Statement on Fighting Against Rebels
All praise is due to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed!
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَإِن طائِفَتانِ مِنَ المُؤمِنينَ اقتَتَلوا فَأَصلِحوا بَينَهُما فَإِن بَغَت إِحدىٰهُما عَلَى الأُخرىٰ فَقـٰتِلُوا الَّتى تَبغى حَتّىٰ تَفىءَ إِلىٰ أَمرِ اللَّهِ فَإِن فاءَت فَأَصلِحوا بَينَهُما بِالعَدلِ وَأَقسِطوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ المُقسِطينَ ﴿٩﴾ إِنَّمَا المُؤمِنونَ إِخوَةٌ فَأَصلِحوا بَينَ أَخَوَيكُم وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُم تُرحَمونَ ﴿١٠﴾… سورة الحجرات
“And if two groups of Muslims fight each other, then make peace between them. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight the one that oppresses until it returns to the command of Allah; and if it returns, then make reconciliation between them with justice and act justly. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. (Remember) all Muslims are brothers, so reconcile between your two brothers, and fear Allah so that mercy may be bestowed upon you.”
From this noble verse, it is understood that when a group resorts to oppression and rebellion and does not accept reconciliation and reform, fighting against them becomes obligatory until they return to the command of Allah.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“مَنْ أَتَاكُمْ وَأَمْرُكُمْ جَمِيعٌ عَلَى رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَشُقَّ عَصَاكُمْ أَوْ يُفَرِّقَ جَمَاعَتَكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُ “
“When you have agreed upon the leadership of a person and are living in peace and tranquility, then if another person comes to you who wants to create discord and division in your group, kill him.”
In another place, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“مَنْ خَرَجَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي وَهُمْ جَمِيعٌ فَاقْتُلُوهُ كَائِنًا مَا كَانَ”
“Whoever rebels against my Ummah when they are united, then behead him with the sword, no matter who he is.”
Regarding the issue of fighting the rebels, the stance of the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them all) was unanimous; there was no disagreement among them on this matter.
① The reality of rebellion and the necessity of unity
“Rebellion” means oppression, injustice, and deviation from the right path. In this sense, rebels are those who persist in oppression, abandon the truth, and oppose the commands and system of the Muslim rulers. For this reason, it is indispensable for Muslims to have one group and one Imam.
Allah Almighty said:
﴿وَاعتَصِموا بِحَبلِ اللَّهِ جَميعًا…﴿١٠٣﴾… سورةآل عمران
“Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.”
And Allah Almighty said:
﴿يـٰأَيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءامَنوا أَطيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطيعُوا الرَّسولَ وَأُولِى الأَمرِ مِنكُم …﴿٥٩﴾… سورة النساء
“O you who have believed! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.”
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
“أُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ، وَالسَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ وَإِنْ تَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَبْدٌ”
“I command you to fear Allah and to obey (those in authority) even if an Abyssinian slave becomes your leader.”
These verses and hadiths clarify the reality that the organization of human society, protection of the country, defense, enforcement of limits, fulfillment of rights, commanding good and forbidding evil require unity and leadership.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
It should be known that leading the affairs of people is one of the important religious duties among the obligatory acts of religion; indeed, the establishment of religion and the world depends on it. The interests, benefits, and advantages of human beings are certainly fulfilled by living together, and in a community, having a leader or chief is necessary. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, made it obligatory to appoint a leader even in a small and temporary gathering like a journey, which serves as a warning to appoint a chief or leader in various types of gatherings.
It is also clear that people cannot live properly without a leader or ruler. Even if an oppressive ruler is imposed upon them, this condition is better than living without a ruler. That is why it is said that enduring one year under an oppressive leader is better than spending one night without a leader.
② The method of making peace with a rebellious group and then fighting them
If a group, by misinterpreting a doubtful matter, rebels against the leader of the Muslims, abandons obedience to him, resists him, or tries to break the unity of the Muslims, then that group will be considered oppressive and rebellious.
It is obligatory upon the leader of the Muslims to first correspond and communicate with them, ask them what their complaint is, and why they have inclined towards rebellion. If they complain of any injustice or oppression, it should be removed, and if it is a misunderstanding, it should be clarified. The leader should make every effort for reconciliation with patience, seriousness, and broad-mindedness, because Allah Almighty has said:
“فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا”
“Reconcile between them.”
Reform and reconciliation means that if the rebels accuse the leader of something that is legally impermissible, the leader should remove that accusation, and if the matter is permissible, he should satisfy the opposing party with arguments and clarify the truth.
If the rebellious group turns towards the truth, repents, and accepts the obedience of the leader, then they should not be harmed. But if they do not repent despite hearing the Shariah evidence, then it becomes necessary to fight against them. At this time, it is also obligatory upon the subjects to fully support the leader until their rebellion ends and the turmoil subsides.
③ Rules to be observed during fighting with the rebels
The following matters should be considered when fighting with the rebels:
◈ Do not attack them with things that cause collective destruction, such as destructive missiles or bombs.
◈ Do not kill their children.
◈ Do not kill those who turn their backs and flee.
◈ It is forbidden to kill the wounded.
◈ Do not kill those who do not want to fight.
◈ If any of them are captured, they should be kept in prison until the turmoil ends.
◈ Their wealth will not be considered spoils of war; rather, their wealth will remain as respected as the wealth of other Muslims because their ownership has not ended.
◈ After the war ends and the turmoil subsides, if their wealth is in someone’s possession, it should be returned to the original owner.
◈ If the wealth has been lost, then there will be no liability for compensation.
◈ In this fight between the two parties, if a person is killed, his blood money (diyat) will also not be obligatory.
Imam Zahri, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“When seditions arose during the time of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, they were suppressed. They all agreed that if a seditionist was killed, his blood money would not be paid, nor would their wealth be considered spoils by misinterpreting the Quranic verses. However, if the wealth taken by the rebels was returned exactly as it was, it should be given back to the owner.”
④ When two Muslim groups are fighting outside the obedience of the Imam
If there is a war between two groups of Muslims and neither of them obeys the Imam of the Muslims, and the basis of the war is merely mutual tribalism or a struggle for power, then both groups will be considered oppressors, because each is committing injustice against the other and there remains no clear sign of one being in the right.
In such a case, each party will be responsible for the harm caused to the other. However, if one group is fighting under the command of the Amir, then it will be considered to be in the right, and the other group will be declared rebellious, as has been explained earlier.
⑤ The Ruling on the Kharijites
If a group holds the beliefs of the Kharijites, for example:
◈ Declaring a major sinner to be a disbeliever
◈ Considering the blood of Muslims to be permissible to shed
◈ Speaking ill of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them all
Then such a group will be considered rebellious, sinful, and Khariji. If they disobey the Amir, fighting against them becomes obligatory.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
The Ahl al-Sunnah are unanimous that the Kharijites are an innovator group. The Sharia texts obligate fighting against them. The Companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them all, agreed on fighting them. The scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah also hold the same view that fighting them should be done in cooperation with just rulers. There is a difference of opinion regarding whether it is permissible to fight them in cooperation with unjust rulers or not. Some scholars have stated that it is permissible to fight alongside these unjust rulers. Similarly, if any of the treaty-makers breaks their covenant, it is also necessary to fight them, and this is the position of the majority. Whether the leader is righteous or sinful and immoral, if he fights against rebellious disbelievers, apostates, those who break treaties, or the Kharijites, then full cooperation should be given to him in the fight. If his fight is not permissible, then one should not participate in the war alongside him.
⑥ If people holding Khariji ideology do not rebel
If a group holds beliefs like the Kharijites but remains obedient to the Imam and is not ready for combat, then the prescribed punishments according to Islamic law will be enforced on them. At the same time, their false beliefs will be refuted, and they will not be allowed to spread their misguided views.
This is the stance of those scholars who do not consider the Kharijites as disbelievers, and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars. However, according to those scholars who consider the Kharijites as disbelievers, fighting against them will be necessary in any case.
Rulings on Apostasy
The word “Murtad” (apostate) is derived from “Irtidad,” and its literal meaning is: “one who turns back.” Allah Almighty said:
﴿وَلا تَرتَدّوا عَلىٰ أَدبارِكُم…﴿٢١﴾… سورة المائدة
“And do not turn your backs in flight.”
In Islamic terminology, an apostate is a person who, after accepting Islam, voluntarily denies the rulings of Islam through tongue, heart, or actions.
In Shariah, there are both worldly and hereafter rulings for an apostate.
The worldly ruling was explained by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as follows:
“من بدل دينه فاقتلوه”
“Whoever (Muslim) changes his religion, kill him.”
Along with this major ruling, there are some other related rulings, for example, before killing him, he should be separated from his wife and also prevented from financial dealings. The consensus of scholars on this issue has been narrated.
As for the ruling of the Hereafter, Allah Almighty has said:
﴿ وَمَن يَرتَدِد مِنكُم عَن دينِهِ فَيَمُت وَهُوَ كافِرٌ فَأُولـٰئِكَ حَبِطَت أَعمـٰلُهُم فِى الدُّنيا وَالءاخِرَةِ وَأُولـٰئِكَ أَصحـٰبُ النّارِ هُم فيها خـٰلِدونَ ﴿٢١٧﴾… سورة البقرة
“And whoever among you reverts from his religion and dies while he is a disbeliever – then their deeds in this world and the Hereafter will be lost. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.”
① From which matters apostasy is established
Apostasy is established when a person utters a statement or performs an action that takes him out of the fold of Islam, whether the statement is made seriously or in jest.
Allah Almighty has said:
﴿وَلَئِن سَأَلتَهُم لَيَقولُنَّ إِنَّما كُنّا نَخوضُ وَنَلعَبُ قُل أَبِاللَّهِ وَءايـٰتِهِ وَرَسولِهِ كُنتُم تَستَهزِءونَ ﴿٦٥﴾ لا تَعتَذِروا قَد كَفَرتُم بَعدَ إيمـٰنِكُم إِن نَعفُ عَن طائِفَةٍ مِنكُم نُعَذِّب طائِفَةً بِأَنَّهُم كانوا مُجرِمينَ ﴿٦٦﴾… سورة التوبة
“If you ask them, they will clearly say that we were just joking among ourselves. Should we say that Allah, His verses, and His Messenger are left for your mockery? (65) Do not make excuses; indeed, after your faith, you have become disbelievers. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others for their severe crimes.”
However, if someone utters the word of disbelief under compulsion or does something contrary to Islam while the heart remains firm in faith, he will not be considered an apostate. Allah Almighty said:
﴿مَن كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ مِن بَعدِ إيمـٰنِهِ إِلّا مَن أُكرِهَ وَقَلبُهُ مُطمَئِنٌّ بِالإيمـٰنِ…﴿١٠٦﴾… سورة النحل
“Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief except for one who is forced while his heart is secure in faith.”
② Some Major Forms of Nullifiers of Islam
There are many nullifiers of Islam, and apostasy is proven through them. The greatest nullifier among them is polytheism. Thus, whoever associates partners with Allah, for example:
◈ Calling upon men other than Allah, saints or righteous people for help
◈ Slaughtering animals at their graves
◈ Offering vows for their pleasure
◈ Seeking help from the dead in one’s affairs
As is seen nowadays among grave worshippers, such a person becomes an apostate from Islam.
Allah Almighty has said:
﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغفِرُ أَن يُشرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغفِرُ ما دونَ ذٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشاءُ …﴿٤٨﴾… سورة النساء
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills.”
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“Whoever makes intermediaries between himself and Allah whom he calls upon, extends the hand of questioning before them, and relies on them, then he is unanimously considered a disbeliever. Similarly, whoever denies some of the Prophets and Messengers or denies some of the Divine Books becomes an apostate because such a person is denying the command of Allah, denying one of Allah’s Messengers or one of the Books. Furthermore, whoever denies the existence of angels or the Day of Judgment, or insults Allah or any of His Messengers and Prophets, or claims prophethood, or accepts the prophethood of anyone after Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), is a disbeliever because he contradicts the command of Allah:
﴿وَلـٰكِن رَسولَ اللَّهِ وَخاتَمَ النَّبِيّـۧنَ … ﴿٤٠﴾… سورة الاحزاب
“But you are not a messenger to bring an end to all the Prophets.”
Whoever denies this and does not accept the prohibition of adultery, or does not consider something haram which the entire Ummah has consensus on being haram, for example: pork, alcohol, etc., or does not consider something halal which the entire Ummah has consensus on being halal, for example: properly slaughtered halal cattle, that person is also a disbeliever. Similarly, whoever denies the pillars of Islam (the testimony of faith, prayer, fasting…) or mocks the religion of Islam or disrespects the Holy Quran, or holds the belief that the Holy Quran has not been completely preserved but is defective, in all these cases the person becomes a disbeliever whose disbelief is agreed upon.
The respected Sheikh further states:
“Whoever follows any religion other than Islam or considers any other Shariah alongside the Shariah of Muhammad to be applicable, that person is unanimously a disbeliever. His disbelief is like that of a person who believes in some parts of the Book of Allah and denies other parts.”
And he further states:
“Whoever mocks any promise or threat of Allah Almighty, or who leaves Islam and does not consider someone who adopts another religion (for example: Christians) as a disbeliever, or doubts their disbelief, or considers their religion to be correct, then he is undoubtedly a disbeliever.”
He also said:
“Whoever insults the Noble Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, or any one of them, or claims that Sayyidina Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, was a deity or prophet, or claims that Jibreel (Gabriel), peace be upon him, made a mistake, then there is no doubt about his disbelief.”
③ Preferring Self-Made Laws Over Sharia
Whoever abandons Islamic Sharia and adopts self-made laws as their decisive system, considering them better than Islamic Sharia, or adopts ideologies like socialism or Arab nationalism as an alternative religion instead of Islam, then there is no doubt about their apostasy.
④ Additional Forms of Apostasy
There are many other forms of apostasy, for example:
◈ Claiming to be a knower of the unseen
◈ Not considering polytheists as disbelievers
◈ Doubting their disbelief
◈ Considering their religion as correct and true
◈ Holding the belief that any law other than the Shariah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is better
◈ Mocking any command, reward, or punishment of Islam
◈ Harboring enmity towards the rulings of the Messenger, peace be upon him
◈ Holding the belief that following the Muhammadan Shariah is not necessary for some people, and that leaving it is permissible, as is the false belief of extremist Sufis
◈ Neither learning nor acting upon the religion of Allah
All these matters fall under the nullifiers of Islam and causes of apostasy.
Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“There is no difference among all these types of nullifiers; whoever commits them, whether their manifestation is in jest, intentionally, or out of fear, will be considered an apostate and disbeliever except for one who is compelled and coerced. All these nullifiers are extremely dangerous and often occur among people. A Muslim should avoid them and feel their danger for himself. We seek refuge in Allah from the causes of His wrath and His painful punishment.”
These are some examples of the nullifiers of Islam, so it is necessary for a person to recognize them in order to avoid them.
Remember! A person who is unaware of the matters of shirk is at risk of falling into them himself.
Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
“A person who is not familiar with the matters of Jahiliyyah may, despite being born in the era of Islam, unravel every link of the religion of Islam.”
My brother! My advice to you is to study the book of Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, titled “Misguidances of Thought and Creed and the Requirements of the Straight Path,” and also the book of Sheikh Mujaddid Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, may Allah have mercy on him, titled (Masail al-Jahiliyyah allati Khalafa Fiha Rasul Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم Ahl al-Jahiliyyah) “The Disagreement of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم with the People of Jahiliyyah,” along with its commentary authored by the well-known Iraqi scholar Mahmoud Shukri al-Alusi, may Allah have mercy on him.
⑤ The Grace Period for the Apostate to Repent
If a person apostasizes from Islam, he will be given three days to repent. If he repents, it is better; otherwise, he will be killed.
When Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) heard that a person had apostatized and was killed without being given the chance to repent, he said:
“أفلا حبستموه ثلاثا وأطعمتموه كل يوم رغيفا واستتبتموه لعله يتوب ويراجع أمر الله ثم قال عمر اللهم إني لم أحضر ولم آمر ولم أرض إذ بلغني”
“Why did you not give him respite for three days? You should have given him one loaf of bread daily and allowed him the opportunity to repent; perhaps he would have repented. Then he said: O Allah! I was not present at that time, nor did I order it, but now I have heard about it and I am not pleased with this action.”
The wisdom behind giving respite to the apostate is that sometimes the cause of apostasy is a doubt, and that doubt is not immediately removed, so some time is needed to clarify the truth.
And the evidence for the obligation of killing is the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
“من بدل دينه فاقتلوه”
“Whoever (Muslim) changes his religion, kill him.”
⑥ Authority to kill an apostate
The responsibility to kill an apostate lies with the ruler or his deputy, because his killing is the right of Allah Almighty, and this right can only be enforced by the ruler.
⑦ Reason for killing an apostate
Killing an apostate is considered necessary because when he has fully recognized the truth and accepted it, then abandons it, his intention is to spread corruption on earth. Therefore, his survival is not considered appropriate. He is like a corrupt member of human society, so it is necessary to separate him before his poison spreads.
⑧ How will the return to Islam be proven
If the apostate again declares the testimony of faith, then his return will be proven, because the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
“أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا: لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ الله. فَمَنْ قَالَ: لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ الله فَقَدْ عَصَمَ مِنِّي مَالَهُ وَنَفْسَهُ إِلاَّ بِحَقِّهِ،”
“I have been commanded to fight the people (disbelievers) until they testify that there is no god but Allah. When they have testified that there is no god but Allah, then their blood and property will be protected except for the rights of Islam.”
If a person’s apostasy is due to the denial of any ruling other than the testimony of faith, which is among the essentials of religion, then his repentance will be accepted only when he affirms that specific issue along with the testimony of faith, which was the reason for declaring him an apostate.
⑨ The ruling on the property of an apostate
The apostate will be prevented from disposing of whatever property he has, because the rights of other Muslims become connected with his property, just as a bankrupt person is prevented from disposing of his property due to debts.
His debts to Muslims will be paid from his wealth, and from the same wealth, expenses for him and his family will be covered as long as he is prevented from managing it.
If he reverts to Islam, his financial powers will be restored. But if he dies in the state of apostasy or is killed as a punishment, his wealth will be considered “Fai property” and collected in the Bayt al-Mal, because legally he has no heirs remaining.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
“لا يرث المسلم الكافر، ولا الكافر المسلم”
“A Muslim will not inherit from a disbeliever, nor will a disbeliever inherit from a Muslim.”
Similarly, those who follow the religion he has adopted will not be his heirs, because he will not be allowed to remain on that disbelieving religion.
⑩ The Repentance of One Who Insults Allah or the Messenger
Regarding a person who has insulted Allah Almighty or His Messenger, peace be upon him, will his repentance be accepted or not? There are two opinions among scholars on this matter:
✔ The first opinion is that in terms of worldly rulings, his repentance will not be accepted; rather, it will be obligatory to kill him. He will neither be an heir to anyone nor will anyone be his heir, because this great sin of his, which corrupts faith and belittles the greatness of Allah Almighty, necessitates that he must be killed.
✔ The second opinion is that his repentance will be accepted, because Allah Almighty has said:
﴿ قُل لِلَّذينَ كَفَروا إِن يَنتَهوا يُغفَر لَهُم ما قَد سَلَفَ …﴿٣٨﴾… سورةالانفال
“Say to those disbelievers, if they desist, then all their past sins will be forgiven.”
⑪ The ruling on one who apostatizes repeatedly
There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding whether the repentance of a person who apostatizes repeatedly will be accepted or not:
✔ Some scholars say that his repentance will not be accepted in this world, so even if he repents, the punishment for apostasy will still be enforced on him, because Allah Almighty has said:
﴿إِنَّ الَّذينَ ءامَنوا ثُمَّ كَفَروا ثُمَّ ءامَنوا ثُمَّ كَفَروا ثُمَّ ازدادوا كُفرًا لَم يَكُنِ اللَّهُ لِيَغفِرَ لَهُم وَلا لِيَهدِيَهُم سَبيلًا ﴿١٣٧﴾… سورة النساء
“Those who believed, then disbelieved, then believed again, then disbelieved, and increased in disbelief—Allah will certainly not forgive them nor guide them to the way.”
✔ The second opinion is that their return will be accepted, because Allah Almighty said:
﴿ قُل لِلَّذينَ كَفَروا إِن يَنتَهوا يُغفَر لَهُم ما قَد سَلَفَ …﴿٣٨﴾… سورةالانفال
“Say to those disbelievers, if they repent, all their past sins will be forgiven.”
This verse, due to its generality, also includes a person who repeatedly apostatizes.
⑫ The ruling on a Zindiq
By Zindiq is meant a hypocrite who outwardly appears Muslim but inwardly conceals disbelief. There are also two opinions among scholars regarding his ruling:
✔ One opinion is that his repentance will not be accepted because his words or actions do not conclusively prove repentance. It is possible that he is repenting merely for show. Therefore, even after apparent repentance, his condition may remain the same as before, i.e., outwardly Islam and inwardly disbelief.
Allah Almighty said:
﴿إِلَّا الَّذينَ تابوا وَأَصلَحوا وَبَيَّنوا …﴿١٦٠﴾… سورة البقرة
“But those who repent, reform, and make clear (what they had concealed).”
✔ The second opinion is that the apostate’s repentance will be accepted because Allah Almighty said:
﴿إِنَّ المُنـٰفِقينَ فِى الدَّركِ الأَسفَلِ مِنَ النّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُم نَصيرًا ﴿١٤٥﴾ إِلَّا الَّذينَ تابوا وَأَصلَحوا وَاعتَصَموا بِاللَّهِ وَأَخلَصوا دينَهُم لِلَّهِ فَأُولـٰئِكَ مَعَ المُؤمِنينَ وَسَوفَ يُؤتِ اللَّهُ المُؤمِنينَ أَجرًا عَظيمًا ﴿١٤٦﴾… سورة النساء
“Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire; and never will you find for them a helper. Except for those who repent, correct themselves, have full faith in Allah, and sincerely devote their religion to Allah alone. Those will be with the believers, and Allah will give the believers a great reward.”
Also, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) refrained from punishing the hypocrites, meaning he did not punish them because they had outwardly accepted Islam.
Among the heretics are the Hululiyah, the Ibāhiyah, and those who prefer their own leader over Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, or who hold the belief that after attaining the degree of Ma’rifah (spiritual knowledge), the commands and prohibitions of the Shariah are abrogated, or who say that after attaining Ma’rifah it becomes permissible to follow the religion of the Jews and Christians. The ruling for such a person is the same.
⑬ The ruling on apostasy of a minor who is conscious
Among the scholars, there is a difference of opinion on this issue as well: if a conscious child, whose Islam is valid, commits an act that constitutes apostasy, will his apostasy be considered valid or not?
One opinion is that his apostasy will be established, provided that there is an apparent reason for apostasy from him, because the apostasy of one whose Islam is valid will also be valid.
However, he will not be killed immediately; rather, when he reaches adulthood, he will be asked to repent and given a period of three days. If he repents, it will be accepted; otherwise, he will be sentenced to death.
⑭ The ruling on one who abandons prayer
A person who acknowledges the obligation of prayer but does not perform it due to laziness and negligence is also a matter of disagreement among scholars. The prevailing opinion seems to be that he is also a disbeliever, because the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
“إِنَّ بَيْنَ الرَّجُلِ وَبَيْنَ الشِّرْكِ وَالْكُفْرِ تَرْكَ الصَّلَاةِ”
“The boundary between a Muslim servant and disbelief is abandoning prayer.”
And the Prophet, peace be upon him, also said:
“العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفر”
“Our covenant with them (disbelievers) is prayer; whoever abandons it has certainly committed disbelief.”
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ما سَلَكَكُم فى سَقَرَ ﴿٤٢﴾ قالوا لَم نَكُ مِنَ المُصَلّينَ ﴿٤٣﴾… سورة المدثر
“What caused you to enter Hell?” They will say, “We were not of those who prayed.”
And Allah Almighty said:
﴿فَإِن تابوا وَأَقامُوا الصَّلوٰةَ وَءاتَوُا الزَّكوٰةَ فَإِخوٰنُكُم فِى الدّينِ …﴿١١﴾… سورة التوبة
“Even now, if they repent and become steadfast in prayer and continue to give zakat, then they are your religious brothers.”
From this, it is understood that a person who does not perform prayer is deprived of the attribute of religious brotherhood. Allah Almighty did not say that if they acknowledge the obligation of prayer, but rather He said if they establish the prayer.
Similarly, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“بُنِيَ الإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ: شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ،…..”
“Islam is built upon five things:” bearing witness that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, and establishing prayer…”
In this hadith as well, the mention is of “establishing prayer,” not merely acknowledging prayer.
In today’s times, there is a great laziness regarding prayer, and this is a very dangerous situation. Those who neglect prayer should repent and make arrangements to perform prayer to save themselves from Hell. Prayer is a great pillar of the religion of Islam, and prayer prevents indecency, evil, and sins.
