Source: Fatawa of the Scholars of Hadith, Volume 09
A group is publishing books containing polytheistic (shirk) and blasphemous (kufr) content. Is this group committing an act of shirk, especially when such books strengthen the ideologies of polytheistic sects, such as in the case of Karāmāt-e-Ahl-e-Ḥadīth?
From an Islamic legal perspective, declaring any writing or publication as containing shirk or kufr is a highly sensitive and serious matter. It demands deep knowledge and insight. In your question, books with polytheistic or blasphemous content are mentioned, but no specific excerpts from these books have been provided. Thus, a conclusive judgment cannot be made unless the actual content is reviewed in detail.
It is also important to note that sometimes readers misunderstand the meaning of certain texts, perceiving them to be shirk or kufr, even though the intended meaning may differ entirely. Therefore, unless the actual content of the book is presented and analyzed, issuing a legal ruling would be inappropriate.
Polytheistic sects sometimes attempt to justify their false beliefs using verses from the Qur’an or authentic Hadiths. For example, they extract meanings from Qur’anic verses or Hadiths in ways that deviate from the actual context.
Examples include:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَسْبُكَ اللَّـهُ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
(Al-Anfāl: 64)
"O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and for those who follow you among the believers."
وَمَا نَقَمُوا إِلَّا أَنْ أَغْنَاهُمُ اللَّـهُ وَرَسُولُهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ
(Al-Tawbah: 74)
"They are displeased only because Allah and His Messenger enriched them through His bounty."
These verses are sometimes misinterpreted by innovators or polytheistic sects to support their erroneous beliefs, disregarding the correct context.
Similarly, certain Hadiths are misused, such as the Hadith regarding nearness to Allah through voluntary deeds (nawafil):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"When My servant draws near to Me with voluntary acts after what is obligatory, I love him. Then I become his hearing, sight, hand, and foot…"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
The true meaning is that when a person becomes devout in obedience, Allah protects them and guides them. However, some groups misinterpret this Hadith to support their polytheistic beliefs, which is a clear distortion of its meaning.
If a group is indeed publishing books that contain content contrary to the Qur’an and Sunnah, promoting shirk or kufr, then this is undoubtedly a serious issue. However, merely publishing such books cannot be deemed an act of shirk unless the content is critically examined in the light of authentic Islamic sources.
Therefore, until the detailed content of the book is reviewed, it is not permissible to declare any person or group as committing shirk or kufr. If you have specific excerpts, they should be shared so they can be properly analyzed.
❖ Question
A group is publishing books containing polytheistic (shirk) and blasphemous (kufr) content. Is this group committing an act of shirk, especially when such books strengthen the ideologies of polytheistic sects, such as in the case of Karāmāt-e-Ahl-e-Ḥadīth?
❖ Answer
✿ Declaring Content as Shirk or Kufr: A Sensitive Matter
From an Islamic legal perspective, declaring any writing or publication as containing shirk or kufr is a highly sensitive and serious matter. It demands deep knowledge and insight. In your question, books with polytheistic or blasphemous content are mentioned, but no specific excerpts from these books have been provided. Thus, a conclusive judgment cannot be made unless the actual content is reviewed in detail.
It is also important to note that sometimes readers misunderstand the meaning of certain texts, perceiving them to be shirk or kufr, even though the intended meaning may differ entirely. Therefore, unless the actual content of the book is presented and analyzed, issuing a legal ruling would be inappropriate.
❖ Misuse of Islamic Texts by Polytheistic Sects
Polytheistic sects sometimes attempt to justify their false beliefs using verses from the Qur’an or authentic Hadiths. For example, they extract meanings from Qur’anic verses or Hadiths in ways that deviate from the actual context.
Examples include:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَسْبُكَ اللَّـهُ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
(Al-Anfāl: 64)
"O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and for those who follow you among the believers."
وَمَا نَقَمُوا إِلَّا أَنْ أَغْنَاهُمُ اللَّـهُ وَرَسُولُهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ
(Al-Tawbah: 74)
"They are displeased only because Allah and His Messenger enriched them through His bounty."
These verses are sometimes misinterpreted by innovators or polytheistic sects to support their erroneous beliefs, disregarding the correct context.
❖ Misuse of Hadith: Nearness to Allah Through Nawafil
Similarly, certain Hadiths are misused, such as the Hadith regarding nearness to Allah through voluntary deeds (nawafil):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"When My servant draws near to Me with voluntary acts after what is obligatory, I love him. Then I become his hearing, sight, hand, and foot…"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
The true meaning is that when a person becomes devout in obedience, Allah protects them and guides them. However, some groups misinterpret this Hadith to support their polytheistic beliefs, which is a clear distortion of its meaning.
Conclusion
If a group is indeed publishing books that contain content contrary to the Qur’an and Sunnah, promoting shirk or kufr, then this is undoubtedly a serious issue. However, merely publishing such books cannot be deemed an act of shirk unless the content is critically examined in the light of authentic Islamic sources.
Therefore, until the detailed content of the book is reviewed, it is not permissible to declare any person or group as committing shirk or kufr. If you have specific excerpts, they should be shared so they can be properly analyzed.
