The principle is you cannot have Emaan (belief) and Kufr (disbelief) in a person at the same time. For example, if he says, “I am Muslim”, but he commits Kufr Akbar (major disbelief) after Kufr Akbar , we say, he is a liar. Kufr will kick out Emaan at the same time; Tawheed (Oneness of Allah) will kick out Shirk (ascribing partners with Allah). Kufr and Shirk can not take root in a Muslim. Muhammad (saw) said,

“Emaan (belief) and Kufr (disbelief) cannot co-exist in the heart of a person.” [Silsalat us-Saheeha for Sheikh Albaanee no. 1050]

Kufr and Emaan cannot be in the same meeting such as befriending, socialising and allying. It cannot be that the Deen of Islam to be equal to the Deen of the Kuffar, and no way can it be in the same meeting. In the same way, if a person shows Kufr Buwah (Explicit Kufr) we say he has Kufr in his heart as well. This is explained in the hadith of the Prophet (saw) when he said,

“There is an organ in the body, when it is corrected, the whole body is corrected, and when it is corrupted, the entire body becomes corrupt. Indeed this is the heart.” [Saheeh Muslim]

Someone may ask can Kufr duno Kufr (lesser Kufr) or Shirk duno Shirk (lesser Shirk) or Zulum duno Zulum (lesser Zulum) or Nifaq dunu Nifaq (lesser hypocrisy) be in the heart of a person with Emaan?. We say, yes, it can be lesser Shirk, Kufr, Zulum or Nifaq in the heart of a person. Someone may commit lesser Kufr and sin but he can still have Emaan in his heart as long as he doesn’t make it Halal (allowed).

The basis is to know that none will enter Jannah (paradise) except Muslims, and he must be a Muslim. We mentioned about the sins of Muslims and that Allah will forgive them and the Ahadiths that have been mentioned regarding this matter. Muhammad (saw) said,

“Only a person who is Muslim will enter Jannah.” [Agreed upon]

But today we hear scholars of misguidance saying ‘may Allah forgive this Jew or that Christian’. These people lie about Allah (swt) and even become Taaghut (false deity), telling the people that Jews and Christians will go Jannah (paradise), and we are equal to them, or our Deen is similar to their Deen. They can become Taaghut because they are saying something that Allah (swt) didn’t say and hence, lie about Allah (swt).

Know that no one will enter Jannah except Muslim. Prophet (saw) said,

“O Umar bin Khattab! Go and tell the people that only the true Muslim will enter paradise.” [Saheeh Muslim]

And in another saying Muhammad (saw) said,

“O ibn ‘Awf! Mount your house and announce to the people that paradise only accepts the true believers (i.e. the Muwahidoon).” [Sunan Abu Dawood]

Also Muhammad (saw) in the hereafter will give Shafa’ (intercession) to Muslims and never to non-Muslims. Allah (swt) will never allow a Jew or Christian to have Shafa’, He (saw) said,

“I was given the capability to intercede (by Allah (swt)). But it is only available for those who do not associate anything with Allah (swt).” [Sunnah, Ibn Abee A’asim verified as Saheeh by Sheikh Albaanee]