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The ten negations of Islam

Who is Kaafir and who is Muslim? People often confuse the difference between a Kaafir asli (original Kaafir) and a Kaafir murtad (apostate) – who was once a Muslim but negated his belief, and thus left the fold of Islam. Let us classify the types of Kuffaar (non-Muslims) below:

1. Kaafir Asli (the “original” Kaafir)

The Kaafir asli is the one who is “brought up” Kaafir, i.e. his parents are both non-Muslims and he is upon the religion of his father. Examples of an original Kaafir are: a Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Jew or atheist.

Therefore, the Kaafir is: “The one who does not believe in Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).” Thus, a person who does not follow Islam and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is a Kaafir (asli).

There are three types of “original” non-Muslims:

(a) Mushrikeen from the People of the Book (i.e. the Jews and Christians)

(b) Mushrikeen who are not People of the Book (e.g. Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Zoroastrians etc.)

(c) Atheists, such as those who believe in (and worship) science, philosophy, the human intellect etc.

2. Kaafir Murtad (the apostate)

The Kaafir murtad is a person who was once a Muslim but negated his Eemaan. This could be a person who is from a Muslim family, or one who reverted to Islam after being Kaafir asli. A person can become murtad (apostate) by committing any of the actions below:

(a) al-Juhood (الجحود) – Denying any obligation known by necessity

If a person denies any action or divine rule which is known from Islam by necessity, such as fasting, Hajj, prayer, Sharee’ah, Jihaad etc. he will become al-Jaahid (the denier).

(b) al-Istihlaal (الاستحلال) - Permitting what Allah (swt) forbids or forbidding what Allah permits

Istihlaal is to permit what Allah forbids, and vice versa. An example of this is the one who permits fornication or forbids Islam to be implemented. The one who commits Istihlaal is called al-Mustahil (legislator).

(c) an-Nawaaqid (النواقض) – Negations of the Deen

There are ten negations of the Deen (Nawaaqid ul-Islam), and if a person violates any one of them he will become murtad.

Nawaaqid ul-Islam (the Negations of Islam)

1. Shirk - Associating someone or something with Allah

Shirk is to associate anyone or anything with Allah (SWT), such as to say: “Jesus is the Son of God” or “Tony Blair is the legislator”. Ruling by kufr law (non-Islamic law) can also lead to shirk. Anyone who commits shirk akbar will go out from the Millah (religion of Islam). Allah (SWT) says:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلالا بَعِيدًا

“Verily Allah forgives not shirk (the sin of setting up partners in worship with him), but he forgives whom he wills sins other than that (sins of a lesser degree), and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allah (commits shirk), has indeed strayed far away.” (EMQ an-Nisaa’, 4:116)

2. To take an Intercessor between you and Allah

For example, visiting the grave of a scholar or dead person and asking him for help. This action involves shirk and will take one outside of Islam. In the time when the ‘ulamaa are alive you can ask them for du’aa, but when they have passed away it is not allowed to visit their graves and seek intercession from them – not even from the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Rasoolullah (SAW) said: “O Allah! Do not make my grave a place of worship.” And: “Do not deify me in the way the Christians deified the Son of Mary. I am only a slave of Allah and His Messenger.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaari 12/144)

3. Whoever does not declare the non-Muslims to be Kaafireen, doubts they are kuffaar or says their religion is correct

There are some moderate (non-practicing) “Muslims” who believe that we should not call the non-Muslim ‘Kaafir’, even though Allah does! Rather, they say we should call them “potential Muslims”. Whosoever doubts, or believes the non-Muslims are not Kaafir (Kuffaar) will become Kaafir himself. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’aan:

لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ

“Surely, they are kaafir who say: ‘Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary).’” (EMQ al-Maa’idah, 5:72)

How can we dare say that the Christians are not Kuffaar after Allah testified in His Book that they are? At-Takfeer (declaring a person to be a Kaafir) is part of Usool ud-Deen (the foundations of the Deen) and we are obliged to defend this right of Allah (SWT). Only Allah (SWT) has the right to legislate and nobody else can claim this right.

4. The one who thinks any Sharee’ah (law and order) is similar, or better than the Sharee’ah of Islam is a kaafir

An example of this is the one who believes that the British law is as good as, equal to, or even better than the law of Islam! Lord Nazir Ahmed is a good example of this. He left the fold of Islam by declaring that Muslims must obey the British law and Sharee’ah law! May Allah curse him.

5. Whoever hates any of the Sharee’ah rules (Hukm Shar’ie) is a kaafir

For example, those who hate to pray, fast, wear hijaab, call people to Islam, work collectively in a group to establish the Islamic state etc. Allah (SWT) says:

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ

“That is because they hate that which Allah has sent down, so He has made their deeds fruitless.” (EMQ Muhammad, 47:9)

6. Whoever ridicules any of the Deen of Islam, its rewards or its punishments

Allah (SWT) says:

يَحْذَرُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ أَنْ تُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُورَةٌ تُنَبِّئُهُمْ بِمَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ قُلِ اسْتَهْزِئُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ مُخْرِجٌ مَا تَحْذَرُونَ

وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ قُلْ أَبِاللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنْتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ

لا تَعْتَذِرُوا قَدْ كَفَرْتُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ إِنْ نَعْفُ عَنْ طَائِفَةٍ مِنْكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَائِفَةً بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ

“The hypocrites fear lest a soorah (chapter of the Qur’aan) should be revealed about them, showing them what is in their hearts. Say: “(Go ahead and) mock! But certainly Allah will bring to light all that you fear.

If you ask them (about their mocking), they declare: ‘We were only talking idly and joking.’ Say: ‘Was it at Allah (swt), and His Aayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger (saw) that you were mocking?’

Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed. If we pardon some of you, we will punish others amongst you because they were Mujrimoun (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals, etc.).” (EMQ at-Tawbah, 9:64-66)

7. As-Sihr (anyone involving themselves in magic)

To communicate with the Jinns, to go to magicians or to seek help from them are all acts of shirk.

8. Alliance with the Kuffaar and supporting them against the Muslims

Allah (SWT) says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Awliyaa’ (friends, protectors, helpers) they are but awliyaa’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as awliyaa’ then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zaalimoun (i.e. Kuffaar).” (EMQ al-Maa’idah, 5:51)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَتَّخِذُوا بِطَانَةً مِنْ دُونِكُمْ لا يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالا وَدُّوا مَا عَنِتُّمْ قَدْ بَدَتِ الْبَغْضَاءُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِي صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

“O you who believe! Take not as (your) Bitaanah (advisors, consultants, protectors, helpers, friends, etc.) those outside your religion (pagans, Jews, Christians, and hypocrites) since they will not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse. Indeed We have made plain to you the Aayaat (proofs, evidences, verses) if you understand.” (EMQ Aali-‘Imraan, 3:118)

9. Whoever believes they are not obliged to follow the Messenger Muhammad (SAW) or believes that they can leave Islam and go to another Deen is a Kaafir

Allah (SWT) says:

وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad [SAW]) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it), and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment.” (EMQ al-Hashr, 59:7)

10. Whoever turns their back to the Deen of Islam

Allah (SWT) says:

وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإسْلامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (EMQ Aali ‘Imraan, 3:85)

This can be done by not studying the Deen nor acting upon it. If someone says, “such and such is haraam” it must be verified. Imaam Abu Haneefah (RA) was walking on the bank (of a river) and he saw a child doing the same but was about to slip and fall into the river. Abu Haneefah said: “Be careful you may fall in”, and in response the child said: “You too, and if you make a mistake (in the Deen), many others will also fall!” Imaam Abu Haneefah went home and reviewed all his Ahkaam and said: “Do not think that what I say today may not be changed tomorrow if I find a hadeeth.”

Allah (SWT) says:

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ ثُمَّ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا إِنَّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُنْتَقِمُونَ

“Who is more of an oppressor than the one who knows the Hukm and turns his back? Verily he is Mujrim (i.e. a Kaafir).” (EMQ as-Sajdah, 32:22)

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