Negation of Islam and the Excuse of Ignorance to Refrain from Takfeer

[Suhaib Jobst]

As Salaam Alaykum,

I have a question concerning the ten negators of the Deen and the issue of when Takfeer is made. There are some "Muslims" here who actively serve or aid the US Army in one way or another.

I took the firm opinion - based on my limited knowledge of Islam - that helping the Kuffar in any way, shape or form, especially when they are enemies of Islam, then that is clearly aiding the Kuffar.

The evidences in this regard are clear and there is consensus on this issue. Yet, when I openly made takfeer of these individuals and called them murtadeen, those who claimed to follow the Salaf brought forward the excuse of ignorance, as a prevention of Takfeer.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't those who commit the negators of the Deen - by their very definition - leave the fold of Islam? Why is ignorance an excuse, especially when the resources of Islam are widely available.

It is my opinion that laziness and stubbornness in abandoning knowledge do not constitute the excuse of ignorance. Not only that, but aren't the Kuffar who are ignorant, still considered Kuffar? When is ignorance considered a real prevention of takfeer? Jazakallah Khair.

[Abdullah al-Shishani]

wa aleykum assalam,

Interesting question, I would also like to know. It should be noted that the negators are not only ten, and this categorization into ten was made by Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab (r) based on what he thought people would often fall into in his time. In my understanding, each of these ten has to be dealt with separately. For some there could be excuses for others no. Also, even if a general takfeer could be made, then for a specific takfeer one needs to look at each case separately, and again some could have an excuse while others no.

As to collaboration with kuffar, then although some try to argue otherwise, I believe that helping the kuffar knowingly and intentionally, against the muslims, is without a doubt kufr akbar, even if its done for dunya, and even the guy prays and fasts etc. But in any case, one doesnt have to make takfeer, in order o stop an aggression of anyone.

[Suhaib Jobst]

Wa Alaykum as-Salaam,

Jazakallah Khair for the comments. I never knew there were previously more than ten negators; perhaps these were general terms created to simplify the matter, since the previous negators fell under these ten categories?

I am interested in knowing about this question because of two "Muslim" soldiers who showed up at the masjid last Jumu'ah. I got angry for the Sake of Allah, seeing these two soldiers - one male, one female - in their American military fatigues, having the nerve to come to Jumu'ah and act like everything's okay.

I confronted them afterwards, coming straight to the point that they have left the Deen and their deeds will be of no avail to them, until they abandon their Kufr and repeat the Shahadah. I said it doesn't matter they're not on the frontlines actually fighting Muslims; they are showing their allegiance to the Kaffir enemies of Islam. I said that aiding them in any capacity, was Kufr Akbar.

Wearing the uniforms of the enemies of Allah, taking an oath to the taghut Bush, to uphold man-made laws and swearing allegiance to the U.S. Army and its "Commander-in-Chief", this was all clear Shirk and Kufr. No way around it, they are just like their Awliya and will be raised up with them (see Surah al-Ma'idah, verse 51).

Anyway, my openly calling them murtadeen (to their faces) and not returning their salaams, was taken as "extremism" by some of the brothers. Madkhali Salafis claimed that these soldiers were nevertheless ignorant. I said that there is no ignorance when it comes to issues of Major Shirk and Kufr Akbar.

I ask these questions because I'm aware there is some ikhtilaaf on the issue; Shaykh Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi (fakallahu asrah) considered those committing Major Shirk and Kufr Akbar to be automatic Murtadeen, whereas Shaykh Abu Qatadah (fakallahu asrah) refrained from making Takfeer of those considered "ignorant".

But aside from this, I don't know the exact statements and opinions of the various scholars on this issue, and exactly when ignorance can be used as an excuse. Does it cover those from a Muslim background (like these two soldiers), and where there is no excuse for not gaining the basic knowledge of the Deen? Perhaps this should clarify my question and make it more specific?

[waziri]

Asalamualaykum,

A good question akhi I hope someone who knows the details answers.As far as I know there are certain things whch are known by necessity and it is these things for which the excuse of ignorance can not be accepted,however i do not know wheather it would be the case in the context of your question.

I would presume to know that aiding the kuffar against the muslims is apostacy would be something which muslims should be aware of but again Im not sure that it is one of those aspects of the deen which are known as necessity.

Having said that once it is made clear to someone that such an act is a nullifier of ones eman then the excuse of ignorance no longer remains ayway.

wasalam

ps may Allah reward you akhi Suhaib for speaking out against kuffr but please Akhi be carefull.I would probably have done the same as you and told those soldiers about their kuffr but each one of us needs to evaluate our situation.

[waziri]

Just to add that for example it is known through necessity tht a muslim worships non but Allah subhana wa ta ala so being ignorant of this fact is no excuse for the one who worships another besides Allah.
So in other words if one is ignorant of that which is known by necessity then he can not be a muslim because, there certain things one has to know in order to be a muslim.

wasalam

[Umm Ahmed]

As Salaam Alaykum,
It is my opinion that laziness and stubbornness in abandoning knowledge do not constitute the excuse of ignorance. Not only that, but aren't the Kuffar who are ignorant, still considered Kuffar? When is ignorance considered a real prevention of takfeer? Jazakallah Khair.

Ignorance is not befitting a believer. Through your eyes and whats in your heart they dont deserve the salaam because you know that you have to seek knowledge to understand one's deen , they might think like thousands of other muslims that praying,fasting,giving money for charity,no alcohol, hajj is the entire religion of Islaam. Untill you talk to them you cant really judge them.
If after you have spoken to them and they dont investigate for themselves,
the scholar Sheikh Ibn Uthaimeen, r.a has said it becomes kufur. And Allaah wa Ta'alah knows best.

“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)



You can read the following

Ibn Mas'ood - radiyallaahu 'anhu – said,“Learn, learn! So when you learn, then act.”

And the committee of scholars of Saudi Arabia answered the question: ‘What is the ruling for the one who abuses the Deen if he is ignorant – does he have the excuse of ignorance or not in this case?’

The reply was: “Abusing Allaah or His words or anything from Him is kufr – and likewise abusing the Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, or his Sunnah or anything from it, or abusing the Deen of a person – if his Deen is Islaam – so if he is ignorant of that then the ruling must be explained to him – and if he does not give up his abusing then he is a kaafir and an apostate, outside Islaam – he either repents or is executed as Allaah says: ‘Say: Was it Allaah, and His Ayaat and His Messenger that you were mocking?’ Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed.’ [9:65-66] (Fatwaa no. 5213, dated 15/1/1403H.) [i]taken from Islaam.com}

There are many types of Al-Kufrul Akbar

1. Kufrul-'Inaad:

Disbelief out of stubborness. This applies to someone who knows the truth and admits to knowing the truth and admits to knowing it with his tongue, but refuses to accept it and refrains from making a declaration. Allah(swt) says: Throw into Hell every stubborn disbeliever [Surah Qaaf (50), Ayah 24]

2. Kufrul-Inkaar:

Disbelief out of denial. This applies to someone who denies with both heart and tongue.

Allah(swt) says: They recognize the favors of Allah, yet they deny them. Most of them are disbelievers. [Surah Nahl(16), Ayah 83]

3. Kufrul-Kibr:

Disbelief out of arrogance and pride. The disbelief by the devils (Iblis) is an example of this type of Kufr.

4. Kufrul-Juhood:

Disbebelief out of rejection. This applies to someone who aknowledges the truth in his heart, but rejects it with his tongue. This types of kufr is applicable to those who calls themselves Muslims but who reject any necessary and accepted norms of Islam such as Salaat and Zakat.

Allah (swt) says: They denied them (OUR SIGNS) even though their hearts believed in them , out of spite and arrogance. [Surah Naml(27), Ayah 14]

5. Kufrul-Nifaaq:

Disbelief out of hypocrisy.This applies to someone who pretends to be a believer but conceals his disbelief. Such a person is called a MUNAFIQ or hypocrite.

Allah( swt) says: Verily the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of Hell. You will find no one to help them. [Surah An Nisaa (4), Ayah 145]

6. Kufrul-Istihaal:

Disbelief out of trying to make HARAM into HALAL. This applies to someone who accepts as lawful (Halal) that which Allah has made unlawful(Haram) like alcohol or adultery.Only Allah(swt) has the prerogative to make things Halal and Haram and those who seek to interfere with His right are like rivals to Him and therefore fall outside the boundries of faith.

7. Kufrul-Kurh:

Disbelief out of detesting any of Allah's(swt) commands. Allah(swt) says: Perdition (destruction) has been consigned to those who disbelieve and He will render their actions void. This is because they are averse to that which Allah has revealed so He has made their actions fruitless. [Surah Muhammed (47), Ayah 8-9]

8. Kufrul-Istihzaha:

Disbelief due to mockery and derision.

Allah (swt) says: Say: Was it at Allah, His signs and His apostles that you were mocking? Make no excuses. You have disbelieved after you have believed. [Surah Taubah (9), ayah 65-66]

9. Kufrul-I'raadh:

Disbelief due to avoidance. This applies to those who turn away and avoid the truth.

Allah(swt) says: And who is more unjust than he who is reminded of his Lord's signs but then turns away from them. Then he forgets what he has sent forward (for the Day of Judgement) [Surah Kahf(18), Ayah 57]

10. Kufrul-Istibdaal:

Disbelief because of trying to substitute Allah's Laws. This could take the form of: (a) Rejection of Allah's law(Shariah) without denying it (b) Denial of Allah's law and therefore rejecting it, or (c) Substituting Allah's laws with man-made laws.

Allah (swt) says: Or have they partners with Allah who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not allowed. [Surah Shuraa(42), Ayah 8]

Allah(swt) says: Say not concerning that which your tongues put forth falsely (that) is lawful and this is forbidden so as to invent a lie against Allah. Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah will never prosper. [Surah Nahl (16), Ayah 116]

[Suhaib Jobst]

Wa Alaykum as-Salaam,

Jazakallah Khair to all of you who made comments here. While most Muslims will constantly refrain from making Takfeer, pointing to a number of hadeeth in this regard, the consequences of not making Takfeer - when the negators of Iman, and acts of Major Shirk and Kufr Akbar are committed - are likewise grave.

For it could lead the Muslim who fails to make takfeer accept traits of the munafiqeen, weaken their own Iman, compromise their firm Islamic principles, cause deficiencies in their Tawheed and Aqeedah, and lead them to sin.

After my reading of Millat Ibrahim, I have been eager in implementing the Millah of Ibrahim (see Surah al-Mumtahinah, 60:1-4). We must openly show our contempt for the worshippers of the Tawagheet, express it publicly and make bara'ah towards these Kuffar.

I have seen the bid'ah of Irjaa being widespread in this Ummah, held by nearly all the groups of deviance and even many of those who claim to be "Salafees".

I have come to view Irjaa as one of the most serious threats to our Ummah and we should purify our creed by implementing this Millah of the noble messengers, Ibrahim (alaihi sallam) and Muhammad (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam).

ps may Allah reward you akhi Suhaib for speaking out against kuffr but please Akhi be carefull.I would probably have done the same as you and told those soldiers about their kuffr but each one of us needs to evaluate our situation.

I have no question these soldiers report back to their superior officers, and I truly believe they are given a list of certain signs they are to look for. I admit I am quite emotional, but I get angry for the Sake of Allah (Subhanahu wa-Ta'ala), when I see this blessed Deen being transgressed.

Likewise, my open opposition to these soldiers cannot get me in "trouble". Even though Bush is trying to institute the "Patriot Act", my statements to these soldiers are protected under the Bill of Rights (freedom of speech and freedom of expression), so there is nothing even in their own laws they can do against me.

But what gets me is the cowardice of many of the Muslims here, who go out of their way to compromise their Deen and become "chummy" with the Kuffar. There is absolutely no excuse for their behavior: Islam does not make us into humiliated cowards, but rather strong and free individuals. I will continue to implement this blessed Deen and noble Millah in this community, insha'Allah.

[Break The Cross]

There was a quote from Umar al Khattab about something with the Qur'an is complete no one has an excuse, does anyone have it?

[aburasheed]

There was a quote from Umar al Khattab about something with the Qur'an is complete no one has an excuse, does anyone have it?
It's quote in al-Barbahaaree.

4: All The Affairs Have Been Made Clear By the Sunnah and Jamaa'ah
'Umar ibn al-Khattaab, rahimahullaah, said, "There is no excuse for anyone going astray thinking that he is upon guidance. Nor for abandoning guidance thinking it to be misguidance, since the affairs have been made clear, the proof established and the excuse cut off." (Reported by Ibn Battah in, al-lbaantul-Kubraa (no. 162) by way of Awzaa'ee that it reached him that 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab said it. However, its chain is munqati')


There is this:
Al-Marwazee reports in as-Sunnah (no. 95) that 'Umar ibn 'Abd Allah-'Azeez said, "There is no excuse for anyone, after the Sunnah, to be misguided upon error which he thought was guidance."