Be Very Very Careful who you call a Kafir.
When the scholrs become corrupt, the whole world becomes corrupt!
Be careful who you call Kafir because only Allah knows who is truly a rejector and who is merely a misguided person. It is not up to us to "sentence" a person to the Hellfire.
We must always maintain courtesy, diplomacy and a never-dying zeal to convey the message to others no matter how discouraging or useless it may seem - don't give up on a non-muslim because most people are good people who simply need a break from the anti-Islamic propaganda around them.
The Fastest Way to Leave Islam
It is always safest to assume that a non-muslim has been misguided, misinformed and fed lies and misconceptions about Islam and Muslims - don't jump to calling him a Kafir. Remove the name-calling from your articles and websites - wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry - name-calling, especially wrongly branding someone as 'evil', 'kafr' and 'manifestation of satan' - could entail dire consequences for us on Judgement Day.
Perhaps there is no faster way to leave Islam than by calling other Muslims "kafir" or "mushrik" without discrimination.
About calling other Muslims "kafir," we read the following hadith: It is reported on the authority of Ibn `Umar that the Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) said: Any person who calls his brother: O Unbeliever! (then the truth of this label) would return to one of them. If it is true, (then it is) as he asserted, (but if it is not true), then it returns to him (and thus the person who made the accusation is an Unbeliever). [Muslim]
Therefore, if you call other Muslims "kafir" or "mushrik" without discrimination, you could find that you have left Islam, according to the words of the Prophet (s.a.w.), in less than a second.
Making Takfir upon another Muslim
What do you think about a muslim calling another muslim a kafir?
I think the best people to answer this question would be those who actually call other muslims kafirs.
1732. Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "When a person calls his brother (in Islam) a disbeliever, one of them will certainly deserve the title. If the addressee is so as he has asserted, the disbelief of the man is confirmed, but if it is untrue, then it will revert to him.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
( We learn from this Hadith that to call a Muslim a Kafir is strictly prohibited because if the one who has been called as such does not have the traits which makes him a Kafir, then the one who says it will be held Kafir.)
1733. Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "If somebody accuses another of disbelief or calls him the enemy of Allah, such an accusation will revert to him (the accuser) if the accused is innocent.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith also tells us that to call without reason any Muslim a Kafir or enemy of Allah is strictly prohibited.
It's conditions and punishment ( It is serious sin wrongly calling someone a kafir and in fact according to authentic hadiths from both shia and sunni sources, including Sahih Bukari and Muslim, it results in the accuser becoming a kafir. )
In Islamic law making takfir or takfeer is the act of declaring a Muslim individual or Muslim group as being kaffirs i.e. non Muslims. Takfir can be done on Muslims living at the present moment, or Muslims who lived in the past.
Making takfir upon Muslims is not a light issue, and there are several conditions which are needed before takfir can be declared. Secondly, the making of takfir upon other Muslims is reserved for those who have a lot of Islamic knowledge such as the Ulema and Sheikhs, Muslims should not take it upon themselves to call other Muslims kaffirs when they don't have the proper qualifications to do so.
Before moving on as to show what the scholars say about making takfir upon another Muslim, I would first like to show what the punishment is if takfir is done upon words of the Prophet (s.a.w.), but a Muslim. From the authentic hadiths of the prophet:
Volume 8, Book 73, Number 71:
Narrated Abu Dhar:
That he heard the Prophet saying, "If somebody accuses another of Fusuq (by calling him 'Fasiq' i.e. a wicked person) or accuses him of Kufr, such an accusation will revert to him (i.e. the accuser) if his companion (the accused) is innocent." ( Sahih Bukhari)
Sahih Muslim Book 001, Number 0116:
It is reported on the authority of Ibn 'Umar that the Apostle (may peace and blessings be upon him) observed: When a man calls his brother an unbeliever, it returns (at least) to one of them.
So as you can see, the punishment of wrongly calling another Muslim is severe, and that if you are wrong and that the Muslim you call a kaffir is not a kaffir then you yourself become the kaffir, which means you shall die in a state of unbelief and be thrown in the hell-fire. So this is why making takfir should be done by those who have a great deal of Islamic knowledge such as the Ulema and sheikhs.
With all that said we now show what the scholars have to say about takfir and its conditions.
, "The conditions for the judgement of takfeer of a Muslim? And the judgement upon the one who did any action that is mukaffir (i.e. expels from the religion) but only in jest (not seriously)?"
The sheikh replied by saying, "For the judgement of the takfeer of a Muslim, there are two conditions:
· The first, that the evidence that this matter is something that expels from the religion is established.
· The second, the application of the ruling upon the one who does that, in that he has knowledge of it and that he intends it (aaliman bidhaalik qaasidan lahu).
Thus, if he is ignorant, he does not become a disbeliever, due to His saying, "And whoever contends with the Messenger after the guidance has been made clear to him, and he follows a path other than the path of the believers, We shall leave him in the path he has chosen and land him in Jahannam, an evil refuge" (4:115) and His saying, "And Allaah is not one to misguide a people after He has guided them, until He explains to them that which they should avoid." (9:115), and His saying, "And We never punish until we have sent a Messenger." (17.15).
However, when this person is neglectful in abandoning learning and attaining clarity, he is not to be excused. Such as when it reaches him that this action of his is kufr, and then he does not verify it (that it is as such), and nor does he investigate, then in this situation, he is not to be excused.
And if he did not intend (ghayr qaasid) the action (i.e. wilfully, knowingly, deliberately), then he does not become a disbeliever. He does not become a disbeliever. Such as for example, when he is compelled to kufr while his heart is secure with Iman (faith), such as when his thinking becomes confused, so he does not know what he is saying, due to extreme joy and what is like that. Or such as the man with the camel who lost it, then he sat under the tree, waiting for death, and then he finds it tied to the tree, and so he takes it, then he said, "O Allah, you are my servant and I am your lord", so he erred due to extreme joy.
However, the one who did something that expels from the religion, only in jest (maazihan), then he becomes a disbeliever, because he intended that [action or statement] (qasada dhaalik), as has been textually stated by the people of knowledge."
So as you can see, a Muslim who makes statements out of Kufr because he doenst have a lot of knowledge concerning an issue does not become a kaffir. However so if this person is given proof of his mistake with clear evidences by the Quran and Sunnah, and he persists to continue in his kufr then he is not excused. So this is why Muslims should not be so quick to call a fellow Muslim a kaffir for making absurd statements regarding Islamic issues, rather we should speak with them in a kind manner and refute them with clear evidences. Also if the Muslim makes a statement of kufr or an act of kufr but his heart still has iman then he is still not a kaffir and neither should he be called as such, verily Allah is merciful.
So therefore this should make it clear to all Muslims that we should NEVER call a Muslim a kaffir at once when they make glaring mistakes concerning Islam, rather we should teach them and correct them and bring them back to the straight path not condemn them and kick them out which will simply alienate them and make their hearts harder!
This reply is in two parts, the first are some primary texts and the second some Hanafi fatwas on the issue.
Imam Abu al-Qasim ibn `Asakir narrates in Tabyin Kadhib al-Muftari (p. 373-) with his chains:
"We were sitting with Abu Hurayra whereupon a young man passed by. A man sitting with us said: 'This is a Kafir from among the people of the Fire.' Abu Hurayra rose and went to speak with the young man, asking him: 'Who are you?' He replied: 'Son-and-so, son of So-and-so.' Abu Hurayra said: 'Allah have mercy on your father!' The young man was looking around, so he asked him: 'What are you looking for?' He replied: 'I have not prayed yet.' Abu Hurayra said: 'So you pray?' The young man replied: 'Subhan Allah!' Abu Hurayra: 'And you say Subhan Allah?' He said: 'La Ilaha illAllah!!' Abu Hurayra: 'And you say La Ilaha illAllah?' The young man said: 'I would prefer not to leave Salat even if I were given all there is on the face of the earth.' Abu Hurayra said: 'Allah have mercy on you. Allah have mercy on you. Allah have mercy on you.' Then he came back to his seat in the circle and said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say: "Whoever bears testimony against a Muslim of which the latter is not deserving, let him prepare for his seat in the Fire."'"
A man said to Ibn `Umar: "I have a neighbor who bears witness against me that I commit shirk." He replied: "Say: 'La Ilaha illAllah,' you will make him a liar."
:I was sitting in Ibn `Umar's house when a man came and said: "O Ibn `Umar! There are groups of people bearing witness against us and attributing to us kufr and shirk." Ibn `Umar replied: "Woe to you! Did you not say: 'La Ilaha IllAllah'?!" Whereupon the entire household began to say La Ilaha IllAllah until the house was shaking.
4. From al-A`mash, from Abu Sufyan:
We came to see Jabir ibn `Abd Allah who lived in Makkah and resided with the Banu Fihr. A man asked him: "Did you [the Companions] use to call anyone from the People of the Qibla [i.e. Muslims], 'Mushrik'?" He replied: "I seek refuge in Allah." The man continued: "Did you call anyone from them 'Kafir'?" He said: "No."
So this should be enough for now. So therefore all Muslims should refrain from calling another Muslim a kaffir since this could lead you to the hell-fire.
What goes around comes around!
Every soul on this plane is a Muslim, naturally; it is only when outside factors on the material plane get ahold of them that they stray. After this, anyone who says, believes and follows Shahadah is a Muslim. They must both attest to the fact that there is 'No Deity except Allah' which means rejecting Shirk in its entirety, and also that 'Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah' which means they must accept the whole of the Qur'an.
From this points, opinions differ. Some, most notably Imam ash-Shafi'i, say that Faith itself never increases, nor decreases for a Muslim; it is piety which increases and decreases, piety being the measure of how one acts out the concept of Faith in the physical realm. From this standpoint, a straying Muslim, even one who commits grievous sins (assuming this sin is not Shirk) is still a Muslim, provided they believe in Allah and the Message, even if they don't entirely live it out and others, primarily Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, are of the opinion that both Faith and Piety increase and decrease, and that while most sins will not mean you cease being a Muslim, that there are some sins and actions which would make this so.
(And NO ONE KNOWS WHAT ALLAH SWT KNOWS)
It's become cliché to say that Muslims have reduced Islam to rituals and forgotten other important tenets. While it is crucial to practice the five pillars of Islam, for instance, we cannot ignore other basic aspects of the faith that emphasize brother and sisterhood.
Muslim unity is a Fard (obligatory duty) according to the Quran and Traditions of the Prophet Mohamed (peace and blessings be upon him). Consider the following references below:
From the Quran (49:10): The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear God, that ye may receive Mercy.
Also from the Quran (3:103): And hold fast, all together, by the rope which God (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude God's favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth God make His Signs clear to you: That ye may be guided.
From the Hadith:
In their love, kindness and compassion for each other, the believers are like a human body: when one part of it is hurt, the rests sympathizes with it in wakefulness and fever (Bukhari, Muslim).
So if they are not sure...
Why open their mouth on something as serious as this??
Surah Fatir 35:45:"If Allah were to punish men according to what they deserve. He would not leave on the back of the (earth) a single living creature: but He gives them respite for a stated Term: when their Term expires, verily Allah has in His sight all His Servants." (Also stated in Surah an Nahl 16:61).
There is the old classic saying - nobody's perfect. A lot of people do wrongs. We are not always comfortable to acknowledge our flaws, that we have a 'bad side', yet we are far too eager to see them in others. What sets one person apart from the rest - is whether we're aware of our short comings. That puts you in a far better position than those who aren't :) Life is all about striving. Sometimes we stumble. The one who stands up and shrugs will gain nothing. The one who knows of their imperfections will learn from such an experience... that - is a good muslim.
Hmm I see and why can't they live with truth and why can't they face that!!!!
Islam isn't about what we think is right and what we dont is wrong!!
And Allah Knows Best!
"Have fun praying and getting ready for the Day of Judgment coz that day will NOT be fun :) P.S.: don’t forget to make dua for me.
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