Bismillâh
Regarding the Statement Whoever Declares a Muslim as a Kâfir becomes Kâfir!1
Shaykh Abâ Butayn an-Najdî Rahimahullâh
سُئِل الشّيخ عبد الله بن عبد الرّحمن أبو بطين رحمه الله، وعفا عنه عن الذي يروى:"مَن كفّر مسلماً فقد كفر"
فأجاب ـ عفا الله عنه ـ: لا أصل لهذا اللّفظ فيما نعلم عن النَّبِيّ ـ صلّى الله عليه وسلّم ـ، وإنّما الحديث المعروف:"مَن قال لأخيه يا كافر فقد باء بها أحدهما".ومَن كفّر إنساناً أو فسّقه أو نفّقه متأوّلاً غضباً لله تعالى فيرجى العفو عنه كما قال عمر ـ رضي الله عنه ـ في شأن حاطب بن أبي بلتعة أنّه منافق، وكذا جرى من غيره من الصّحابة وغيرهم
وأمّا مَن كفّر شخصاً أو نفّقه غضباً لنسفه أو بغير تأويلٍ فهذا يخاف عليه، وأمّا مَن جعل سبيل الكفار أهدى من سبيل المؤمنين، فإن كان مراده حال أهل الزّمان اليوم كأن يقول: إنّ فعل مشركي الزّمان عند القبور وغيرها أحسن مِمَّن لا يدعو إلاّ الله ولا يدعو غيره، فهذا كافر بلا شكّ، وكذا قولنا: إن فعل مشركي الزّمان عند القبور من دعاء أهل القبور وسؤالهم قضاء الحاجات وتفريج الكربات والذّبح والنّذر لهم، وقولنا: إنّ هذا شرك أكبر وأنّ مَن فعله فهو كافر، والذين يفعلون هذه العبادات عند القبور كفار بلا شكّ، وقول الجهال إنّكم تكفّرون المسلمين، فهذا ما عرف الإسلام ولا التّوحيد.والظّاهر عدم صحّة إسلام هذا القائل، فإن لم ينكر هذه الأمور التي يفعلها المشركون اليوم، ولا يراها شيئاً فليس بمسلمٍ
The Shaykh Abdullâh bin Abd'ir Rahmân Abâ Butayn -may Allâh have mercy on him and forgive him- was asked about the following narration:
"Whoever declares a Muslim as a Kâfir becomes Kâfir!"
So Abâ Butayn -may Allâh forgive him- replied:
This wording has no basis in that what we know from the Nabî Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam, rather the well-known Hadîth reads as follows:
"Whoever says to his brother (in Dîn): O Kâfir, then surely it returns to one of them."
Whosoever accuses a person with Kufr (disbelief), Fisq (corruption), Nifâq (hypocrisy) while being a possessor of Ta'wîl (forceful interpretations) due to anger for (the sake of) Allâhu Taâlâ then it is hoped that he will be forgiven. Just like what Umar Radiyallâhu Anh said in the incident of Hâtib bin Abî Balta'ah Radiyallâhu Anh that he is a Munâfiq (hypocrite). Likewise, what occurred with others among the Sahâbah and other than them.
However, whosoever accuses a person with Kufr or Nifâq while getting angry with him for his own self or without being a possessor of Ta'wîl, then in this case, it is feared for him. However, whosoever deems that the way of the Kuffâr is more correct than the way of the Mu'minûn, if his intent is the state of the people of our time, as he says: Indeed the act of the Mushrikûn in our time in the presence of the graves and other than them is better than those who direct Du'â to none but Allâh and do not direct Du'â to other than Allâh. Then such person is undoubtedly a Kâfir (disbeliever).
Likewise is our view regarding the act of the Mushrikûn of our time in the presence of the graves of directing Du'â to the dead in the graves, asking them to fulfill their needs, ease in distress, and sacrificing and vowing for them (then he is undoubtedly a Kâfir). Our view is that this is ash-Shirk'ul Akbar (Major Shirk) and that whoever performs it is a Kâfir. Those who perform these acts of worship by the graves are undoubtedly Kâfir.
When it comes to the statement of the Juhhâl (pl. Jâhil; ignorant ones) that you declare Takfîr upon the Muslimûn, then this person does not know Islâm nor Tawhîd. The outward meaning of this statement is the absence of the validity of Islâm of the one who uttered this. Therefore, if he does not renounce these issues, which the Mushrikûn of today act upon, and does not find anything against it, then such a person is not Muslim.
1- Majmû'at'ur Rasâ'il wa'l Masâ'il'in Najdiyyah 1/654-655.
