09-07-2003, 10:35 AM
Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad(saw), his wives, his family, his companions and righteous followers
THINGS WHICH NULLIFY A MUSLIMS ISLAM
Makes a Muslim Kafir (disbeliever)
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Truly it is the greatest blessing from Allah (SWT) to be guided to Islam. All praise is to Allah Lord of the Heavens and the Earth and all that they contain. We thank Allah for bestowing upon us such a great blessing.
Today most people have forgotten this great blessing from Allah (SWT). A true believer should not only be thankful to Allah for guiding him/her to Islam but most importantly should make sure he/she stays within the boundaries of Islam. A Muslim (believer in oneness of Allah) can go out of Islam by committing shirk and becoming a Mushrik (polytheist) or committing Kufr (disbelief) and becoming a kafir (disbeliever). In order to stay within the boundaries of Islam it is essential to know what shirk and kufr are. Only when we actually know what shirk and kufr are then we can keep away from them.
Shirk (Polytheism) means setting up partners in the Lordship, Worship (ibadah) or Names, Attributes and Actions of Allah(swt), for Allah the Most High says: "Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin." Surah 4 An-Nisa, Ayah 48
And the Most High also says:
"...Verily who sets up partners with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the wrong doers there are no helpers." Surah 5: 72
Kufr (disbelief) linguistically means covering or concealing. So when a person covers or conceals the truth he is committing kufr. It relates to disbelieving in any of the following: Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, His Revelations, the Day of Judgement and Divine Fate and Destiny. Kufr or disbelief can result from different factors like denial, doubts, suspicions, jealousy, arrogance or following some whims which deter one from adhering to the Message of Islam. Shirk and Kufr can be committed in various ways, Ten very common examples have been explained below:
1) Whoever makes between himself and Allah(swt) intermediaries and relies upon them (tawakkul) becomes a Mushrik ( polytheist).
A common example would be if a husband and his wife go to a peer (religious figure) or a saint and request him to 'bless' them with a child, wrongly believing that the man is the one who will enable them to have a child. Allah Almighty says: "Those on whom you call besides Allah are only slaves like yourselves." Surah 7, Ayah 194
Something, which is less obvious but is widespread among the Muslim Ummah worldwide is the use of charms and amulets (taweez). A person may wear an amulet around his neck or arm and expect it to cure him of his illness. The belief in charms gives created things the Divine Power to avert misfortune and thus, those who subscribe to such beliefs in effect try to take what belongs to Allah and assign it to Allah's creation. Therefore, the belief in charms is an evident form of shirk.
Allah is the only real power in existence, it is He who gives all things the power to move and change. Nothing can happen except by the will of Allah. In recognition of this reality Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to often repeat "La hawla wa laa quwwata illaa billaah" (There is no movement nor power except by Allah's will). Allah (SWT) says: "If Allah allows harm to befall you none can remove it except Him." Surah 6 Al-Anaam: 17
Also:
"And no calamity strikes except by Allah's permission" Surah 64 At-Tagahaabun, Ayah 11
Once we understand that nothing happens except by the will of Allah(SWT), and that all good is from Allah, and no harm can befall us or be removed from us except by the will of Allah, then it is clear and easy to understand that we should not believe that peers (religious, holy people), charms or amulets can bring us good or remove harm.
We recite at least 17 times in our prayers: "You (alone) we worship, and from You (alone) we seek help". Surah Al-Fatiha 1, Ayah 5. Therefore every Muslim should implement these verses in real life and not merely recite them. Allah(SWT) says: "When my servents ask you (O Muhammad) about Me (tell them), I listen to the prayer of everyone who calls on Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me in order that they may be guided aright." Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayah 186
Allah(SWT) also says: "Put your trust in Allah if you are truly believers" Surah 5 Al-Ma'idah, Ayah 23
2) Whoever does not reject the polytheist (someone who ascribes partners with Allah) or the kafir or doubts in their belief has become a Kafir.
For example if a person says that he is not sure whether a Christian, Jew or Hindu is a Kafir or not, then he obviously has doubts in Islam. Allah(swt) says in the Quran:
"Only those are the believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and after ward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Those ! they are the truthful. Surah 49, Ayah 15
Allah(swt) also says:
"Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily we are free from you and whatever you worship beside Allah: We have rejected you, and there has started between us and you hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allah alone" Surah 60: Ayah 6
3) Whoever wishes to go for judgement to other then Allah (Quran and Sunnah), has ascribed a partner with Allah, and has become a mushrik. This is because the right to judge, command, and legislate belong only to Allah. We must acknowledge this in theory and practice, by being judged only by Allah(SWT)'s commands and legislations (Quran and Sunnah).
Today man has exceeded his limits and attempted to take Allah(SWT)'s right of judgement, legislation and commandment. On the other hand man has ascribed a partner to Allah by acknowledging these false judges, legislators and those making commandments based on other then Allah's Sharia (Quran and Sunnah).
In order for us to worship Allah(SWT) alone we must acknowledge that only Allah has the right to legislate, command, and judge, and in turn we must adhere strictly to the commands, legislations and judgements of Allah(SWT) only (Quran And Sunnah). Allah(swt) says:
"Have you seen those (hypocrites) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you, and they wish to go for judgement (in their disputes) to the Taghut (false judges) while they have been ordered to reject them. But shaytan (satan) wishes to lead them far astray." Surah 4 An-Nisa, Ayah 60
Also Allah(swt) says:
"But no by your Lord, they can have no faith, until they make you (Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam)) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission. Sura 4 Nisa, Ayah 65
Also:
"You do not worship besides Him but only names which you have named- you and your fathers- for which Allah has sent down no authority. The Hukm (judgement, legislation, command) is for none but Allah. He has commanded that you worship none but Him; that is the (true) straight religion, but most men know not." Surah 12, Ayah 40
Allah(swt) has also informed us by saying:
"Indeed your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then rose over (Istawa) the Throne. He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Amr (command). Surely, His is the creation and Amr (commandment). Blessed is Allah, the Lord of Alamin." Surah 7, Ayah 54
4) Whoever is displeased with anything Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has come with- even though he acts according to it, has commited kufr (disbelief). One such example could be a person who prays the five daily prayers but hates to perform them or a woman who wears hijab but hates it. Allah(swt) says:
"But no by your Lord, they can have no faith, until they make you (Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam)) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission." Sura 4 Nisa Ayah 65
5) Whoever ridicules or makes fun of anything in the Deen (religion) or mocks any reward or punishment in Islam- has become a Kaafir. The evidence for this is the saying of Allah(swt):
"Say, was it Allah and His Messenger that you were mocking? Make no excuses; you have disbelieved after you had believed..." Surah 9 At-Taubah, Ayah 65-66
6) Magic (Al-Sihr), All types of magic are forbidden- whether one participates, spends in it or is sympathetic towards its practice. Whoever practices magic or is pleased with magic, becomes a Kafir. For Allah(swt) has said in the Quran:
"... Sulayman did not disbelieve, but the Shayateen disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels Harut and Marut, but neither of these two taught anyone till they had said 'We are only for trial, so believe not (by learning from us)'... And indeed they knew, that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter." Surah 9 At-Taubah, Ayah 23
7) Whoever supports and helps the mushrik (polytheist, disbeliever) against the Muslim is a Kafir because the enemy of Allah(swt) is dearer to him than a Muslim who believes in Allah(swt). The evidence for this is the saying of Allah(swt):
"O you who believe! Take not for auliya (protectors, helpers, friends) disbelievers instead of believers. Do you wish to offer Allah a manifest proof against yourselves? Sura 4:144
Also:
"O you who believe! Take not as Auliya (supporters and helpers) your fathers and your brothers if they prefer disbelief to Belief. And whoever of you does so, then he is one of the Zalimun (wrongdoers)." 9: 23
And:
"O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliya' (friends, protectors, helpers) they are but Auliya of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as auliya), then surely he is one of them. Verily Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers and unjust)." Sura Al-Ma'idah Ayah 51
8) If a person believes that he can improve upon Islam by adding things to the Shari'ah (Laws of Allah(swt)) or removing some aspects of it then he becomes a Kafir. This is because Allah(swt) sent the Message of Islam to His Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) for all of mankind in perfection and if anyone denies this then he contradicts the following Ayah in the Qur'an:
"This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen Islam as your religion." Surah 5 Al-Ma'idah, Ayah 3
9) To love something is natural but if you love anything more then Allah, or equal to Allah(SWT) then you have made a partner with Allah and this is a form of Shirk. Allah(swt) says:
"Say if you fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight.... are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and fighting Jihad in His cause then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah)" 9: 24
Also:
"And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as rivals (to Allah). They love them as they love Allah. But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else). If only those who do wrong could see, when they will see the torment, that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is severe in punishment." Sura Al-Baqarah Ayah 165.
10) Turning away from the Message of Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam), by not learning it or acting according to it, takes a person outside the fold of Islam. The proof for this is in the Qur'an as Allah(SWT) says :
"And who is more unjust (wrong) than one who is reminded of the signs of Allah, then he turns away from them (the signs)? Most certainly We will take revenge on the guilty ones." Surah 32 As-Sajdah, Ayah 22
Also:
"And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham) (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) except him who befools himself ? Truly, we chose him in this world and verily, in the Hearafter he will be among the righteous." Sura 2 Al-Baqarah Ayah 130
Also:
"Say (O Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful." Surah 3 Al-Imran, Ayah 31
The above ten forms of Shirk and Kufr are amongst the most common examples by which a Muslims Islam is nullified and if he does not repent to Allah(swt) for his mistake and accept Islam again before he dies, he dies the death of a Mushrik (pagan) or a Kaafir (disbeliever), destined to dwell in Hell-fire.