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The Accusation That Salafis Are The Neo Murji'Ah
The Accusation That Salafis Are The Neo Murji'Ah
Description of the irreligious actions which are not possible as being anything except disbelief, such as cursing and mockery, as not being kufr in their essence instead being only an indication of the Thakdhb which is in the heart. The accusation that salafis are the Neo Murjiah because that say that Iman increases by the good deeds and decreases by the bad deeds exactly as Ahlus-Sunnah affirm, but they hold that sins only decrease Iman and even the absent of all the branches of Iman only decrease Iman. They dont consider any of these branches as something that negates Iman full so the doer becomes a kaafir with major kufr of actions, except in three situations (which are both major kufr of the heart):
if there is (juhood) rejection of that action as being obligatory (if it is), being part of Islam, or being haraam
Istihlaal (making halaal) a haraam action or making haraam a halaal action, Or he believes in kufr in his heart Irregardless of how great that sin or action is as they do not consider any action as an action which can negate Islam and Iman by itself. They say it has to be accompanied by Istihlaal, Juhood. So they claim all actions of major kufr are not actions of major kufr by themselves, but they say that these actions are a sign that the doer believes in Kufr, or has done denial, or has done Istihlaal (not the action itself).
Fatwas of Ibn Baz>Volume 28>Book on subject related to `Aqidah>Definition of `Ibadah>Questions>Kufr `Amaly takes a person out of Islam,(Part No. 28; Page No. 146) Can a person commit Kufr `Amaly (disbelief in actions) which takes them out of Islam in normal cases? The Kufr `Amaly which takes a person out of Islam includes performing Sujud (Prostration) and slaughtering animals for other than Allah. According to Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body), the acts which indicate offering a sacrifice to the idols, Jinn or the planets, offering Salah or prostrating oneself before them, cursing the religion or the Messenger, or mocking at Allah or the Messenger fall into major Kufr `Amaly. Fatwas of Nur `Ala Al-Darb>Volume 4>Chapter: Reports on the essence of Iman>Sins affect the state of one's Iman: Shaykh Bin Baz said, the correct view is that of Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah, who say that such a sinner is not Kafir, meaning major Kufr, though they are disobedient, being afflicted with weak and incomplete Iman, and are liable to the great danger of lapsing into Kufr. Surely, they are not Kafir if they do not deem lawful what Allah has forbidden, if they do not say that these sins are lawful, and they do it knowing that it is a sin, being tempted to commit it by Shaytan (Satan) and their own vain desires. This is indeed the right opinion in this regard. Thus, committing sins does not incur apostasy upon the sinner - we seek refuge with Allah from that -, and so they are not doomed to dwell in Hellfire forever, even if they die while committing it. Hence, if one dies while committing Zina or theft or Riya' (showing-off) without repenting of it and is aware that it is prohibited, then they are under Allah's Will. If He Wills, He will forgive them and if He Wills, He (Exalted be He) will punish them for it, a punishment which He the All-Wise - decides. Then, after one is punished in the way Allah ordains, Allah will take them out of Hellfire and enter them into Jannah (Paradise). This is the view of the people following the truth,
being narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is contrary to the claim of the Khawarij and the Mu`tazilah. Fatwas of Ibn Baz>Volume 28>Book on subject related to `Aqidah>Definition of `Ibadah>Questions>Declaring the person who abandons actions of organs as not a Kafir (Part No. 28; Page No. 145), Shaykh Bin Baz said, It is Ahl-ulSunnah wal-Jama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body) who declare that, for they view that whoever abandons Sawm (Fast), Zakah (obligatory charity) or Hajj is not Kafir, rather has fallen into a major sin. However, some scholars do charge whoever does this of Kufr (disbelief), but the correct opinion is that they are not to be deemed so. With regards to a person who abandons Salah (Prayer), the preponderant opinion is that anyone who does this will be committing major Kufr if they intend to do so. Abandoning Zakah, Sawm, or Hajj however, is an act of Kufr, yet, it does not take a person out of Islam, but is a grievous major sin. Fatwas of Permanent Committee>Group 2>Volume 1: `Aqidah>Acts commensurate with Kufr>Declaring someone who does an act nullifying Islam as a Kafir (Part No. 1; Page No. 424) The second question of Fatwa no. 18415 if a person commits anything that nullifies Islam, they are Kafirs, such as those who seek the help of the dead, slaughter animals for them, abuse Allah and His Messenger, ridicule Islam and such practices clarified by the scholars in the ruling on apostates. Ahl-ulSunnah wal-Jama`ah do not testify that someone is a Kafir or doomed, except for a strong reason. It is one of the greatest forms of injustice to testify that someone will not be forgiven by Allah. This was severely warned against. Member Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd, Member Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan, Member Shaykh Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan, Deputy Chairman Shaykh AbdulAziz Al Al-Shaykh, Chairman Shaykh Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
Fatwas of Permanent Committee>Group 2>Volume 2: `Aqidah>The Sects>The spread of and call to Irja' creed, (Part No. 2; Page No. 126), Fatwa no. 21436, the restriction of Kufr (disbelief) to denial of faith and Al-Istihlal (deeming what is Haram (prohibited) to be lawful) by heart. In fact, all these sayings are false, deviant and contradict the Qur'an, Sunnah and the way of Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body); the predecessors and successors. Member Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd, Member Shaykh Salih Al-Fawzan, Member Shaykh Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan, Chairman Shaykh Abdul-Aziz Al Al-Shaykh Kufr may take place through sayings, actions, abandonment of actions, beliefs and doubt, as proof from the Qur'an and Sunnah as support. The difference between the saying that a man is Kharaajee or a man has Kharaajeeah in him and their saying that a man is Murjiee or a man has Irjaa in him is due to the difference of the condition of the two men. So the man who adheres to the Usl of the Bidah and calls to it, is the one who is attributed to it indefinitely (i.e. Murjiee). However, the one who does not adhere to the Usl of the Bidah and does not adopt this Usl could possibly fall into its implications or some of its Furoo and this one is described with this attribute (i.e. Irjaa as opposed to being a Murjiee). Shaykh Al-Albaanee in this matter also, he said a correct statement; which is Eemaan is statements and actions, however, he carried it in a different way than the people of truth since he differentiated between the actions and the statements. So he considered Al-Kufr Al-Akbaar all Atiqaadee and that a person does not disbelieve due to an action. And the Kufr Al-
Asgaar; it is all Amilee (according to him) and this is false and a mistake in the Deen of Allaah Taaalaa. And the statements of Al-Albaanee, that actions are a condition for the completeness (Shart Kamal) is from the false statements, which are refuted with hundreds or thousands of the texts of the Book of Allaah, Taaalaa and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallahu- alayhi wassalam) and from the words of the people of knowledge. Shaykh Al-Albaanees Usool in belief are from the Sunnah, he has taken the appearance of Irjaa in his beliefs (as well). So he (i.e. AlAlbaanee) is saying that Eemaan is statements and actions; however, he explains this statement in a way, which differs with Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaaah. And this was where he fell into Irjaa, which was his saying that actions can not be a condition for existence (i.e. Shart Sihhah) of Eemaan. So this (concept) is present with his declaration that statements and beliefs are a condition for the existence (i.e. Shart Sihhah) of Eemaan. So he differentiated between actions and statements which is opposite to what the Salaf said and that is indeed, the birth of the Methhaab of Irjaa. And Shaykh Al-Albaanee did not merely make a mistake in his speech; rather he also made a mistake in his beliefs. And he struck the Methhaab of Irjaa in some of its Furoo. Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin al-`Abbaad said, Faith (Eemaan) with Ahlus-Sunnah Wal Jamaa'ah comprises of belief with the heart, statement of the tongue and action of the limbs. These three affairs with Ahlus-Sunnah all enter into what is specified and termed as Eemaan. Allaah the Mighty and the Majestic has said: "The believers are only those who, when Allaah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His verses
are recited unto them, they (the verses) increase their faith, and they put their trust in their Lord. [Those] Who perform the prayer and spend out of that which We have provided them. It is they who are the believers in truth, for them are grades of dignity with their Lord and forgiveness and a generous provision." (Al-Anfaal: 2-4) So in these verses the actions of the hearts and the actions of the limbs enter into Eemaan. Imaam Muslim has narrated in his Saheeh from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah-may Allaah be pleased with himwho said that the Messenger of Allaah SAllaahu Alihee Wasallam said: "Al-Emaan is seventy odd or sixty odd branches, the best of them is the statement: No one is worthy of worship except Allaah and the lowest of them is removing something harmful from the path and Hayaa (shyness) is a branch of Eemaan." So indeed this Hadeeth shows that what is established and founded with the heart, the tongue and the limbs is from Eemaan Eemaan increases with obedience and decreases with sins, from the evidences that it increases, is the statement of Allaah the Mighty, the Majestic: "Those (believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said: Verily the people have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but it only increased them in faith." (Al-Imraan: 173) Also His statement: "And when the believers saw the confederates they said: This is what Allaah and His Messenger had promised us,
and Allaah and His Messenger had spoken the truth. And it only added to their faith and to their submissiveness." (AlAhzaab: 22). And from the evidences that it (Eemaan) decreases is his statement SAllaahu Alayhee Wasallam: "Whoever sees an evil from amongst you, then let him change it with his hand, and if he is unable, then with his tongue, and if he is unable then with his heart, and that is the weakest of Emaan." (narrated by Muslim) So Ahlus-Sunnah hold the middle ground, with regards to the one who commits a major sin, between what the Murji'ah are upon and between what the Khawaarij and the Mu'tazilah are upon. So the Murji'ah compromise and fall short and make him (the one who falls into major sin) a believer with complete Eemaan and they say: Sins do not harm a person's state of Eemaan, just like obedience does not benefit a person's state of Kufr (disbelief). And the Khawaarij and the Mu'tazilah go to the other extreme and to exaggeration and remove him (the sinner) from the fold of Eemaan, then the Khawaarij place a ruling of Kufr upon him. The Mu'tazilah say that he is in a state between two states ( i.e. he is not a believer and not a Kaafir), and in the hereafter they both agree that he will reside in hellfire forever. Where as Ahlus-Sunnah describe the sinful person, as being a believer with deficient Eemaan. So they do not make him a believer with complete Eemaan, as the Murji'ah say, nor do they remove him from Eemaan as the Khawaarij and the Mu'tazilah say. Rather AhlusSunnah say: "He is a believer with regards to his Eemaan and a sinner with regards to his major sin."