BENEFIT 170: In the case of those who are born into Muslim households(*), must they renew their Islam by declaring the testimony of faith after reaching puberty
18 May 2024 • 1.53K views
Ibn Abil Izz rahimahullah stated in his explanation of "At-Tahawiyyah", that:
أَئِمَّةُ السَّلَفِ كُلُّهُمْ مُتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى أَنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا يُؤْمَرُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ الشَّهَادَتَانِ، وَمُتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى أَنَّ مَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ قَبْلَ الْبُلُوغِ لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ بِتَجْدِيدِ ذَلِكَ عَقِيبَ بُلُوغِهِ، بَلْ يُؤْمَرُ بِالطَّهَارَةِ وَالصَّلَاةِ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَوْ مَيَّزَ عِنْدَ مَنْ يَرَى ذَلِكَ، وَلَمْ يُوجِبْ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى وَلِيِّهِ أَنْ يُخَاطِبَهُ حِينَئِذٍ بِتَجْدِيدِ الشَّهَادَتَيْنِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ الْإِقْرَارُ بِالشَّهَادَتَيْنِ وَاجِبًا بِاتِّفَاقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَوُجُوبُهُ يَسْبِقُ وُجُوبَ الصَّلَاةِ، لَكِنْ هُوَ أَدَّى هَذَا الْوَاجِبَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ.
"The scholars of the early generations were unanimously agreed that the first commandment that a servant must adhere to is bearing witness to the two testimonies (Shahadah). They also agreed that whoever does so before reaching puberty is not commanded to renew it upon reaching puberty. Rather, at that stage, they are commanded with purification and prayer once they reach discernment or maturity according to those who deem it appropriate. None of them obligated the guardian to address the child at that time regarding the renewal of the two testimonies, although affirming the two testimonies is obligatory by consensus among Muslims. Its obligation precedes the obligation of prayer, however he has already fulfilled this obligation prior [to reaching puberty]."
He also relayed the speech of Sheikhul Islām Ibn Taymiyyah taken from "درء تعارض العقل والنقل":
السلف والأئمة متفقون على أنَّ أول ما يؤمر به العباد الشهادتان، ومتفقون على أن من فعل ذلك قبل البلوغ لم يؤمر بتجديد ذلك عقب البلوغ.
"The Salaf and the scholars unanimously agree that the first commandment enjoined upon the servants is the testimony of faith (Shahadah). They also agree that whoever fulfills this before reaching puberty is not commanded to renew it after reaching puberty."
He (Sheikhul Islām) also said:
«أول الواجبات الشرعية يختلف باختلاف أحوال الناس، فقد يجب على هذا ابتداءً ما لا يجب على هذا ابتداءً، فيخاطب الكافر عند بلوغه بالشهادتين، وذلك أول الواجبات الشرعية التي يؤمر بها. وأما المسلم فيخاطب بالطهارة إذا لم يكن متطهراً، وبالصلاة وغير ذلك من الواجبات الشرعية التي لم يفعلها. وفي الجملة فينبغي أن يعلم أن ترتيب الواجبات في الشرع واحداً بعد واحد، ليس هو أمراً يستوي فيه جميع الناس، بل هم متنوعون في ذلك، فكما أنه قد يجب على هذا ما لا يجب على هذا، فكذلك قد يؤمر هذا ابتداءً بما لا يؤمر به هذا. فكما أن الزكاة يؤمر بها بعض الناس دون بعض، وكلهم يؤمر بالصلاة، فهم مختلفون فيما يؤمرون به ابتداءً من واجبات الصلاة، فمن كان يحسن الوضوء وقراءة الفاتحة، ونحو ذلك من واجباتها، أمر بفعل ذلك، ومن لم يحسن ذلك أمر بتعلمه ابتداءً، ولا يكون أول ما يؤمر به هذا من أمور الصلاة، هو أول ما يؤمر به هذا».
"The first religious obligation varies according to people's circumstances. It may be obligatory for one person at the outset while not obligatory for another. For instance, a disbeliever is addressed with the testimony of faith upon reaching maturity, which is the first religious obligation commanded upon them. As for a Muslim, they are addressed with purification if not already pure, and with prayer and other religious obligations they have not performed. Overall, it should be understood that the sequence of religious obligations in Shariah is not uniform for all people, but rather diverse. Just as one may be obligated with something that another is not, similarly, one may be commanded at the outset with something that another is not commanded with. For example, some people are obligated to pay Zakat while others are not, while all of them are commanded to pray, and they may differ in what they are initially commanded regarding the obligations of prayer. Those who perform ablution correctly, recite Al-Fatihah, and fulfill similar prayer duties are commanded to do so, while those who do not are commanded to learn them initially.