Rather, it is sin, and indeed it is disbelief less than disbelief (kufr dūna kufr), and oppression less than oppression (ẓulm dūna ẓulm), and disobedience less than disobedience (fisq dūna fisq).

Question

When is takfīr (declaring a Muslim to be a disbeliever) permissible, and when is it not permissible? What type of takfīr is mentioned in the Statement of Allāh:

“And whoever does not rule by what Allāh revealed, then these are the disbelievers.”
[Sūrah al-Maʾidah 5:44]

Answer: The Praise is due to Allāh Alone, and may Prayers and Peace be upon His Messenger, and his family, and his companions.

The Praise is due to Allāh Alone, and may Prayers and Peace be upon His messenger, and his family, and his companions.

To Proceed

So as for your statement ‘When is takfīr permissible, and when is it not permissible?’, then we feel that you should explain what is troubling you until we explain the ruling to you.

As for the type of takfīr in the Statement of Allāh:

“And whoever does not rule by what Allāh revealed, then these are the disbelievers”,

then it is major disbelief (kufrun akbar). Al-Qurṭabī said in his tafsīr ¹: “Ibn ʿAbbās and Mujāhid said: ‘Whoever does not judge by what Allāh revealed in rejection of the Qurʾān, and in denial of the statement of the Messenger ﷺ, then he is a disbeliever.'”

As for the one who rules by other than what Allāh revealed, and he believes that he is sinning, but he rules by other than what Allāh revealed, due to bribes paid to him, or other than that, or enmity to his constituents, or closeness to them, or their friendship with him, or similar to that, then this cannot be major disbelief. Rather, it is sin, and indeed it is disbelief less than disbelief (kufrin dūna kufrin), and oppression less than oppression (ẓulmin dūna ẓulmin), and disobedience less than disobedience (fisqin dūna fisqin).

And all success is with Allāh.

And may the Prayers and Peace of Allāh be upon our Prophet Muḥammad, and his family, and his Companions.

The Standing Committee for Knowledge -Based Research and Verdicts:

Member: ʿAbdullāh Ibn Qu’ood

Member: ʿAbdullāh Ibn Ghudayyān

Member: The President of the Committee: ʿAbd al Razzaaq ‘Afīfī

President: ʿAbdullāh Ibn Bāz

Endnotes:

[1] This statement is taken from al-Jāmiʿ li Aḥkāmul Qurʾān (6/188). 

Translated by Maaz Qureshi