A48.0 IMAAN AND KUFR – FAITH AND INFIDELITY

What is Imaan-Faith?

A48.1 Faith/Imaan is to listen to what Allah (The Exalted) and his Messenger has stated and to believe it true in your heart.

What is Kufr/infidelity

A49.0 If you reject one aspect which you know that to believe is part of Islam then this is Kufr. Like, to reject, Qiyamah, Angels, Jannah, Dozakh, Hisab, or not to believe that Salaah, Siyam, Zakah, Hajj is Fardh (obligatory). It is also Kufr not to believe that the Qur’an is the words of Allah (The Exalted). To insult the Kabah, the Qur’an, or any of the Prophets or Angels is also Kufr. To degrade any of the Sunnats (actions of the Prophet), to make jokes of the orders of Shariah (Islamic law) or to reject or suspect it untrue any known and recognised aspects of Islam is also definitely Kufr/infidelity.

A49.1 To be a Muslim you must, together with faith and belief also pledge your status as a Muslim. One must pledge his faith unless there is a difficulty, for example, you cannot speak, or to speak would mean to lose your life or would lose a part of the body, then it is not necessary to pledge your faith with your tongue. In fact one can state things against Islam if their life is at risk. However, it is always best and reward not to say anything against Islam even to save your life. Except for this exception, whenever there is something that is submitted against Islam then they will be recognised as a Kafir. Whether you say that I was only saying it with my tongue but really did not believe it in my heart it will still be recognised as Kufr.

A49.2 Also to perform actions which are signs of Kufr then if you perform them you will be recognised as a Kafir/infidel. For example, to wear a ‘Janeo’ (a sacred thread worn by Hindus), or to have a lock of hair (plats for men) the same as Buddhists have, or to wear a cross are all actions of Kufr.

A50.0 What aspects makes a person a Muslim

A50.1 For a person to become a Muslim it is necessary for them to believe Islam as the true religion and does

not reject any of it’s necessary aspects, and also does not have beliefs contradictory or against the religion’s necessary aspects (Zaruriyat-e-Deen). Whether the person does not have the knowledge about all the religion’s necessary aspect, i.e. even if he is a complete and utter illiterate he must believe in Islam and in the messenger of Islam and not have any beliefs against the necessary aspects of Islam (Zaruriyat-e-Deen). Whether he cannot pray the Kalima (submission into Islam) properly he is still a Muslim and not a Kafir. Therefore, if he misses Salaah, Siyam, Hajj etc. he will be a grave sinner but will remain a Muslim. This is because deeds are not a part of faith.

A50.2 Whatever is without doubt Haram (forbidden) and to believe it as Halal (allowed), and to believe something Haram which is no doubt Halal is Kufr, when there is no suspicion of a particular thing being Halal or Haram or the person knows this.

A51.0 What is Shirk – Polytheism

A51.1 Shirk (Polytheism) is to believe someone else as Lord except Allah (The Exalted) or to believe someone worthy of worship except Allah (The Exalted). This is the worst type of infidelity. Except for this, regardless of how strong the infidelity is, it is not truly shirk. There will be no forgiveness for any type of Kufr/infidelity. Except for Kufr, all other sins are at the will of Allah (The Exalted), whatever he wishes, he will forgive.

A51.2 To perform a large sin a Muslim does not become an infidel but remains a Muslim. If he dies without performing repentance then he will still obtain Jannah, whether it will be after fulfilling his punishment or gaining forgiveness. This forgiveness may be obtained at the mercy of Allah (The Exalted)’s will or from the intercession of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

A52.0 The order of someone asking for forgiveness for an Infidel

A52.1 Whoever performs a prayer of forgiveness for a dead infidel or calls an infidel as a forgiven or a Jannatee, or if someone calls a dead Hindu a ‘Bekanth Baashi (Jannatee) are themselves an infidel.

A52.2 To believe a Muslim as a Muslim and to believe an infidel, as an infidel is necessary. A particular person’s reality of being an infidel or a Muslim cannot be fully known until it is proven according to Shariah that on what state their death had come, meaning whether he has died on infidelity or died on Islam. However, this does not mean that whoever has performed definitive Kufr, then to be suspicious of his Kufr, because for someone to have suspicion of a person who has performed definitive Kufr is to become a Kafir himself. This is because the action of Shariah is done on what is seen to be the case, however, on the day of Hashr the real person’s beliefs will be known.

A52.3 The best way to see this is that if a infidel, Christian, Jew or Hindu dies then one cannot say with complete confidence that this person has died as a Kafir, but the order of Allah (The Exalted) and his Messenger for us is that we believe him as a Kafir and to treat him like a Kafir. The same way is if a person is a known Muslim and he hasn’t said or performed anything against the basic necessities of Islam, then it is obligatory for us to believe him as a Muslim. Whether we are unaware of what status he died at.

A52.4 There is no third grade instead of infidelity or Islam. Meaning you cannot have a person who is not an infidel nor a Muslim, he must be either a Muslim or an infidel.

A53.5 A Muslim will always remain in Jannah and will not be evicted; an infidel will always remain in Dozakh and will never come out.

A53.6 To perform prostration as a form of worship to anyone except Allah (The Exalted) is Kufr, and for respect it is Haram (strictly forbidden).

A54.0 What is Bi’dah? – Innovation in religion

Whatever action is not proven by the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is known as Bi’dah (innovation in religion). There are two types of Bi’dah, Bi’dat-e-Hasana (Good) and Bi’dat-e-Sayyia (Evil).

• Bi’dat-e-Hasana is that where it is not against or contradicts a Sunnat. Like, to build mosques from concrete or bricks, or to write the Qur’an in golden letters, To perform intention with the tongue, to learn knowledge of Kalaam, Sarf and Nahoo (Arabic grammar), to learn knowledge of astronomy, to learn knowledge of pure mathematics or trigonometry or to preach all this knowledge. It is also Bi’dat-e-Hasana to build education institutes (Madrassas) like we do today, to perform functions as we do today and to give out certificates and perform occasions like ‘Dastaar Bandi’ etc. There are thousands of things like these that were not present during the time of the Prophet. They are all Bi’dat-e-Hasana and in fact some are now necessary (Wajib), like to pray Tarawih as Sayyidina ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated “Ne’matil Bidatoo Haadhihee.” meaning this is a good Bi’dat.
• Bi’dat Siyyia Qabiha is that innovation that is against a Sunnat or contradicts a Sunnat and this is either Makrooh (disliked) or Haram (strictly forbidden).

Imam Ghazzali states; If a bidah increases you in Iman (faith) it is good and if it decreases you in faith it is evil.