The Third Issue
2 September 2024 • 1.05K views
The narration from Ibn ’Abbās, may Allāh be pleased with him, states:
«إنه ليس بالكفر الذي يذهبون إليه، إنه ليس كفراً ينقل عن الملة، كفر دون كفر»
"It is not the disbelief they think it is; it is not disbelief that takes one out of the fold of Islam. It is a lesser form of disbelief (kufr dūna kufr)." Scholars have consistently authenticated this narration and confirmed its attribution, with some even citing it as evidence or adopting it as their own view.
Al-Ḥākim authenticated it, and Al-Dhahabi agreed with him ("Al-Mustadrak" with "At-Talkhīṣ" 3/313, ḥadīth 3219). Similarly, Al-Albāni (may Allāh have mercy on them) authenticated it in "As-Silsilah Aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥah " 6/113, ḥadīth No. 2552.
Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:
«وإذا كان من قول السلف: (إِنَّ الإنسان يكون فيه إيمان ونِفَاقٌ)، فكذلك في قولهم: (إنه يكون فيه إيمان وكُفْرً)؛ ليس هو الكفر الذي ينقل عن الملة؛ كما قال ابن عباس، وأصحابه في قوله تعالى: ﴿وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللهُ فَأُوْلَئكَ هُمُ الْكَفِرُونَ﴾ [المائدة ٤٤] قالوا : كَفَرُوا كفراً لا ينقل عن الملة، وقد اتَّبعهم على ذلك: أحمد بن حنبل، وغيره من أئمة السنة»
"Just as the Salaf said that a person may have both Ēmān and hypocrisy, they also said that one may have both Ēmān and disbelief; but this is not the disbelief that takes one out of the fold of Islam, as Ibn ’Abbās and his companions said regarding the Āyah: 'And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, then it is those who are the disbelievers' [Al-Mā'idah 44]. They said: They have disbelieved with a disbelief that does not take them out of the fold of Islam. Ahmad ibn Hanbal followed them in adopting this view as well as other Imams of the Sunnah" [Al-Fatāwā (7/312)].
He also said:
«وقال ابنُ عباس وغير واحد من السلف؛ في قوله تعالى ﴿وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَئكَ هُمُ الكَفِرُونَ﴾ [المائدة ٤٤] ، ﴿فَأَوَلَئكَ هُمُ الْفَسِقُونَ﴾ [المائدة ٤٥]، ﴿والظَّلِمُونَ﴾ [المائدة :٤٧] كفر دون كفر، وفسق دون فسق، وظلم دون ظلم، وقد ذكر ذلك أحمد، والبخاري»
"Ibn ’Abbās and other scholars from the Salaf said regarding the Āyah, 'And whoever does not judge by what Allāh has revealed, then it is those who are the disbelievers' [Al-Mā'idah 44], 'And those who are the wrongdoers' [Al-Mā'idah 45], and 'And those who are the defiantly disobedient' [Al-Mā'idah 47]: It is a lesser form of disbelief, wrongdoing, and defiance, as mentioned by Aḥmad and Al-Bukhāri." [Al-Fatāwā (7/522)].
He further stated:
«وقد يكون مسلماً، وفيه كفر دون الكفر الذي ينقل عن الإسلام بالكلية؛ كما قال الصحابة - ابن عباس وغيره-: كفر دون كفر. وهذا قول عامة السلف، وهو الذي نص عليه أحمد، وغيره...كما قال ابن عباس، وأصحابه؛ في قوله ﴿وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللهُ فَأُوْلَئكَ هُمُ الكفرُونَ﴾ [المائدة ٤٤]؛ قالوا: كفر لا ينقل عن الملة، وكفر دون كفر، وفسق دون فسق وظلم دون ظلم»
"A person may be a Muslim while harboring a type of disbelief that does not take them entirely out of Islam, as the Companions—like Ibn ’Abbās and others—said: It is a lesser form of disbelief. This is the view of the majority of the Salaf and was explicitly stated by Aḥmad and others... as Ibn ’Abbās and his companions said regarding the Āyah, 'And whoever does not judge by what Allāh has revealed, then it is those who are the disbelievers' [Al-Mā'idah 44]: They said it is disbelief that does not take one out of the fold of Islam, but a lesser form of disbelief, wrongdoing, and defiance." [Al-Fatāwā (7/350)].
Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allāh have mercy on him, said regarding minor disbelief:
«وهذا تأويل ابن عباس، وعامة الصحابة في قوله تعالى: ﴿وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللهُ فَأُولَئكَ هُمُ الْكَفِرُونَ﴾ [المائدة ٤٤]؛ قال ابن عباس: ليس بكفر ينقل عن الملة بل إذا فعله فهو به كفر، وليس كمن كفر بالله واليوم الآخر. وكذلك قال طاووس. وقال عطاء: هو كفر دون كفر، وظلم دون ظلم، وفسق دون فسق»