That’s absolutely not permissible, to generalize kufr upon the people hence it be said, All of the people are Muslims. That is not true.

On Wednesday, the 22nd of Safar, 1422, Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān (hafiẓahullāh) was asked the following question regarding the following saying of Salmān al-ʿAwdah, “Eminent Shaykh, some of them say, “The banners which are raised in the length and width of the Islamic world are but secular banners “¹ What is the ruling regarding this saying?”

Shaykh Ṣāliḥ (hafiẓahullāh) said, “This saying is falsehood, passing general rulings upon people that they are disbelievers and secularists. That is mass Takfīr, and Allāh’s refuge is sought. Amongst the people are the believers, and amongst them are the disbelievers, and amongst them are the munāfiqūn (hypocrites), so we do not make generalized rulings upon them.

That’s absolutely not permissible, to generalize kufr upon the people hence it be said, All of the people are Muslims. That is not true. Or that it be said; all of the people are disbelievers. That’s not true. Or that it be said; all of the people are munāfiqūn. That is futile speech. Rather, we say: amongst the Muslims are truthful ones, and amongst them are hypocrites, and amongst them are disbelievers.²

Endnotes:

[1] Taken from Salmān al-ʿAwdah’s well-known cassette ‘Yaa Jiraahaatil-Muslimīn’
[2] Taken from his Sharḥ of Kitāb al-Tawḥīd (22/02/1422)

Translated by Abū Ibrāhīm al-Canadee