Faith definitions
A major sin is an action which is warned not to do, the doer
can face haad punishment and it can be done in private or infringing the
rights of others. A major sin must be stipulated as such in the Quran and
confirmed in hadith. It should not be based singular narrations as these might
be minor sins.
Disbelief
الكفر لغة: مأخوذ من الستر والتغطية. والكفر
شرعاً: ضد الإيمان
Linguistically kufr is taking a cover or veiling. In
divine law is the opposite of faith. Faith is the belief of Allah and His Messenger
(may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him). Disbelief is rejecting one of these
two parts.
Belief
Abu Hanifah (may Allah show him mercy) was the first to
define faith saying that is belief in the heart with affirmation on the tongue.
The Ash'ari's added acting upon the 5 pillars of Islam as part of faith. Imam
Maturdi (may Allah show him mercy) gave a different possibility of faith that someone
could have belief in their but has not confirmed it on his tongue. The latter
is a believer with Allah and not in terms of the rulings of the world. Another definition
is belief in everything that the Messenger (may Allah bestow peace and
blessings upon him) that is definite/Qati.
Other groups outside Sunni Islam have their own definitions
like the Shia say one must affirm their twelve imams and so forth. Abu Hanifah (may
Allah show him mercy) was the first to give a definition of faith and everyone
who followed used this as a building point.
The Khawarij said that those who commit major sins leave
Islam, and then have to repeat the testimony of faith. The Ash'aris do say that acting upon the
pillars of Islam is included in faith but they do not say that it causes
disbelief if one does not practice the five pillars.
This opinion has been resurrected recently by a group who
encourage people to practice. Then warn people if they do no practice Islam
then they are not Muslim. This is very problematic and obviously the wrong
opinion.
Sins harm someone and that it is without doubt.
What are major sins?
Major sins are those that clearly stated to be Haram in the
Quran and Sunnah with the agreement of the scholars. Minor sins are those in
one or two hadiths. Many people consider minor sins to be major.
Major sins like drinking intoxicants like wine/alcohol, drinking
blood, meat not ritually slaughtered, pork, murder, shirk, disrespecting any
prophets, backbiting, slandering, lying and so on. Then anything that is not
mentioned is a minor sin like sleeping on ones front.
Imam Maturdi (may Allah
show him mercy) said about the ayah, "Avoid major sins that have been
forbidden..." Nisa 4:31
{ إِن تَجْتَنِبُواْ كَبَآئِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ...
} الآية.
ثم اختلف في كيفية الكبائر وماهيتها:
فقال بعضهم: ما أوجب الحد فهو كبيرة: من نحو الزنا، والسرقة، والقذف، وغير
ذلك.
وقال آخرون: الإشراك بالله، وقتل النفس التي حرم الله بغير حقها، وأكل
مال اليتيم، وأكل الربا، وقول البهتان، والفرار من الزحف.
"There are differences [of opinion] about the
description and its depiction. Some say that which necessitates hadd/penal
punishment is a major sin like illegal fornication, theft, false accusation and
so on. Others say Shirk, murder that Allah has forbidden to take, illegal consumption
of orphans wealth, consumption of interest, slander and fleeing from the march
[army]."
These are also different descriptions of major sins:
purposely killing a believer, despair and hopelessness of the mercy of Allah, safety
from the plan of Allah, according to Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah show him mercy).
Deeming the unlawful - lawful
Some sins do cause one to leave Islam like disrespecting any
prophet, shirk or disrespecting religious matters and deeming the unlawful lawful.
كما قال الطحاوي رحمه الله:ولا نكفر أحداً من أهل القبلة بذنب ما لم يستحله
Imam Tahawi (may Allah be pleased with him) said in Aquida
al-Tahawiyyah, "We do not apostatize anyone of those who pray to
Mekkah because of sin; as long as they do not deem it lawful." This was
originally sourced from Fiqh al-Akbar from Abu Hanifah (may Allah be pleased
with him).
If someone deems lawful something that is unlawful then it
causes disbelief. If someone says bismillah over pork then this is disbelief.
Saying bismillah over something does not make it lawful, it is still unlawful.
Black magic
وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ
فَلا تَكْفُرْ
البقرة 102]
"They did not teach anyone without saying we are a
tribulation so do not disbelief." Quran 2:102.
Harut and Marut were angels who came to Babylon with the
knowledge of black magic and they warned people about it. Some Hanafi books say
it [black magic] is a major sin that causes disbelief especially in books that
come from particular regions. Black magic is a major sin without disbelief but
there could be disbelief if they think that black magic has a power of its own.
Fasiq and nifaq
If someone constantly commits sins without repentance then
they are one of two things: a fasq or munafiq. A Fasiq is
someone who commits sins but there is faith in his heart - so the issue is with
his action not his faith.
A munafiq manifests faith but is devoid of faith and
even might have good actions. The fasiq has faith but in a reduced
state.
Not one of you believes
Hadiths that start with this are warnings and should not be
taken seriously.
عَنْ أَنَسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ
عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ،
حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لِأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ .
Anas [may Allah be pleased with him] reports that the
Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, "None of you
believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." Muslim
and Bukhari.
Hadiths were this wording 'not one of you believes' is
highlight an important matter and it is a warning and it does not cause belief,
according to Imam Nasafi (may Allah show him mercy) in Bahr Al-Kalam.
This could also be how other groups take this literally and when it not taken literally
great scholars of belief.
Companions
There was a companion who used to love to fornicate
illegally and he came to the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon
him) explaining this. The Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon
him) explained to him about the sin of zina/illegal fornication and then put
his hand on his heart and prayed for him. The man left as someone who detested
this sin when he had come in as the opposite! Note that the Prophet (may Allah
bestow peace and blessings upon him) did not tell the man that he had committed
a major sin and left Islam. Rather he explained it and then the companion
understood and left the sin.
There was another companion who used to drink wine and he
was ordered to be lashed for it. Another companion cursed him and when the
Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) heard this, he told the
companion not to curse him because the companion loved Allah and His Messenger.
So again, the same thing is confirmed that faith was present but sin was committed.
The result was redressing the sin according to the right of Allah (the Exalted)
and neither was declared a disbeliever. There was another female companion who
had committed illegal fornication and again the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace
and blessings upon him) explained and did not say that you had left Islam.
Anas and Jabir (may Allah be pleased with them) narrate that
the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,
شفاعتي لأهل الكبائر من امتي
"My intercession is for the perpetrators of major wrong
actions from my nation.” (Abu Dawood, Al-Bazzar, Al-Tabarani from Anas, Ibn
Hibban in his Sahih and Al-Bayhaqi.)
This is proof that the Prophet of Allah (may Allah bestow peace
and blessings upon him) will intercede for the Muslims who believed in him. So
even though they committed major sins they are still Muslims! How many Muslims would
this be? We do not even know their number so how could it cause disbelief?
Repeating nonsense
Music and films contain comments of disbelief and to repeat
such nonsense can knowingly cause disbelief. If it is done unknowingly then it
is not disbelief but a major sin. For example, one might be singing to a song
he likes but there a comment that causes disbelief in it, he repeats it because
he is singing along. Unless he does it willingly and knowing what he saying
then it causes disbelief, otherwise it does not. Although it is definitely,
better not to listen to such nonsense.
In a different context there is a maxim saying, "transmission
of a word of disbelief is not disbelief," meaning it is not disbelief for
the speaker to repeat something that has been uttered by a disbeliever. It is
only when he deem it to be true and accept disbelief is it disbelief.
Avoiding sins
إِن تَجْتَنِبُواْ كَبَائِرَ مَا تُنهَوْنَ
عَنْهُ نُكَفّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَيّئَـٰتِكُمْ
"If you avoid
major sins that are forbidden then we remove your evil actions." (Nisa
4:30.)
Imam Nasafi (may
Allah show him mercy) says in his Quranic commentary the sin that one
avoids is 'disbelief.'
Another possible interpretation
is he who repents from major sins will have them removed from his records. Everyone
commits major sins from time to time and repent afterward. Also notice the third
use of the word kufr with 'ankum which means removing sins.
Hadiths on prayer
He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The difference between worship and disbelief, is leaving the prayer.” (Abu Dawud 361, Ibn Majah 1391 and Ahmed 21737.)
There
are a few hadiths like this but it means ingratitude not disbelief because the
word kufr has three meanings: actual disbelief, ingratitude and removing sins.
Missing prayers is a major sin but not disbelief unless they
reject it is fard, with conditions.
What sins cause one to leave Islam?
Disrespecting any prophet, deeming a major sin to be lawful
when it is lawful, disrespecting the Quran, cursing Allah, his Prophets, rejection
an ayah of the Quran, rejecting the entire Sunnah, shirk, rejecting practice of
5 pillars and these are the main ones people have to know.
The Maturdis judge kufr about rejection of anything
qati'/decisively proven. The Ash'ari only make takfir on rejection of what is
widely known. Other groups make kufr on rejecting something that they do or
say, which is not kufr. However, they make kufr on rejecting their group
'activity'.
Kufr can only be judged by those who know the schools of
belief like a judge/Qadi. The person who
said something? What school does he follow on so on. What might be kufr for the
Maturdis might not be for the Ash'ari's. This is not a simple matter because
the Ash'ari try to look for any excuse not to make kufr. Other Ash'aris say something
is kufr but do not make takfir.
Our previous article should suffice you on this matter.
Conclusion
We have proven that sinful Muslims remain believers even though
they might not be practicing the five pillars or committing unlawful actions. So
we should not be quick to judge such people rather we should give them every
recourse and encouragement to be religious. In a way, we have explained before
giving the rights to Allah and to creation.
Judgemental and self-righteous Muslims are a barrier for Muslims
and non-Muslims. They put off both parties from Islam; this is not the
prophetic way. Looking down up anyone is an internal and external sin.
Take heed that someone might have made an error in the past
but are correcting themselves now, so do not be harsh.
If you want to read the other article about calling a Muslim
a disbeliever click here
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