The Importance of Takfeer [notes]

   بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKFEER

 

APRIL 14, 2014 / 14 JUMADA AL AKHIRAH 1435 HIJRI

 

So whenever you call someone infidel, it is known as takfeer.

-There is a misconception that only a scholar may make takfeer.

-There is a person by the name of Salman Rushdie in the UK who wrote a book insulting Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) and His messenger (ﷺ).

 

-Is it fair to say only a scholar can make takfeer on such person?

-Another example, if you see a girl with a red dot on his forehead (Hindu), are you saying you cannot call them a non-believer?

-Another example, if you see a person wearing a cross, are you saying you cannot call them a non-believer?

 

-Another example, if someone says Muhammad (ﷺ) wrote the Quran, are you saying you cannot make takfeer on such person?

-You do not need a scholar to make takfeer.

-People say rubbish when they say only a scholar can make takfeer.

 

-Another example, if a person denies the Day of Judgement, do you need a scholar to make takfeer on this person? Certainly not.

-Such people make takfeer on themselves with their zandaqa (heresy).

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran Surah Al Imran verse 102:

 

O you who believe! Fear Allah (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah.(Aali Imran 3:102)

 

-The sahaba use to memorize the nawaqid of Islam (nullifier of Islam) like they memorized surah al-Fatiha.

-During the battle of Yamaama, some sahaba who apostate fought in that battle.

-This is why Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) says "don't die unless in the state of Islam".

 

Narrated By Abu Musa al-Ash'ari: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Before you there will be commotions like pieces of a dark night in which a man will be a believer in the morning and an infidel in the evening. He who sits during them will be better than he who gets up, and he who gets up during them is better than he who walks, and he who walks during them is better than he who runs.” They (the people) said: What do you order us to do? He replied: “Keep to your houses.” [Sunan Abu Dawud (4/101) No. 4262, Musnad Ahmad (4/408) No. 19677, Mustadrak al-Haakim (4/487) No. 8360; al-Haakim said this hadith has Sahih isnaad but they (Two Shaikhs) did not narrate it]

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran Surah An Nisa Verse 145:

 

Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them.(An-Nisa 4:145)

 

-If a man does not fear of being a hypocrite then that person is already a hypocrite.

-According to the murjee, it is not important to know who is a Muslim or who is a kafir.

 

-Because on Judgement Day, Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) will not ask such question.

-This is, however, a big lie.

-This lie contradicts surah 2 verse 143

 

Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islamic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you.(Al-Baqarah 2:143)

 

-So on Judgement Day, you will testify that messengers came to a nation but people rejected his message.

 

Ibn Mas'ud (RA) said, "Whatever the Muslims see as good is good with Allah, Whatever the Muslims see as bad, Allah sees as bad."[Mustadrak al-Haakim (3/83) No. 4465, classed as Sahih by Adh-Dhahabee]

 

Ibn Mas'ud (RA) said, "Indeed Allah looked into the hearts of the servants and found the heart of Muhammad (ﷺ) to be the best of the hearts of His servants and so He chose him for Himself and sent him as a Messenger. Then He looked into the hearts of His servants after Muhammad and found the hearts of the Companions to be the best of the hearts of the servants. So He made them ministers of His Messenger fighting for His Deen. So whatever the Muslims see as good is good with Allah, Whatever the Muslims see as bad, Allah sees as bad."

[Musnad Ahmad (1/379) No. 3600]

 

-The murjee say we are not here to judge.

-But the above-mentioned hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (RA) refutes this ideology.

-Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah An Nisa verse: 35

 

If you fear a breach between them twain (the man and his wife), appoint (two) arbitrators, one from his family and the other from her's; if they both wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation. Indeed Allah is Ever All Knower, Well Acquainted with all things.(An-Nisa 4:35)

 

-Ibn Abbas (RA) used the above ayah to refute the Khawareej.

-They had the same ideology as the murjee.

-When the Khawareej say "Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) is the only Judge", Ali (RA) replied "a word of truth but they use it in falsehood" because they take it out of context.

-So be careful of people quoting Quranic verses because in most cases they take it out of context.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah An Nisa verse 58

 

Verily! Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching, which He (Allah) gives you! Truly, Allah is Ever All­ Hearer, All­ Seer.(An-Nisa 4:58)

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) says in the above ayah that you should judge with justice.

 

And so judge (you O Muhammad SAW) between them by what Allah has revealed and follow not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they turn you (O Muhammad SAW) far away from some of that which Allah has sent down to you. And if they turn away, then know that Allah's Will is to punish them for some sins of theirs. And truly, most of men are Fasiqun (rebellious and disobedient to Allah). (Al-Ma'idah 5:49)

 

-You were commanded to judge with the Book of Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ).

-You were commanded to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong.

-How will you enjoin the right if you did not judge it to be good?

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al Imran verse 104:

 

Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful.(Aali Imran 3:104)

 

-And how will you forbid the wrong if you did not judge it for being evil?

-To enjoy the right and forbid the wrong is a religious duty.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al Imran verse 110:

 

You [true believers in Islamic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his Sunnah (legal ways, etc.)] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden), and you believe in Allah.(Aali Imran 3:110)

 

-Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) says you the Muslim is the best nation, why? Because you enjoin the right and forbid wrong, and you believe in Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ).

 

-You are the only nation who believes in Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) properly.

-Some people believe Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) beget a son.

-Beget means to have intercourse.

 

THE 10 REASON WHY TAKFEER IS IMPORTANT

 

1. A MUSLIM WOMAN CANNOT MARRY A KAFIR.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al Mumtahinah verse 10.

 

O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them, Allah knows best as to their Faith, then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them not back to the disbelievers, they are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them. But give the disbelievers that (amount of money) which they have spent [as their Mahr] to them. And there will be no sin on you to marry them if you have paid their Mahr to them. Likewise hold not the disbelieving women as wives, and ask for (the return of) that which you have spent (as Mahr) and let them (the disbelievers, etc.) ask back for that which they have spent. That is the Judgement of Allah. He judges between you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.(Al-Mumtahinah 60:10)

 

-Any sheikh who says the opposite or makes it halal, the sheikh is ruling over Allah's rule hence he is a kafir.

 

2. A KAFIR CANNOT INHERIT FROM A MUSLIM.

 

It was narrated from Usamah bin Zaid, who attributed it to the Prophet (ﷺ): “The Muslim does not inherit from a disbeliever and the disbeliever does not inherit from a Muslim.”{Sunan Ibn Majah: Vol. 1, Book 23, Hadith 2729} & Sahih Bukhari: Vol: 8 Book 85 Chapter 26 Hadith 6764}

 

3. KAFIRS CANNOT ENTER MAKKAH NOR MEDINA.

 

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said, "Two deens shall not co-exist in the Arabian Peninsula." Malik said that Ibn Shihab said, ''Umar ibn al-Khattab searched for information about that until he was absolutely convinced that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), had said, 'Two deens shall not co-exist in the Arabian Peninsula,' and he therefore expelled the jews from Khaybar." [Muwatta Malik (2/63) No. 1862 and Bayhaqi in 'Sunan al-Kubra' (9/350) No. 18751]

 

Ibn Qudaamah (rh) said: "It is not permissible for any of them (the kuffaar) to live in the Hijaaz. This is the view of Malik and al-Shafi’i, but Malik said: I think that they should be expelled from all the Arab lands, because the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Two religions cannot coexist in the Arabian Peninsula.” Abu Dawood narrated with his isnaad from ‘Umar that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “I will certainly expel the Jews and the Christians from the Arabian Peninsula,, and I will not leave anyone there but Muslims.” Al-Tirmidhi said: this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. And it was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) left behind three instructions. He said: Expel the mushrikeen from the Arabian Peninsula, honour the delegations the way that I do, and he kept quiet about the third.{Narrated by Abu Dawood. [Al-Mughni (9/356-357)}

 

On the authority of Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: "Umar bin Al-Khattab informed me that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "I will expel the Jews and the Christians from the Arabian Peninsula, and I will not leave anyone in it except a Muslim."' [Sahih Muslim (3/1388) No. 1767, Sunan Tirmidhi (4/156) No. 1607, Sunan Abu Dawud (3/165) No. 3030, Musnad Ahmad (1/32) No. 219]

 

4. KAFIR SHOULD NOT GAIN ACCESS SENSITIVE INFORMATION OF THE ISLAMIC STATE.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al Imran verse 118

 

O you who believe! Take not as (your) Bitanah (advisors, consultants, protectors, helpers, friends, etc.) those outside your religion (pagans, Jews, Christians, and hypocrites) since they will not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse. Indeed We have made plain to you the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses) if you understand. (Aali Imran 3:118)

 

5. A MUSLIM CANNOT BE KILLED FOR THE SAKE OF A KAFIR.

 

-If a Muslim kills a kafir, he must pay blood money but he cannot be killed.

 

On the authority of 'Amr bin Shu'aib from his father, from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The Muslim is not killed for a disbeliever." [Sunan Tirmidhi (4/25) No. 1413, Sunan Ibn Majah (3/671) No. 2659, Musnad Ahmad (2/178) No. 6662, Sunan Abu Dawud (4/173) No. 4506]

 

-Can you cut off the hand of a Muslim for stealing the wealth of a kafir? Yes you may.

 

6. IN ORDER TO PRACTICE AL WALAA WAL BARAA.

 

-If you find a product that is sold by a Muslim and a kafir with no price difference or quality, then you must buy from the Muslim because he pays zakat.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al Mumtahinah verse: 1

 

O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists, etc.) as friends, showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth (i.e. Islamic Monotheism, this Qur'an, and Muhammad ﷺ), and have driven out the Messenger (Muhammad ﷺ) and yourselves (from your homeland) because you believe in Allah your Lord! If you have come forth to strive in My Cause and to seek My Good Pleasure, (then take not these disbelievers and polytheists, etc., as your friends). You show friendship to them in secret, while I am All-Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal. And whosoever of you (Muslims) does that, and then indeed he has gone (far) astray, (away) from the Straight Path. (Al-Mumtahinah 60:1)

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al Mujadilah verse: 22

 

You (O Muhammad ﷺ) will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad ﷺ ), even though they were their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred (people). For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with Ruh (proofs, light and true guidance) from Himself. And We will admit them to Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow, to dwell therein (forever). Allah is pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of Allah. Verily, it is the Party of Allah that will be the successful. (Al-Mujadilah 58:22)

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al Mumtahinah verse: 4

 

Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allah Alone,"except the saying of Ibrahim (Abraham) to his father: "Verily, I will ask for forgiveness (from Allah) for you, but I have no power to do anything for you before Allah." Our Lord! In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final Return,(Al-Mumtahinah 60:4)

 

-Al walaa wal baraa means to love and hate for the sake of Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ).

-Al walaa wal baraa is one of the seven conditions of the shahada.

 

7. TO TOPPLE THE LEADER IF YOU SEE CLEAR KUFR.

 

-An example of clear kufr is to dislodge the shariah.

 

أن تروا كفرا بواحا

 

On the authority of Ubada bin As-Samit the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “…topple the leader if you see clear kufr...” [Al-Bukhari (7056) and Muslim (1709)]

 

-Another example if to make haram into halal.

-Another example is taking side with the enemy of the ummah.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al Ma'idah verse: 51

 

O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliya' (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but Auliya' to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya', then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong­doers and unjust). (Al-Ma'idah 5:51)

 

Ibn Hazm Stated in Al-Muhalla (11/138): "What is correct is that His statement, the Most High, "And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya', then surely he is one of them." (The Quran 5:51), should be understood on the basis of its apparent meaning. The person being referred to is a disbeliever from the generality of disbelievers, and no two Muslims disagree regarding this."

 

Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab, may Allah have mercy on him, gathered ten actions that negate one's Islam (Nawaqid ul-'Ashr), the eighth one of which states: "Assisting the disbelievers (against the believers) (Mudhaharatul Mushrikeen) and supporting them against the believers (is from the actions that negates of one's faith). The Proof being the statement of Allah, "And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya', then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers and unjust). (The Quran 5:51)."

 

-Example of people taking side with the kufar to kill Muslims is the Saudi government who gave petroleum to the kufar in order to kill Iraqee Muslims.

-The drone that killed Imam Anwar al Al walaki (RH) was sent from a Muslim country.

-Pakistani government also allowed NATO to use their land in order to kill the Muslims of Afghanistan.

-And there are many other examples.

 

-Riba banks is also considered clear kufr.

-This makes riba halal.

-A madkhalis do say that don't topple the leader, it is qadr of Allah for him to be the leader.

-They use qadr to justify the kufr and tyranny of the leaders.

 

-A madkhalis believes it is halal to spy for the MI5, the CIA, and the FBI.

-If you do not understand tawheed, you will think a madkhalis incredibly pious.

-You need to understand tawheed to know who is a real Muslim and who is a kafir.

 

8. WHEN THERE'S JIHAD, YOU NEED TO KNOW WHO TO KILL.

 

-When the Prophet (ﷺ) went to Hudaybiyyah, had he fought against the MAKKAH he would have killed Muslims who were hiding their faith.

-Even in the palace of the Pharaoh, there were Muslims who were hiding their faith.

-So takfeer is important so that when there is jihad you know the enemy clearly.

-When you kill your Muslim brother in the battlefield, it is called "friendly fire".

 

9. IT IS HARAM TO PRAY JANAZA OVER A KAFIR OR A HYPOCRITE.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah At Tawbah verse: 84

 

And never (O Muhammad ﷺ) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and died while they were Fasiqun (rebellious, - disobedient to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ). (At-Tawbah 9:84)

 

-You can go the janaza when the kafir is your father, mother, or son and if he wasn't hostile against Islam.

-The Prophet (ﷺ) told Ali (RA) to bury Abu Talib.

-You can go to show your face.

-As for going to the janaza of a hypocrite or a hostile kafir or one that isn't your relative is totally haram.

 

10. YOU CANNOT BURY A KAFIR IN THE GRAVEYARD OF THE MUSLIM AND VICE VERSA.

 

-The purpose of takfeer is to purify you from five evil things: kufr, shirk, hypocrisy, heresy, and apostasy.

 

-Takfeer is a religious matter therefore we are only allowed to make takfeer on the person who Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) have made takfeer on.

-Takfeer for personal reason/feeling, that takfeer is out of place.

-Sometime a Muslim gets ripped off by another fellow Muslim; this is very hurtful but not a reason to make takfeer.

 

-The layman is obliged to leave the takfeer to the scholar when the kufr is not clear.

-However if the kufr is clear, you don't need to leave it for the scholar.

-According to the murjee, no haram can take you out of the fold of Islam.

-In order for me to be a kafir, I need to make the haram halal by the tongue.

-This is the creed of the madkhalis.

-This is a big lie because Allah made takfeer on people who practice black magic.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al Baqarah verse: 102

 

They followed what the Shayatin (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaiman (Solomon). Sulaiman did not disbelieve, but the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Harut and Marut, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, "We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)."(Al-Baqarah 2:102)

 

-All the scholar say; that the above ayah is sufficient to make takfeer on people who practice black magic.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al An'am verse: 121

 

And certainly, the Shayatin (devils) do inspire their friends (from mankind) to dispute with you, and if you obey them [by making Al­Maytatah (a dead animal) legal by eating it], then you would indeed be Mushrikun (polytheists) [because they (devils and their friends) made lawful to you to eat that which Allah has made unlawful to eat and you obeyed them by considering it lawful to eat, and by doing so you worshipped them, and to worship others besides Allah is polytheism].(Al-An'am 6:121)

 

-In the above ayah, Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) made takfeer on people who eat meat that was slaughter upon other deity than Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) Himself.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Qur’an surah

 

And marry not women whom your fathers married, except what has already passed; indeed it was shameful and most hateful, and an evil way. (An-Nisa 4:22)

 

-A man was killed as a kafir because he did not believe in the above ayah, surah 4 verse 22.

-In Islam there are 2 types of kufr: major and minor.

-The only action that can eject you out of the fold of the Islam is a major kufr.

 

-The plight of the khawareej is that they paint every kufr with the same brush.

-They do not differentiate between minor and major kufr.

-So consequently, they make takfeer on Muslims who have girlfriends or drink alcohol.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Qur’an surah At Tawbah verse: 9:65-66

 

If you ask them (about this), they declare: "We were only talking idly and joking." Say: "Was it at Allah, and His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger (ﷺ) that you were mocking?" Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others amongst you because they were Mujrimun (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals, etc.). (At-Tawbah 9:65-66)

 

-Another example of Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) making takfeer because of major kufr is the above ayahs.

-He ridiculed Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) or His messengers.

-He ridiculed the hijab, the salah, or any aspect of the deen.

 

Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) said in the Quran surah Al Ma'idah verse: 51

 

O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliya' (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but Auliya' to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya', then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong­doers and unjust).

(Al-Ma'idah 5:51)

 

-In the above ayah, Allah (سبحانه وتعالىٰ) makes takfeer on those who help the kufar over the Muslims.

 

Narrated By Al-Bara' ibn Azib: I met my uncle who was carrying a standard. I asked him: 'Where are you going?' He said: 'The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) has sent me to a man who has married his father's wife. He has ordered me to cut off his head and take his property.'[Sunan Abu Dawud (4/157) No. 4457, Sunan al-Nasa'i (6/109) No. 3332, Sunan al-Darime (2/205) No. 2239, Musnad Ahmad (4/290) No. 18580]

 

-Ibn Kateer (RH) the man in this hadith was killed as a kafir because his wealth was confiscated.

-This means you can become a kafir by acting upon a major kufr.