❖ The Extremes of Takfiri and Murji’ah in the Ummah – Ahl al-Sunnah’s Balanced Stance ❖
Written by: Hamid Kamal al-Din
During the 1960s, a group formed in the prisons of Egypt that called itself "Jama‘at al-Muslimeen", but it became widely known as "Jama‘at al-Takfīr wa’l-Hijrah".
✔ Takfīr referred to their practice of declaring nearly every individual a disbeliever (kāfir).
✔ Hijrah meant their call to withdraw from society and live in isolation.
They labeled contemporary societies as "Jāhilī" and considered their members as disbelievers. Their ideology stressed conscious separation from society even while living within it, similar to how a Muslim lives among non-Muslims.
① This group would label ordinary members of society as disbelievers—even a mere school janitor.
② Anyone who did not align with their ideology was also deemed a disbeliever.
③ They misinterpreted principles like: "من لم يُكَفِّر الكافر فهو كافر".
① Their main targets were scholars and religious organizations because these figures exposed their misguidance.
② Their battle was not with oppressive regimes but with Islamic reform movements and preachers of religion.
① They considered the general Muslim populace as disbelievers.
② They declared it impermissible to pray with them, greet them, or eat their slaughtered meat.
③ This separation gradually turned into the presentation of their group as a distinct religious nation.
The Sunni scholars of Egypt firmly rejected their ideologies and labeled them “Takfiri” because:
✔ They declared entire Muslim societies to be disbelievers.
✔ According to them, Muslim societies had become apostate after the first few centuries of Islam.
① Targeting religious scholars and groups instead of political regimes:
They considered those who properly explained religion to be their actual enemies.
② Labeling Islamic societies as lands of disbelief:
They believed these societies were completely immersed in disbelief and should be abandoned.
✔ The term "Murji’ah" means “those who delay or defer”.
✔ This sect limits faith (iman) to mere claim and intention, detaching actions from faith.
✔ According to them, even those who persist in major sins or engage in acts of disbelief cannot be declared disbelievers.
✔ Murji’ah: They assign a secondary role to deeds in relation to faith.
✔ Khawārij: They declared anyone committing a major sin as a disbeliever.
✔ Ahl al-Sunnah: A sinner committing a major sin is termed fāsiq (transgressor), but he remains within the fold of Islam unless he commits an act of clear disbelief, such as shirk.
☞ However, issuing a judgment of disbelief requires:
➤ Scholarly clarification
➤ Full awareness
➤ Absence of coercion or compulsion
✔ In their opposition to Takfiris, today’s Murji’ah-leaning thinkers have gone to the opposite extreme:
➤ They consider declaring anyone a disbeliever entirely impermissible, even with strong evidence.
➤ For them, to call someone a disbeliever is akin to interfering in divine authority.
✔ Blurring the line between Muslim and disbeliever:
Contemporary Murji’ah ideology promotes the view that labeling someone as a disbeliever or differentiating between Muslim and non-Muslim should be discontinued.
✔ Reluctance to label even Hindus and other polytheists as disbelievers:
They believe even using the term "kāfir" for such people is inappropriate.
✔ Repealing legal distinctions:
They consider the Shari‘ah's commands distinguishing Muslims from disbelievers as obsolete, despite the clear teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
✔ The "Unity of Religions" movement aims to declare all religions as equal and eliminate distinctions between believers and disbelievers.
✔ The Murji’ah mindset strengthens this movement, as it advocates for erasing the boundaries of faith (iman) and disbelief (kufr).
✔ The goal is to diminish the superiority of Islam, by abandoning terms like “kāfir” and “mushrik”.
✔ Takfiris and Murji’ah are two extremes:
➤ On one side, Takfiris declare nearly everyone a disbeliever.
➤ On the other, Murji’ah attempt to erase the distinction between faith and disbelief.
✔ The balanced and truthful path lies with Ahl al-Sunnah, whose position has always remained just and correct amidst these extremes.
Written by: Hamid Kamal al-Din
✦ The Emergence of the Takfiri Movement
During the 1960s, a group formed in the prisons of Egypt that called itself "Jama‘at al-Muslimeen", but it became widely known as "Jama‘at al-Takfīr wa’l-Hijrah".
✔ Takfīr referred to their practice of declaring nearly every individual a disbeliever (kāfir).
✔ Hijrah meant their call to withdraw from society and live in isolation.
They labeled contemporary societies as "Jāhilī" and considered their members as disbelievers. Their ideology stressed conscious separation from society even while living within it, similar to how a Muslim lives among non-Muslims.
✦ Takfiri Beliefs and Methodology
◈ Declaring Muslims as Disbelievers:
① This group would label ordinary members of society as disbelievers—even a mere school janitor.
② Anyone who did not align with their ideology was also deemed a disbeliever.
③ They misinterpreted principles like: "من لم يُكَفِّر الكافر فهو كافر".
◈ Hostility Toward Scholars and Religious Movements:
① Their main targets were scholars and religious organizations because these figures exposed their misguidance.
② Their battle was not with oppressive regimes but with Islamic reform movements and preachers of religion.
◈ Isolation from the General Muslim Population:
① They considered the general Muslim populace as disbelievers.
② They declared it impermissible to pray with them, greet them, or eat their slaughtered meat.
③ This separation gradually turned into the presentation of their group as a distinct religious nation.
✦ The Response of Egyptian Scholars
The Sunni scholars of Egypt firmly rejected their ideologies and labeled them “Takfiri” because:
✔ They declared entire Muslim societies to be disbelievers.
✔ According to them, Muslim societies had become apostate after the first few centuries of Islam.
✦ Objectives of the Takfiris
① Targeting religious scholars and groups instead of political regimes:
They considered those who properly explained religion to be their actual enemies.
② Labeling Islamic societies as lands of disbelief:
They believed these societies were completely immersed in disbelief and should be abandoned.
✦ Who Are the Murji’ah?
◈ Definition of Murji’ah:
✔ The term "Murji’ah" means “those who delay or defer”.
✔ This sect limits faith (iman) to mere claim and intention, detaching actions from faith.
✔ According to them, even those who persist in major sins or engage in acts of disbelief cannot be declared disbelievers.
✦ Ahl al-Sunnah's Stance Between the Khawārij and Murji’ah
✔ Murji’ah: They assign a secondary role to deeds in relation to faith.
✔ Khawārij: They declared anyone committing a major sin as a disbeliever.
✔ Ahl al-Sunnah: A sinner committing a major sin is termed fāsiq (transgressor), but he remains within the fold of Islam unless he commits an act of clear disbelief, such as shirk.
☞ However, issuing a judgment of disbelief requires:
➤ Scholarly clarification
➤ Full awareness
➤ Absence of coercion or compulsion
✦ The Murji’ah's Response and Assault on Principles of Takfīr
✔ In their opposition to Takfiris, today’s Murji’ah-leaning thinkers have gone to the opposite extreme:
➤ They consider declaring anyone a disbeliever entirely impermissible, even with strong evidence.
➤ For them, to call someone a disbeliever is akin to interfering in divine authority.
✦ Undermining Creed and the Modern Irjā’ Ideology
✔ Blurring the line between Muslim and disbeliever:
Contemporary Murji’ah ideology promotes the view that labeling someone as a disbeliever or differentiating between Muslim and non-Muslim should be discontinued.
✔ Reluctance to label even Hindus and other polytheists as disbelievers:
They believe even using the term "kāfir" for such people is inappropriate.
✔ Repealing legal distinctions:
They consider the Shari‘ah's commands distinguishing Muslims from disbelievers as obsolete, despite the clear teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
✦ Unity of Religions and the Cloak of Globalization
✔ The "Unity of Religions" movement aims to declare all religions as equal and eliminate distinctions between believers and disbelievers.
✔ The Murji’ah mindset strengthens this movement, as it advocates for erasing the boundaries of faith (iman) and disbelief (kufr).
✔ The goal is to diminish the superiority of Islam, by abandoning terms like “kāfir” and “mushrik”.
✦ Conclusion
✔ Takfiris and Murji’ah are two extremes:
➤ On one side, Takfiris declare nearly everyone a disbeliever.
➤ On the other, Murji’ah attempt to erase the distinction between faith and disbelief.
✔ The balanced and truthful path lies with Ahl al-Sunnah, whose position has always remained just and correct amidst these extremes.
