ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) Calling Those Who Criticize the Caliphate “Disbelievers”: Meaning and Clarification
Source: Fatawa Ameenpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
Question
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) said:
إني قد علمت أن أقواما يطعنون فى هذا الأمر، أنا ضربتهم بيدي هذه على الإسلام، فإن فعلوا ذلك فأولئك أعداء الله، الكفرة الضلال
“I know well that some people find fault concerning this matter (the Caliphate). By Allah, I struck them with this hand of mine for the sake of Islam. If they do so, then they are the enemies of Allah, disbelievers, misguided.”
(Sahih Muslim 567)
Why did ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) call those who criticize the Caliphate kuffar?
Answer
The intent of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) can be understood in two ways:
① If he meant the hypocrites who always cast doubt upon the matters of Caliphate, then indeed they are disbelievers. In this case, calling them kuffar carries its literal sense, and there is no problem.
② If he meant Muslims, then he did not mean they were actual disbelievers. Rather, his intent was that their conduct resembled the way of disbelievers.
❀ Imam al-Nawawi رحمه الله (676H) explained:
معناه إن استحلوا ذلك فهم كفرة ضلال وإن لم يستحلوا ذلك ففعلهم فعل الكفرة
“Its meaning is: if they deem such criticism lawful, then they are disbelievers and misguided. But if they do not consider it lawful, then their act is the act of disbelievers.”
(Sharh Sahih Muslim 5/53)
