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Topic: Is it takfeer to say 'I dont think you are a muslim'?
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 Amatullah90
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Umm 'Abdullaah al-Haarith
(United Kingdom)
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Member
Posts: 4
Joined: Oct 2008
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Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Asalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
I am writing this in hope that someone who has contact with the ulama can pose this question to them inshaaAllah. Or maybe someone will already know the answer (maybe it was already given).
How do you deal with or say to those who say 'Fir'awn was a Salaf' or other ridiculous comments. They say they are muslim but they do not take advice. What about if someone was to say to them 'I dont think you are muslim' is that takfeer?
Jazak'Allahu khayan.
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| UmarTheFloridian
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Aboo Sifr Daniel bin Adam
(Al-Ahsa, Eastern Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
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Member
Posts: 53
Joined: Sep 2008
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Walaykumus salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh,
I asked your question to one of the shuyookh managing the Islamic education in the public schools here in Hasa. He gave me the following information.
First, know that in the linguistic sense, any person from the past is from the salaf. That's all the word means in and of itself. My grandfather, who died as a Christian upon shirk, is my salaf. From what I pick up from your post, the person of which you speak intends a different meaning, but make sure you understand the word.
Second, to say that you don't think someone is a Muslim is without a doubt takfeer. Don't say that and don't enter into affairs of kufr and eemaan unless the scholars have done so first.
That's the end of my discussion with the shaykh. As for my advice, look, we all know the ignorance that exists in the West. It sounds like your friend read something on some random website or in some Orientalist book and thinks they have some knowledge now. Be patient with them, even when they resist advice.
This is not the head of some sect or some deviant student of knowledge; be easy with the general people and don't take it upon yourself to gauge if the proof is on someone or not. Takfeer is a serious matter; don't risk having that du'aa come back on you over some person you know from the masjid who just needs the chip brushed off their shoulder.
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| Moosaa
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Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa ibn John Richardson
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
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Member
Posts: 1280
Joined: Sep 2002
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wa 'alaykumus-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh
If i understand the question correctly, you are really asking about the difference between "You are not a Muslim," and, "I don't think you are a Muslim."
I think it is clear to your that the first phrase is takfeer (declaring someone a disbeliever), but you are not sure about the second one.
In terms of people's claims and accusations, the scholars have differed over what constitutes a claim, of zinaa for example. Because of the need to make a ruling in this case, in the more detailed books of Fiqh, there are lengthy discussions of what is and is not considered an accusation of zinaa that warrants the Qathaf punishment (for those who wrongly accuse someone of adultery/fornication). They discussed the issue of saying "ahsibuhu" and "athannuhu qad zanaa" (which are like saying "I think he committed zinaa"). They differed, yet it seems correct that saying "I think" or "I believe" only negates jazm (absolute conviction), and it does not negate speaking ill, backbiting, or accusations.
So while it is clear that it is not permissible to say "He is a kaafir" (unless he is a kaafir based on clear evidence like his own admission in front of witnesses), saying "He is a kaafir, I think," takes the same ruling in terms of an accusation, since:
[1] Everything we say includes the idea "I think" or "I believe", like when we say, "This pizza is good," it means, "I think this pizza is good." So it is already understood from our speech whether we say it or not. When we praise people, we have been taught to say, "This is what I think of him, and Allaah is his true Reckoner," a reminder that teaches us that we speak with opinions that can be wrong or right, and that no matter how much you think you are certain about someone's status, you are only judging based on what you see from him, and you are ignorant of the person's inner reality, so you add, "I think."
[2] Islaam is clear, and kufr is clear, no one enters Islaam except with bayyinah (clear proof, the shahaadah), and no one leaves Islaam except with bayyinah. There is no room for "Maybe he left Islaam" or the likes. Someone leaves Islaam when they reject it, mock it, or fall into a nullifier (after all doubts have been cleared and proofs established, intifaa' al-mawaani', and iqaamat al-hujjah). This has either been done or not. If it is not clear that this has been done, then his Islaam remains. "And thann (guesswork) means nothing compared to the truth." There is no need to rush, or speak with things like, "I'm not sure he's a Muslim anymore," or anything close to that. Rushing into takfeer or being careless with it is the math-hab of the khawaarij, and we seek refuge with Allaah from that.
[3] If you "think" or "believe" that someone is a kaafir, but you do not say anything, then you are not to be held accountable for your inner thoughts. Rather, you have a choice to express your thoughts or not. Once you express your thoughts, you are accountable for them.
[4] People who are influenced by the Khawaarij, and often declare Muslims to be outside of Islaam, use this "I think" phrase as an emergency exit, so they would not be accountable for their takfeer. In fact, some people who make accusations easily, often add this phrase once they realized that they should have kept silent. "The brothers in charge of the masjid are stealing money from the community, I think." Then when you ask them about their accusation, they say, "I never said anyone was stealing money!" It is a way for fitnah mongers to cover their tracks. In this case especially, it should not be excused or overlooked.
[5] We do not accuse people of being inner hypocrites, meaning disbelievers in their hearts, pretending to be Muslims. That is because whoever openly shows us Islaam, we leave their inner reality to Allaah. Huthayfah knew the names of the hypocrites from the revelation passed on to him from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), yet he kept silent about them, since they were openly Muslims by their claims. This stance was the stance of the companions in general. Sometimes when we read about someone from the Salaf who accused someone of being a munaafiq, it was because of major kufr that was evident from an innovator's speech or actions, and thus it was takfeer, while the person still claimed Islaam.
In summary: someone who says, "I think he is not a Muslim," is similar to someone who says, "He is not a Muslim," and he has made a dangerous claim that goes up to the heavens, and must come back down upon either the accused or the accuser. This is based on the more correct of the positions of the scholars who differed in the issue of a spoken accusation that is not with absolute conviction, as mentioned.
I hope this helps, and Allaah knows best.
Moosaa ibn John Richardson
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07-04-2010 @ 12:44 AM
