Takfīr Of The Mushrikīn Is From The Asl Of The Religion

Kufr bit-tāghūt is achieved with five points. Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul Wahhāb mentions these aspects:

1) Believing in the falseness of worshiping others besides Allāh.

2) Leaving these (tawāghīt) for those who are mixed in it.

3) Hating it (the tawāghīt).

4) Making Takfīr of those who worship it.

5) Showing enmity towards those who worship it based on the ability and capacity.

These five points are included in kufr bit-tāghūt and are derived from the following verse, “Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrāhīm and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allāh, we have rejected / disbelieved in you, and there has appeared between us and you, hostility and hatred forever, until you believe in Allāh Alone.’…” [60:4]

All five points are considered from the meaning of kufr bit-tāghūt, hence anyone who tries to differentiate between them, or claims that some are fundamental aspects (asl) of kufr bit-tāghūt and others are not has indeed gone far astray and has invented a lie against Allāh.

Hence doing takfīr of the person is part and parcel of kufr bit-tāghūt (as are the other four points). This is taken from the statement of Ibrāhīm when he said, as quoted above, “We have rejected / disbelieved in you (مكب انرفك)” [60:4]. This phrase of Prophet Ibrāhīm proves that takfīr of the Mushrikīn is from kufr bit-tāghūt, and hence whoever does not do so is not considered a Muslim, as he has not accepted kufr bit- tāghūt. As I quoted previously, Shaykh ‘Abdul Latīf Ibn ‘Abdul Rahmān said, “Kufr bit- tāghūt is a condition that Islām cannot be fulfilled without.” [Misbah Al-Dhalam]

Learn this point as it is vital in this day and age: refraining from doing takfīr of the Mushrikīn (those who fall in to major kufr or major shirk) tantamounts to a rejection of  kufr bit-tāghūt, as the person is denying one of the five fundamental principles of kufr bit-tāghūt (and a denial of one is a denial of the whole) – for no doubt this is a pillar of kufr bit-tāghūt. And a rejection of kufr bit-tāghūt is nothing but a rejection of the first part of the shahādah, “lā ilāha” (there is none worthy of worship). As such the one who refrains from doing takfīr of the Mushrikīn has nullified his shahādah.

This is what lead Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul Wahhāb to say the third nullifier of Islām is, “Whoever does not declare takfīr upon the Mushrikīn or doubts regarding their kufr or describes their way as being correct has committed kufr.” [Nawāqidh Al-Islām,by Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul Wahhāb.]

His grandson, Shaykh ‘Abdul Latīf Ibn Abdul Rahmān even declared takfīr of the Mushrikīn as, “the most important of what is obligatory from kufr bit-tāghūt.” [Al-Itihaf Fī Al-Radd ‘Alā Al-Sahaf] The reason for this aspect being the most important of all five, is that from this do all the other four aspects branch out, and if one has this, then by default it means one should have the other four aspects. The primary aspect of ‘disbelieving’ in tāghūt is to declare them as ‘disbelievers’. It’s that simple.

To give an example of this, whoever does not declare as disbelievers those who worship the dead, prostrate to other than Allāh, call upon other than Allāh, or claim the Qurān is not complete, then such a person has nullified his kufr bit-tāghūt, and hence nullified his shahādah, as the first of that which is obligatory upon the slave, prior to believing in Allāh, is kufr bit-tāghūt.

Hence, it can safely be said that takfīr of the Mushrikīn is from the asl (foundation) of this religion, and anyone who denies this, knowing the implication of his words, is a disbeliever, whose blood, wealth and honour are no longer sanctified.