“The stage in-between the two stages”, between the Mu`tazilah and the Modernists:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

The Mu`tazilah (the deviated sect) came with the concept of “a stage in-between two stages”; saying that a person who does a major sin (like adultery, gambling, drinking intoxicants) is neither a Muslim nor a Kaafir, he is in-between the stage of being a Muslim and a Kaafir; and he will abide in the Hellfire forever.

Similarly, nowadays, the likes of Hamza Yusuf and Nouman Ali Khan have adopted the same concept and applied it on the Jews and the Christians, saying they are neither Believers nor Kaafir, they are in-between (i.e. they should only be referred as “the people of the Book” and should not be called as Kaafir).

Firstly:

Their act of Kufr is mentioned throughout the Qur’aan and they being Kaafir is clearly mentioned in Surah al-Maaidah (5): 72 and 73, as well as the whole of Surah al-Bayyinah (98).

﴿لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّـهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ﴾

{Surely, they have disbelieved who say: "Allaah is the Messiah”} [Surah al-Maaidah (5): 72]

﴿لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّـهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ﴾

{Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allaah is the third of the three”} [Surah al-Maaidah (5): 73]

﴿لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ﴾

{Those who disbelieve from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and among Al-Mushrikoon, were not going to leave (their disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence.} [Surah al-Bayyinah (98): 1]

﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ﴾

{Verily, those who disbelieve (in the religion of Islam, the Quran and Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikun will abide in the Fire of Hell. They are the worst of creatures.} [Surah al-Bayyinah (98): 6]

So there is no room for discussion here in the first place. The one who opposes or rejects the Qur’aan is himself in danger of falling into Kufr.

Secondly:

a. Can we offer the funeral prayer for them? NO!

b. Can we seek Allaah’s forgiveness for them? NO!

c. Can they be buried in the Muslim graveyard? NO!

d. Can a Muslim inherit from them? NO!

e. Can they inherit from the Muslim? NO!

f. Can they enter Makkah or Madeenah? NO!

g. Will they enter Paradise if they die upon this Kufr? NO!

When the answer is NO, then why the need to differentiate between them and the Kuffaar? All of them attribute partners to Allaah. All of them attribute children to Allaah.

[The only difference between the Ahl al-Kitaab and the Mushriks is that Allaah تعالى allowed the Muslims to eat their meat and allowed the Muslim men to marry their women.]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me, but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent and dies in this state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire.” [Saheeh Muslim]