© Arrisaalah Publications

Translated by: Abū ʿAffā n ʿAbdulQā dir Al-Kowsī

This is a free electronic publication. You may

print this e-book for your personal use or on a
large scale to share with others for free.

You may not make any changes whatsoever to

the e-book, nor use the e-book commercially
without prior permission from the translator
and publisher.

For enquiries, contact:

email: arrisaalahpublications@gmail.com

◈◈◈

Dhū al-Ḥ ijjah 1444AH / July 2023CE.

 arrisaalahpubs.com

Content
Introduction 4
The First Nullifier 13
The Second Nullifier 22
The Third Nullifier 25
The Fourth Nullifier 28
The Fifth Nullifier 32
The Sixth Nullifier 34
The Seventh Nullifier 39
The Eighth Nullifier 42
The Ninth Nullifier 44
The Tenth Nullifier 49
Conclusion 52
Questions And Answers 55
 arrisaalahpubs.com

Introduction
Shaykh Imā m Muḥ ammad bn ʿAbdil-Wahhā b—may Allā h, the Most
High, have mercy on him—said:

‫َض‬ ‫ِق‬‫ا‬ ‫َو‬ ‫َن‬ ‫ُة‬ ‫َر‬ ‫َش‬ ‫َع‬ ‫ِم‬‫ا‬ ‫َل‬ ‫ْس‬ ‫ِإ‬ ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ‫ِق‬
‫اْع َلْم َأَّن َنَو ا َض‬
“Know that, verily, the nullifiers of Islām are ten.” [1]

Explanation

[1] In the name of Allā h, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

All praise is due to Allā h, the Lord of the worlds. May Allā h extol and
grant peace to our Prophet, Muḥ ammad, his household, and all his
Companions.

The Shaykh said: “Know;” meaning: learn and understand. And

this word is brought for [expressing] importance and calling
attention to the importance of what comes after it.

“That verily, the nullifiers of Islām are ten.” Nawā qiḍ (nullifiers)
is the plural of Nā qiḍ and they are things that invalidate [actions], as
we have the Nawā qiḍ al-Wuḍ ū ʾ (nullifiers of the ablution) i.e., what
invalidates it. They are named ‘nullifiers’ and are also named
‘causes of apostasy’ or ‘forms of apostasy’. And knowing them is
very important for the Muslim, so that he can stay away from and be
cautious of them. Because if the Muslim does not know them, it is
feared that he might fall into something from them. And they have a
high status of seriousness and importance because they are the
jjjjjjjj 4
 arrisaalahpubs.com

nullifiers of Islā m and the things that invalidate it. And knowing the
causes of apostatizing from Islā m is very important.

And apostatizing from Islā m means: returning from Islā m [to

disbelief], from irtadda, when he returns. Allā h, the Most High, said:

﴾ ‫﴿َو َلا َتْر َتُّدوا َع َلٰٓى َأْد َباِرُكْم َفَتنَق ِلُبوا َٰخ ِس ِريَن‬

“And turn not back (in flight) for then you will be returned as
losers.”¹

And He, the Exalted, said:

‫﴿َوَم ن َيْر َتِد ْد ِم نُكْم َع ن ِد يِنِه ۦ َفَي ُم ْت َو ُه َو َكاِفٌر َفُأوَٰٓلِئَك َح ِبَطْت َأْع َٰم ُلُه ْم ِفى‬
﴾ ‫ٱلُّد ْنَي ا َو ٱْل َءاِخ َر ِة َو ُأوَٰٓلِئَك َأْص َٰح ُب ٱلَّناِر ُه ْم ِفيَه ا َٰخ ِلُدوَن‬

“And whosoever of you turns back from his religion and dies as
a disbeliever, then his deeds will be lost in this life and in the
Hereafter, and they will be the dwellers of the Fire. They will
abide therein forever.”²

And this is a severe warning from Allā h to the believers.

“And whosoever of you turns back” O you believers, “from his

religion and dies as a disbeliever” and did not repent and return
to Islā m before his death, then “his deeds will be lost” i.e., will be
nullified, “in this life and in the Hereafter, and they will be the
dwellers of the Fire. They will abide therein forever.”

¹ Al-Mā ʾidah: 21
² Al-Baqarah: 217 5
 arrisaalahpubs.com

‫ٱْر َتُّدوا َع َلٰٓى َأْد َٰبِرِه م ِّمۢن َبْع ِد َم ا َتَب َّيَن َلُه ُم ٱْلُه َدى ٱلَّش ْي َٰطُن َس َّو َل‬ ‫﴿ِإَّن ٱَّلِذ يَن‬
﴾ ‫َلُه ْم‬ ‫َلُه ْم َو َأْم َلٰى‬
“Verily, those who have turned back (have apostated) as
disbelievers after the guidance has been manifested to them,
Shaitan (Satan) has beautified for them (their false hopes), and
(Allah) prolonged their term (age).”¹

‫﴿َٰٓيَأُّيَه ا ٱَّلِذ يَن َءاَم ُنوا َم ن َيْر َتَّد ِم نُكْم َع ن ِد يِنِه ۦ َفَس ْو َف َيْأِتى ٱلَّلُه ِبَق ْو ٍم ُيِح ُّبُه ْم‬
﴾ ‫َو ُيِح ُّبوَنُه ٓۥ َأِذ َّلٍة َع َلى ٱْلُم ْؤ ِم ِنيَن َأِع َّز ٍة َع َلى ٱْلَٰكِف ِريَن‬

“O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from
his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love
and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern
towards the disbelievers.”²

“Whoever from among you turns back from his religion

(Islam)” i.e., leaves his religion.

So, these verses contain a warning against apostasy, and the threat
[of punishment] upon it.

And as for the Ḥ adīths:

He [i.e., the Prophet] ‫ ﷺ‬had said: “The blood of a Muslim is not

permissible except in one of three cases: an adulterer, a life for
a life [i.e., legal retaliation], and the one who forsakes his
religion,”—this is the point of reference—“the one who
separates
¹ Muḥ ammad: 25
² Al-Mā ʾidah: 54 6
 arrisaalahpubs.com
separates from the Jamāʿah (the main body of the Muslims).”¹

And he ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Whoever changes his religion, kill him.”²

And if the apostates are a large group of people with authority, they
are to be fought just as Abū Bakr Aṣ-Ṣ iddīq fought the apostates
until he subdued them for Islā m. And some of them were killed
upon their apostasy, and some of them repented. So, he fought
them, actualizing by way of that, the statement of Allā h, the Most
High:

‫﴿َٰٓيَأُّيَه ا ٱَّلِذ يَن َءاَم ُنوا َم ن َيْر َتَّد ِم نُكْم َع ن ِد يِنِه ۦ َفَس ْو َف َيْأِتى ٱلَّلُه ِبَق ْو ٍم ُيِح ُّبُه ْم‬
‫َو ُيِح ُّبوَنُه ٓۥ َأِذ َّلٍة َع َلى ٱْلُم ْؤ ِم ِنيَن َأِع َّز ٍة َع َلى ٱْلَٰكِف ِريَن ُيَٰج ِه ُدوَن ِفى َس ِبيِل ٱلَّلِه َو َلا‬
﴾‫َيَخ اُفوَن َلْوَم َة َلٓاِئٍم‬

“O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from
his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love
and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern
towards the disbelievers, fighting in the Way of Allah, and
never afraid of the blame of the blamers.”³

The scholars said this verse was revealed regarding Abū Bakr Aṣ-
Ṣ iddīq and his companions that fought the apostates because Allā h
was informing about the future; “Whoever from among you turns
back” this is with respect to the future, “Allah will bring” Allā h
brought Abū Bakr Aṣ-Ṣ iddīq and the Companions of Allā h's
Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, and they fought the apostates.

¹ Al-Bukhā rī (6878), Muslim (1676)

² Al-Bukhā rī (4/75), Abū Dā wū d (2/440), At-Tirmidhī (6/243), Aḥ mad (1/282)
³ Al-Mā ʾidah:54 7
 arrisaalahpubs.com

And if the apostate is a single individual, then he is apprehended

and asked to repent, if he repents, [he is left,] otherwise, he is
executed. And he is not like the original disbeliever because the
apostate knew about the truth and entered into the religion of Allā h
based on his own choice and freewill, and he acknowledged that
Islā m is the truth. So, if he apostatizes, this is him playing with the
religion, because he knew the truth and entered into it. So, when he
apostatizes, he is killed in order to safeguard the creed.

And this is from the protection of the five essential necessities (aḍ -
Ḍ arū riyyā t al-Khams), the first of which is the religion. So, the
religion is not left as a toy for who becomes Muslim and then
apostatizes. Rather, he is killed in order to safeguard the creed from
being toyed with.

And among the apostates are those that are killed without asking
them to repent. And he is the one whose apostasy is very serious.

He is killed without asking him to repent in order to safeguard the

religion and the first essential necessity that Islā m came to protect.

Studying these nullifiers is very important. The scholars wrote

books about it, and gave it a special position in the books of Fiqh
(Islā mic Jurisprudence), and it is Ḥ ukm al-Murtadd (the ruling of
the apostate). In every book of Fiqh, they include a chapter called,
‘the book on the ruling of the apostate’ or ‘the chapter on the ruling
of the apostate’ in the extended books and the concise ones.

They [i.e., the scholars] said the apostate is the one who disbelieves
after his Islā m, either due to a belief in his heart, a doubt he has
about affairs of the religion, or an action, such as him prostrating to
k 8
 arrisaalahpubs.com

other than Allā h, sacrificing to other than Allā h, or making vows to

other than Allā h. These are actions that whoever does them has
apostated. Or [due to] a statement, such as him making
blasphemous remarks about Allā h, the Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, or the religion
of Islā m.

‫﴿ُقْل َأِبٱلَّلِه َو َءاَٰيِتِه ۦ َوَر ُس وِلِه ۦ ُكنُتْم َتْس َتْه ِزُءوَن ۝ َلا َتْع َتِذ ُر وا َقْد َكَف ْر ُتم َبْع َد‬
﴾ ‫ِإيَٰمِنُكْم‬

“Say: "Was it at Allah, and His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses,

lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger (‫ )ﷺ‬that
you were mocking?" Make no excuse; you have disbelieved
after you had believed.”¹

So, apostasy can be due to a statement, an action, a belief, and

doubting something from the affairs of the religion, such as the one
who doubts the obligation of Ṣ alā h, Zakā h, or Tawḥ īd (singling out
Allā h in worship). He has surely disbelieved. And doubt means:
wavering between two affairs.

And the forms of apostasy are many, and the Shaykh mentioned
the most important and greatest of them in this treatise. Otherwise,
the nullifiers are many, and you will find them in the books of Fiqh,
under the chapter heading of ‘the ruling on the apostate’, and
Shaykh ʿAbdullā h bn Muḥ ammad has a treatise [on it] titled; Al-
Kalimāt An-Nāfiʿah Fī Al-Mukaffirāt Al-Wāqiʿah, and it was
published in Ad-Durar As-Saniyyah and other than it.

And now that ignorance has become widespread amongst the

people and the religion has become severely strange, some people
¹kk
At-Tawbah: 65-66 9
 arrisaalahpubs.com

have appeared from among those who ascribe themselves to

knowledge and they say: “Do not excommunicate the people. The
name of Islā m suffices. It suffices that he calls himself a Muslim. No
matter what he does, even if he sacrifices for other than Allā h, or
reviles Allā h and His Messenger, no matter what he does, as long as
he says: ‘I am a Muslim,’ do not excommunicate him.”

According to this, the Bā ṭiniyyah¹ and the Qarā miṭah² will enter
into the Islā mic nomenclature.

¹ Shaykh Ṣ ā liḥ Al-Fawzā n said: “[T]he Shīʿah are various sects, among them is the Bā ṭiniyyah, and
they are those who say that the legislation has an apparent and hidden meaning. The apparent one
is for the laymen, while the hidden meaning is for the elites—no one understands it except for the
elites.

“The Ṣ alā h, the laymen understand that it is bowing and prostration, but as for the elites, they
understand that it is not bowing and prostration, it is merely supplication, just supplication.

“The fast, the laymen understand that it is abandoning eating and drinking, while the elites say, ‘No.
It is keeping secrets.’ This is the fast, according to them.

“The Hajj is not pilgrimage to the Kaʿbah. The Hajj is [pilgrimage] to the monuments and the graves
of the Awliyā ʾ (allies of Allā h). This is the interpretation of the Qarā miṭah.

“They say this is the hidden meaning of the texts that can only be understood by the elites.” [Listen
here]

² Shaykh Ṣ ā liḥ Al-Fawzā n said: “The Qarā miṭah are followers of Ḥ amdā n Qirmaṭ, the Shīʿī, the
Bā ṭinī...

“And the Qarā miṭah are an extreme faction of the Shīʿah, with the most severe enmity towards the
Muslims. So, due to that, they killed the Muslims in the Sacred Masjid, and they threw them in the
Zamzam Well.

“This vile Ḥ amdā n Qirmaṭ, he came during Hajj and he killed the pilgrims in the Sacred Masjid—at
the Kaʿbah—and he hauled them and threw them in the Zamzam Well. Then, he pulled out the Black
Stone and he took it to his land in al-Aḥ sā ʾ, the city of Hajar (Gr. Gerrha). And it remained with him
for over twenty years.

“These are the Qarā miṭah. Those who claim that the texts have apparent and hidden meanings. And
that the laymen take the apparent meanings, while they take the hidden meanings.” [Listen here]

10
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The grave worshippers will also enter into it, likewise, the Rawā fiḍ ,¹
the Qā diyā niyyah,² and everyone who claims Islā m.

They say: “Do not excommunicate anyone. No matter what he does,

no matter what he believes, do not split the Muslims.”

Far Exalted is Allā h! We do not split the Muslims. However, these

individuals are not Muslims because when they perpetrated the
nullifiers of Islā m, they left Islā m.

So, the statement, “Do not split the Muslims,” is true. However, what
is intended by way of it is falsehood. Because the Companions ,
when those that apostatized among the Arabs did so after the death
of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, they fought them. They did not say: “Do not split
the Muslims” because they are not Muslims as long as they are upon
apostasy.

And this is more severe from [the aspect of you] affirming Islā m for
a disbeliever, and you will later know that among [the causes of]
apostasy is: not excommunicating a disbeliever or doubting his
disbelief.
¹ Shaykh Ṣ ā liḥ Al-Fawzā n said: “The Rawā fiḍ declare the Companions as disbelievers. And they do
not exempt anyone except Ahl al-Bayt (the household of the Prophet ‫ )ﷺ‬alone: ʿAlī and his
offsprings, and the twelve Imā ms—as they say. They declare the Companions as disbelievers.

“Or they declare the Companions as disbelievers with the exception of four out of them: ʿAlī, Abū
Dharr, Salmā n, and Al-Miqdā d bn Al-Aswad. They say these ones did not disbelieve, but the rest
disbelieved. And refuge is sought in Allā h. This is the doctrine of the Khawā rij.

“They go overboard regarding ʿAlī, may Allā h be pleased with him. And they say he is the guardian
after Allā h's Messenger, and that the caliphate of Abū Bakr is false, an oppression and an usurpation,
likewise the caliphate of ʿUmar and ʿUthmā n, they were all oppression and usurpation, and the
caliphate was rightfully ʿAlī's. That is what they say. And they declare the Companions as
disbelievers. This is the doctrine of the Rawā fiḍ .” [Listen here]

² Al-ʿAllā mah Muḥ ammad As-Subayyil , a former member of the Committee Of Senior Scholars in
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said: =
11
 arrisaalahpubs.com

So, this is the issue, and that is: whoever does not excommunicate a
disbeliever or doubts his disbelief is a disbeliever like him. And
these ones say: “Do not excommunicate anyone, no matter what he
does, as long as he says: ‘None is worthy of worship except Allā h.’
You should face the atheists and leave these ones that claim Islā m.”

We say to them: “These people are more dangerous than the

atheists. Because the atheists do not claim Islā m and they do not
claim that what they are upon is Islā m. But as for these individuals,
they deceive the people and claim that disbelief is Islā m. So these
individuals are worse than the atheists. And apostasy is worse than
atheism. And refuge is sought in Allā h.

So, it is obligatory for us to know our stance on these affairs, and for
us to distinguish and make it apparent, because, right now, we are
in [an era of] disguise. There are people that write, criticize, and
deliver lectures, and say: “Do not excommunicate the Muslims.”

And we say: We [only] excommunicate whoever leaves the fold of

Islā m. As for the Muslim, it is not permissible to excommunicate
him.

=
“And the emergence of the one called Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Al-Qā diyā nī, who was born in the year
1840 CE, was in India, in the state of Punjab, the city of Qadian, where he proclaimed prophethood
in the ending of the 19th century, CE. He claimed that revelation was sent upon him, and he
declared whoever did not believe in his false prophethood a disbeliever.

“With that, his sect known with the name ‘Al-Qā diyā niyyah’ and ‘Al-Aḥ madiyyah’ emerged. And he
took his birthplace, Qadian, as a center for the propagation of his call in India until he died of
cholera in the year 1908 CE in the month of May.” [Ref.: Buḥ ū th Wa Rasā ʾil Ash-Sharʿiyyah
(1/267)]

12
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The First Nullifier

:‫ َقاَل َتَع اَلى‬،‫الِّش ْر ُك ِفي ِع َب اَد ِة اللِه َتَع اَلى‬: ‫الَأَّو ُل‬

The First: Associating partners with Allā h, the Most High, in

worship. [2]

Allā h, the Most High, said:

﴾ ‫﴿ِإَّن ٱلَّلَه َلا َيْغ ِف ُر َأن ُيْش َر َك ِبِه ۦ َو َيْغ ِف ُر َم ا ُد وَن َٰذِلَك ِلَم ن َيَش ٓاُۚء‬

“Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with

him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to
whom He pleases”¹ [3]

And He, the Most High, said:

‫ُۖر ِل َّٰظ‬
‫ِم‬ ‫ِلِم‬
‫ٱلَّنا َوَم ا ل َن ْن‬
‫ي‬ ‫﴿ِإَّنُه ۥ َم ن ُيْش ِرْك ِبٱلَّلِه َفَقْد َح َّر َم ٱلَّلُه َع َلْي ِه ٱْلَج َّنَة َوَم ْأَو ٰىُه‬
﴾‫َأنَص اٍر‬

“Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then

Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his
abode. And for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)
there are no helpers.”²[4]

.‫ َك َمْن َيْذ َبُح ِلْلِج ِّن َأْو ِلْلَق ْب ِر‬، ‫ الَّذ ْبُح ِلَغ ْي ِر اللِه‬: ‫َو ِم ْنُه‬

¹ An-Nisā ʾ:48
² Al-Mā ʾidah:72 13
 arrisaalahpubs.com

And from it is sacrificing to other than Allā h, like the one who
sacrifices to a Jinn or a grave. [5]

Explanation

[2] The greatest form of apostasy is: Associating partners in the

worship of Allā h, by worshipping alongside Allā h, other than Him,
like [a person] sacrificing to other than Allā h, or making vows to
other than Allā h, or prostrating to other than Allā h, or seeking
rescue from other than Allā h in an affair that none has ability upon
except Allā h; this is the greatest form of apostasy. Allā h, the Most
High, said:

‫ُۖر ِل َّٰظ‬
‫﴿ِإَّنُه ۥ َم ن ُيْش ِرْك ِبٱلَّلِه َفَقْد َح َّر َم ٱلَّلُه َع َلْي ِه ٱْلَج َّنَة َوَم ْأَو ٰىُه ٱلَّنا َوَم ا ل يَن ْن‬
‫ِم‬ ‫ِلِم‬
﴾‫َأنَص اٍر‬

“Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then

Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his
abode. And for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)
there are no helpers.”¹

‫﴿ِإَّن ٱلَّلَه َلا َيْغ ِف ُر َأن ُيْش َر َك ِبِه ۦ َو َيْغ ِف ُر َم ا ُد وَن َٰذِلَك ِلَم ن َيَش ٓاُۚء َوَم ن ُيْش ِرْك‬
﴾‫ِبٱلَّلِه َفَق ِد ٱْفَتَر ٰٓى ِإْثًم ا َع ِظ يًم ا‬

“Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with

him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to
whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in
worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.”²
¹ Al-Mā ʾidah:72
² An-Nisā ʾ:48 14
 arrisaalahpubs.com

﴾‫﴿َوَم ن ُيْش ِرْك ِبٱلَّلِه َفَقْد َض َّل َض َٰلًۢل ا َبِع يًدا‬

“And whoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, has

indeed strayed far away.”¹

So, Shirk (associating partners in worship with Allā h) is the most

dangerous form of apostasy, and it is for other than Allā h to be
worshipped by way of any of the forms of worships: by supplication,
by sacrificing [animals], by making vows, by seeking rescue, by
seeking assistance in an affair that none has the ability upon except
Allā h, the Exalted and Most High. He calls upon the dead, seeks
rescue from the graves, seeks assistance from the dead; this is the
most dangerous form of apostasy and the greatest of it. And this is
what most of those that claim Islā m are upon.

They build tombs and circumambulate them, sacrifice to them,

make vows to them, and get closer to them. They say, [they get
closer to them] because they [the tombs] bring them close to Allā h.
They get closer to them and, according to them, they, in turn, bring
them close to Allā h, the Exalted and Most High. Why did they not get
closer to Allā h from the start and leave all these confusions? They
should get closer to Allā h, because He is near [by His knowledge]
and He responds. Why do they get closer to the creations and say:
“the creations will bring us close to Allā h”? Is Allā h, the Exalted and
Most High, faraway? Did Allā h lock His doors? Does Allā h not know
[about] or hear His creation? And does He not see what they do?

Allā h, the Majestic and Most High, is near [by His knowledge] and
He responds;

¹ An-Nisā ʾ:116
15
 arrisaalahpubs.com

﴾ ‫﴿َو ِإَذ ا َس َأَلَك ِع َب اِد ى َعِّنى َفِإِّنى َقِريٌۖب ُأِج يُب َد ْع َو َة ٱلَّداِع ِإَذ ا َدَع اِۖن‬

“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad ‫ )ﷺ‬concerning

Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My
Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant
when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor).”¹

﴾ ‫﴿َو َقاَل َر ُّبُكُم ٱْد ُع وِنٓى َأْس َتِج ْب َلُكْۚم‬

“And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, [i.e., believe in My Oneness

(Islamic Monotheism)] (and ask Me for anything) I will respond
to your (invocation).”²

Verily, He is near and He responds. Why do you go and call upon

other than Allā h? And you say: “this brings me near to Allā h.”

﴾ ‫﴿َم ا َنْع ُبُد ُه ْم ِإَّلا ِلُيَق ِّرُبوَنٓا ِإَلى ٱلَّلِه ُز ْلَف ٰٓى‬

“’We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah.’”³

As if Allā h does not know and is not aware. That is how the Shayā ṭīn
(devils) of Jinn and mankind deceived these individuals while they
[continue to] claim Islā m, and they testify that no deity is worthy of
worship except Allā h, and they observe Ṣ alā h, and they fast.

However, they mix major Shirk together with their actions, so they
exit the fold of Islā m while still observing Ṣ alā h, fasting, and
performing Ḥ ajj—and the one who sees them thinks they are
Muslims.
¹ Al-Baqarah:186
² Ghā fir:60 16
³ Az-Zumar:3
 arrisaalahpubs.com
So, it is imperative to know this because associating partners with
Allā h, the Mighty and Majestic, in worship is the most dangerous
and greatest sin, and despite its danger and evil, many of those who
claim Islā m have fallen into it, but they do not call it Shirk.

They call it at-Tawassul (seeking means to get closer to Allā h), or

they call it seeking for ash-Shafā ʿah (intercession), or they call it
names other than Shirk.

However, the names do not change the realities. Shirk is Shirk. And
this is the most dangerous of the forms, and that which is mostly
fallen into, despite the fact that the call and warning against it is
clear in the book of Allā h, and it is clear in the Sunnah of Allā h's
Messenger; and the threats made upon it are clear. There is no
chapter in the Qurʾā n that is devoid of warning against Shirk, and
despite this, they read the Qurʾā n but they do not stay away from
Shirk. And perhaps, an individual might come and say: “These are
ignorants. They are excused due to ignorance.” So we say: “Until
when will they claim ignorance? While the Qurʾā n is being recited,
and they memorize the Qurʾā n and they recite it? The evidence has
been established upon them by the Qurʾā n reaching [them].”¹

﴾ ‫﴿َٰه َذ ا ٱْلُق ْر َءاُن ِلُأنِذ َر ُكم ِبِه ۦ َوَم ۢن َبَلَۚغ‬

“This Quran has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn

you and whomsoever it may reach.”²

Everyone the Qurʾā n reaches, the evidence has already been

established upon him and he has no excuse.

¹ Excuse with ignorance

² Al-An’ā m:19 17
 arrisaalahpubs.com

[3] “Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up

with him in worship”

This indicates that Shirk is the greatest sin, because Allā h does not
forgive the one who commits it except if he repents from it.

“But He forgives except that (anything else)”

Whatever is other than Shirk, like unlawful sexual intercourse,

drinking alcohol, stealing, consuming usury; all of these are below
Shirk, and they are subject to the Will of Allā h, and those who
engage in them are people of major sins and are Fussā q (those who
disobey Allā h).

However, they have not fallen into Shirk, they only fell into major
sins, and it decreases their faith, and they are judged upon by Fisq
(disobedience). If they die, and do not repent, they are subject to the
Will of Allā h. If Allā h wills, He forgives them due to what they have
with them of Tawḥ īd, and if He wills, He punishes them due to their
sins. Then their final destination will be Jannah, due to the Tawḥ īd
they possess. This is the final destination of the people of major sins
that are below Shirk.

And His statement: “But He forgives except that (anything else)”

indicates that all sins are lesser than Shirk and that Shirk is the
greatest and most dangerous of them. So, it indicates the danger of
Shirk and that it is the greatest sin.

[4] This is his punishment in the hereafter, that He [i.e., Allā h] has
forbidden Jannah for him, i.e., He has prohibited him from entering
jj
18
 arrisaalahpubs.com

it, an absolute everlasting prohibition. He has no business in there.

Where does he go? If he is not from the people of Jannah, then,
where does he go? He becomes non-existent? No, his abode is the
Hellfire, abiding therein forever.

“And for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) there are

no helpers;” i.e., the polytheists. Because Shirk is Ẓ ulm
(wrongdoing, oppression), it is the greatest form of wrongdoing.
They will have no helpers; no one will have the ability to remove
them from the Fire or to intercede on their behalf before Allā h as
the people of major sins are interceded for and they are removed
from the Fire due to the intercession. These [polytheists] will not be
benefitted by the intercession.

‫َط‬ ‫ِف‬ ‫َل‬ ‫ِم‬ ‫ِم‬ ‫ِلِم‬‫ِل َّٰظ‬

﴾‫﴿َم ا ل يَن ْن َح يٍم َو ا َش يٍع ُي ا‬

“And there will not be for the Ẓālimūn” i.e., the polytheists “a
friend, nor an intercessor who could be given heed to.”¹

Intercession is not accepted on behalf of the polytheist, and refuge

is sought in Allā h.

“And the Fire will be his abode;” his abode i.e., his residence, what
an evil abode! He will have no other abode apart from it forever and
ever.

So, a sin with this seriousness and this punishment, is it permissible

to disregard it and not know about it nor warn against it? And it is
said, “leave the people worshippers and the tomb worshippers.

¹ Ghā fir:18 19
 arrisaalahpubs.com

And leave everyone that has a form of apostasy with him, just leave
him. As long as he claims Islā m, he is still a Muslim. So, face the
atheists.”

We say these individuals are worse than the atheists and are more
dangerous than the atheists.

[5] The Shaykh, may Allā h have mercy on him, mentioned this
example because it is a reality, and the people are heedless of it. And
they sacrifice to other than Allā h. They sacrifice to the Jinn, fearing
their evil, they sacrifice to them due to [seeking] treatment and cure
[of diseases]. The people are heedless of this, and it occurs a lot,
despite the fact that it is a major Shirk that takes one out of the
religion. And it is not a minor affair.

Shayṭā n says to him: “sacrifice a sheep,” “sacrifice a hen, this is

minor.” However, he does not give consideration to the Shirk
[associated with it]. The one who sacrificed a fly to other than Allā h
entered the fire.¹ Consideration is not given to the object of
sacrifice, consideration is only given to the creed. Consideration is
given to the intention in the heart. Consideration is given to the lack
of concern for Shirk. Consideration is not given to the value of the
sacrifice.
¹ Ṭ ā riq bn Shihā b narrated that Allā h's Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬said:

“A man entered Paradise because of a fly and a man entered Hellfire because of a fly.”

They [i.e., the Companions] said: “How is that, O Messenger of Allā h?”

He replied: “Two men passed by a people who had an idol which no one [was allowed to] pass by
until he sacrifices something to it. So they said to one of the two men: ‘Sacrifice!’ He replied: ‘I do not
have anything to sacrifice.’ They said to him: ‘Sacrifice, even if it is a fly!’ So he sacrificed a fly, and
they allowed him to pass. So, he entered Hellfire. And they said to the other: ‘Sacrifice!’ He replied: ‘I
will make no sacrifice to anything asides Allāh, the Mighty and Majestic.’ So they struck his neck
[i.e., they killed him]. So, he entered Paradise.” [Reported by Imā m Aḥ mad]
20
 arrisaalahpubs.com

Hence, the one who sacrifices a fly will enter the Fire. The people
are heedless of this. So that his need can be accomplished, or so that
he [i.e., the devil] might teach him something from the unseen, or
inform him about some lost wealth, or other affairs that he asks him
[i.e., the devil] about, he then leaves his religion, and refuge is
sought in Allā h. And he apostatizes due to something he thinks is
minor. So, the affair is very dangerous.

21
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The Second Nullifier

‫ َو َيَتَو َّكُل‬، ‫َم ْن َج َع َل َبْي َنُه َو َبْي َن اللِه َو َس اِئَط َيْد ُع وُه ْم َو يْس َأُلُه ْم الَّش َفاَع َة‬: ‫الَّثاِني‬
.‫َع َلْي ِه ْم َكَف َر ِإْج َم اًع ا‬

The Second: Whoever places between himself and Allā h,

intermediaries, [and] he calls upon them and seeks intercession
from them, and relies upon them, he has disbelieved, by scholarly
consensus. [6]

Explanation

[6] This is a form of the first nullifier. And he is the one who places
between himself and Allā h, intermediaries. However, the Shaykh
singled it out and made it a separate form [of apostasy] because it
occurs a lot. Because this occurs from those who claim Islā m, and
this is much among the grave worshippers.

They get closer to the Walī (ally of Allā h) so that he can intercede on
their behalf before Allā h, or so that he can deliver their needs to
Allā h—as they claim. This is seeking means with other than Allā h,
the Mighty and Majestic. They sacrifice to them [i.e., the Awliyā ʾ],
make vows to them, and seek aid from them.

And he says: “This is not Shirk. This is only seeking an intermediary

and an intercession that will bring me close to Allā h. This is a
righteous man that has a lofty status with Allā h, so I get closer to
him, so that he can bring me close to Allā h.” This is his argument
and it is the argument of the first polytheists.

22
 arrisaalahpubs.com

﴾ ‫﴿َو ٱَّلِذ يَن ٱَّتَخ ُذ و۟ا ِم ن ُد وِنِه ٓۦ َأْو ِلَي ٓاَء َم ا َنْع ُبُد ُه ْم ِإَّلا ِلُيَق ِّرُبوَنٓا ِإَلى ٱلَّلِه ُز ْلَف ٰٓى‬

“And those who take Auliya' (protectors and helpers) besides

Him (say): "We worship them only that they may bring us near
to Allah."”¹

They say: “We did not take them as partners with Allā h, however,
we took them as intermediaries that bring us close [to Him]”.
However, Allā h named it Shirk.

‫﴿َو َيْع ُبُدوَن ِم ن ُد وِن ٱلَّلِه َم ا َلا َيُض ُّر ُه ْم َو َلا َينَف ُع ُه ْم َو َيُق وُلوَن َٰٓه ُؤ َلٓاِء ُش َف َٰٓع ُؤ َنا ِع نَد‬
‫ٱلَّلِۚه ُقل َأُتَنِّبُٔـوَن ٱلَّلَه ِبَم ا َلا َيْع َلُم ِفى ٱلَّس َٰم َٰوِت َو َلا ِفى ٱْل َأْر ِۚض ُس ْب َٰح َنُه ۥ َو َتَٰعَلٰى‬
﴾ ‫َع َّم ا ُيْش ِرُكوَن‬

“And they worship besides Allah things that hurt them not, nor
profit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with
Allah." Say: "Do you inform Allah of that which He knows not in
the heavens and on the earth?" Glorified and Exalted be He
above all that which they associate as partners with Him!”²

So He named it Shirk, despite the fact that they named it seeking

intercession. And this is the reality. Many of those who claim Islā m
and what they do with the graves nowadays; they take them as
intermediaries between themselves and Allā h.

So this affair is hidden to a lot, even some students of knowledge.

And there are ‘scholars’ that defend these people and they say: “This
is not Shirk. Shirk is worshipping idols, and these individuals are
not
¹ Ghā fir:3
² Yū nus:18 23
 arrisaalahpubs.com

not worshipping idols.” Far Exalted is Allā h! Worshipping idols is a

form from the forms of Shirk.

Shirk is worshipping other than Allā h; whether it is an idol or a tree

or a stone or a grave or a Walī (ally of Allā h) or one of the angels or
one of the allies of Allā h or a righteous man from the righteous. This
is [the meaning of] Shirk. And Shirk is not just the worship of idols
alone.

24
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The Third Nullifier

،ْ‫ َأْو َص َّحَح َم ْذ َه َب ُه م‬، ‫َم ْن َلْم ُيَك ِّف ْر الُم ْش ِرِكيَن َأْو َش َّك ِفي ُكْف ِرِه ْم‬: ‫الَّثاِلُث‬
. ‫َكَف َر‬

The Third: Whoever does not declare the polytheists to be

disbelievers, or doubts their disbelief or authenticates their
doctrine has disbelieved. [7]

Explanation

[7] And this affair is very important. Many of those who ascribe to
Islā m fall into it.

“Whoever does not declare the polytheists to be disbelievers;” he

says: “I—all praise is due to Allā h—do not engage in Shirk and I
have not set up partners with Allā h, however, I do not declare the
people to be disbelievers.”

We say to him: “You surely do not know about the religion. It is

obligatory for you to declare a disbeliever, whom Allā h has declared
to be a disbeliever, and whoever sets up partners with Allā h, the
Mighty and Majestic. And you should free yourself from him, just as
Ibrā hīm freed himself from his father and his people, and he said:

﴾ ‫﴿ِإَّنِنى َبَر ٓاٌء ِّمَّم ا َتْع ُبُدوَن ۝ ِإَّلا ٱَّلِذ ى َفَطَر ِنى َفِإَّنُه ۥ َس َي ْه ِد يِن‬

“"Verily, I am innocent of what you worship, except Him (i.e. I

worship none but Allah Alone) Who did create me, and verily,
hh 25
 arrisaalahpubs.com

He will guide me."”¹

“Or he authenticates their methodology;” This is more severe.

When he authenticates their methodology, or he says what they do
is debatable, “this is just taking means,” or he says:

“These people are ignorants, they fell into this affair due to
ignorance,” and he defends them, this individual's disbelief is more
serious than theirs. Because he authenticated disbelief and Shirk or
he was in doubt [about it].

So we say to him: You being a Muslim and a follower of the

Messenger ‫[ ﷺ‬necessitates that you declare them to be
disbelievers], and the Messenger came with declaring the
polytheists to be disbelievers and with fighting them and making
their wealth and blood permissible, and he said:

“I was commanded to fight the people until they say: No one is

worthy of worship except Allāh.”²

“I was raised with the sword [i.e., fighting the polytheists] until
Allāh is worshipped alone.”³

﴾ ‫﴿َو َٰقِتُلوُه ْم َح َّتٰى َلا َتُكوَن ِفْتَنٌة َو َيُكوَن ٱلِّديُن ُكُّلُه ۥ ِلَّلِۚه‬

“And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and

polytheism: i.e., worshipping others besides Allah) Fitnah:
kkkk
¹ Az-Zukhruf:26-27
² Al-Bukhā rī (2946), Muslim (20), Mā lik in Al-Muwaṭṭaʾ (1/269), Abū Dā wū d (1556), At-Tirmidhī
(2610), An-Nasā ʾī (5/14); from the Ḥ adīth of Abū Hurayrah
³ Aḥ mad (5115), Ibn Abī Shaybah (5/313), Al-Bayhaqī in Shuʿab Al-Īmā n (1199), Ibn Ḥ ajr in Taghlīq
At-Taʿlīq (3/445)
26
 arrisaalahpubs.com

meaning Shirk and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah
Alone [in the whole of the world].”¹

¹ Al-Anfā l:39 27
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The Fourth Nullifier

‫َم ْن اْع َتَقَد َأَّن َغ ْي َر َه ْدي الَّنِب َص َّلى اللُه َع َلْي ِه َو َس َلم َأْك َم ُل ِم ْن َه ْد ِيِه‬: ‫الَّر اِبُع‬
‫ِّي‬
‫َو َأَّن ُح ْك َم َغ ْي ِرِه َأْح َس ُن ِم ْن ُح ْك ِمِه َكالِذ يَن ُيَف ِّض ُلوَن ُح ْك َم الَّطَو اِغ يِت َع َلى‬
.‫ُح ْك ِمِه َفُه َو َكاِفٌر‬

The Fourth: Whoever believes that other than the guidance of the
Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬is more perfect than his guidance, or that the judgement
of other than him is better than his judgement, like the one who
prefers the judgement of the Ṭ awā ghīt (false deities) to his
judgement; is a disbeliever. [8]

Explanation

[8] From the forms of disbelief is ruling with other than what Allā h
has revealed. If he believes that this is a permissible affair, and that
it is permissible to rule by [Allā h's] legislation and it is also
permissible to rule with the man-made laws, and he says: “The
intent is the settlement of conflicts, and this is achieved through the
man-made laws, and also achieved through [Allā h's] legislation. So,
the affair is equal.” We say: “Far Exalted is Allā h!! Do you make the
ruling of the Ṭ ā ghū t¹ like the ruling of Allā h?! Ruling with Allā h's
legislation is an act of worship for Allā h, the Mighty and Majestic
[alone], and the intent is not only settling conflicts. The intent
behind it is worship, by ruling with Allā h's legislation, the Exalted
and Most High. And taking other than him as a judge is Shirk—Shirk
in obedience and Shirk in judgement.

¹ Imā m Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “Aṭ-Ṭ ā ghū t is whoever the slave goes beyond the due limit regarding,
whether it be someone who is worshipped, followed, or obeyed.” [Ref.: Iʿlā m Al-Muwaqqiʿīn
(1/103)] 28
 arrisaalahpubs.com

﴾ ‫﴿َأْم َلُه ْم ُش َر َٰٓكُؤ ۟ا َش َر ُع و۟ا َلُه م ِّمَن ٱلِّديِن َم ا َلْم َيْأَذ ۢن ِبِه ٱلَّلُۚه‬

“Or have they partners with Allah (false gods), who have
instituted for them a religion which Allah has not allowed.”¹

﴾ ‫﴿َو ِإْن َأَطْع ُتُم وُه ْم ِإَّنُكْم َلُم ْش ِرُكوَن‬

“And if you obey them [by making Al-Maytatah (a dead animal)

legal by eating it], then you would indeed be Mushrikun
(polytheists) [because they (devils and their friends) made
lawful to you to eat that which Allah has made unlawful to eat
and you obeyed them by considering it lawful to eat, and by
doing so you worshipped them, and to worship others besides
Allah is polytheism].”²

﴾ ‫﴿ٱَّتَخ ُذ ٓو ۟ا َأْح َب اَر ُه ْم َوُر ْه َٰبَنُه ْم َأْرَباًبا ِّمن ُد وِن ٱلَّلِه َو ٱْلَم ِس يَح ٱْبَن َمْر َيَم‬

“They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks
to be their lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things
which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own
desires without being ordered by Allah), and (they also took as
their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary)”

Up to His statement:

﴾ ‫﴿َّلٓا ِإَٰلَه ِإَّلا ُه َۚو ُس ْب َٰح َنُه ۥ َع َّم ا ُيْش ِرُكوَن‬

¹ Ash-Shū rá :21
² Al-Anʿā m:121
29
 arrisaalahpubs.com

“Praise and glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having the
partners they associate (with Him)."”¹

So, He named it [i.e., their action] Shirk.

So, the one who equates the ruling of Allā h with the ruling of the
Ṭ ā ghū t, and what is meant by Ṭ ā ghū t is, every ruling other than the
ruling of Allā h; whether it is the customs of a village, or the
constitutions of the disbelievers, or the laws of France and England,
or the customs of the tribes; these are all Ṭ ā ghū t and likewise taking
the soothsayers as judges.

So the one who says: “Indeed, they are equal,” is a disbeliever. And
worse than him is he who says: “Verily, ruling with other than what
Allā h has revealed is better than ruling with what Allā h has
revealed.” This is worse.

So the one who says: “Nothing is appropriate for the people today
except these constitutions, [Allā h's] legislation is not appropriate
for them. The legislation is not compatible with this era and it does
not fit civilization. Nothing is appropriate except ruling with the
man-made laws and conformity with the world. Our courts should
be like other courts of the world. This is better than Allā h's ruling.”
This individual is more severe in disbelief than the one who says:
“Verily, Allā h's ruling and the ruling of other than Him are the
same.”

However, if he [i.e., the ruler] rules with other than what Allā h has
revealed due to his desires, or being ignorant of what Allā h has
revealed, and he believes that the ruling of Allā h is the truth, and it
kk
¹ At-Tawbah:31 30
 arrisaalahpubs.com

is an obligation, this individual has committed a major sin from the

major sins, and that is lesser disbelief (Kufr dū n Kufr).

31
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The Fifth Nullifier

. ‫ َو َلْو‬- ‫َم ْن َأْبَغ َض َش ْي ًئا ِم َّم ا َج اَء ِبِه الَّر ُس وُل َص َّلى اللُه َع َلْي ِه َو َس َلم‬: ‫الَخ اِم ُس‬
‫ َكَف َر‬،- ‫َع ِم َل ِبِه‬

The Fifth: Whoever hates anything from what the Messenger ‫ﷺ‬
came with, even if he acts upon it, has disbelieved. [9]

Explanation

[9] The fifth nullifier of Islā m is whoever hates anything from what
the Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬came with.

So, hating what the Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬came with is apostasy, even if he

acts upon it.

Allā h, the Exalted said:

﴾ ‫﴿َٰذِلَك ِبَأَّنُه ْم َكِرُه و۟ا َم ٓا َأنَز َل ٱلَّلُه َفَأْح َب َط َأْع َٰم َلُه ْم‬

“That is because they hate that which Allah has sent down (this
Quran and Islamic laws, etc.), so He has made their deeds
fruitless.”¹

Al-Karā hah is al-Bughḍ (hatred), and this is an act of apostasy. Even

if he acts upon it, he has surely disbelieved. Hating it in the heart is
disbelief, even if he acts upon it outwardly.

¹ Muḥ ammad:9 32
 arrisaalahpubs.com

﴾ ‫﴿َٰذِلَك ِبَأَّنُه ْم َكِرُه و۟ا َم ٓا َأنَز َل ٱلَّلُه َفَأْح َب َط َأْع َٰم َلُه ْم‬

“That is because they hate that which Allah has sent down (this
Quran and Islamic laws, etc.), so He has made their deeds
fruitless.”¹

¹ Muḥ ammad:9 33
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The Sixth Nullifier

‫ َأْو َثَو اَب‬،‫َم ِن اْس َتْه َز َأ ِبَش ْي ٍء ِم ْن ِد يِن الَّر ُس وِل َص َّلى اللُه َع َلْي ِه َو َس َلم‬: ‫الَّس اِد ُس‬
:‫ َو الَد ِليُل َقْو ُلُه َتَع اَلى‬، ‫ َكَف َر‬، ‫ َأْو ِع َق اِبِه‬، ‫اللِه‬

The Sixth: Whoever mocks anything from the religion of the

Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, or Allā h's reward or His punishment, has
disbelieved. [10]

And the evidence is His, the Most High’s statement:

‫﴿َو َلِئن َس َأْلَتُه ْم َلَي ُق وُلَّن ِإَّنَم ا ُكَّنا َنُخ وُض َو َنْلَع ُب ُقْل َأِبالَّلِه َو آَياِتِه َوَر ُس وِلِه ُكنُتْم‬
‫َتْس َتْه ِزُؤوَن ۝ لَا َتْع َتِذ ُر وْا َقْد َكَف ْر ُتم َبْع َد ِإيَم اِنُكْم ِإن َّنْع ُف َع ن َطاِئَف ٍة ِّمنُكْم‬
﴾ ‫ُنَع ِّذ ْب َطاِئَف ًة ِبَأَّنُه ْم َك اُنوْا ُم ْج ِرِم يَن‬

“If you ask them (about this), they declare: "We were only
talking idly and joking." Say: "Was it at Allah, and His Ayat
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and
His Messenger (‫ )ﷺ‬that 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 Mujrimun (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals,
etc.).”¹ [11]

Explanation

[10] The sixth among the causes of apostasy is mocking what Allā h
revealed, or anything from what the Messenger came with, even if it
¹ At-Tawbah:65-66 34
 arrisaalahpubs.com

is among the Sunan (non-obligatory acts of worship) and the

Mustaḥ abbā t (the recommended acts of worship), like [using] the
Siwā k (the chewstick), and trimming the moustache, and taking
from the hair of the armpit, and trimming the nails; if he mocks
them, he becomes a disbeliever. The evidence for that is His, the
Most High's statement:

‫﴿َو َلِئن َس َأْلَتُه ْم َلَي ُق وُلَّن ِإَّنَم ا ُكَّنا َنُخ وُض َو َنْلَع ُب ُقْل َأِبالَّلِه َو آَياِتِه َوَر ُس وِلِه ُكنُتْم‬
﴾ ‫َتْس َتْه ِزُؤوَن ۝ لَا َتْع َتِذ ُر وْا َقْد َكَف ْر ُتم َبْع َد ِإيَم اِنُكْم‬

“If you ask them (about this), they declare: "We were only
talking idly and joking." Say: "Was it at Allah, and His Ayat
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and
His Messenger (‫ )ﷺ‬that you were mocking?" Make no excuse;
you have disbelieved after you had believed.”¹

So, the one who mocks anything from what the Messenger came
with, whether mandatory, obligatory, or non-obligatory, then,
becomes one who has apostatized from the religion of Islā m.

How much more the one who says: “Leaving the beards, and
trimming the moustache, and taking from the hair of the armpits,
and washing the knuckles; these are insignificant.” This is mocking
Allā h's religion. If they say this, even if they do it [i.e., all these acts
of worship], they have apostatized from the religion because this is
condemning what the Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬came with. So, what is
compulsory is to venerate the Sunnah of the Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, and to
honour it. Even if an individual falls into a violation, due to his
desires, he should still honour the Sunnah of the Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, he
m
¹ At-Tawbah:65-66 35
 arrisaalahpubs.com

should honour the prophetic traditions and honour the Ḥ adīths, and
should not say: “these are insignificant.”

[11] The reason for the revelation of this verse is that a group of
people were with the Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬in the battle of Tabū k, and they
were Muslims. Then, in a sitting, they started saying: “We have not
seen the likes of these reciters of ours [i.e., the Prophet and his
companions], they have the most lying tongues, and the most
desirous stomachs, and are the most cowardly at the point of
meeting [with the enemies].” They meant Allā h's Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬and
his companions.

And a young man from the companions was with them, so he

became angry due to this speech, then he went to inform the
Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬about what was said by the people, and he found that
the revelation had preceded. So the group of people came, making
excuses when they knew that the Messenger had known about what
took place in their sitting. So one of them stood up and grabbed the
rein of the she-camel of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬while he [i.e., the Prophet]
was on it, so he [i.e., this individual] said: “O Messenger of Allā h, we
were only making journey-talks, to reduce the [stress of] traveling
on us. We did not intend mockery. We only intended to joke.” And
the Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬did not give him any attention. He only recited
this verse to him:

‫﴿َو َلِئن َس َأْلَتُه ْم َلَي ُق وُلَّن ِإَّنَم ا ُكَّنا َنُخ وُض َو َنْلَع ُب ُقْل َأِبالَّلِه َو آَياِتِه َوَر ُس وِلِه ُكنُتْم‬
﴾ ‫َتْس َتْه ِزُؤوَن ۝ لَا َتْع َتِذ ُر وْا َقْد َكَف ْر ُتم َبْع َد ِإيَم اِنُكْم‬

“If you ask them (about this), they declare: "We were only
talking idly and joking." Say: "Was it at Allah, and His Ayat
lllllllll 36
 arrisaalahpubs.com

(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and

His Messenger (‫ )ﷺ‬that you were mocking?" Make no excuse;
you have disbelieved after you had believed.”

Take note of His statement [which means]: “You have disbelieved

after you had believed.” He indicated that they were Muslims
before [saying] this statement, however, when they said it, they
apostatized from Islā m; and they were saying: “This is [only] a
joke.”

This is because the affairs of the religion are not joked about. So
Allā h declared them as disbelievers after their faith. We ask Allā h
for well-being.

Hence, this is evidence that anyone who insults Allā h or His

Messenger or His Book or something from the Qurʾā n or something
from the Sunnah of the Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, has surely apostatized from
Islā m, even if he was joking.

And where are those who say: “He does not apostatize except if he
intends it in his heart? And if he insults Allā h and the Messenger or
the Qur'ā n, we do not rule upon him [with disbelief] except if he
believes that. We do not rule upon them by merely making the
statement or pronouncing it or mere actions.”

Where did they come with this speech and this condition? Allā h
ruled upon them with apostasy and they were saying: “We were
only talking idly and joking,” they were believers in Allā h and His
Messenger, worshippers of Allā h alone, however, when they said
this statement, Allā h, the Majestic and Most High, said: “You have
disbelieved after you had believed,” and He did not say: “...if you
m 37
 arrisaalahpubs.com

truly believe in this [statement you have made].” We ask Allā h for
well-being.

So, affairs must be placed in their rightful positions, and we should

not interfere in them with additions or reductions or conditions
from our ownselves.

Allā h did not ask about their belief, He did not mention that they
believed [what they were saying], rather, He ruled upon them with
apostasy after faith; “You have disbelieved after you had believed.”
He based this upon the statement, he based this upon the mockery
and He did not bind it with these conditions.

When a person makes a statement of disbelief, and he is not

compelled, he is ruled upon with apostasy. But if he was compelled,
then this individual does not apostatize.

38
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The Seventh Nullifier

، ‫ َفَمْن َفَع َلُه َأْو َر ِض َي ِبِه َكَف َر‬،- ‫ الَّص ْر ُف َو الَع ْط ُف‬: ‫ َو ِم ْنُه‬- ‫الِّس ْح ُر‬: ‫الَّس اِبُع‬
:‫َو الَد ِليُل َقْو ُلُه َتَع اَلى‬

The Seventh: Magic, and from it is aṣ-Ṣ arf and al-ʿAṭf, whoever
practices it or is pleased with it has disbelieved. And the evidence is
the statement of Allā h, the Most High:

﴾ ‫﴿َوَم ا ُيَع ِّلَم اِن ِم ْن َأَح ٍد َح َّتٰى َيُق وَلٓا ِإَّنَم ا َنْح ُن ِفْتَنٌة َفَل ا َتْك ُف ْۖر‬

“But neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things)

till they had said, "We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by
learning this magic from us)."”¹ [12]

Explanation

[12] The seventh among the forms of apostasy is magic. Magic is an

action done by the magician, and it is of two types: actual magic
(siḥ r ḥ aqīqī) and illusionary magic (siḥ r takhyīlī).

The first type: actual magic. It is composed of knots upon which the
magician blows, and incantations, and a speech that he mutters, and
he seeks the aid of the Shayā ṭīn in his speech, and ropes that they
tie, and books of talisman that they write with the names of devils;
this is the actual magic and it has effects on the one it is done upon,
[if Allā h wills], whether by killing him, or by making him sick, or by
disturbing his intellect.

¹ Al-Baqarah:102 39
 arrisaalahpubs.com

And the second type is illusionary; by him doing things that he

makes seem real to the people, but are not real.

He makes it seem to the people as though he changes a stone into an

animal, or that he kills an individual and raises him back, he cuts his
head and then returns it, or he pulls a car with his hair or his teeth,
or a car moves over him and it does not hurt him, or he enters into
fire, or he swallows fire, or he injures himself with iron, or he pricks
his eyes with iron skewers, or he swallows glass; all of these are
from sorcery and they have no actuality whatsoever, just like the
magic of the sorcerers of Firʿawn. Allā h, the Most High, said:

﴾ ‫﴿ُيَخ َّيُل ِإَلْي ِه ِم ن ِس ْح ِرِه ْم َأَّنَه ا َتْس َع ٰى‬

“By their magic, (their ropes and their sticks) appeared to him
as though they moved fast.”¹

And He, the Most High, said:

﴾ ‫﴿َس َح ُرٓو ۟ا َأْع ُيَن ٱلَّناِس َو ٱْس َتْر َه ُبوُه ْم‬

“They bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into
them.”²

This is illusionary magic. And they call this al-Qamrah, which the
magician bewitches the people's eyes with. So when the Qamrah
ends, things return to their actual state.

And magic is disbelief. And the evidence is His, the Most High's
mmm
¹ Ṭ ā Hā : 66
² Al-Aʿrā f:116 40
 arrisaalahpubs.com

statement [which means]:

﴾ ‫﴿َو َٰلِكَّن ٱلَّش َٰيِط يَن َكَف ُر و۟ا ُيَع ِّلُم وَن ٱلَّناَس ٱلِّس ْح َر‬

“But the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic.”¹

Learning and teaching magic is disbelief in Allā h, the Mighty and

Majestic, and it is a form from the forms of apostasy. The magician is
an apostate. If he was a Muslim and then practices magic, he has
indeed apostatized from the religion of Islā m, and he is executed
without being asked to repent, in the opinion of some scholars.
Because, even if he repents outwardly, he is deceiving the people.
And the knowledge of magic remains in his heart, even if he repents.

“And the evidence is His, the Most High's statement:

﴾ ‫﴿َوَم ا ُيَع ِّلَم اِن ِم ْن َأَح ٍد َح َّتٰى َيُق وَلٓا ِإَّنَم ا َنْح ُن ِفْتَنٌة َفَل ا َتْك ُف ْۖر‬

“But neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things)

till they had said, ‘We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by
learning this magic from us).’”²

Allā h, the Majestic and Most High, sent down two angels from
heaven to teach magic, as an affliction upon the people and a test for
them. So when someone who wants to learn magic comes to them,
they advise him and they say to him: “"We are only for trial, so
disbelieve not."” meaning, do not learn magic. So this indicates that
learning magic is disbelief.

¹ Al-Baqarah:102
² Al-Baqarah:102 41
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The Eighth Nullifier

:‫ُم َظاَه َر ُة الُم ْش ِرِكيَن َوُمَع اَو َنُتُه ْم َع َلى الُمْس ِلِم يَن َو الَد ِليُل َقْو ُلُه َتَع اَلى‬: ‫الَّثاِم ُن‬

The Eighth: Supporting the polytheists and helping them against

the Muslims. [13]

And the evidence is His, the Most High's statement:

‫ِلِم‬‫ِم ْۗم َّل َل ِد ْل َّٰظ‬

﴾ ‫﴿َوَم ن َيَتَو َّلُه م ِّمنُكْم َفِإَّنُه ۥ ْنُه ِإَّن ٱل َه ا َيْه ى ٱ َق ْو َم ٱل يَن‬

“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 and wrong-doers and unjust).”¹[14]

Explanation

[13] The eighth form of apostasy is supporting the polytheists

against the Muslims i.e., helping them. Al-Muẓā harah means al-
Muʿā wanah [i.e., supporting, helping, aiding, assisting, etc.]. [And
this is] by him helping them in fighting and harming the Muslims.

And likewise, whoever loves the disbelievers has disbelieved. And

this is at-Tawallī (taking them as allies);

‫ِلِم‬‫ِم ْۗم َّل َل ِد ْل َّٰظ‬

﴾ ‫﴿َوَم ن َيَتَو َّلُه م ِّمنُكْم َفِإَّنُه ۥ ْنُه ِإَّن ٱل َه ا َيْه ى ٱ َق ْو َم ٱل يَن‬

“And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya', then surely he is

¹ Al-Mā ʾidah:51 42
 arrisaalahpubs.com

one of them.”¹

[Whether] he takes them as allies through [providing] help and

assistance, or he takes them as allies through love, he has
disbelieved. Because he loved disbelief and the disbelievers, hence,
he disbelieves due to that. If he loves them, that means he does not
condemn disbelief. And whoever does not condemn disbelief is a
disbeliever.

[14] The beginning of the verse is;

“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as
Auliya'” Meaning: do not take them as friends, not by way of help
nor by love nor by assistance.

“And if any amongst you (i.e the Muslims) takes them as

Auliya', then surely he is one of them.” Meaning: he will be one of
the Jews or the Christians, and this is evidence of his apostasy.

Then, He said:

‫ِلِم‬‫َّل َل ِد ْل َّٰظ‬
﴾ۗ ‫﴿ِإَّن ٱل َه ا َيْه ى ٱ َق ْو َم ٱل يَن‬

“Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun
(polytheists and wrong-doers and unjust).”² So He named them
Ẓ ā limū n (wrong-doers).

¹ Al-Mā ʾidah:51
² Al-Mā ʾidah:51 43
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The Ninth Nullifier

‫َم ْن اْع َتَقَد َأَّن َبْع َض الَّناِس َيَس ُع ُه الُخ ُر وُج َع ْن َش ِريَع ِة ُم َح َّم ٍد َص َّلى‬: ‫الَّتاِس ُع‬
، ‫اللُه َع َلْي ِه َو َس َلم َك َم ا َو ِس َع الَخ ِض ُر الُخ ُر وَج َع ْن َش ِريَع ِة ُم وَس ى َع َليِه الَّس َل اُم‬
.‫َفُه َو َكاِفٌر‬

The Ninth: Whoever believes that some people are permitted to

exit from [being bound by] the legislation of Muḥ ammad ‫ﷺ‬, just as
Al-Khiḍ r was permitted to exit from the legislation of Mū sá , may
peace be upon him, is a disbeliever. [15]

Explanation

[15] The Ninth: Whoever permits anyone to exit from the legislation
of Muḥ ammad ‫ﷺ‬. Because Allā h sent Muḥ ammad ‫ ﷺ‬to the whole
of mankind and He made his obedience compulsory upon all of the
creation.

﴾ ‫﴿َوَم ٓا َأْر َس ْلَٰنَك ِإَّلا َر ْح َم ًة ِّلْلَٰعَلِم يَن‬

“And We have sent you (O Muhammad ‫ )ﷺ‬not but as a mercy

for the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).”¹

﴾‫﴿َوَم ٓا َأْر َس ْلَٰنَك ِإَّلا َك ٓاَّفًة ِّللَّناِس َبِش يًر ا َو َنِذ يًر ا‬

“And We have not sent you (O Muhammad ‫ )ﷺ‬except as a giver

of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind.”²
¹ Al-Anbiyā ʾ:107
² Sabaʾ:28 44
 arrisaalahpubs.com

﴾‫﴿ُقْل َٰٓيَأُّيَه ا ٱلَّناُس ِإِّنى َر ُس وُل ٱلَّلِه ِإَلْي ُكْم َج ِم يًع ا‬

“Say (O Muhammad ‫)ﷺ‬: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you

all as the Messenger of Allah"”¹

So whoever does not answer the Messenger and does not follow this
Messenger is a disbeliever, whether he is a Jew, Christian, fire
worshipper, or any kind of religion [he is upon]. Because, verily,
Allā h made obeying him and following him compulsory by sending
him. And whoever was upon the Jewish and Christian religion, then
it has been abrogated after his sending, ‫ﷺ‬. Hence, no one is
permitted to exit from his obedience.

As for the exit of Al-Khiḍ r from the obedience of Mū sá , then it is

because Mū sá was not sent to Al-Khiḍ r because Mū sá 's message
was specifically for the children of Israel.

‫﴿َو ِإْذ َقاَل ُم وَس ٰى ِلَق ْو ِمِه ۦ َٰيَق ْو ِم ِلَم ُتْؤ ُذ وَنِنى َو َقد َّتْع َلُم وَن َأِّنى َر ُس وُل ٱلَّلِه‬
﴾ ‫ِإَلْي ُكْۖم‬

“And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his people: "O my

people! Why do you hurt me while you know certainly that I am
the Messenger of Allah to you?”²

So, the message of Mū sá , may Allā h grant him peace, was solely for
the children of Israel, it was not for the whole of mankind. So, due to
that, Al-Khiḍ r was upon the worship of Allā h [following other than
the legislation of Mū sá ].

¹ Al-Aʿrā f:158
² Aṣ-Ṣ aff:5 45
 arrisaalahpubs.com

And the scholars have differed on the affair of Al-Khiḍ r, [regarding]

whether he is a prophet or a righteous man, upon two opinions:

The first opinion is that he is a prophet because he did some things

that can only be Muʿjizā t (miracles), like his scuttling of the ship, his
killing of the boy, and his erection of the wall that was about to
collapse. These things are miracles because they are based upon
affairs of the unseen. And no one can perform miracles except for a
Prophet.

And the basis of the story of Mū sá and Al-Khiḍ r is that Mū sá , may

Allā h send His blessings upon him and grant him peace, delivered a
sermon amidst the children of Israel, so they asked him whether
there is anyone more knowledgeable than he is. So he said “No.” So
Allā h revealed to him that there is a servant in so-and-so land, who
has something of knowledge that you do not have. So Mū sá , may
Allā h send his blessings on him and grant him peace, went to this
man, seeking that knowledge. Allā h, the Exalted, said [what means]:

﴾‫﴿َو ِإْذ َقاَل ُم وَس ٰى ِلَف َتٰىُه َلٓا َأْبَر ُح َح َّتٰٓى َأْبُلَغ َم ْج َمَع ٱْلَب ْح َر ْيِن َأْو َأْم ِض َى ُح ُق ًب ا‬

“And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his boy-servant:

"I will not give up (travelling) until I reach the junction of the
two seas or (until) I spend years and years in travelling."”¹ He
travelled.

﴾‫﴿َفَلَّم ا َبَلَغ ا َم ْج َمَع َبْي ِنِه َم ا َنِس َي ا ُح وَتُه َم ا‬

“But when they reached the junction of the two seas…”²

¹ Al-Kahf:60
² Al-Kahf:61 46
 arrisaalahpubs.com

Till the end;

‫﴿َفَو َج َدا َع ْب ًدا ِّمْن ِع َب اِد َنٓا َءاَتْي َٰنُه َر ْح َم ًة ِّمْن ِع نِد َنا َو َع َّلْم َٰنُه ِم ن َّلُدَّنا ِع ْلًم ا۝ َقاَل‬
﴾‫َلُه ۥ ُم وَس ٰى َهْل َأَّتِبُع َك َع َلٰٓى َأن ُتَع ِّلَم ِن ِم َّم ا ُع ِّلْم َت ُر ْش ًدا‬

“Then they found one of Our slaves, unto whom We had

bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge
from Us. Musa (Moses) said to him (Khidr) "May I follow you so
that you teach me something of that knowledge (guidance and
true path) which you have been taught (by Allah)?"…”¹

Till the end of the story Allā h mentioned in Sū rah Al-Kahf. This is
the basis of the story.

So Al-Khiḍ r was not from the Ummah (nation) of Mū sá , because

Mū sá was not sent to all of mankind. So, due to that, he [i.e., Al-
Khiḍ r] was permitted to exit. As for Muḥ ammad ‫ﷺ‬, he was indeed
sent to all of mankind, so no one is permitted to exit from his
legislation.

And this contains a refutation upon the Sū fīs, who claim that they
get to a status whereby they will not need to follow the messengers
anymore. And that they take [information and rulings] from Allā h
directly, and they do not take from the Messenger.

And they say: “The messengers are only meant for the laymen. As
for the elites, they do not need the messengers because they know
Allā h, and they get to Allā h, and they take from Allā h directly.”

This is what the extremist Ṣ ū fīs are upon; that they get to a status in
¹ Al-Kahf:65-66 47
 arrisaalahpubs.com

which they will not need the Messenger ‫[ ﷺ‬anymore], and will exit
from his legislation, and, due to that, they do not pray, nor fast, nor
go to Ḥ ajj. And they do not act upon what the Messenger came with.
Because they are ‘elites.’ They say: “We do not need the Messenger.
We have reached Allā h [directly]....” We ask Allā h for well-being.

This is the Shaykh's intent for mentioning this issue. This is a

refutation upon the Sū fīs that claim to be permitted to exit the
legislation of Muḥ ammad ‫ ﷺ‬because they do not need him.

48
 arrisaalahpubs.com

The Tenth Nullifier

‫ َو الَد ِليُل َقْو ُلُه‬، ‫الِإ ْع َر اُض َع ْن ِد يِن اللِه َتَع اَلى َلا َيَتَع َّلُم ـُه َو َلا َيْع َم ـُل ِبِه‬: ‫الَع اِش ُر‬
:‫َتَع اَلى‬

The Tenth: Turning away from the religion of Allā h, the Most High.
He does not learn it, nor does he act upon it. [16]

And the evidence is His, the Most High's statement [which means]:

‫﴿َوَم ْن َأْظَلُم ِم َّم ن ُذِّكَر ِبآَياِت َر ِّبِه ُثَّم َأْع َر َض َعْنَه ا ِإَّنا ِم َن اْلُم ْج ِرِم يَن‬
﴾ ‫ُم نَتِق ُم وَن‬

“And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the

Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)
of his Lord, then he turns aside therefrom? Verily, We shall
exact retribution from the Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers,
polytheists, sinners, etc.).”¹ [17]

Explanation

[16] The tenth—and it is the last: Turning away from the religion of
Allā h. He is not concerned about the religion. He does not learn, and
if he learns, he does not act. He turns away from knowledge firstly,
then he turns away from actions. We ask Allā h for well-being. Even
if he acts, and his action is based upon ignorance, his action is an act
of misguidance. So, it is a must for him to learn firstly, then he acts.
As for the one who faces knowledge and leaves off actions, this is
ggg
¹ Sabaʾ:22 49
 arrisaalahpubs.com

from those whom Allā h's anger is upon. And whoever faces actions
and leaves off knowledge is misguided.

And this is what we seek Allā h's refuge from in every unit [of Ṣ alā h].

‫﴿ٱْه ِد َنا ٱلِّص َٰرَط ٱْلُمْس َتِق يَم ۝ ِص َٰرَط ٱَّلِذ يَن َأْنَع ْم َت َع َلْي ِه ْم َغ ْي ِر ٱْلَم ْغ ُض وِب‬
﴾ ‫َع َلْي ِه ْم َو َلا ٱلَّض ٓاِّليَن‬

“Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You

have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned
Your Anger, nor of those who went astray.”¹

So, whoever turns away from the religion of Allā h, does not learn it,
nor does he act upon it, then he has apostatized from the religion of
Islā m. And Allā h, the Majestic and Most High, says [what means]:

﴾‫﴿َوَم ْن َأْع َر َض َع ن ِذ ْك ِرى َفِإَّن َلُه ۥ َم ِع يَش ًة َض نًك ا‬

“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder [i.e. neither

believes in this Quran nor acts on its orders, etc.] verily, for
him is a life of hardship.”²

“turns away from My Reminder,” i.e., he did not learn it, nor did
he act upon it.

﴾ ‫﴿َو ٱَّلِذ يَن َكَف ُر و۟ا َع َّم ٓا ُأنِذ ُر و۟ا ُم ْع ِرُض وَن‬

¹ Al-Fā tiḥ ah:6-7

² Ṭ ā Hā : 124 50
 arrisaalahpubs.com

“But those who disbelieve turn away from that whereof they
are warned.”¹

‫﴿َوَم ْن َأْظَلُم ِم َّم ن ُذِّكَر ِبآَياِت َر ِّبِه ُثَّم َأْع َر َض َعْنَه ا ِإَّنا ِم َن اْلُم ْج ِرِم يَن‬
﴾ ‫ُم نَتِق ُم وَن‬

“And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the

Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)
of his Lord, then he turns aside therefrom? Verily, We shall
exact retribution from the Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers,
polytheists, sinners, etc.).”² He turned away from it after he was
reminded of it.

And [as for] an individual that does not learn due to laziness, this
one is not declared to be a disbeliever, however, he is rebuked for
his laziness. However, if abandoning seeking knowledge is due to a
lack of desire for knowledge, this is turning away, and refuge is
sought in Allā h. This is the one who disbelieves. However, if an
individual desires and loves knowledge, but he is lazy, because
seeking knowledge is difficult, and it demands patience, endurance,
and sitting [with the people of knowledge], and he is lazy, this one is
rebuked for his laziness and his negligence, however, he has not
gotten to the level of disbelief.

[17] The turning away that indicates a lack of desire for knowledge,
or hatred of knowledge; this is disbelief, and refuge is sought in
Allā h.

¹ Al-Aḥ qā f:3
² Sabaʾ: 22 51
 arrisaalahpubs.com

Conclusion
.‫َو َلا َفْر َق ِفي َج ِم يِع َه ِذِه الَّنَو اِقِض َبْي َن الَه اِزِل َو الَج اِّد َو الَخ اِئِف ِإَّلا الُم ْك َر ِه‬
‫ َفَي ْنَب ِغ ي ِلْلُمْس ِلِم َأْن‬،‫ َو َأْك َثِر َم ا َيُكوُن ُو ُقوًع ا‬،‫َو ُكُّلَه ا ِم ْن َأْع َظِم َم ا َيُكوُن َخ َطًر ا‬
‫ َو َأِليِم‬، ‫ َنُع وُذ ِباللِه ِم ْن ُم وِج َب اِت َغ َض ِبِه‬. ‫َيْح َذ َر َه ا َو َيَخ اَف ِم ْنَه ا َع َلى َنْف ِس ِه‬
. ‫ِع َق اِبِه‬

. ‫ َو َع َلى آِلِه َو َص ْح ِبِه َو َس َّلَم‬، ‫َو َص َّلى اللُه َع َلى َخ ْي ِر َخ ْلِقِه ُم َح َّم ٍد‬

And there is no difference, concerning all these nullifiers, between

the one joking, the serious, and the fearful, except for the one who is
compelled. And all of them [i.e., the ten nullifiers] are from the most
dangerous [of nullifiers] and the ones that occur the most. So it is
imperative for the Muslim to be cautious of them, and to fear [falling
into] them for his soul. We seek Allā h's refuge from what
necessitates His anger and His painful punishment. [18]

And may Allā h extol the best of His creation, Muḥ ammad, and his
household and Companions, and grant him peace.

Explanation

[18] There is no difference, concerning these nullifiers, between the

serious one—the one who means what he says or does—and the
one joking, and he is the one who does not mean it, and he only did
this as a form of joke or play. And in this is a refutation upon the
Murjiʾah who say: “He does not disbelieve until he holds the belief in

52
 arrisaalahpubs.com

his heart”. There is no difference between the one who is serious

and the one joking, or the fearful—the one who does these things as
a result of fear. What is compulsory is for him to be patient.

“Except the one who is compelled.” If he is compelled to say a

statement containing disbelief and he is unable to be free from
oppression except by saying it, Allā h gave him a concession in that
case.

﴾ ‫﴿َم ن َكَف َر ِبٱلَّلِه ِم ۢن َبْع ِد ِإيَٰمِنِه ٓۦ ِإَّلا َم ْن ُأْكِرَه َو َقْلُبُه ۥ ُم ْط َم ِئٌّۢن ِبٱْل ِإ يَٰم ِن‬

“Whoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who

is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with Faith”¹

With this condition [i.e., his heart should be at rest with faith]. And
his intent should be repelling this compulsion alone, except that his
heart does not believe what he says, just as it happened to ʿAmmā r
bn Yā sir, which led to the revelation of the verse regarding him, may
Allā h be pleased with him. When the disbelievers took him and
punished him, so that he could say [something bad] about
Muḥ ammad ‫ ﷺ‬i.e., insult the Messenger ‫ﷺ‬, so he gave in to them
and insulted the Messenger. He then came to the Messenger ‫ﷺ‬
remorseful, fearful of what happened to him, so the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said
to him: “How do you find your heart?” He said: “At rest with faith.”
He [i.e., the Prophet ‫ ]ﷺ‬said: “If they return, then return.”²

And Allā h, the Most High, revealed [what means]:

¹ An-Naḥ l:106
² Reported by ʿAbdur-Razzā q in Al-Muṣṣannaf (1/360), Ibn Saʿd (3/249), Aṭ-Ṭ abarī in At-Tafsīr
(14/374), Al-Ḥ ā kim (2/357), Al-Bayhaqī in Dalā ʾil An-Nubuwwah (8/208), Ibn ʿAsā kir in Tā rīkh
Dimashq (43/373), As-Suyū ṭī in Ad-Durr Al-Manthū r (4/132) 53
 arrisaalahpubs.com

﴾ ‫﴿ِإَّلا َم ْن ُأْكِرَه َو َقْلُبُه ۥ ُم ْط َم ِئٌّۢن ِبٱْل ِإ يَٰم ِن‬

“Except him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest

with Faith”¹

‫ْي‬ ‫َل‬ ‫َف‬ ‫َك‬‫ِل‬ ‫﴿َّلا َيَّتِخ ِذ ٱْلُم ْؤ ِم ُنوَن ٱْلَٰكِف ِري َأْو ِل ٓا ِم ن ُد وِن ٱْلُم ْؤ ِم ِنيَۖن َوَم ن َيْف َع ْل َٰذ‬
‫َس‬ ‫َن َي َء‬
﴾ ‫ِم َن ٱلَّلِه ِفى َش ْى ٍء ِإَّلٓا َأن َتَّتُق و۟ا ِم ْنُه ْم ُتَق ٰىًۗة‬

“Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Auliya

(supporters, helpers, etc.) instead of the believers, and
whoever does that will never be helped by Allah in any way,
except if you indeed fear a danger from them.”²

“We seek Allā h's refuge from what necessitates His anger and His
painful punishment.” Ā mīn.

¹ An-Naḥ l:106
² Aal-e-Imrā n:28 54
 arrisaalahpubs.com

Questions And Answers

Question:
What is the difference between the Kuffā r (disbelievers) and the
Mushrikū n (polytheists)?

Answer:
They have a relationship of generality and specificity. Shirk
(ascribing partners with Allā h) has a more general meaning than
Kufr (disbelief). Every Mushrik is a disbeliever, but not every
disbeliever is a Mushrik. The Mushrik worships Allā h and other
than Him. As for the disbeliever, he denies the existence of Allā h, the
Majestic and Most High, does not acknowledge Allā h, the Majestic
and Most High, and does not acknowledge any religion from the
religions. This is the denying disbeliever (al-Kā fir al-Jā ḥ id). As for
the Mushrik, he acknowledges and believes. However, he worships
Allā h, and he worships other than Him. So he is a disbelieving
Mushrik (Mushrik Kā fir). So every Mushrik is a disbeliever, but not
every disbeliever is a Mushrik. Because a disbeliever might be a
denying atheist (Mulḥ idan Jā ḥ idan).

Question:
May Allā h be benevolent to you. He says: We do not understand the
statement of the author: ⟨⟨Turning away from the religion of Allā h,
the Most High. He does not learn it, nor does he act upon it.⟩⟩ Does it
include the commoners of this time, that do not know the legislative
knowledge, nor do they have a desire for [learning] it, however,
they have learnt Tawḥ īd from their childhood and they act upon?

Answer:
These do not fall into it because they are not capable of learning or
55
 arrisaalahpubs.com

they are lazy towards learning. They are Muslims and believers and
they worship Allā h, and they are not like the one who turns away
(al-Muʿriḍ ). The one who turns away is one who does not have any
desire for knowledge nor towards the religion. This is the one who
turns away.

Question:
Esteemed Shaykh, Ḥ ā ṭib bn Abī Baltaʿah aided the polytheists and
the disbelievers, and the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬did not declare him to be a
disbeliever. So is it every one among the Muslims who aids the
disbelievers that disbelieves?

Answer:
Ḥ ā ṭib bn Abī Baltaʿah, may Allā h be pleased with him, had some
previous deeds which Allā h used to expiate what he did; because he
was from the people (that fought at the battle of) Badr. And the
Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬had said: “Verily, Allāh gazed upon the people of
Badr and said: “Do as you please, for I have forgiven you.”” And
he is a believer with true faith, however, he did what he did due to
his interpretation, and he thought this will not harm the Muslims.
And due to that, the Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬did not declare him to be a
disbeliever, because he was a noble companion who made a mistake
due to his interpretation. And he had a past record that expiates
what happened for him.

Question:
May Allā h reward you. He says: Is the fiṭrah (the predisposition
bestowed upon mankind by Allā h) evidence against the one who
disbelieves?

56
 arrisaalahpubs.com

Answer:
The evidence [was established] with the sending of the messengers.
As for the fiṭrah on its own, it does not suffice as evidence. If the
fiṭrah is evidence, Allā h would not have sent the messengers.

﴾ ‫﴿ُّر ُس ًل ا ُّم َب ِّش ِريَن َوُم نِذ ِريَن ِلَئَّل ا َيُكوَن ِللَّناِس َع َلى ٱلَّلِه ُحَّج ٌۢة َبْع َد ٱلُّر ُس ِۚل‬

﴾Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning so

that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the
Messengers.﴿ [An-Nisāʾ:165]

The compulsory acts of worship, the prohibitions, and the disliked

affairs would not have been known. This is not clarified by anyone
other than the messengers. However, the fiṭrah is a good foundation
for goodness, but it does not suffice. If an individual lives upon it
alone, and he does not learn, nor act at all, it does not suffice.

Question:
May Allā h reward you. If the disbelievers stretch their hands for a
handshake, should I turn away?

Answer:
If they greet you and stretch their hands towards you, shake them.
There is no harm in it. However, you beginning the greeting and
handshake is not permissible.

Question:
The one who suggests going to the soothsayers during the process
of searching for a lost item like money, mfor example, while he
believes that it is not permissible to go to them [to seek] treatment
of a sickness?
57
 arrisaalahpubs.com

Answer:
This is not permissible. Because; “Whoever consults a soothsayer,
his Ṣalāh will not be accepted for forty days.”¹

“Whoever consults a soothsayer or a fortune-teller, and

believes in what he says, has disbelieved in what was revealed
upon Muḥammad.”²

And when he (the Prophet ‫ )ﷺ‬was asked about the fortune-tellers,

he ‫ ﷺ‬said: “Do not go to them.”³

So, it is not permissible to go to them even if he does not believe in

them.

Question:
May Allā h reward you. The one who rejects a Ḥ adīth, or one of the
legislative rulings, with the claim that this is a Ḥ adīth Ā ḥ ā d, does he
disbelieve due to that?

Answer:
He does not disbelieve due to that if he engaged in taʾwīl (false
interpretation of the texts). Because most of these people are blind
followers of those that came before them, and they engage in false
interpretation.

So they are not declared disbelievers. However, they are declared to

be mistaken and misguided.

¹ Reported by Muslim (2230), Aḥ mad (16638), Al-Bayhaqī in As-Sunan (8/138)

² Reported by Abū Dā wū d (3904), At-Tirmidhī (135), An-Nasā ʾī in Al-Kubrá (9017), Aḥ mad
(9290, 10167), Ibn Abī Shaybah (4/252), Ad-Dā rimī (1136), Al-Bayhaqī in As-Sunan (8/198)
³ Reported by Muslim (537), An-Nasā ʾī (3/14), Aḥ mad (23762), Aṭ-Ṭ ayā lisī (1150), Ibn
Khuzaymah (859), Ibn Ḥ ibbā n (2247), Al-Bayhaqī in As-Sunan (2/249) 58
 arrisaalahpubs.com

Question:
May Allā h be benevolent to you. Some of the brothers engage in
making a monetary fine mandatory upon anyone who makes a
profane statement or other [offences] towards his colleague. Then,
they gather these fines after the term. And they do this night and
day. And when the mistake is great, they make it compulsory upon
the one who erred to slaughter an animal, and they rectify between
the two quarreling individuals. So, what is the ruling upon this?

Answer:
This is not permissible. Because [taking] the money of a Muslim is
not lawful, except with his free will. As for it being made mandatory
upon him, and him being obliged, this is prohibited.

Question:
What is the ruling on venerating a professional football player who
is a disbeliever? And he praises him when he helps the team win...

Answer:
He did not praise his disbelief, he only praised his style of play and
his expertise. Anyway, this is dangerous and he is sinful for it,
however, it does not get to the level of disbelief. It is disbelief if he
praises him for his disbelief, and his misguidance or his Shirk. Then,
he becomes a disbeliever. But as for the style of playing football or
expertise, this contains veneration of a disbeliever, and it contains
sin, however, it does not get to the level of disbelief.

Question:
May Allā h reward you. What is the ruling upon the one who says: “A
specific person is not declared to be a disbeliever, except after the
conditions are met and the hindrances are absent”?
59
 arrisaalahpubs.com

Answer:
Whoever disbelief appears from, whether in statement or action or
belief or doubt, he is ruled upon with his disbelief. However, as for
what is in his heart, no one knows this except Allā h. We were not
entrusted with the hearts. We are only entrusted with what is
apparent. So whoever manifests disbelief, we rule upon him with
disbelief, and we treat him with the treatment of the disbeliever.

Question:
What is the ruling on watching the acts of the magicians, even if one
does not believe in what he does?

Answer:
This one is pleased with evil.

Question:
May Allā h reward you. An individual that people resort to before
digging wells, and he claims that he sees water, and the people
believe him!

Answer:
He does not claim to see water. However, he claims to know the soil
and the types of trees in the ground, signs which they make
inferences from. There is no harm in this, because, he infers from
apparent things, like the type of soil, [and] the type of tree that
grows in the land. This is due to their experience in these affairs.

60