Removing the Doubts: Doubting the Kufr of a Kaafir?

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Introduction:

In the wake of recent events, the need was felt to clarify in brief some of the errors that some people have fallen into in regard to the correct `Aqeedah (Creed). It is being witnessed that whenever a famous personality from the Kuffaar dies, a large number of the Muslims are seen updating the status on their social networks to “RIP” (rest in peace) so-and-so. Others would be seen praising the kuffaar over and above the Muslims. Furthermore, some would be seen arguing that they were “righteous” and upon the “truth” and thus deserve good treatment or Paradise in the Hereafter.

So it becomes completely necessary to clarify these issues based on the following points:

1. How to identify a Muslim?

2. What to say at the time of death or infliction?

3. Forbiddance to supplicate for a kaafir after their death.

4. Paradise is made Haraam for the Kuffaar and they will not be forgiven.

5. Deeds of the Kuffaar are of no avail.

6. Those who doubt the kufr of a Kaafir are kaafir themselves – an explanation by Shaikh al-Fawzaan and Shaikh al-Raajihee.

1. Identifying a Muslim:

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُواْ وَجَـهَدُواْ بِأَمْوَلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الصَّـدِقُونَ﴾

{Only those are the believers who have believed in Allaah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not (about their religion) but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allaah. Those! They are the truthful.}  [Surah al-Hujuraat (49):15]

Imaam al-Bukhaaree رحمه الله said:

Book of Prayer: Chapter: Facing the Qiblah in prayer

Narrated Anas bin Maalik رضي الله عنه: Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Whoever prays like us and faces our Qiblah and eats our slaughtered animals is a Muslim and is under Allaah's and His Apostle's protection. So do not betray Allaah by betraying those who are in His protection.”^[1] [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (392)]

Narrated Anas bin Maalik رضي الله عنه: Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah.' And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qiblah and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allaah.” Narrated Maimoon ibn Siyah that he asked Anas bin Maalik, "O Abu Hamzah! What makes the life and property of a person sacred?" He replied, "Whoever says, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah', faces our Qiblah during the prayers, prays like us and eats our slaughtered animal, then he is a Muslim, and has got the same rights and obligations as other Muslims have." [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (393. See also: 25, 1400, 2946, 6924, 7285)]

Shaikh Ibn Baaz رحمه الله said:

[1] The meaning is of what he professes of Islaam outwardly. So, he has the same rights as what the other Muslims have; and he is under same obligations as the other Muslims. And his affair and heart is with Allaah to judge, except when his apostasy becomes obvious.

Reference:

الحلل الإبرزية من التعليقات البازية على صحيح البخاري

We judge outwardly:

It is narrated on the authority of Usamah bin Zaid رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم sent us in a raiding party. We raided al-Huraqah of Juhainah in the morning. I caught hold of a man and he said: “None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah”, I attacked him with a spear. It once occurred to me and I talked about it to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “You killed him after he had said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah?” I said: Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم, he made a profession of it out of the fear of the weapon. He (the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم) observed: “Did you tear his heart in order to find out whether it had professed or not?” And he went on repeating it to me till I wished I had embraced Islaam that day. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (4269) and Saheeh Muslim (176) and the wordings are his.]

Narrated `Umar bin Al-Khattaab رضي الله عنه: People were (sometimes) judged by the revealing of a Divine Inspiration during the lifetime of Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم but now there is no longer any more (new revelation). Now we judge you by the deeds you practice publicly, so we will trust and favor the one who does good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret, for Allaah will judge him for that; but we will not trust or believe the one who presents to us with an evil deed even if he claims that his intentions were good. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (2460)]

2. What to say at the time of infliction or death of a person:

The use of the acronyms “RIP” or something similar is a bid`ah, because we have already been taught by Allaah and His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم what to say at the times of difficulties:

﴿وَبَشِّرِ الصَّـبِرِينَ - الَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّـآ إِلَيْهِ رَجِعونَ﴾

{And give glad tidings to As-Sabireen (the patient) – who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return”} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 155-156]

Umm Salamah said: “I heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying: “If a servant of Allaah is afflicted with a misfortune and says:

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنِي فِي مُصِيبَتِي، وَأَخْلِفْ لِي خَيْرًا مِنْهَا

Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji`oon, Allaahumma ajirnee fee musibatee wa akhlif lee khairan minha

{Verily we belong to Allaah and truly to Him shall we return.} ‘O Allaah! Protect me in this calamity that has befallen me and replace it with something better,’

Allaah will accept his prayer, grant him reward for his affliction, and replace it with something better.” She added: When Abu Salamah (her husband) died, I invoked Allaah in the words taught to me by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and Allaah did grant me someone better than he, i.e., (He gave me) the Messenger of Allaah (as a husband). [Saheeh Muslim (1531, 1532)]

3. Forbidden to supplicate for the kaafir after their death:

It is permissible to supplicate to Allaah for the guidance of a kaafir, as how the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم prayed for the guidance of `Umar bin al-Khattaab رضي الله عنه before his embracing Islaam. [al-Tirmidhee (3681) and authenticated by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (3225)]

But it has been prohibited by Allaah to supplicate for their forgiveness once the matter has been made clear that they died upon kufr.

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِىِّ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُواْ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُواْ أُوْلِى قُرْبَى مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَـبُ الْجَحِيمِ﴾

{It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allaah's forgiveness for the Mushrikin, even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief).} [Surah Tawbah (9): 113]

Narrated Sa`eed bin Al Musaiyab from his father: When the time of the death of Abu Taalib approached, Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم went to him and found Abu Jahl bin Hisham and `Abdullaah bin Abi Umaiyah bin Al-Mughirah by his side. Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم said to Abu Taalib, “O uncle! Say: None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah, a sentence with which I shall be a witness (i.e. argue) for you before Allaah.” Abu Jahl and `Abdullaah bin Abi Umaiyah said, "O Abu Taalib! Are you going to denounce the religion of `Abdul Muttalib?" Allaah's Apostle kept on inviting Abu Taalib to say it (i.e. 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah') while they (Abu Jahl and `Abdullaah) kept on repeating their statement till Abu Taalib said as his last statement that he was on the religion of `Abdul Muttalib and refused to say, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah.' (Then Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “I will keep on asking Allaah's forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden (by Allaah) to do so.” So Allaah revealed (the verse) concerning him (i.e. {It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe that they should invoke (Allaah) for forgiveness for pagans even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of the fire}). [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]

So, using the acronyms “RIP” is not only a bid`ah, but it is also Haraam to use it while referring to a kaafir.

4. Paradise has been made “Haraam” for the Kuffaars nor will they be forgiven:

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَا لاَ تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَبُ السَّمَآءِ وَلاَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِى سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُجْرِمِينَ - لَهُم مِّن جَهَنَّمَ مِهَادٌ وَمِن فَوْقِهِمْ غَوَاشٍ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الظَّـلِمِينَ ﴾

{Verily, those who deny Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and treat them with arrogance, for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle (which is impossible). Thus do We recompense the Mujrimoon (criminals, polytheists, sinners).} [Surah al-A`raaf (7):40]

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْماً عَظِيماً ﴾

{Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 48]

5. The deeds of the Kaafir will be of no avail to him:

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِرَبِّهِمْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَرَمَادٍ اشْتَدَّتْ بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍ لاَّ يَقْدِرُونَ مِمَّا كَسَبُواْ عَلَى شَىْءٍ ذلِكَ هُوَ الضَّلاَلُ الْبَعِيدُ ﴾

{The parable of those who disbelieved in their Lord is that their works are as ashes, on which the wind blows furiously on a stormy day; they shall not be able to get aught of what they have earned. That is the straying, far away (from the Right Path).} [Surah Ibraaheem (14): 18]

﴿وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ يَحْسَبُهُ الظَّمْآنُ مَآءً حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَهُ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْئاً وَوَجَدَ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ فَوَفَّـهُ حِسَابَهُ وَاللَّهُ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ﴾

{As for those who disbelieved, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allaah with him, Who will pay him his due (Hell). And Allaah is Swift in taking account.} [Surah al-Noor (24): 39]

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik رضي الله عنه: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Verily, Allaah does not treat a believer unjustly in regard to his virtues. He تعالى would confer upon him (His blessings) in this world and would give him reward in the Hereafter. And as regards a non-believer, he would be made to taste the reward (of virtue in this world) what he has done for himself so much when it would be the Hereafter, he would find no virtue for which he should be rewarded.” [Saheeh Muslim (6739)]

Narrated `Aaishah رضي الله عنها: I said: Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم, the son of Jud`aan established ties of relationship, fed the poor. Would that be of any avail to him? He said: “It would be of no avail to him as he did not ever say: ‘O my Lord, pardon my sins on the Day of Resurrection.’” [Saheeh Muslim (320)]

Narrated al-`Abbaas bin `Abdul Muttalib رضي الله عنه: That he said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: You have not been of any avail to your uncle (Abu Taalib) (though) by Allaah, he used to protect you and used to become angry on your behalf." The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “He is in a shallow fire, and had it not been for me, he would have been in the bottom of the (Hell) Fire.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3883, 6208) and Muslim (313)]

6. Doubting the Kufr of a Kaafir?

Whoever does not reject the polytheist (someone who ascribes partners with Allaah) or the kaafir or doubts in their belief has become a Kaafir.  For example if a person says that he is not sure whether a Christian, Jew or Hindu is a Kaafir or not, then he obviously has doubts in Islaam.

Allaah تعالى says in the Qur’aan:

﴿إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُواْ وَجَـهَدُواْ بِأَمْوَلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الصَّـدِقُونَ﴾

{Only those are the believers who have believed in Allaah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allaah. Those ! they are the truthful.}  [Surah al-Hujuraat (49):15]

Allaah تعالى also says:

﴿قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِى إِبْرَهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُواْ لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَءآؤاْ مِّنْكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَآءُ أَبَداً حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ﴾

{Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily we are free from you and whatever you worship beside Allaah: We have rejected you, and  there has started between us and you hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allaah alone} [Surah al Mumtahanah (60):4]

Shaikh Saleh al-Fawzaan حفظه الله said:

من لم يُـكَــفِّـر المُشرِكينَ أَوْ شَكَّ في كُـفْرِهِم أَوْ صَـحَّـحَ مَذْهَـبَـهُمْ كَفَر

Whoever does not declare the polytheists to be disbelievers, or he doubts their disbelief or approves of their way, then he has disbelieved.

This issue is very grave indeed. Many people who ascribe themselves to Islaam fall into it, not declaring the polytheist to be disbelievers, saying, “I do not commit any shirk, and all praise is for Allaah, and I have not ever committed shirk, however, I will not declare the people to be disbelievers.”

We say to him: Since you know the Religion, then it is obligatory on you to declare those whom Allaah has declared disbelievers to be disbelievers, and those who ascribe partners to Allaah, the Mighty and the Majestic. And it is obligatory on you to declare yourself free from them as Ibraaheem عليه السلام did with his father and tribe:

﴿وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَهِيمُ لاًّبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّنِى بَرَآءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ - إِلاَّ الَّذِى فَطَرَنِى فَإِنَّهُ سَيَهْدِينِ﴾

{“Verily, I am innocent of what you worship, except Him Who created me; and verily, He will guide me.”}^[1]

“Or approves of their way”, this is even more severe, since when someone approves of their way, or says, “What they are doing is disputable, since they are only setting up intermediaries.”, or says, “These people are ignorant, and they have fallen into this affair due to ignorance”, and then he defends them, then this is more severe than their disbelief, since he is approving of disbelief, approving of polytheism, or doubting (the correctness of what he is upon or the falsehood of what they are upon).

So we say to him: You are a Muslim and a follower of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, the one who came to declare the disbelief of the polytheists and to fight them and declare their property and their blood to be permissible. He said:

“I have been ordered to fight the people until they say Laa Ilaahah Ilallaah.”^[2]

“I have been sent forth with the sword so that Allaah is worshipped.”^[3]

And Allaah the Most High has said:

﴿وَقَـتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ للَّهِ﴾

{And fight them until there is no more fitnah, and the religion (worship) will be entirely for Allaah (alone).}

And the meaning of fitnah here is Shirk.

[1] [Surah al-Zukhruf (43): 26-27]

[2] [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (393. See also: 25, 1400, 2946, 6924, 7285)]

[3] [Musnad Ahmad (7/121-122, 8/44) and authenticated by Shaikh Ahmad Shaakir. Also authenticated by Shaikh Al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jaami` (2831)]

[4] [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 193]

--end of quote.

Shaikh `Abdul `Azeez bin `Abdullaah al-Raajihee said:

من لم يُـكَــفِّـر المُشرِكينَ أَوْ شَكَّ في كُـفْرِهِم أَوْ صَـحَّـحَ مَذْهَـبَـهُمْ كَفَر

Whoever does not hold the polytheists to be disbelievers, or has doubts about their disbelief or considers their ways and beliefs to be correct, has committed disbelief.

What this Nullifier means is: that one does not believe that the polytheists are upon disbelief.  The term “polytheists” is general and includes all of the various types of disbelievers.  Therefore, every disbeliever is a polytheist.  So whoever does not hold a disbeliever to be as such, then he himself is a disbeliever, just like him.  Whoever does not consider the Jews or the Christians or the Magians (Majoos) or the idol worshippers or the hypocrites or the Communists to be disbelievers then he himself is a disbeliever.  The same goes for one who has doubt about their disbelief, such as one who says: “I’m not sure, it is possible that the Jews may be upon truth.”  Or he may say: “It’s alright for humans to practice the Judaic faith or the Christian faith or the Islaamic faith – they are all heavenly religions” as some people (today) do, calling to the coming together of the three religions.  Whoever holds this belief is a disbeliever.  One must believe that the Jews are disbelievers and that they are upon a false religion.  And he must free himself from them and their Religion and hate and make enmity with them for the sake of Allaah.  Likewise, with the Christians, one must hold that they are disbelievers.  And the same goes with the idol worshippers, the Majoos and all the other different types of disbelievers.   Likewise, one commits disbelief if he doubts whether they are disbelievers, such as when someone says: “I don’t know if the Jews are disbelievers or not, they may be upon truth.”  This person has committed disbelief.  One must have determination and firmly hold that they are upon disbelief. Similar to this is when one holds their ways and beliefs to be correct, such as by saying: “They are upon a correct religion” or “a true religion.”  Such a person becomes a disbeliever just like them. The reason for this is because anyone that doesn’t hold the polytheists to be disbelievers, he hasn’t disbelieved in the Taaghoot (false gods/religions).  And there can be no Tawheed (Belief in One God) except with two things: (1) Believing in Allaah, and (2) Disbelieving in the Taaghoot (false deities/religions).  So whoever doesn’t hold the polytheists and the Jews and the Christians to be disbelievers, he hasn’t rejected the false deities/religions (i.e. Taaghoot).  So his Tawheed is not valid and he has no Imaan.  Therefore two things are required for Tawheed: (1) Rejection of the Taaghoot and (2) Belief in Allaah.  This is found in the Statement of Tawheed: Laa Ilaaha Illallaah  (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah).   Laa Ilaaha (There is no deity worthy of worship): This is a Rejection of the Taaghoot.  Illallaah {Except Allaah}: This is Belief in Allaah.  This is since Laa Ilaaha Illallaah negates all of the different forms of worship done for other than Allaah Disbelieving in the Taaghoot means rejecting and negating worship that is performed to other than Allaah, absolving oneself from it and from its people and showing enmity to them.  This is what Disbelieving in the Taaghoot means.  So enmity towards the polytheists and hatred for them for the sake of Allaah is required.  Allaah says about Ibraaheem:

﴿قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِى إِبْرَهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُواْ لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَءآؤاْ مِّنْكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَآءُ أَبَداً حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُواْ بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ﴾

{You indeed have a good example in Ibraaheem and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘Verily we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allaah.  We have rejected you and there has appeared hostility and hatred between us and you forever until you believe in Allaah alone.’} [Surah al-Mumtahanah (60):4]

This is the Haneefiyyah (upright religion), the religion of Ibraaheem – that you worship Allaah sincerely making the religion solely for Him and that you absolve yourself from worshipping anything besides Allaah, rejecting it and hating it, whilst loathing and having enmity for its people.

--end of quote.