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Matters Which Nullify Ones Islaam
Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez Ibn Baaz
All praise is due to Allaah alone; may He exalt the mention of Prophet Muhammad, his family and all his companions.
Dear Muslim!
Know that Allaah obligated all His slaves to enter Islaam completely by adhering firmly to its legislation and to shun anything that contradicts it. Allaah sent Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam to call people to Islaam and propagate this mission. He informed us that whoever follows Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam will be guided, and whoever shuns his call will stray and be misguided.
In many verses of the Quran, Allaah warns us against things that lead to apostasy, as well as all types of Shirk (associating partners with Allaah in worship) and Kufr (disbelief). In the chapters of apostasy which are found in the books of Islamic creed, the scholars have mentioned many matters which nullify a person’s Islaam and render one an apostate; the most dangerous and common of which are ten, which are mentioned below and which have brief explanations so that people may be aware of these matters and avoid them.
First: Shirk in worship: Allaah says what means: “Verily, Allaah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that,” (An-Nisaa’: 116) and also “Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the wrongdoers there are no helpers” (Al-Maa’idah: 72) these are matters such as calling upon the dead, seeking their support and slaughtering animals for them or in their name, such as those who slaughter for Jinn or at people’s graves.
Second: Making intermediaries between a person and Allaah, whom people ask to intercede on their behalf with Allaah. This includes supplicating to such 'intermediaries' and putting ones trust in them. Whoever does any of these has become a disbeliever by the consensus of the Muslim scholars.
Third: Not considering those who associate partners with Allaah in worship as disbelievers, doubting their disbelief, or considering their faith as correct.
Fourth: Believing that there is guidance which is better or more suitable than the guidance with which the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam came with; or believing that any other legislation is superior to his, such as those who favour man-made legislation over Islamic legislation and use these man-made
legislations to rule with. This also includes believing that man-made legislation is better than Islaam, or that they are equivalent, or that one may use them as a basis for ruling, or that Islamic legislation is not suitable for the twenty-first century, or believing that Islamic legislation is the reason behind the weakness and backwardness of the Muslims or limiting Islamic legislation to only govern the relationship between the slave and his Lord and not his other worldly affairs.
Moreover, this category includes those who consider that some Islamic penal-laws are unsuitable for our time, such as cutting the hands of thieves or stoning adulterers. Likewise, believing that one can refer to man-made legislation for commercial or business transactions renders one a disbeliever, because such a person by conviction deems lawful what Allaah has ruled as unlawful. An example of this is those people who set rules for those who consume intoxicants or commit fornication or adultery.
Fifth: Hating anything which the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam commanded even if one performs it, Allaah says what means: “That is because they hate that which Allaah has sent down (Qur'aan)”
(Muhammad: 9).
Sixth: Joking at or making fun of any part of Islaam, its rewards or its punishments, Allaah says what means: “Say: Was it at Allaah and His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger that you were mocking. Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed” (At-Tawbah: 65-66).
Seventh: Practicing magic, Allaah says what means: “but neither of these two taught anyone (such things) till they had said, We are for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)” (Al-Baqarah: 102).
Eighth: Supporting the disbelievers against the believers, Allaah says what means: “And if any amongst you takes them (as supporters), then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allaah guides not those people who are the Thaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers and unjust)” (Al-Maa’idah: 51).
Ninth: Believing that people are free to abandon the Islamic legislation which was brought to us by Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, Allaah says what means: “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” (Aal ‘Imraan: 85).
Tenth: Shunning the religion of Allaah by refusing to learn or practice it, Allaah says what means: “Who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of his Lord, then turns aside there from Verily, We shall exact retribution from the Mujrimoon (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners)” (As- Sajdah: 22).
There is no excuse for committing any of the above mentioned nullifications, regardless of whether one did it seriously, jokingly or fearfully unless one was forced to say or do any of them. A believer must be careful not to commit any of them, so as not to be deserving of the punishment of Allaah.
Seeking other than Islaam as a religion.
Many questions were directed to accredited trustworthy scholars (The Permanent Committee for Fatwaa) regarding this topic and the topic of ‘Interfaith’ between Islaam, Judaism and Christianity, some aspects of which is the call to build a mosque, a church and a synagogue within one area inside universities and airports, and to print the Quran, the Old Testament and the New Testament in one volume. These and many other similar matters have become the main agenda in conventions that are held in the east and the west, which are specifically held to discuss these topics.
After looking into these inquiries, these scholars ruled as follows:
Firstly: One of the fundamentals of the Islamic belief which is agreed upon unanimously by the Muslims is that the only true religion is Islaam which is the seal of all other religions, it abrogates all previous religions and legislations and is the only religion by which mankind can worship Allaah. Allaah says what means “Truly, the religion with Allaah is Islaam” (Aal ‘Imraan: 19). And also, “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the
losers” (Aal ‘Imraan: 85).
Secondly: Another of the fundamentals of the Islamic belief is that the Quran is the final divine book of Allaah that abrogates all others such as the Old Testament, the New Testament and others, and that it is the only divine book from which people can take their faith and legislations. Allaah says what means: “And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (Qur'aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Mohaymin (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures). So judge among them by what Allaah has revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging away from the truth that has come to you” (Al- Maa’idah: 48).
Thirdly: It must be firmly believed that the Old and New Testaments were abrogated by the Quran and that they have been changed and distorted, and many deletions and additions have been done to them, as Allaah says what means: “So, because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. And you will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them” (Al-Maa’idah: 13) and also “Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, This is from Allaah, to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby” (Al-Baqarah: 79) Therefore, whatever has remained unchanged is abrogated by Islaam, and the rest is distorted. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam became very angry when he saw ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab may Allaah be pleased with him holding onto some pages of the Old Testament and said to him: "Are you in doubt (of my massage) O son of Al-Khattaab? Did I not come with a pure Message? If my brother Moses were to be alive now, he would have no option but to follow me.”(Ahmad).
Fourthly: Another of the fundamentals of the Islamic belief is that our Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam is the seal of all prophets and messengers, as Allaah says what means: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the last (end) of the Prophets” (Al-Ahzaab: 40).
Furthermore, there are no prophets who we must follow other than Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and that if any of the other prophets were alive, they would have no option but to follow him, as Allaah says what means: “And (remember) when Allaah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of Allaah), and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him. Allaah said: Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My Covenant They said: We agree. He said: Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses (for this)” (Aal ‘Imraan: 81).
When Prophet ‘Eesaa, peace be upon him, arrives near the end of time, he will follow Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and will apply his legislation, as Allaah says what means: “Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad) whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel” (Al- ‘A’raaf: 157). Another the fundamentals of the Islamic belief is that the message of Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam is for all of mankind, as Allaah says what means: “And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind” (Saba’: 28).
Fifthly: Another of the fundamentals of the Islamic belief is that anyone who does not enter into Islaam from the Jews, Christians or any other religion, are considered as disbelievers, as long as someone has conveyed the message of Islaam to them; they are also considered to be enemies of Allaah and His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and they will be in Hellfire, as Allaah says what means: “Those who disbelieve from among the people of the Book and Al Mushrikoon, were not going to leave (their disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence” (Al-Bayyinah: 1) and also, “Verily, those who disbelieve (in the religion of Islaam, the Qur'aan and Prophet Muhammad from among the people of the Book and Al-Mushrikoon will abide in the fire of Hell. They are the worst of creatures” (Al-Bayyinah: 6).
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: “I swear by the One who has my soul in His Hand, there will be none of this nation (the Arabs) or the Jews or Christians who hear about me and my message and disbelieve in it before they die except that they will be among the dwellers of the Hellfire.” (Muslim). This is why one who does not consider the Jews and Christians as disbelievers is himself a disbeliever.
Sixthly: Based on the previously mentioned basic fundamentals of Islaam, it should be clear that the calls for interfaith are evil calls which aim towards mixing truth and falsehood, destroying Islaam and making Muslims apostates from their religion as Allaah says what means: “And they will never cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion if they can” (Al- Baqarah: 217) and also: “They wish that you reject Faith, as they have rejected (Faith), and thus that you all become equal” (An-Nisaa’: 89).
Seventhly: These calls results in the nullification of all differences between Muslims and the disbelievers, between truth and falsehood and between good and evil; it also aims to dissolve all differences between Muslims and disbelievers so that there will remain no Jihaad to make the word of Allaah supreme and no loyalty and disavowal between us Muslims and the disbelievers. Allaah says what means: “Fight against those who believe not in Allaah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued” (At-Tawbah: 29) and also, “Fight against the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters) collectively as they fight against you collectively. But know that Allaah is with those who are the pious” (Al-Tawbah: 36).
Eighthly: If a Muslim initiated the call to this interfaith project, then it is considered a clear case of apostasy, because it contradicts the fundamentals of Islaam, accepts disbelief and belies the Quran in that it refuses to accept that it abrogated all previous legislations.
Ninthly: Based on the above, the Committee concluded the following points:
1. It is impermissible for any Muslim who believes in Allaah as his Lord, Islaam as his religion and Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam as His Messenger to call towards the evil concept of Interfaith, encourage it, facilitate its conveyance to the Muslims, attend its conventions or belong to any of its clubs or organizations.
2. If it is impermissible for any Muslim to print the Old or New Testament separately, then how much more impermissible is it to print them together with the Quran in one volume? Anyone who does this or calls others to do so is in total misguidance.
3. It is not permissible for any Muslim to accept the call to build a mosque, a church and a synagogue within one structure because this entails belief in another faith through which people may worship Allaah, and rejects that Islaam abrogates all other religions; accepting such a call also entails that all three religions are equally valid and that the distortion in the books prior to the Quran were from Allaah. It is also impermissible to call a church or a synagogue ‘The house of Allaah’ as it is done for mosques, or claim that people in a church or synagogue worship Allaah correctly, Allaah says what means: “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” (Aal ‘Imraan: 85) In fact they are houses of disbelief. Shaykh Al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "Churches and synagogues are not houses of Allaah. Only mosques are the houses of Allaah, and the other houses are houses of disbelief, even if its people mention the name of Allaah within them; houses take the ruling which befits their inhabitant, and these people are disbelievers, therefore, they are houses of worship of the disbelievers." It must be known that calling disbelievers in general and the people of the Book in particular to Islaam is obligatory upon all Muslims; it must be done in a kind manner but without compromising on any aspect of Islaam. Muslims should call them to Islaam for one of two reasons; either to convince them to accept Islaam, or to testify against them that the message was conveyed to them, so that Allaah will punish them after having given them a chance to believe. Allaah says what means: “Say (O Muhammad): O people of the Book: Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allaah (Alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allaah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims” (Aal ‘Imraan: 64) but it must be known that to meet them and sacrifice parts of Islaam to satisfy them is falsehood which Allaah, His Messenger and His believing slaves totally reject. Allaah says what means: “But beware of them lest they turn you (O Muhammad) far away from some of that which Allaah has sent down to you. And if they turn away, then know that Allaah's Will is to punish them for some sins of theirs. And truly, most of men are rebellious and disobedient to Allaah” (Al-Maa’idah: 49).
The committee also advises Muslims to protect the religion of Islaam, preserve the Islamic creed and protect it against the misguided people of falsehood and those who share their ideas and beliefs. They must be aware of 'Interfaith' and its traps.
