A Historical and Scholarly Perspective
The Gravity of Religious Judgments
In Islamic jurisprudence, few matters carry greater weight than:
- Declaring something ḥalāl or ḥarām
- Declaring a person kāfir
These rulings do not concern personal opinion or emotion — they directly relate to Allah’s authority, human dignity, and eternal consequences.
For this reason, classical scholars consistently warned:
“Speaking about halāl and harām is speaking on behalf of Allah.”
And:
“Takfīr (declaring disbelief) is a matter that may destroy both the one judged and the one who judges.”
1. The Qur’ānic Warning Against Speaking Without Knowledge
Allah repeatedly warns against declaring rulings without knowledge:
“Do not falsely declare with your tongues, “This is lawful, and that is unlawful,” ˹only˺ fabricating lies against Allah. Indeed, those who fabricate lies against Allah will never succeed.”
(Qur’ān 16:116)
This verse alone establishes a foundational principle:
Declaring something halal or haram without clear proof is a major sin.
Another verse states:
“Say: My Lord has only forbidden open and secret indecencies, sinfulness, unjust aggression, associating ˹others˺ with Allah ˹in worship˺—a practice He has never authorized—and attributing to Allah what you do not know.”
(Qur’ān 7:33)
Classical scholars placed speaking without knowledge in the same category as major sins.
2. Why Halāl and Harām Rulings Are So Dangerous
Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله wrote:
“The mufti is a signer on behalf of Allah. Whoever dares to issue fatwa without knowledge has forged a signature in the name of the Lord of the Worlds.”
(Iʿlām al-Muwaqqiʿīn)
This means:
- A fatwa is not advice
- It is a declaration of divine judgment
- A mistake can mislead thousands
This is why early scholars often refused to answer questions, even when they knew the answer, out of fear of error.
3. The Sahābah’s Fear of Giving Religious Rulings
Ibn Mas‘ūd (RA) said:
“Whoever gives a fatwa to people on every matter they ask is insane.”
Ibn ‘Umar (RA):
When asked religious questions, he would often reply:
“I do not know.”
Imam Mālik رحمه الله:
Out of 40 questions, he famously answered:
“I do not know” to over 30.
When asked why, he replied:
“Whoever answers every question is ignorant.”
This shows how careful the earliest Muslims were about religious rulings.
4. Takfīr: The Most Dangerous Judgment of All
Declaring someone a kāfir is even more serious than declaring something ḥarām.
The Prophet ﷺ warned:
“If a man says to his brother, ‘O kāfir,’ then one of them has certainly fallen into it.”
(Bukhārī & Muslim)
This means:
- If the accusation is false, it returns upon the accuser.
- The danger is spiritual and severe.
5. The Position of Ahl al-Sunnah on Takfīr
Imam al-Tahāwī (d. 321 AH) wrote in his creed:
“We do not declare a Muslim a disbeliever because of a sin, unless he considers it lawful.”
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal:
“Whoever prays towards the qiblah is not declared a disbeliever.”
Imam al-Ghazālī:
“Caution in takfīr is obligatory, because the mistake of sparing a thousand disbelievers is lighter than spilling the blood of one Muslim.”
(Fayṣal al-Tafriqa)
Ibn Taymiyyah:
“Declaring a specific person a disbeliever requires the establishment of proof and removal of doubt.”
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā)
This means:
✔ Knowledge must be established
✔ Intention must be examined
✔ Ignorance must be removed
✔ Evidence must be clear
✔ Scholars must judge — not laypeople
6. Why Scholars Say Takfīr Is More Dangerous Than Sin
A person may:
- Commit a sin
- Be ignorant
- Be mistaken
- Be misguided
Yet still remain a Muslim.
But takfīr removes all protections:
- Marriage invalidated
- Funeral rights removed
- Eternal consequences implied
This is why scholars said:
“Error in leaving a thousand unbelievers unpunished is better than wrongly killing one Muslim.”
7. Modern Problem: Easy Fatwas & Social Media Takfīr
Today, some people:
- Declare things haram without knowledge
- Call Muslims disbelievers for disagreements
- Quote texts without context
- Lack fiqh, usūl, or scholarly training
This contradicts the way of:
- The Sahabah
- The Four Imams
- Classical scholarship
Islam was never meant to be reduced to emotional judgments or online verdicts.
8. The Golden Rule of the Scholars
Imam al-Nawawī summarized the methodology:
“A person is not declared a disbeliever unless he denies something known in the religion by necessity, with clear knowledge and intention.”
And even then:
- Doubts are examined
- Ignorance is considered
- Coercion is checked
- Context matters
9. Why Scholars Were Extremely Cautious
Because:
- Halāl/harām rulings affect lives
- Takfīr affects the Hereafter
- Mistakes are irreversible
- Allah alone judges hearts
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed, Allah is gentle and loves gentleness in all matters.”
(Muslim)
10. A Powerful Summary from Ibn Taymiyyah
“Not everyone who commits disbelief is declared a disbeliever. Declaring disbelief requires conditions and removal of doubts.”
This statement alone refutes extremist approaches.
Conclusion: A Matter of Fear, Not Pride
Declaring:
- What is halal or haram
- Who is Muslim or not
is not a sign of strength, but a test of humility.
True scholars:
- Fear Allah
- Speak carefully
- Avoid takfīr
- Prefer silence over error
- Prioritize unity and mercy
As Imam Malik said:
“Knowledge is not knowing many things, but fearing Allah.”
Final Reflection
In Islam:
- Fatwa requires knowledge
- Takfīr requires certainty
- Mercy outweighs severity
- Silence is better than error
This is why the righteous feared speaking —
and why Muslims today must return to scholarly caution, humility, and balance.
