Muslim

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Sabab:
To abuse verbally,
To find fault with someone’s honor and dignity.

(2)
Al-Fisq:
To go out,
To depart, that is, to abandon truth and righteousness,
To commit disobedience.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The meaning of "sabb" is:
To say something disparaging about someone, and the meaning of "fisq" is:
To disobey Allah Almighty and to depart from His obedience.
The word "sibab" is from the form "mufa‘alah," which indicates an action from both sides, i.e., both parties abusing each other.
In this case, the one who initiates the abuse will bear the sin, provided that the other does not exceed the limits, as is mentioned in the hadith. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Whatever the two who abuse each other say, its sin is upon the one who initiated it, as long as the oppressed does not transgress."
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-Adab, Hadith: 4894)
(2)
From this hadith, it is understood that whoever becomes the cause of a sin, the burden of the other party's sin also falls upon the initiator, except if the other party exceeds the limits.

Lexical Explanation:
«سِبَاب» To abuse, to use foul language.
«فُسُوْق» To disobey, to deviate from the truth and obedience.

Understanding of the Hadith:
In this hadith, fighting with a Muslim is referred to as disbelief (kufr). Here, it should be remembered that this is not the type of disbelief that renders a person a disbeliever (kafir); rather, it is minor disbelief (kufr asghar). This is why, in the Qur'an, both groups of believers who fight each other are still called believers. [سورة الحجرات: آيت 9]
However, this act is a major sin (kabirah) after polytheism (shirk), so one should avoid it.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
This hadith pertains to the second part of the chapter heading.
It contains a refutation of the Murji’ah, who make no distinction between the people of obedience and the people of sin.
According to them, after faith, obedience brings no benefit and sin brings no harm.
From this hadith, it is understood that some sins can lead a person to disbelief (kufr), while other sins render a person a transgressor (fasiq).
Both disbelief (kufr) and transgression (fisq) are harmful to faith (iman).
Disbelief is, in fact, the direct opposite of faith.
Similarly, the harm of transgression is evident.
The statement of Allah, the Exalted, is:
﴿وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَيْكُمُ الإِيمَانَ وَزَيَّنَهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ﴾
“But Allah has made faith beloved to you and has beautified it in your hearts and has made disbelief, transgression, and disobedience hateful to you.” (Al-Hujurat 49:7)

➋
It should be clear that the disbelief (kufr) mentioned here is not real (major) disbelief such that its perpetrator would exit the fold of Islam, as is the belief of the Khawarij and the Mu’tazilah. Rather, what is meant here is a major sin (kabirah).
Due to the severity of this act, the term disbelief (kufr) has been applied to it.
However, if someone considers this crime to be lawful (halal), then its perpetrator will indeed be guilty of real (major) disbelief.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/150)
Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah has also established from this hadith that mutual abuse and cursing are not befitting for a Muslim, and that unjustly killing one another can endanger one’s faith.

Hadith Commentary:
That is, to fight without a valid Shar‘i reason is disbelief (kufr).
Meaning, it is an act like that of the disbelievers, just as the disbelievers fight the Muslims without right, so too has this person acted; it is as if he has acted like the disbelievers.
This does not mean that any Muslim who fights another Muslim becomes a disbeliever, as is the doctrine of the Khawarij, because Allah the Exalted has said in the Qur’an: (And if two groups among the believers fight, then make peace between them) (, al-Hujurat: 9), and He has called both groups believers. The Companions (Sahabah) also fought among themselves—though one side was in error in their ijtihad (independent reasoning)—yet no one declared them disbelievers.
Hazrat Ali radi Allahu anhu himself said regarding the people of Mu‘awiyah radi Allahu anhu: “Our brothers have rebelled against us.”
The Khawarij, a rejected sect, separated from the community of Muslims and began declaring all Muslims to be disbelievers.
They considered only themselves to be Muslims, and then, astonishingly, these very rejected Khawarij killed the leader of the Muslims, Hazrat Ali al-Murtada radi Allahu anhu.
They also killed Hazrat Husayn radi Allahu anhu.
They declared Hazrat Aisha, Hazrat Uthman, and the eminent Companions radi Allahu anhum to be disbelievers.
Say, if these people became disbelievers, then from where did you attain Islam?

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The context of this hadith’s narration is that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) passed by a gathering of the Ansar where there was a man who was very notorious for using foul language. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) narrated this hadith, upon which that man said, “From now on, I will not abuse anyone.”
(Fath al-Bari: 13/34)

➋
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has cited this hadith in the chapter heading to clarify the meaning of “kufar” (disbelief), that kufr has various types, and in this context, kufr is used in the sense of a major sin (kabirah). By this, leaving the religion of Islam is not intended, because in the Noble Qur’an it is stated:
“If two groups of believers fight each other, make peace between them.” (al-Hujurat: 49/9)
Allah the Exalted has called them “believers” despite their fighting. Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has, in one place, deduced the meaning of kufr from this verse.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Faith, Chapter: 23)

➌
In this hadith, fighting with a Muslim has been described as kufr by way of severity, so that Muslims may avoid it. If someone considers fighting and killing a Muslim to be lawful, then it can be taken in its literal sense. It is also possible that, by way of analogy, this style has been adopted to indicate that killing a Muslim is the act of disbelievers.
(Fath al-Bari: 13/34)

Explanation:
1:
It is understood from this that a Muslim should pay special attention to the honor and respect of his fellow Muslim brother, because to abuse someone without right is an act of wickedness (fisq), and to quarrel without right is the practice of the disbelievers (kuffar).

The detail of the aforementioned issue is as follows: The Hammād, about whom Imam Shu’bah asked regarding the accusation against Mansūr and others, is most likely Hammād ibn Abī Sulaymān. He was the teacher of Imam Shu’bah and was among the Murji’ah. It is well known that the belief of the Murji’ah sect is that actions are not a part of faith (īmān), and also that when a person recites the kalimah and becomes a Muslim, then no sin can harm him along with faith. This belief is absolutely false. Hammād’s accusation against Abū Wā’il is incorrect. His intention in this was to defend his own false creed. By Abū Wā’il is meant Shaykh Shaqīq ibn Salamah, who was a well-known student of ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd radi Allahu anhu and a senior tābi‘ī. After the emergence of the Murji’ah, when Abū Wā’il rahimahullah was asked about them, in response to the questioner he narrated this very hadith of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: [سِبَابُ الْمُسْلِمِ فُسُوقٌ، وَقِتَالُهُ كُفْرٌ ] (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitāb al-Īmān, Chapter: The Fear of the Believer..., Hadith: 48, and Sahih Muslim, Kitāb al-Īmān, Chapter: Clarification of the Statement of the Prophet ﷺ..., Hadith: 64). Since this agreed-upon noble hadith explicitly refutes the aforementioned false belief of the Murji’ah, therefore, in a vile attempt to undermine the primary narrator of this hadith, Abū Wā’il rahimahullah, it was said: “It is not known whether Abū Wā’il even heard this hadith from ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd radi Allahu anhu or not.” But may Allah send millions of mercies upon the community of the people of hadith (ashāb al-hadīth), who closed all avenues of escape for the innovators. In Sahih Muslim, there is explicit and definitive clarification that the hadith narrated by Abū Wā’il rahimahullah is, without doubt, the true statement of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. There is absolutely no doubt in it. Zubayd, the student of Abū Wā’il who narrated from him, said: “After hearing this noble hadith from Abū Wā’il, I asked him: ‘Did you hear from ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd radi Allahu anhu that he narrated this hadith from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam?’ He replied: ‘Yes! (I heard from ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd radi Allahu anhu that he narrated this hadith from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.)’” See: (Sahih Muslim, Kitāb al-Īmān, Chapter: Clarification of the Statement of the Prophet ﷺ: “Abusing a Muslim is wickedness and fighting him is disbelief,” Hadith: (116)-64).

Commentary:

➊
Since harmonious mutual relations among Muslims are religiously desirable, the Shariah has prohibited those actions which may lead to the deterioration of such relations. Among these is the act of cursing and reviling, which does not befit the dignity of a good Muslim. Therefore, it has been declared as fisq (disobedience and sin).

➋
To fight against a Muslim is kufr (disbelief). However, the kufr intended here is not that which expels a person from Islam; rather, it refers to an act that is contrary to the dignity of a Muslim—in the terminology of the scholars, (kufr duna kufr), i.e., minor disbelief.
It is stated in the Noble Qur’an:

“And if two groups among the believers fight each other, then make peace between them.” (Al-Hujurat: 9)
From this, it is understood that even after fighting, they remain believers and do not become disbelievers.

Vocabulary:
The root of «سِبَاب ، سَبَّ يَسُبُّ (نَصَرَ يَنْصُرُ)» comes in both forms: «سَبٌ» and «سِبَابٌ», meaning to insult. Some have said that here it is from the form «سباب» (bab mufā‘alah), meaning mutual exchange of insults from both sides. «اَلسُّبَّةُ» refers to the one who is insulted; the buttocks are also called «سُبَّة» because during insults, reference is often made to them. Ibrahim Harbi said: «سباب» refers to the harshest and most painful insult, because «سباب» means to mention a person's faults, both those that are actually present and those that are not.

«قِتَال» is the verbal noun of the bab mufā‘alah, meaning to fight one another.

«فُسُوْق . نَصَرَ يَنْصُرُ» is its root. In language, «فَسَقَ يَفْسُقُ فِسْقًا وَ فُسُوْقًا» means "to depart," and in the Shariah, it means to depart from the command of Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). In the Shariah, it is more severe than disobedience (ʿisyān). «وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ» [49-الحجرات:7]
"And He has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance, and disobedience." [فتح ]

Benefits:
➊ To insult a Muslim is to disobey the command of Allah. One should refrain from retaliating with insults, because even in retaliation it is difficult to avoid excess.

➋ If someone initiates an insult, it is permissible to take retribution, although patience is better.
«وَلَمَنِ انتَصَرَ بَعْدَ ظُلْمِهِ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ مَا عَلَيْهِم مِّن سَبِيلٍ» [الشوري : 41]
"Those who take retribution after being wronged—there is no blame upon them."
«وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ» [الشوري : 43]
"And whoever is patient and forgives, indeed that is from the matters of determination."

➌ The condition for retribution is that one only returns as much insult as was received, without excess, and does not utter anything false. In this case, the sin of the exchange falls upon the one who initiated the insult. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
«المستبان ما قالا فعلى البادي منهما ما لم يعتد المظلوم » [سنن ترمذي 1981 ]
"Whatever two people exchange in insults, the sin is upon the one who started it, as long as the oppressed does not transgress."
If both fabricate lies against each other, then both are sinful, although the initiator is guilty of starting it. It is narrated from ‘Iyad ibn Hamar (radi Allahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: «المستبان شيطانان يتهاتران ويتكاذبان» [صحيح ابن حبان - 5696]
"Both who insult each other are devils, abusing one another and fabricating lies against each other."

➍ "To insult a Muslim is fisq (wickedness)."
From this it is understood that it is permissible to insult a disbeliever, especially when he is a combatant (in a state of war); at such a time, it is permissible to use such words to humiliate him. As ‘Urwah ibn Mas‘ud said to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) at Hudaybiyyah that those gathered around you are people from here and there, and when war breaks out, they will all flee. Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) addressed him and said: «امصص بظر اللات انحن نمر عنه» [بخاري ، الشروط /5]
"Go and suck the private parts of Lat! Would we flee and leave you?"

➎ "And fighting him is kufr (disbelief)."
Fighting is more severe than insulting, so its ruling is also more severe.

➏ Some people say that by committing a major sin, a person ceases to be a believer and is expelled from the fold of Islam, because the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) declared fighting a Muslim to be kufr, and also said: «لا ترجعوا بعدي كفارا يضرب بعضكم رقاب بعض» [بخاري 7077]
"Do not revert to disbelief after me by striking the necks of one another."
This is the position of the Khawarij, and on this basis they declared ‘Ali (radi Allahu anhu) and many others to be disbelievers for, in their view, committing major sins. However, deriving this meaning from these ahadith is incorrect; rather, it is contrary to the principles of the Shariah and the explicit texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah.

➐ The reality is that in the Qur'an and Sunnah, kufr is used in two senses: one is that kufr which means exiting Islam, and whoever commits it is outside Islam and will abide eternally in Hell. This is kufr of denial (kufr juhud) and the greater kufr, i.e., knowingly rejecting something that Allah or His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has stated, and considering this rejection to be correct.

The second type of kufr, as stated by Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) and other imams, is «كفرٌ دُوْنَ كفرٍ» (kufr less than the greater kufr), i.e., committing an act of kufr while remaining within Islam. By committing this type of kufr, a person does not exit faith. Its detail is as follows: According to the statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), faith has more than sixty or seventy branches, the lowest of which is removing something harmful from the road, and modesty is a branch of faith. [صحيح مسلم ۔ الايمان /12]
All actions that are the opposite of these branches of faith are acts of kufr. However, by committing any such act, a person does not exit faith. For example, if someone, after accepting Islam, testifying to the oneness of Allah and the messengership, establishing prayer, paying zakat, and practically submitting to Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), commits a sin such as murder, adultery, theft, etc., but does not consider these acts permissible, nor denies any statement of Allah or His Messenger, then such a person is a sinful Muslim; he is neither outside Islam nor eternally in Hell. Yes, the sin he has committed is an act of kufr and ignorance; therefore, if the word "kafir" is used for him in any context, it means "one who commits an act of kufr," not that he is outside the fold of Islam, nor that he will remain in Hell forever with no possibility of forgiveness.

For evidence of this detail, consider a few verses and ahadith:
«إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ» [4-النساء:48]
"Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills."
From this it is clear that a polytheist who dies upon shirk has no possibility of forgiveness, but the sins of a believer may be forgiven by Allah if He wills, or He may punish him and then remove him from Hell.

(b) All the ahadith regarding intercession are proof that one who commits major sins remains a member of the Islamic community, and if Allah wills, He will remove him from Hell through intercession, or if He wills, He will remove him from Hell purely by His grace and mercy, without anyone's intercession.

(c) Allah the Exalted said:
«وَإِن طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا» [49-الحجرات:9]
"If two groups of believers fight each other, make peace between them."
In the following verse, He said:
«إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ» [49-الحجرات:10]
"Believers are but brothers, so make peace between your brothers."
From this it is clear that even after fighting, Muslims remain believers; their brotherhood of faith is not severed such that they would be expelled from Islam. Similarly, in the verses of retribution (qisas), the killer and the heirs of the slain are called brothers. He said:
«فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَيْءٌ فَاتِّبَاعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَدَاءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسَانٍ» [2-البقرة:178]
"So whoever is pardoned by his brother, then follow up with good conduct and pay him with excellence."
It is clear that even after killing, the killer is a Muslim and the religious and faith-based brother of the heirs of the slain. This is why, in the battles between ‘Ali (radi Allahu anhu) and Mu‘awiyah (radi Allahu anhu), or between Talhah, Zubair, ‘A’ishah (radi Allahu anhum) and ‘Ali (radi Allahu anhu), or even between ‘Ali (radi Allahu anhu) and the Khawarij, none of the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) declared their opponents to be disbelievers, nor did they enslave their women and children, nor did they treat their property as war booty. If they had considered them disbelievers, they would have treated their property as war booty and enslaved their women and children, as was done with the followers of Musaylimah the Liar.

From these verses and the consensus of the Companions, it is established that when fighting a Muslim is described as kufr in the hadith, and fighters are called disbelievers, what is meant is that fighting a Muslim is an act of kufr, not of faith, and the one who does so is a perpetrator of an act of kufr, not that fighting a Muslim expels one from Islam, nor that the one who fights a Muslim is outside the fold of Islam.

➑ During the time of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), several Companions committed murder, adultery, theft, slander, drinking alcohol, and other sins. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) imposed the prescribed punishments upon them, but did not declare anyone a disbeliever, nor expel anyone from Islam, nor did he declare anyone an apostate and apply the punishment for apostasy (death) upon them.

➒ Declaring insulting a Muslim as fisq and fighting him as kufr clearly shows the abhorrence and ugliness of these sins. It does not befit the people of faith to commit fisq or kufr in any way.

➓ Some scholars have explained the meaning of "Fighting a Muslim is kufr" as metaphorical kufr, meaning that it is ingratitude for Allah's blessing, a denial of His favor, and a disregard for the brotherhood of Islam. This is not the kufr that results from denial of faith. It is called kufr because, by persisting in this sin, the heart may become rusted to the extent that a person may eventually reach the greater kufr. «اعاذنا الله منه»

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، الأدب، باب ما ينهي من السباب واللعن، حديث:6044، ومسلم، الإيمان، باب بيان قول النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم سباب المسلم فسوق وقتاله كفر"، حديث:64.»©Explanation:
➊ In this hadith, abusing a Muslim is declared as "fisq" (wickedness). "Fisq" refers to a person stepping outside the obedience of Allah. Since abusing a Muslim is prohibited in Islam, and the one who abuses steps outside the command of Allah, such a person is called a "fasiq" (wicked person).

➋ If someone considers the killing of a Muslim to be permissible, and regards fighting him as lawful and permissible while in the state of Islam, then there is consensus among all that this constitutes real (actual) disbelief (kufr). And if neither of these two matters is present, then the application of disbelief (kufr) will be metaphorical. In Sahih Muslim, it is stated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "All of my ummah are worthy of being granted well-being except those who commit sins openly; they are not deserving of it." (Sahih Muslim, Az-Zuhd, Chapter: The Prohibition of Exposing One's Own Sins, Hadith: 2990)

➌ There is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding informing people about the wickedness (fisq) of a fasiq. If the fisq of a fasiq is made apparent so that people may remain safe from his evil, then it is permissible. And Allah knows best.

Benefit:
In this hadith, two sins are mentioned:
➊ Abusing a Muslim: This act is very common. People use abusive language for every little thing, even though it is a sinful act. Many tribulations and corruption arise from this, and sometimes it even leads to murder and bloodshed. In fact, our sacred Shari’ah has absolutely prohibited the use of abusive language, to the extent that even Satan should not be cursed, because this has been prohibited. (Abu Tahir al-Mukhlis: 2/196/9, al-Sahihah: 2422)
➋ Killing a Muslim or fighting with him is disbelief (kufr). There are various degrees of disbelief, because “kufr below kufr” is an established principle. Every sin (whether minor or major) for which the word “kufr” is used upon its commission does not always mean actual disbelief; rather, it will be examined which degree of disbelief is intended here. For example, a wife’s ingratitude towards her husband has also been called “kufr.” It is clear that this does not mean that a wife who is ungrateful to her husband becomes a disbeliever. Nowadays, takfiri people are becoming common and have become a calamity for Muslims; this is a tribulation that must be refuted with wisdom and prudence, and it is obligatory to stay away from such people.