2:49 if he dies upon it,

2:51 and does not repent from it,

2:53 unless the evidences indicate otherwise.

2:55 Takfir (declaring someone a disbeliever).

2:57 Takfir,

3:00 is the judgment,

3:03 passed upon a legally responsible person (mukallaf) of kufr,

3:05 whether it is original kufr,

3:07 like that of a Jew or a Christian,

3:09 or if he was a Muslim,

3:11 and apostatized from Islam,

3:13 by falling into an act of kufr,

3:15 among the nullifiers of faith.

3:17 Takfir is a right,

3:19 belonging to Allah the Exalted.

3:21 Personal desires have no place in it,

3:23 nor do whims or passions.

3:25 It cannot occur except,

3:27 by fulfilling its conditions,

3:29 and the absence of its impediments,

3:31 such as coercion, error,

3:33 ignorance, or misinterpretation.

3:35 The Ahl al-Sunnah are moderate,

3:37 regarding takfir, between the Khawarij,

3:39 who declare takfir for every,

3:41 sin without regard,

3:43 for the conditions and impediments,

3:45 and the Murji'ah,

3:47 who judge an action as kufr,

3:49 but do not declare takfir,

3:51 upon the specific individual who committed it,

3:53 unless he declares his denial,

3:55 and his lawfulness of the act.

3:57 For them, there is no kufr of refusal and arrogance,

3:59 nor kufr of mockery.

4:01 It is sufficient for them,

4:03 to utter the two testimonies of faith,

4:05 to become a Muslim,

4:07 even if he lacks the action,

4:09 of the heart and its speech,

4:11 and even if he lacks the entire,

4:13 genus of action.

4:16 Therefore, the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah,

4:18 do not declare takfir for every sin.

4:20 They only declare takfir,

4:22 for the sin which the texts have stated,

4:24 is kufr,

4:26 such as abandoning prayer entirely,

4:28 ruling by other than what Allah has revealed,

4:30 insulting the Messenger,

4:32 peace be upon him,

4:34 or insulting his religion,

4:36 and so on.

4:38 They do not declare takfir upon a specific individual,

4:40 unless the conditions for his takfir are met,

4:42 and the impediments are absent.

4:44 They do not limit this,

4:46 to denial and declaring the forbidden as lawful,

4:48 because kufr according to the Ahl al-Sunnah,

4:50 involves many matters.

4:52 Among them is belief,

4:54 such as believing that Allah has an equal,

4:56 or a partner in His Lordship,

4:58 or His divinity,

5:00 or His names and attributes.

5:02 Among them is declaring the forbidden as lawful,

5:04 for declaring sins as lawful,

5:06 is kufr in itself,

5:08 even if the one who declares it lawful does not commit them.

5:10 Declaring it lawful is not,

5:12 a condition for kufr,

5:14 except in sins that are,

5:16 lesser than kufr and shirk.

5:18 As for prostrating to an idol,

5:20 or insulting the Messenger, peace be upon him,

5:22 it is not required,

5:24 to declare the act lawful,

5:26 for the perpetrator to be labeled a kafir.

5:28 Rather, he is described as such,

5:30 by the mere act of doing it,

5:32 even if he did not declare it lawful,

5:34 provided that the conditions have,

5:36 been met and the impediments,

5:38 have been absent.

5:40 Kufr can occur by the tongue,

5:42 such as insulting Allah and His Messenger,

5:44 praising shirk,

5:46 lampooning the prophets and angels,

5:48 or mocking the Shari'ah.

5:50 Kufr can also occur,

5:52 by action,

5:54 such as one who fights the prophets,

5:56 supports the disbelievers against the Muslims,

5:58 desecrates the Mushaf,

6:00 sacrifices to or prostrates,

6:02 to other than Allah, or legislates,

6:04 besides Allah.

6:06 The principles of takfir.

6:08 The issue of declaring,

6:11 a specific individual a kafir or not,

6:13 is a grave matter,

6:15 from two perspectives.

6:17 The first:

6:19 declaring takfir upon a specific individual who does not deserve,

6:21 takfir,

6:23 based merely on doubts that do not rise,

6:25 to the level of certainty in his kufr.

6:27 The second:

6:29 not declaring takfir upon him despite,

6:31 the fulfillment of the conditions and the absence of,

6:33 the impediments that would make one certain,

6:35 of his kufr and dealing,

6:37 with him according to the rulings of Islam.

6:40 For declaring takfir upon a specific individual,

6:42 there are principles that must be observed,

6:45 the most important of which are:

6:47 First:

6:49 The judgment upon a specific individual must be,

6:51 With knowledge and justice.

6:53 This is achieved by ensuring that the judgment

6:55 regarding whether someone has committed an act of disbelief or not

6:57 proceeds from sound religious knowledge

6:59 of the rulings of takfir, its parameters,

7:01 and its conditions,

7:03 as well as a realistic understanding of the specific individual’s situation

7:05 who is the subject of the judgment.

7:07 One must verify all of this,

7:09 and it must not be

7:11 based on assumptions and delusions.

7:14 Furthermore, the judgment must be rendered

7:16 with justice and piety, avoiding caprice,

7:18 and protecting the sanctity of the soul.

7:20 Allah the Almighty says:

7:22 “(O man), follow not that whereof thou hast no knowledge. Lo! the hearing and the sight and the heart - of each of these it will be asked.” (17:36)

7:24 [concerning which] he has knowledge.

7:26 “(O man), follow not that whereof thou hast no knowledge. Lo! the hearing and the sight and the heart - of each of these it will be asked.” (17:36)

7:28 All of those

7:30 will be held accountable for it.

7:32 And Allah the Almighty says:

7:34 "O you who

7:36 believe, be persistently standing firm

7:38 for Allah, witnesses in justice,

7:40 and do not let the hatred

7:42 of a people prevent you

7:44 from being just."

7:46 “O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye do.” (5:8)

7:48 And fear Allah;

7:50 indeed, Allah is Acquainted

7:52 with what you do.

7:54 Second:

7:56 The reference point for defining

7:58 faith and disbelief, and what they

8:00 entail, must be the clarification provided by Allah

8:02 the Almighty in His Book,

8:04 and the clarification provided by His Messenger,

8:06 peace be upon him, in his Sunnah,

8:08 and the understanding of the Companions,

8:10 may Allah be pleased with them.

8:12 This principle

8:14 is a corollary of the one preceding it,

8:16 for it is not permissible to delve into matters

8:18 of faith and disbelief

8:20 except with firm knowledge

8:22 of their meanings and boundaries,

8:24 according to the understanding of the righteous salaf.

8:26 Otherwise, one will fall into the affliction

8:28 of the sects of the innovators

8:30 regarding the definition of both faith and disbelief,

8:32 such as the Khawarij

8:34 and the Murji'ah.

8:36 Third: Whoever has been established [as a believer],

8:38 it is not permissible to expel him from it

8:40 except with certainty.

8:42 This is subsumed

8:44 under the great

8:46 legal maxim:

8:48 "Certainty is not removed by doubt."

8:50 So, that which is established with certainty

8:52 as apostasy,

8:54 one judges accordingly.

8:56 But that which is doubted to be apostasy,

8:58 one does not judge accordingly.

9:00 Fourth:

9:02 Judgments in this world are based on outward appearances,

9:04 while Allah takes charge of the inner secrets.

9:06 One should not pry into the inner states of people,

9:08 as Allah has not commanded us

9:10 to do so.

9:12 Whoever appears to be a Muslim,

9:14 he is judged as such.

9:16 And whoever appears to be in contradiction to faith,

9:18 he is judged accordingly.

9:20 The consideration in this

9:22 is the final state of the

9:24 accountable person.

9:26 The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to

9:28 treat people

9:30 according to their outward appearance,

9:32 accepting the outward Islam of the hypocrites

9:34 even though they were disbelievers

9:36 in their hearts,

9:38 unless this hypocrite manifests

9:40 his disbelief in word or deed.

9:42 At that point,

9:44 he is judged by this outward manifestation.

9:47 Fifth:

9:49 A general judgment declaring a

9:51 statement or action to be disbelief

9:53 does not necessitate applying that judgment to a specific individual.

9:55 Rather, it is said:

9:57 "This statement or action

9:59 is disbelief,"

10:01 but it does not follow that everyone who commits it [is a disbeliever]

10:03 until the conditions of takfir are met

10:05 and the impediments are removed.

10:07 This is an important rule

10:09 regarding takfir, declaring someone an innovator,

10:11 or declaring them corrupt.

10:13 Sixth:

10:15 One does not judge a specific individual

10:17 by the implications of his speech or action,

10:19 nor is he bound by the necessary consequences

10:21 of his speech or action,

10:23 unless these implications

10:25 and consequences are presented to him,

10:27 and he accepts and commits to them.

10:29 As for if he denies them

10:31 when they are presented to him,

10:33 then he is not judged as a disbeliever.

10:35 Impediments to Takfir

10:37 There are impediments

10:41 to takfir.

10:43 If they are present, or if one of them is present

10:45 in a specific person at the time he commits

10:47 the act of disbelief,

10:49 he is not personally judged as a disbeliever

10:51 until they are removed from him

10:53 and he persists thereafter in what he

10:55 is doing.

10:57 The most important of these impediments are:

10:59 Error, interpretation,

11:01 coercion, and ignorance.

11:03 The details of this

11:05 are in the following concepts.

11:07 Error as an impediment

11:09 to takfir:

11:13 Error is the opposite of correctness.

11:15 The intent is

11:17 that a person falls into an act of disbelief

11:19 by mistake, not intending what he says

11:21 or does,

11:23 such as a slip of the tongue that comes out by mistake

11:25 in a state of intense emotion, whether from extreme

11:27 joy or sadness.

11:29 One of the clearest examples of this

11:31 is what is mentioned in the hadith about Allah's joy

11:33 at the repentance of His servant,

11:35 and the illustration of that

11:37 by the joy of the one who found his mount

11:39 after it was lost in the desert.

11:41 He erred due to the intensity of

11:43 his joy and said:

11:45 "O Allah, You are my servant

11:47 and I am Your Lord," while he intended

11:49 the opposite.

11:51 Such errors occur frequently,

11:53 especially among non-Arabs

11:55 who do not know the meanings of

11:57 Arabic words precisely.

11:59 An example of error in actions

12:01 is one who insults the Mushaf,

12:03 thinking it is another book,

12:05 such as a geography book,

12:07 for example, or a foreign

12:09 dictionary. This person

12:11 is excused for his error due to his lack of knowledge

12:13 that it is the Qur'an.

12:15 Whereas one who insults the Mushaf

12:17 while knowing it is a Mushaf,

12:19 but says,

12:21 "I did not know that

12:23 insulting it is disbelief," this person

12:25 is not excused because

12:27 he insulted it intentionally,

12:29 so his ignorance of the ruling does not benefit him.

12:31 The most correct

12:33 and clearest evidence for the lack of

12:35 accountability for error

12:37 is that when the Muslims complied

12:39 with the saying of Allah the Almighty:

12:41 "And whether you disclose what is in your hearts

12:43 or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account

12:45 for it,"

12:47 then He forgives whom He wills

12:49 and punishes whom He wills,

12:51 and Allah is over

12:53 all things competent.

12:55 And they said:

12:57 "We hear and we obey.

12:59 [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord,

13:01 and to You is the final destination."

13:03 Allah the Almighty abrogated

13:05 this ruling with His saying:

13:07 "Allah does not charge a soul

13:09 except [with that within] its capacity."

13:11 “Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.” (2:286)

13:13 [It will have] what it has earned.

13:15 "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us

13:17 “Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.” (2:286)

13:19 “Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.” (2:286)

13:21 as You laid upon those before us.

13:23 Our Lord, and burden us not

13:25 with that [which we have no strength to bear].

13:27 “Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.” (2:286)

13:29 And pardon us,

13:31 and forgive us, and have mercy upon us."

13:33 And from the Prophet, peace be upon him,

13:35 [it is narrated] that Allah the Almighty,

13:37 after the saying:

13:39 "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us,"

13:41 “Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.” (2:286)

13:43 said: "Yes."

13:45 Narrated by Muslim in a

13:47 long hadith.

13:49 Misinterpretation as a barrier

13:51 to declaring someone an unbeliever (takfir).

13:54 The intended meaning of this

13:56 is misinterpretation in understanding the texts of the two Revelations,

13:58 based on an understanding that contradicts the understanding of

14:00 the salaf and the principles of the Shari'ah.

14:02 A person in such a state is excused

14:04 until it is clarified to him

14:06 that his understanding is erroneous.

14:08 Thereafter, he is no longer excused

14:10 if he persists in his erroneous interpretation.

14:12 This is like someone who misinterprets the saying of Allah the Exalted:

14:14 "There is no blame upon those

14:16 who believe and do righteous deeds

14:18 for what they have eaten [in the past],

14:20 if they [now] fear Allah and believe

14:22 and do righteous deeds,

14:24 and then fear Allah and believe,

14:26 and then fear Allah and do good;

14:28 and Allah loves the doers of good."

14:30 [He interprets this to mean] that whoever believes, fears Allah,

14:32 does righteous deeds,

14:34 and does good,

14:36 then there is no sin upon him in drinking wine.

14:38 Such a person is not declared an unbeliever

14:40 for deeming wine lawful,

14:42 due to his corrupt interpretation.

14:44 Rather, the error

14:46 and corruption of this interpretation must be clarified to him.

14:48 He is not declared an unbeliever for his invalid interpretation

14:50 after it has been clarified to him;

14:52 for he is not excused thereafter.

14:54 The interpretation that serves

14:56 as a barrier to declaring a specific individual an unbeliever,

14:58 until his misconception is removed,

15:00 is the interpretation that does not lead

15:02 to the nullification of the Shari'ah,

15:04 or to falling into manifest polytheism (shirk),

15:06 or to involving

15:08 the denial of what was brought by

15:10 the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

15:12 or the rejection of a fundamental principle

15:14 without which the religion cannot stand.

15:16 [This excludes] the interpretations of the Batiniyyah,

15:18 the heretics (zanadiqa), and the philosophers,

15:20 which involve atheism,

15:22 disbelief in the Last Day,

15:24 the nullification of the rulings of the Shari'ah,

15:26 the abandonment of religious obligations,

15:28 and the deeming of forbidden things as lawful.

15:33 Coercion as a barrier to takfir.

15:36 Coercion (ikrah)

15:38 is the forcing of another person against their will

15:40 to perform an act or utter a statement

15:42 that contradicts their consent and choice,

15:44 and compelling them to do what they do not desire.

15:46 This is considered valid by

15:48 the consensus of the scholars

15:50 when applying legal rulings,

15:52 even if they differ regarding its forms

15:54 and the ruling for each form,

15:56 and the conditions of valid coercion.

15:58 The basis for this is the saying of Allah the Exalted:

16:00 "Whoever disbelieves in Allah

16:02 after his belief,

16:04 except for one who is forced [to do so]

16:06 while his heart is secure

16:08 in faith."

16:10 “Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief - save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with the Faith - but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.” (16:106)

16:12 [Those who are forced] are those upon whom

16:14 [the wrath] of Allah [falls],

16:16 and for them is a great punishment.

16:18 The scholars have established

16:20 conditions for the coercion that

16:22 excuses the one who commits it.

16:24 The most important of these are: First,

16:26 that the coercer be capable

16:28 of carrying out his threat

16:30 against the coerced person. Second,

16:32 that the coerced person be unable

16:34 to defend himself by any means.

16:36 Third,

16:38 that it is highly probable to the

16:40 coerced person that the threat will be carried out

16:42 if he does not do what is demanded of him.

16:44 Fourth,

16:46 that the harm resulting

16:48 from the coercion to commit disbelief

16:50 be great and unbearable,

16:52 such as killing, torture,

16:54 or long-term imprisonment.

16:57 Fifth,

16:59 that the coerced person not be an Imam

17:01 followed by the Ummah;

17:03 for in such a case, he must show patience,

17:05 so that he does not lead the people astray.

17:07 Ignorance

17:09 and the failure of the legal address to reach a person

17:11 are two barriers to takfir.

17:13 Ignorance comes in several meanings,

17:16 among them:

17:18 the absence of knowledge in the soul,

17:20 which is what is intended here;

17:22 and believing something to be contrary

17:24 to what it actually is.

17:26 Whoever falls into a prohibition or violation,

17:28 whether it be disbelief,

17:30 innovation, or immorality,

17:32 due to the non-arrival of

17:34 the legal address to him and his ignorance of it,

17:36 then he shall not be subject to

17:38 the threat in this world or in the

17:40 Hereafter, which is promised to

17:42 the perpetrator of the violation,

17:44 nor shall he be judged by it

17:46 until the knowledge reaches him

17:48 by which the proof is established against him.

17:50 This is the general rule.

17:52 As for the details of this,

17:54 Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, says:

17:56 "This applies to

17:58 the rulings of reward and punishment.

18:00 As for the rulings of this world,

18:02 they proceed according to

18:04 the outward appearance.

18:06 Thus, the children of the unbelievers and their insane,

18:08 [they are treated as] unbelievers in the rulings of this world;

18:10 they have the same status as their guardians."

18:12 His words end here.

18:14 Similarly,

18:16 whoever falls into manifest shirk,

18:18 such as prostrating to an idol,

18:20 or slaughtering and making vows to other than Allah

18:22 the Exalted, he is considered

18:24 a polytheist in the rulings of

18:26 this world. As for the punishments

18:28 of this world and the Hereafter,

18:30 they do not befall him except

18:32 after the removal of ignorance

18:34 and the establishment of the proof.

18:36 "And never would We

18:38 punish until

18:40 We sent a messenger."

18:42 Punishment is deserved

18:44 for two reasons: one of

18:46 them is turning away from the proof

18:48 and from seeking it, or acting

18:50 upon it and its requirements.

18:52 The second is obstinacy against the

18:54 proof and refusing to act

18:56 upon it after knowing it

18:58 and its establishment against the obstinate one.

19:00 The first is the disbelief of

19:02 turning away, and the second is

19:04 the disbelief of obstinacy and arrogance.

19:06 As for falling into disbelief

19:08 due to ignorance and the non-establishment of the

19:10 proof, or the inability

19:12 to access it, this is

19:14 what Allah has negated for its possessor:

19:16 punishment until the

19:18 proof of the messengers is established.

19:21 The establishment of the proof:

19:23 The establishment of the proof differs

19:26 according to different times, places,

19:28 and individuals.

19:30 The proof may be established against the unbelievers

19:32 in one time and not another,

19:34 or in one place and not another.

19:36 Just as it is established

19:38 against one person and not another,

19:40 either due to a lack of intellect and discernment,

19:42 like a child or the insane,

19:44 or due to a lack of understanding,

19:46 like a non-Arab who does not

19:48 understand the address

19:50 and there is no translator to translate for him.

19:52 Such a person is in the position of

19:54 the deaf person who hears

19:56 nothing and is unable to understand.

19:58 The ignorance for which

20:01 a person is excused is that

20:03 which he is unable to remove

20:05 and is incapable of overcoming.

20:07 Otherwise, whenever it is possible for a person

20:09 to know the truth,

20:11 yet he is negligent or turns away from it,

20:13 then at that point,

20:15 the sin of negligence and turning away attaches to him.

20:19 The different states of ignorance:

20:21 For ignorance

20:24 of legal rulings and issues,

20:26 there are states

20:28 that can be summarized as follows:

20:30 First:

20:32 Is ignorance of the prohibition of something

20:34 whose prohibition is definitive [an excuse]?

20:36 As happens with one who is a new

20:38 convert to Islam, or one who is

20:40 in a remote desert, far

20:42 from knowledge and its people,

20:44 then someone like this is excused for

20:46 deeming this forbidden act permissible

20:48 until it is clarified to him and the proof

20:50 is established against him, and he learns

20:52 of its prohibition; and this excuse

20:54 removes from him the punishment of this world

20:56 and the Hereafter, and prevents

20:58 the ruling of his disbelief,

21:00 firstly, until he knows its prohibition

21:02 and the proof is established against him.

21:04 If he persists thereafter

21:06 in deeming the forbidden act permissible,

21:08 he is then judged

21:10 to be a disbeliever.

21:12 Secondly:

21:14 that the ignorance concerns obscure matters

21:16 in creed and the fundamentals

21:18 of faith which are not known

21:20 except by seeking knowledge of them;

21:22 for ignorance of these is also

21:24 an excuse for the one who holds it, regarding the rulings

21:26 of this world and the Hereafter,

21:28 [provided] the prophetic proof is established against him

21:30 and he understands it.

21:32 Obscurity and clarity

21:34 in matters are relative,

21:36 differing from one place to another

21:38 and from one time to another.

21:40 Thirdly:

21:43 that the matter involving disbelief

21:45 be among the manifest matters

21:47 known of the religion

21:49 by necessity to be forbidden,

21:51 yet the perpetrator may be ignorant

21:53 that it is an act of disbelief,

21:55 or he may claim as much,

21:57 while he knows of its prohibition,

21:59 such as cursing Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,

22:01 or His Messenger, peace be upon him,

22:03 or mocking

22:05 them both and the Book of Allah,

22:07 or supporting the disbelievers

22:09 against the Muslims and aiding them

22:11 against them; for such a person

22:13 is not excused for his ignorance,

22:15 and he is judged to be a disbeliever.

22:17 Allah the Almighty says:

22:19 "And if you ask them, they will surely say,

22:21 'We were only

22:23 conversing and playing.'

22:25 Say, 'Is it Allah and His verses

22:27 and His Messenger that you were

22:29 mocking?'"

22:31 “Make no excuse. Ye have disbelieved after your (confession of) belief. If We forgive a party of you, a party of you We shall punish because they have been guilty.” (9:66)

22:33 "after your belief."

22:37 The conditions for applying rulings of disbelief:

22:39 There is

22:42 a correlation and connection between

22:44 the aforementioned impediments to declaring disbelief

22:46 and the two conditions for its application,

22:48 which are:

22:50 First:

22:52 verifying the absence of the aforementioned

22:54 impediments, or any one of them.

22:56 Second:

22:58 confirming the occurrence of

23:00 the act and the intent behind it,

23:02 for rulings are not built upon assumptions

23:04 and delusions.

23:07 Ilhad (Deviation/Atheism):

23:10 The term 'al-had' means to incline.

23:12 'Al-had' in the religion of Allah

23:14 means to turn away from it and deviate.

23:16 When one says 'alhada fulan' (so-and-so deviated),

23:18 it means he turned away from the truth

23:20 and introduced into it what is not part of it.

23:22 And 'alhada' in the Sacred Precinct (Haram)

23:24 means he deemed its sanctity permissible

23:26 and violated it.

23:29 'Ilhad' regarding the names of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,

23:31 is to deviate with them

23:33 from what they truly are,

23:35 whether by denying them, distorting them

23:37 from their meaning,

23:39 or naming other than Allah with them, such as idols

23:41 and false deities.

23:43 Allah the Almighty says:

23:45 "And to Allah belong the best

23:47 names, so invoke Him by them.

23:49 And leave those who deviate (yulhidun)

23:51 concerning His names."

23:53 'Ilhad' regarding the verses of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,

23:55 is to incline them away from the truth

23:57 out of stubbornness, denial,

23:59 and arrogance.

24:01 Among this is the saying of Allah the Almighty:

24:03 "Indeed, those who deviate (yulhidun)

24:05 concerning Our verses

24:07 are not hidden from Us."

24:09 It is customary in our era

24:11 to use the word 'mulhid' (atheist)

24:13 for one who turns away from the truth

24:15 by denying the existence of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic.

24:19 Nifaq (Hypocrisy):

24:21 Nifaq:

24:25 The term 'nifaq'

24:27 is derived linguistically from the 'nafiqa'

24:29 of the jerboa,

24:31 which is a small creature resembling a mouse

24:33 that lives in the wilderness

24:35 and makes a burrow with two exits:

24:37 a visible exit

24:39 through which it enters and exits,

24:41 and a hidden exit

24:43 covered by a thin layer of soil,

24:45 from which it escapes when

24:47 it is unable to exit through the

24:49 original visible door.

24:51 The point of resemblance between the hypocrite and the jerboa

24:53 is that the hypocrite

24:55 has two states:

24:57 a state he displays,

24:59 which is the declaration of Islam,

25:01 and another he conceals,

25:03 which is disbelief.

25:06 Nifaq is of two types:

25:08 Nifaq is of two types:

25:10 Major Nifaq,

25:12 and Minor Nifaq.

25:15 Major Nifaq

25:17 is also called 'belief-based hypocrisy',

25:19 and it expels its practitioner [from the fold of Islam]

25:21 and places him in the Hereafter

25:23 “Lo! the hypocrites (will be) in the lowest deep of the Fire, and thou wilt find no helper for them;” (4:145)

25:25 if he dies in that state.

25:27 Its reality

25:29 is that a person displays belief in Allah,

25:31 His angels, His books,

25:33 His messengers, the Last Day,

25:35 and the Divine Decree,

25:37 while concealing what contradicts all of that,

25:39 or some of it.

25:41 This is the hypocrisy that existed during the time of

25:43 the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,

25:45 and the Qur'an was revealed

25:47 to warn against it, condemn its people,

25:49 and declare them disbelievers.

25:51 Allah the Almighty says about them:

25:53 "That is because they believed,

25:55 then disbelieved, so a seal was set

25:57 upon their hearts, so they

25:59 do not understand."

26:01 They are more severe in disbelief and enmity

26:03 than the open disbelievers,

26:05 as Allah the Almighty says about them:

26:07 "They are the enemy, so beware of them."

26:09 Among the most important

26:11 manifestations of Major Nifaq and the traits of

26:13 its people: First,

26:15 enmity toward the believers,

26:17 as in the previous verse,

26:19 and hating their victory

26:21 over the disbelievers.

26:23 Second: hatred of

26:25 the Messenger, peace be upon him,

26:27 and what he brought,

26:29 turning away from him,

26:31 and harming him, or finding fault with him, or slandering him.

26:33 Third: joy

26:35 and happiness at the defeat of the Muslims

26:37 and the decline of their religion.

26:39 Fourth: mocking

26:41 the believers

26:43 for their faith and obedience.

26:45 Fifth:

26:47 slandering the Islamic Sharia

26:49 and describing it as

26:51 harsh and contradictory to humanity,

26:53 and not suitable for our time.

26:55 Sixth:

26:57 taking the disbelievers as allies

26:59 and loving their legislations

27:01 that contradict the law of Allah.

27:03 Seventh:

27:05 loving the victory of the disbelievers

27:07 over the Muslims.

27:09 How clear these traits are

27:11 in the hypocrites of our time,

27:13 in our era,

27:15 among politicians, media figures,

27:17 secularists, and liberals;

27:19 they claim to love their homeland,

27:21 while in reality

27:23 they are enemies to the homeland and its interests

27:25 by their allegiance to its enemies,

27:27 their hostility toward the law of Allah

27:29 and those who call to it,

27:31 and by spreading corruption and immorality

27:33 regarding the children of the Ummah,

27:35 and the corruption of their religion,

27:37 their souls, their minds,

27:39 their wealth, and their honor.

27:41 As for major hypocrisy,

27:43 it occurs when the person

27:45 does not reveal it except through the tone

27:47 of their speech.

27:49 However, if they manifest the aforementioned nullifiers

27:51 and call others to them,

27:53 then they become an apostate at that point,

27:55 and the rulings of apostasy are applied to them.

27:57 Minor hypocrisy

27:59 is also called

28:01 practical hypocrisy.

28:03 It is when a person displays

28:05 some of the characteristics of the hypocrites

28:07 and their actions.

28:09 The Prophet,

28:11 peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

28:13 warned against the most dangerous of these traits

28:15 by saying:

28:17 "The signs of a hypocrite are three:

28:19 when he speaks, he lies;

28:21 when he promises, he breaks it;

28:23 and when he is entrusted, he betrays."

28:25 Agreed upon.

28:27 He, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,

28:29 also said:

28:31 "There are four traits, whoever possesses them is

28:33 a pure hypocrite,

28:35 and whoever possesses one of them

28:37 possesses a trait of hypocrisy

28:39 until he abandons it:

28:41 when he is entrusted, he betrays;

28:43 when he speaks, he lies;

28:45 when he makes a covenant, he acts treacherously;

28:47 and when he disputes, he behaves immorally."

28:49 Agreed upon.

28:51 The one who possesses these traits

28:53 is similar in these

28:55 actions to the hypocrites,

28:57 even if he is not an unbeliever inwardly,

28:59 because he has combined the hypocrisy

29:01 of action with the essence of faith.

29:03 But if these traits

29:05 become entrenched and complete,

29:07 the person may strip himself

29:09 of Islam entirely

29:11 and become a pure hypocrite.

29:13 The conclusion of the matter

29:16 is that minor hypocrisy

29:18 all stems from the discrepancy

29:20 between the inner self and the outward appearance.

29:23 Other signs of practical

29:25 hypocrisy:

29:28 other signs

29:30 besides what was mentioned.

29:32 Among the most important of them:

29:34 First, being

29:36 a two-faced person, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

29:38 "The worst of people

29:40 is the two-faced person

29:42 who comes to these people

29:44 with one face and to those

29:46 with another." Agreed upon.

29:48 Included in this is the one who is inconsistent

29:50 in his speech and actions,

29:52 showing love and affection

29:54 while his heart harbors evil

29:56 and hatred, or showing

29:58 grief and sadness over the affliction

30:00 of the Muslims while his heart

30:02 shows joy and gloating.

30:04 Second:

30:06 lack of remembrance of Allah, or aversion

30:08 to it, and laziness

30:10 in obeying Allah.

30:12 Third: mocking

30:14 the charitable projects

30:16 that volunteers undertake,

30:18 accusing them of showing off,

30:20 and claiming that Allah is in no need

30:22 of their donations due to their insignificance,

30:24 as Allah the Exalted said:

30:26 "Those who criticize

30:28 the contributors among the believers

30:30 concerning their charities and those

30:32 “Those who point at such of the believers as give the alms willingly and such as can find naught to give but their endeavours, and deride them - Allah (Himself) derideth them. Theirs will be a painful doom.” (9:79)

30:34 so they mock them;

30:36 Allah will mock them,

30:38 and for them is a painful punishment."

30:40 Fourth:

30:42 rejoicing at being safe from trials

30:44 in the path of Allah,

30:46 and claiming that this is wisdom

30:48 and intellect, while prioritizing

30:50 the safety of one's own self and wealth

30:52 over the safety of the religion.

30:54 Fifth: striving

30:56 to please the masses or the rulers

30:58 with whatever religious opinions they desire,

31:00 taking positions contrary to the law of Allah,

31:04 defending the disbelievers

31:06 and the hypocrites, praising

31:08 them, and aligning

31:10 with them against the callers

31:12 to reform.

31:14 Indifference

31:16 to the calamities that befall

31:18 the Muslims.

31:20 Striving to cause division

31:22 among the Muslims and inciting

31:24 conflict between them.

31:26 The hypocrisy of those in finance

31:28 and banking

31:30 who deceive people

31:32 by claiming their transactions are Shari'ah-compliant

31:34 and have received approval

31:36 from Shari'ah boards,

31:38 using this deception

31:40 to extort people's wealth.

31:44 The hypocrisy of some

31:46 media outlets

31:48 that claim to be Islamic

31:50 while they are equivalent to

31:52 the "mosques of harm" (Masajid al-Dirar),

31:54 destroying Islam through what they publish

31:56 and by clothing truth with falsehood.

31:58 They may even make

32:00 themselves mouthpieces for the oppressors

32:02 and tyrants,

32:04 beautifying their actions

32:06 and praising them.

32:09 The ruling on hypocrites:

32:11 the ruling on those of

32:14 major hypocrisy

32:16 is that in the Hereafter,

32:18 “Lo! the hypocrites (will be) in the lowest deep of the Fire, and thou wilt find no helper for them;” (4:145)

32:20 remaining there eternally like the disbelievers,

32:22 if they die in their hypocrisy,

32:24 because they are disbelievers

32:26 in their reality.

32:28 As for the ruling on them in this world,

32:30 it is based

32:32 on their outward appearance,

32:34 so they are judged as Muslims

32:36 as long as they manifest that,

32:38 and they are treated according to the laws of Islam,

32:40 while remaining cautious of them.

32:42 If they manifest their disbelief

32:44 through word or deed from the nullifiers of faith,

32:46 then they become,

32:48 by that, heretics (Zanadiqa) subject to

32:50 the rulings of apostates.

32:52 The stance toward

32:54 the hypocrites

32:57 and the duty toward them:

32:59 caution and warning others against them,

33:01 exposing them and exposing

33:03 their plots, conspiracies,

33:05 and hidden tools in the war against

33:07 the religion and its people.

33:09 If signs of major hypocrisy appear in them,

33:11 such as their inclination

33:13 toward the disbelievers and their mockery

33:15 of the religion and its people,

33:17 then the duty toward them

33:19 is to rebuke them, be harsh with them,

33:21 and establish the law of Allah,

33:23 unless it is seen that killing them

33:25 would cause a greater harm,

33:27 in which case one refrains from that

33:29 until this harm is removed,

33:31 just as the

33:33 Messenger, peace be upon him, refrained from

33:35 killing 'Abdullah Ibn Ubayy Ibn Salul,

33:37 the head of the hypocrites

33:39 in Medina, so that

33:41 sedition would not erupt,

33:43 and it would not be said that Muhammad

33:45 kills his companions,

33:47 even though he insulted the Messenger, peace be upon him,

33:49 and slandered

33:51 the mother of the believers, 'A'ishah,

33:53 may Allah be pleased with her.

33:55 The conclusion on this issue

33:57 is that one must observe

33:59 the fiqh of balancing and the principles

34:01 of weighing interests

34:03 and harms.

34:06 A summary of the concepts

34:08 of the People of the Sunnah.

Summary of Sunni concepts | 15- Concepts about disbelief and hypocrisy | Concepts (213-230)

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