The document discusses apostasy and what constitutes disbelief according to Islamic texts and scholars. It states that rejecting Islamic texts, permitting sins, mocking sharia law, despairing in Allah, feeling safe from Allah's punishment, and approving of soothsayers are all forms of disbelief. It also discusses the recording of good and bad deeds by angels and how easily one can enter Paradise or Hell based on small deeds. The document outlines the different types of apostasy according to Islamic scholars as verbal, physical, or beliefs. It provides perspectives from various Islamic schools of law on what removes one from Islam such as blasphemous statements, actions, or doubts.

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Apostasy
The rejection of the texts is disbelief, the unlawful legalization (Istiĥlāl) of
sin is disbelief and the contempt for it is disbelief, the mocking of the Canon
(Sharīˇah) is disbelief, despair in Allāh is disbelief, consenting to safety from
the punishment of Allāh is disbelief, and the approving of a soothsayer in
what he tells of the Unseen is disbelief.
ُ‫اء‬‫ﺰ‬‫اﻻﺳﺘﻬ‬‫و‬ ،ٌ‫ﻔﺮ‬ُ‫ﻛ‬‫ﺎ‬ ُ‫ﺔ‬‫اﻻﺳﺘﻬﺎﻧ‬‫و‬ ِ‫اﳌﻌﺼﻴﺔ‬ ُ‫اﺳﺘﺤﻼل‬‫و‬ ،ٌ‫ﻔﺮ‬ُ‫ﻛ‬ ِ‫اﻟﻨﺼﻮص‬ ‫ﱡ‬‫د‬َ‫ور‬
ِ‫اب‬َ‫ﺬ‬َ‫ﻋ‬ ‫ﻣﻦ‬ ُ‫اﻷﻣﻦ‬‫و‬ ،ٌ‫ﻔﺮ‬ُ‫ﻛ‬‫ﺗﻌﺎﱃ‬ ‫اﷲ‬ ِ‫رﲪﺔ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ِ‫ﻣ‬ ُ‫اﻟﻴﺄس‬‫و‬ ،ٌ‫ﻔﺮ‬ُ‫ﻛ‬ِ‫ﻳﻌﺔ‬‫ﺮ‬‫اﻟﺸ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬
ُ‫ﻛ‬ ِ‫ﻴﺐ‬َ‫اﻟﻐ‬ ‫ﻋﻦ‬ ُ‫ﻩ‬ُ‫ﱪ‬ ُ‫ﳜ‬ ‫ﲟﺎ‬ ِ‫ﻦ‬ِ‫اﻟﻜﺎﻫ‬ ُ‫وﺗﺼﺪﻳﻖ‬ ،ٌ‫ﻔﺮ‬ُ‫ﻛ‬‫ﺗﻌﺎﱃ‬ ‫اﷲ‬‫ﻔ‬.ٌ‫ﺮ‬
Allāh the Glorified and Exalted said:
﴿
ٞ
‫يد‬ِ‫ت‬
َ
‫ع‬ ٌ‫ِيب‬‫ق‬َ‫ر‬ ِ‫ه‬ۡ‫ي‬َ َ
‫ل‬
َّ
ِ‫إ‬ ٍ‫ل‬ۡ‫و‬
َ
‫ق‬ ‫ِن‬‫م‬
ُ
‫ظ‬ِ‫ف‬
ۡ
‫ل‬َ‫ي‬ ‫ا‬َّ‫م‬١٨﴾
“Not a word is uttered except there are two Angels prepared to record it.”
Every person is accompanied by an angel who records the good words and
another Angel who records the bad and permissible words. The permissible
words which are neither rewardable nor sinful are erased. As for the rewardable
and sinful words, they are confirmed in the record of the slave. This is the
interpretation of Ibn ˇAbbās of the saying of Allāh:
﴿‫ٱ‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫ح‬ۡ‫م‬َ‫ي‬ِ‫ب‬ٰ َ
‫ِت‬‫ك‬
ۡ
‫ٱل‬ ُّ‫م‬
ُ
‫أ‬ ٓ‫ۥ‬ُ‫ه‬َ‫ِند‬‫ع‬َ‫و‬ ۖ ُ‫ت‬ِ‫ب‬
ۡ
‫ث‬ُ‫ي‬َ‫و‬ ُ‫ء‬
ٓ
‫ا‬
َ
‫ش‬َ‫ي‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ ُ َّ
٣٩﴾
In addition to this, ať-Ťabarāniyy narrated with an authentic chain from the
route of Abī Wā’il that ˇAbdullāh Ibn Masˇūd climbed to the top of aŝ-Ŝafā then
he took hold of his tongue and addressed it by saying, “O tongue, say good and
reap the goodness. Be silent from evil and be safe before you regret. Surely I
heard the Messenger of Allāh  said:
ِ‫ﻪ‬ِ‫ﺎﻧ‬َ‫ﺴ‬ِ‫ﻟ‬ ْ‫ﻦ‬ِ‫ﻣ‬ َ‫م‬َ‫آد‬ ِ‫ﻦ‬ْ‫اﺑ‬ ‫ﺎ‬َ‫ﻄﺎﻳ‬َ‫ﺧ‬ ُ‫ﺮ‬َ‫ـ‬‫ﺜ‬ْ‫ﻛ‬َ‫أ‬
“Most of the sins of the son of Ādam are from his tongue.”

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Allāh made embracing Islām, which is the greatest of His endowments upon the
slave, an easy matter, which is by merely uttering the two Testifications of Faith
after having a proper belief in Allāh and His Messenger . He also made
blasphemy easy. One word that belittles Allāh or His Religion takes the one who
said it out of the Faith and throws him into blasphemy, which is the worst of
situations. Then, to Allāh, he will have a status lower than the vermin and the
beasts. It does not matter if he said such a word seriously, jokingly or angrily.
This ease of entering either state is what is meant by the ĥadīth of al-Bukhāriyy:
ُ‫ﻞ‬ْ‫ﺜ‬ِ‫ﻣ‬ ُ‫ﱠﺎر‬‫ﻨ‬‫اﻟ‬َ‫و‬ ،ِ‫ﻪ‬ِ‫ﻠ‬ْ‫ﻌ‬َ‫ـ‬‫ﻧ‬ ِ‫اك‬َ‫ﺮ‬ِ‫ﺷ‬ ْ‫ﻦ‬ِ‫ﻣ‬ ْ‫ﻢ‬ُ‫ﻛ‬ِ‫ﺪ‬َ‫َﺣ‬‫أ‬ َ‫ﱃ‬ِ‫إ‬ ُ‫ب‬َ‫ﺮ‬ْ‫ـ‬‫ﻗ‬َ‫أ‬ ُ‫ﺔ‬‫ﱠ‬‫ﻨ‬َ‫اﳉ‬َ‫ﻚ‬ِ‫ﻟ‬َ‫ذ‬
“Paradise is closer to one of you than his sandal strap, and Hell is like that
also.”
The meaning is that the human being acquires Paradise by doing even a small
amount of good deeds, and likewise he would acquire Hell by doing even a small
amount of evil.
Al-Ghazāliyy said, “The tongue is a great endowment from Allāh; though small
in size, its crime is enormous.” And the Messenger of Allāh warned us of its
evil as it is narrated by al-Bukhāriyy and Muslim from Abū Hurayrah that he
said:
‫ﱠ‬‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬‫ا‬ ‫ﰲ‬ ‫ﺎ‬َ
ِ ‫ي‬ِ‫ﻮ‬ْ‫ﻬ‬َ‫ـ‬‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﺎ‬َ‫ﻴﻬ‬ِ‫ﻓ‬ ُ‫ﱠ‬‫ﺒﲔ‬َ‫ﺘ‬َ‫ـ‬‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﺎ‬َ‫ﻣ‬ ِ‫ﺔ‬َ‫ﻤ‬ِ‫ﻠ‬َ‫ﻜ‬‫ﺎﻟ‬ِ‫ﺑ‬ ُ‫ﻢ‬‫ﱠ‬‫ﻠ‬َ‫ﻜ‬َ‫ﺘ‬َ‫ﻴ‬َ‫ﻟ‬ َ‫ﺪ‬ْ‫ﺒ‬َ‫اﻟﻌ‬َْ‫ﲔ‬َ‫ـ‬‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﳑﺎ‬ َ‫ﺪ‬َ‫ﻌ‬ْ‫ـ‬‫ﺑ‬َ‫أ‬ ِ‫ر‬‫ﱠﺎ‬‫ﻨ‬‫ﻟ‬
ِ‫ب‬ِ‫ﺮ‬ْ‫ﻐ‬‫اﳌ‬‫و‬ ‫ق‬ِ‫ﺮ‬ْ‫ﺸ‬‫اﳌ‬
“Surely the slave would certainly speak with the word. He does not
distinguish it and because of it he would fall into Hell a distance greater
than what is between the east and the west.”
And at-Tirmidhiyy narrated this ĥadīth with the following wording:
‫ﺎ‬ً‫ﻔ‬‫ﻳ‬ِ‫ﺮ‬َ‫ﺧ‬ َ‫ﲔ‬ِ‫ﻌ‬ْ‫ﺒ‬َ‫ﺳ‬ ِ‫ر‬‫ﱠﺎ‬‫ﻨ‬‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﰲ‬ ‫ﺎ‬َ‫ـﻬ‬ِ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ﻮ‬ْ‫ﻬ‬َ‫ـ‬‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ً‫ﺳ‬ْ‫ﺄ‬َ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﺎ‬َ‫ـﻬ‬ِ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ى‬َ‫ﺮ‬َ‫ـ‬‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﻻ‬
“…He does not see any harm in it, which results in him falling seventy
(70) autumns into Hellfire.”

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That is to say, this person falls to the bottom of Hellfire. Al-Ĥāfiđħ Ibn Ĥajar
al-ˇAsqalāniyy said in explaining this ĥadīth, “This is because his word
contained belittlement of Allāh or His Religion.”
Know that the scholars of the Four Schools set aside a chapter specifically for
this subject which they called, “The Chapter of Apostasy”. The scholars then
divided apostasy (i.e., what takes one out of Islām) into three types:
blasphemous sayings, blasphemous actions and blasphemous beliefs. They
stated that the reward of the good deeds belonging to the committer of any type
(of blasphemy) is completely wiped out and his/her marriage contract is
invalidated.
Ibn ˇĀbidīn al-Ĥanafiyy said in Radd al-Muĥtār, “Its reality is for a word of
blasphemy to be made to run over the tongue. This is in reference to what is
apparent; that by which the judge gives his verdict, or else, it could take place
otherwise, like if an invalid belief takes place, or to intend to blaspheme after
some time.”
Ibn Ĥajar al-Haytamiyy ash-Shāfiˆiyy said,
The blasphemy of a Muslim; for him to cut off his Islām, would either
be by an intention in the heart for the present or the future, whether or
not he intended another Religion. Likewise, if he doubted, like for the
uncertainty that negates certainty to take place. The thought that occurs
without one’s choice has no effect. (Likewise), to intentionally act -
even if only in the heart - with belittlement or negation…
An-Nawawiyy said in Rawďah ať-Ťālibīn, “Apostasy is to cut off Islām. It
sometimes takes place by a blasphemous saying and sometimes by a
blasphemous doing… whether or not that saying emanated from conviction,
stubbornness or belittlement.”
Al-Ĥaťťab al-Mālikiyy said in Mawāhib al-Jalīl, “Apostasy is the blasphemy of
a Muslim by an explicit expression that dictates it, or an action that includes it.”
Tāju-d-Dīn as-Subkiyy said in Ťabaqāt ash-Shāfiˇiyyah, “There is no difference
between al-Ashˇariyy and his followers, and in fact between all Muslims, that
whoever utters blasphemy or does blasphemy is a blasphemer in Allāh, the
Great, who will dwell in Hell forever , even if he knows (the truth) in his heart.”
Al-Buhūtiyy al-Ĥambaliyy said in the explanation of Muntahā al-Irshādāt,
“Religously, he (the apostate) is the one who blasphemed after his Islām, even

4. 205 | P a g e
if he had mental discrimination, by an utterance, a conviction, a doing, or doubt,
while that was of his own will, even if joking.”
What the Sunni scholars relied upon in their classification of apostasy are verses
from the Qur’ān and statements of the Prophet. Among them is the saying of
Allāh, the Exalted:
﴿َ‫د‬ۡ‫ع‬َ‫ب‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫ر‬
َ
‫ف‬
َ
‫ك‬َ‫و‬ ِ‫ر‬
ۡ
‫ف‬
ُ
‫ك‬
ۡ
‫ٱل‬
َ
‫ة‬َ‫ِم‬
َ
‫ك‬
ْ
‫وا‬
ُ
‫ال‬
َ
‫ق‬ ۡ‫د‬
َ
‫ق‬
َ
‫ل‬َ‫و‬
ْ
‫وا‬
ُ
‫ال‬
َ
‫ق‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬ ِ
َّ
‫ٱ‬ِ‫ب‬
َ
‫ون‬
ُ
‫ِف‬‫ل‬
ۡ َ
‫ي‬ۡ‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ِ‫م‬ٰ َ
‫ل‬ۡ‫س‬ِ‫إ‬﴾
“They swear by Allāh that they did not utter, and they have said the word
of blasphemy and blasphemed after [outwardly] being Muslims.”
From this verse it is understood that a statement would be considered blasphemy
independent of one’s actions and/or beliefs.
Also, the saying of Allāh:
﴿
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫اب‬
َ
‫ت‬ۡ‫ر‬َ‫ي‬ ۡ‫م‬
َ
‫ل‬ َّ‫م‬
ُ
‫ث‬ ‫ِۦ‬ ِ‫ول‬ُ‫س‬َ‫ر‬َ‫و‬ ِ
َّ
‫ٱ‬ِ‫ب‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫ن‬َ‫ام‬َ‫ء‬ َ‫ِين‬
َّ
‫ٱل‬
َ
‫ون‬ُ‫ِن‬‫م‬
ۡ
‫ؤ‬ُ‫م‬
ۡ
‫ٱل‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬
َّ
‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬﴾
“The believers are those who believe in Allāh and His Messenger , and
they do not doubt in that belief.”
From this verse it is understood that among the means of blasphemy are [bad]
beliefs which are not accompanied with a saying or a doing. This is so because
doubt occurs in the heart.
Furthermore, the saying of Allāh:
﴿
ََ‫و‬ ِ‫ر‬َ‫م‬
َ
‫ق‬
ۡ
‫ِل‬‫ل‬
َ َ‫و‬ ِ‫س‬ۡ‫م‬
َّ
‫ِلش‬‫ل‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫د‬ُ‫ج‬ ۡ‫س‬
َ
‫ت‬َّ‫ن‬ُ‫ه‬
َ
‫ق‬
َ
‫ل‬
َ
‫خ‬ ‫ِي‬
َّ
‫ٱل‬﴾
“Do not prostrate for the sun or the moon, rather prostrate for Allāh who
created them.”
It is understood from this verse that blasphemy may occur by merely doing an
act even if it is not associated with a statement of a bad belief in the heart.
Moreover, this is a case of consensus of the scholars of the Four Schools.
Whatever falls under those three categories is considered blasphemy by itself
because the blasphemous saying is blasphemy even if it were not accompanied
by the conviction in it, nor an action, nor enjoyment, nor the voluntary

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conversion to another religion. The blasphemous action is blasphemy even if it
were not associated with a statement or a conviction.
The heart being delighted with the blasphemous statement is only a condition in
the case of a person being compelled to say blasphemy. In other words, the
compelled is not charged with blasphemy for uttering a blasphemous statement
after being forced to say it, except if his heart was delighted with what he said.
Therefore, if he was happy with the blasphemy then he is judged as a
blasphemer. This is because the Muslim who was forced to say a blasphemous
statement, under the threat of death and he did not enjoy saying those words, he
is not charged with blasphemy. However, if he found pleasure in those words
afterward then he is judged as a blasphemer. This is the meaning of the saying
of Allāh:
﴿ِ‫م‬ ِ
َّ
‫ٱ‬ِ‫ب‬ َ‫ر‬
َ
‫ف‬
َ
‫ك‬ ‫ن‬َ‫م‬ِ‫ن‬ٰ َ‫يم‬ِ
ۡ
‫ٱل‬ِ‫ب‬ ُّۢ‫ن‬ِ‫ئ‬َ‫م‬ ۡ‫ط‬ُ‫م‬ ‫ۥ‬ُ‫ه‬ُ‫ب‬
ۡ
‫ل‬
َ
‫ق‬َ‫و‬ َ‫ه‬ِ‫ر‬
ۡ
‫ك‬
ُ
‫أ‬ ۡ‫ن‬َ‫م‬
َّ
ِ‫إ‬ ٓ‫ِۦ‬‫ه‬ِ‫ن‬ٰ َ‫يم‬ِ‫إ‬ ِ‫د‬ۡ‫ع‬َ‫ب‬ ۢ‫ن‬
ِ‫ر‬
ۡ
‫ف‬
ُ
‫ك‬
ۡ
‫ٱل‬ِ‫ب‬ َ‫ح‬َ َ
‫ش‬ ‫ن‬َّ‫م‬ ‫ن‬ِ‫ك‬َٰ
‫ل‬َ‫و‬
ٗ‫ر‬ۡ‫د‬ َ‫ص‬‫ٱ‬ َ‫ِن‬ّ‫م‬ ٞ‫ب‬
َ
‫ض‬
َ
‫غ‬ ۡ‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ۡ‫ي‬
َ
‫ل‬َ‫ع‬
َ
‫ف‬ ‫ا‬ٞ‫يم‬ِ‫ظ‬
َ
‫ع‬ ٌ‫اب‬
َ
‫ذ‬
َ
‫ع‬ ۡ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬
َ
‫ل‬َ‫و‬ ِ
َّ
١٠٦﴾
“Whoever blasphemes in Allāh after having belief deserves the torture of
Allāh, except for he who is compelled while his heart is tranquil with
belief.”
By the consensus, being delighted in the heart is not a condition for falling into
blasphemy.
Mullā ˇAliyy al-Qārī al-Ĥanafiyy said in his explanation of al-Fiqhu-l-Akbar by
Imām Abū Ĥanīfah, “In the book Ĥāwī al-Fatāwā it says ‘Whoever blasphemes
with his tongue while his heart is tranquil with belief then he is a blasphemer
and he is not a believer to Allāh’.”
The condition of falling into blasphemy is to say the blasphemy willingly while
knowing its meaning; without a slip of the tongue and without being forced, or
to do willingly what only a blasphemer does. This is evident by the saying of
Allāh:

6. 207 | P a g e
﴿ۡ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬َ ۡ
‫ل‬
َ
‫أ‬َ‫س‬ ‫ن‬ِ‫ئ‬
َ
‫ل‬َ‫و‬‫ِۦ‬ ِ‫ول‬ُ‫س‬َ‫ر‬َ‫و‬ ‫ِۦ‬‫ه‬ِ‫ت‬ٰ َ
‫اي‬َ‫ء‬َ‫و‬ ِ
َّ
‫ٱ‬ِ‫ب‬
َ
‫أ‬
ۡ
‫ل‬
ُ
‫ق‬ ۚ
ُ‫ب‬َ‫ع‬
ۡ
‫ل‬
َ
‫ن‬َ‫و‬
ُ
‫وض‬
ُ َ
‫ن‬ ‫ا‬َّ‫ن‬
ُ
‫ك‬ ‫ا‬َ‫م‬
َّ
‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬ َّ‫ن‬
ُ
‫ول‬
ُ
‫ق‬َ َ
‫ل‬
َ
‫ون‬ُ‫ء‬ِ‫ز‬ۡ‫ه‬َ‫ت‬ ۡ‫س‬
َ
‫ت‬ ۡ‫م‬ُ‫نت‬
ُ
‫ك‬٦٥ۚ
ۡ‫م‬
ُ
‫ِك‬‫ن‬ٰ َ‫يم‬ِ‫إ‬ َ‫د‬ۡ‫ع‬َ‫ب‬ ‫م‬
ُ
‫ت‬ۡ‫ر‬
َ
‫ف‬
َ
‫ك‬ ۡ‫د‬
َ
‫ق‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫ِر‬‫ذ‬َ‫ت‬ۡ‫ع‬
َ
‫ت‬
َ
﴾
“If you were to ask them, they would certainly say, ‘We were just playing
and engaging each other.’ O Muĥammad , say, ‘Is it Allāh, His Verses
and His Messenger  that you belittle? Do not make excuses. You have
blasphemed after your belief...”
According to another classification, there are three types of blasphemy:
 at-Tashbīh (likening Allāh to created things),
 at-Takdhīb (belying the Religion) and
 at-Taˇťīl (denying the attributes of Allāh).
Among the scholars who mentioned the last classification is an-Nawawiyy and
Ibnu-l-Muqriyy among the Shāfiˇiyyah, Ibn ˇĀbidīn among the Ĥanafiyyah, al-
Buhūtiyy among the Ĥanābilah, Shaykh Muĥammad ˇIllaysh among the
Mālikiyyah, and other scholars. Some scholars have mentioned other ways of
classifying blasphemy. Shaykh Muĥammad Anwār Shāh al-Kashmīriyy, in his
book Ikfār al-Mulĥidīn, divided blasphemy into four types: the blasphemy of
ignorance (Kufr al-Jahl), the blasphemy of denial and stubbornness (Kufr al-
Juĥūd wa-l-ˇInād), the blasphemy of doubt (Kufr ash-Shakk), and the
blasphemy of misinterpretation (Kufr at-Ta’wīl).
In al-Fatāwā al-Mahdiyyah, by Shaykh Muĥammad al-ˇAbbāsiyy al-Ĥanafiyy,
he said,
It was asked about a man, no word ran from his tongue, but he believed
in his heart what causes blasphemy. Is he a blasphemer even though he
did not utter, or is his blasphemy dependent upon the combination of
the saying with the conviction in his heart? The answer is that the
blasphemy is not dependent upon the combination of the saying with
the conviction in his heart. Rather, if he believes with his heart in what
causes blasphemy, he would be a blasphemer, just as if the word of
blasphemy ran off his tongue. He would be a blasphemer according to
what is apparent…

7. 208 | P a g e
There are cases when even the new Muslim would blaspheme, even if he never
heard about them. Those are the cases related to the essentials of belief, the basic
meanings of the shahādah, and the validity of Islām. Examples are like doubting
in Allāh, His Messenger or the exclusiveness of Islām. That is, doubting that
Islām is the only acceptable religion to Allāh.
Believing that the world is eternal by kind and elements, which is the saying of
the philosophers, is blasphemy. Likewise, if one believes that it is eternal by its
kind only, in agreement with the later philosophers, he blasphemes. The
Muslims have agreed that both sayings are blasphemous, as conveyed by Badru-
d-Dīn az-Zarkashiyy in his book Tashnīfu-l-Masāmiˇ.
Likewise, resembling Allāh to His creations, denying His attributes, belying,
degrading, or blemishing the attributes of a Prophet, and believing in a new
Prophet after Muĥammad  are examples of blasphemy with no excuse.
Likewise is denying the Prophethood or the message of a Prophet recognized by
all Muslims.
Also, intending to blaspheme is blasphemy. Hesitating about blaspheming is
blasphemy. Whoever determines to commit blasphemy in the future, or hesitates
about it, or makes it contingent upon the occurrence of a matter, blasphemes
immediately. Examples of that are like saying, “If I lose my money or if my
child dies, then I will become a Jew,” or “I will leave Islām for another
Religion.” The opposite of that does not stand, because intending to embrace
Islām does not make a person become a Muslim.
Allāh told us in His book:
﴿ۖ َ‫ر‬
ۡ
‫ف‬
ُ
‫ك‬
ۡ
‫ٱل‬ ِ‫ه‬ِ‫د‬‫ا‬َ‫ب‬ِ‫ع‬ِ‫ل‬ ٰ َ
‫ض‬ۡ‫ر‬َ‫ي‬
َ َ‫و‬﴾
“He does not accept blasphemy for His slaves.”
Furthermore, whoever blasphemes and does not immediately say the shahādah
to be cleared of that blasphemy increases his blasphemy for accepting
blasphemy for himself during that period. Liking, admiring, or judging a
blasphemous statement as a good statement is blasphemy.
One does not blaspheme for denying the terms of a Mutawātir Ĥadīth. If one
denies the meanings, there are two cases: If the meaning is known by necessity
in the rules of the religion, one blasphemes for denying it. If the meaning is not

8. 209 | P a g e
known by necessity, one does not blaspheme for denying it. Of course, if
someone knew that the Prophet  said a Ĥadīth, and still denies it, then he
blasphemes regardless of the status of the Ĥadīth.
The ruling is different for the one who denies even one letter of the Qur’ān, for
he would blaspheme. This does not include those who add or subtract letters
from the Qur’ān because of ignorance, or because of memorizing incorrectly,
they do not blaspheme.
Also, declaring a sin whether big or small to be permissible while believing that
the prohibition has been established in the Religion is blasphemy. Moreover,
believing that one’s engagement in a sin is not harmful is blasphemy. In addition
to that, it is also blasphemy to declare what all the Muslims have agreed upon
to be an enormous sin to be a small sin while it is commonly known among the
Muslims to be an enormous sin.
Allāh also said198
:
﴿
َ
‫ون‬
ُ
‫ك‬َ‫ح‬
ۡ
‫ض‬َ‫ي‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫ن‬َ‫ام‬َ‫ء‬ َ‫ِين‬
َّ
‫ٱل‬ َ‫ِن‬‫م‬
ْ
‫وا‬
ُ
‫ن‬
َ
‫ك‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫م‬َ‫ر‬ۡ‫ج‬
َ
‫أ‬ َ‫ِين‬
َّ
‫ٱل‬
َّ
‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬٢٩ۡ‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ِ‫ب‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُّ‫ر‬َ‫م‬ ‫ا‬
َ
‫ذ‬
َ
‫ون‬ُ‫ز‬َ‫ام‬
َ
‫غ‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ي‬٣٠َ‫ي‬ِ‫ه‬ِ‫ك‬
َ
‫ف‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫ب‬
َ
‫ل‬
َ
‫ٱنق‬ ُ‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ِ‫ل‬
ۡ
‫ه‬
َ
‫أ‬ ٰٓ
َ
ِ‫إ‬
ْ
‫ا‬ٓ‫و‬ُ‫ب‬
َ
‫ل‬
َ
‫ٱنق‬ ‫ا‬
َ
‫ذ‬٣١
َّ
‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬
ْ
‫ا‬ٓ‫و‬
ُ
‫ال‬
َ
‫ق‬ ۡ‫م‬
ُ
‫ه‬ۡ‫و‬
َ
‫أ‬َ‫ر‬ ‫ا‬
َ
‫ذ‬
َ
‫ض‬
َ
‫ل‬ ِ‫ء‬
ٓ َ ُ
‫ؤ‬ٰٓ َ
‫ه‬
َ
‫ون‬
ُّ
‫آل‬٣٢َ‫ي‬ِ‫ظ‬ِ‫ف‬ٰ َ‫ح‬ ۡ‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ۡ‫ي‬
َ
‫ل‬
َ
‫ع‬
ْ
‫وا‬
ُ
‫ِل‬‫س‬ۡ‫ر‬
ُ
‫أ‬
ٓ
‫ا‬َ‫م‬َ‫و‬٣٣َ‫ِن‬‫م‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫ن‬َ‫ام‬َ‫ء‬ َ‫ِين‬
َّ
‫ٱل‬ َ‫م‬ۡ‫و‬َ ۡ
‫ٱل‬
َ
‫ف‬
َ
‫ون‬
ُ
‫ك‬َ‫ح‬
ۡ
‫ض‬َ‫ي‬ ِ‫ار‬
َّ
‫ف‬
ُ
‫ك‬
ۡ
‫ٱل‬٣٤﴾
“Surely, those who did crimes were laughing at those who believed and if
they passed by the (believers) they would wink at each other (as a signal of
ridicule). And when they returned to their families, they returned pleased
(with the mockery they committed). And if they saw (the Muslims) they
would say, ‘Certainly they are misguided (by Muĥammad, by leaving the
worldly pleasures for imagination).’ However, they were not sent as
documenters of the believers’ deeds. In the Afterlife, those who believed
will be laughing at the blasphemers.”
Every saying, action or belief containing belittlement of Allāh, His Messengers,
His Books, His Angels, His Rules, His Promise, His Threat, His Rites, the well-
198
Sūrat al-Muťaffifīn, 34.

9. 210 | P a g e
known practices of His religion or His verses is blasphemy. Examples of that
are cussing Allāh and mocking the Qur’ān.
Mocking one of the Names of Allāh, His Promise, or His Threat, while knowing
such matters have been attributed to Him is blasphemy. Mocking the promise
of Allāh is to mock the promise of Paradise to the believers, or that which is
prepared in it, like saying that Paradise is no big reward. Mocking the threat of
Allāh is to mock the threat of the torture of the Afterlife for the blasphemers and
the sinful Muslims, like saying that the torture of Hellfire is minute, or the saying
of some of the foolish, “It will just make us warm on that day.” In both cases,
the one who says that belies the Qur’ān. For the blasphemy to occur, this
mocked promise or threat has to be something that the mocker is aware of its
establishment in the religion.
Muĥammad Ibn Juzayy al-Mālikiyy said:
There is no difference in opinion about charging with blasphemy
whoever denies the Lordship of Allāh or His Oneness or he worshipped
with Allāh someone else or he was on the religion of the Jews or the
Christians or the Majūs or the Ŝābi’ah or he believed that Allāh dwells
in things or he believes in reincarnation or that he believes that Allāh
is not alive or that He is not knowledgeable or if he denies any of his
attributes (meaning the 13 attributes that were already mentioned) or
he said that someone other than Allāh created the world or that Allāh
the Exalted originates from something else or he claims that he sat with
Allāh or he says that the world has no beginning, or if he had a doubt
about any of that, or he claimed that someone other than our master
Muĥammad  is a prophet after him or he says that lying about the
Prophets is permissible, may Allāh raise their ranks, or that the
Religious Law is only for the Arabs meaning that he claims that the
prophet was only sent to the Arabs or he claims that he received the
revelation or he claims that he will enter paradise in this world in reality
or he deems all the Companions as kuffār or if he denies something that
is known in the Religion by necessity or he goes to the church while
wearing the clothing of the Christians (meaning he goes in their church
mixing with them while wearing the clothes specific to them) or he
says that the obligations were dropped from some of the Awliyā’ of
Allāh or if he denies a letter or more from the Qur’ān or he adds out of
stubbornness while he knows that it is not from the Qur’ān or he
changes the arrangement of the Qur’ān out of stubbornness or he says
the Qur’ān is not miraculous or he says that the reward and the

10. 211 | P a g e
punishment are not real or he says that the imāms (scholars) are greater
than the Prophets.
The scholars differed about the sin of Qunūť (“despair”, i.e., from the mercy of
Allāh). According to the Shāfiˇiyyah, it is a major sin, which is to have an ill
thought about Allāh: to believe that Allāh shall never forgive him and will
definitely torture him for his great number of sins, for example. This does not
take one out of Islām. According to the Ĥanafiyyah, it is to have the conviction
that Allāh does not forgive the sinners for their sins, and this is blasphemy.
According to that, the Khawārij are blasphemers for saying that whoever
commits a major sin is a blasphemer and will never be forgiven. Also, according
to that, the Muˇtazilah are blasphemers for saying that whoever dies as a major
sinner will not be forgiven, and that he is not a believer or a blasphemer.
They have also differed about the definition of the sin of al-Amn (“safety”;
feeling safe from the punishment of Allāh). According to the Shāfiˇiyyah, it is a
major sin, which is the indulgence in constant sin while relying on the mercy of
Allāh. This does not take a person out of the religion. According to the
Ĥanafiyyah, it is to believe that after belief is confirmed for the slave, Allāh
would never torture him for his sins, and this is blasphemy. This was mentioned
by Imām Abū Jaˇfar ať-Ťaĥāwiyy, as well as others. Thus, whoever believes that
he must necessarily enter Paradise, and that anything else is impossible, has
blasphemed.
The difference between the two schools in this case is in the terms, and not the
conviction, for both groups agree that the constant indulgence in sin while
relying on Allāh’s mercy is sinful and does not take one out of Islām, and they
both agree that the creed of the Murji’ah, which is to deny that some believers
will be punished for their sins, is blasphemy.
Furthermore, we do not believe those who, relying on the stars and other matters,
claim to know the future. The Prophet  said199
:
ً‫ﺔ‬‫ﻟﻴﻠ‬ ‫ﺑﻌﲔ‬‫ر‬‫أ‬ ٌ‫ة‬‫ﺻﻼ‬ ُ‫ﻪ‬َ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻞ‬َ‫ﺒ‬ْ‫ﻘ‬ُ‫ـ‬‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﱂ‬ ٍ‫ﺷﻰء‬ ‫ﻋﻦ‬ ‫ﻓﺴﺄﻟﻪ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ً‫ﻓ‬‫ا‬ّ‫ﻋﺮ‬ ‫َﺗﻰ‬‫أ‬ ‫ﻦ‬َ‫ﻣ‬
199
Ŝaĥīĥ Muslim, No. 4144.

11. 212 | P a g e
“Whoever goes to a clairvoyant and asks him about a matter (while not
believing him), his prayers will not be accepted for forty (40) nights.”
However, whoever believes that soothsayer or the clairvoyant in their claim of
knowing the unforeseen is a blasphemer as stated by the Prophet , when he
said200
:
َ‫ﻣ‬ْ‫ﻦ‬َ‫ﻛ‬‫ﻓﻘﺪ‬ ُ‫ﻳﻘﻮل‬ ‫ﲟﺎ‬ ُ‫ﱠﻗﻪ‬‫ﺪ‬‫ﻓﺼ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ً‫ﻓ‬‫ا‬ّ‫ﻋﺮ‬ ‫أو‬ ‫ﺎ‬ً‫ﻛﺎﻫﻨ‬‫أﺗﻰ‬َ‫ﻔ‬َ‫ﺮ‬‫ﲟ‬ٍ‫ﳏﻤﺪ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬ َ‫ل‬ِ‫ﺰ‬‫ُﻧ‬‫أ‬ ‫ﺎ‬
“Whoever goes to a soothsayer or a clairvoyant and believes in what he
says has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muĥammad”
Whoever denies any matter that is “commonly known and immediately
recognized by the Muslims to be of the Religion” blasphemes. This knowledge
refers to all matters which are commonly known to be of the Religion by both,
lay people and scholars. The one who denies such knowledge is judged as a
blasphemer whether or not he knows that uttering such a statement results in
one leaving Islām.
Whoever carries any belief in his heart, commits any action with his body parts,
or says any statement with his tongue, that is considered blasphemy by
consensus, and then utters the shahādah, then uttering the shahādah does not
benefit him so long as he doubts about the judgment of blasphemy of such belief,
action or saying. Considered blasphemy by consensus means that there is no
difference in opinions among the qualified scholars of Islām about the judgment
of such belief, action, or saying. Doubting about the judgment means that one
does not have the firm conviction that what he believed, did, or said is
blasphemy. In this case, he remains as a blasphemer despite uttering the
shahādah.
Whoever does any act which is only done by blasphemers blasphemes.
Examples are throwing al-Muŝĥaf in the trash or prostrating to an idol, the sun,
moon, or Devil.
Also, spitting on, stepping on, and sitting on it is blasphemy - if one knows that
it is the book of the Qur’ān. Likewise, throwing it in something disgusting, even
200
Musnad Aĥmad, No. 9332.

12. 213 | P a g e
if it were pure, is blasphemy, like phlegm, saliva, or semen, because this is
belittling the Religion.
It is forbidden to write the Qur’ān with filth, or to touch it with an organ that is
contaminated with an unexcused filth, whether the filth were moist or dry. It is
mentioned in some Ĥanafiyy books that it is permissible to write the Fātiĥah
with urine as a cure, if it were known that the cure would occur. This is clear
deviance, and in fact blasphemy. How would such an act be a cure, and how
would a sane person conceive such a matter? How could this be, and the scholars
have documented the prohibition of turning the pages of the Qur’ān with a
finger that is moist with saliva? It is forbidden to write anything of the Qur’ān
with [urine or] blood. The Ĥanafiyy School is innocent of such a claim, and
some of those who transmitted this claim have confirmed that it has no origin
from the imāms of the school. Ibn ˇĀbidīn narrates from his Shaykh, al-ˇAqqād,
that he said in his book ˆUqūdu-l-La’ālī that it is forbidden to write the Qur’ān
with blood. From this it is known that what is ascribed to Ibn ˇĀbidīn about this
issue is a lie on him201
.
The one who cusses Allāh blasphemes. Saying that He has a sister or a son is
counted as cussing Him, even if he does not believe that Allāh has a sister or a
son. The proof for that is what al-Bukhāriyy narrates in the Qudsiyy Ĥadīth, that
Allāh said:
َ‫ﻚ‬ِ‫ﻟ‬َ‫ذ‬ ُ‫ﻪ‬َ‫ﻟ‬ ْ‫ﻦ‬ُ‫ﻜ‬َ‫ﻳ‬ َْ‫ﱂ‬َ‫و‬ ِ‫ﲏ‬َ‫ﻤ‬َ‫ﺘ‬َ‫وﺷ‬
“... and he (the son of Ādam) cussed Me while he had no right to do so.”
Then He gives the interpretation for that cussing by saying:
َ‫و‬َ‫أ‬ّ‫ﻣ‬َ‫ﺷ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ْ‫ﺘ‬َ‫و‬ ُ‫ﻪ‬‫ﱠ‬‫ﻠ‬‫اﻟ‬ َ‫ﺬ‬َ‫ﱠ‬‫اﲣ‬ :‫ﻪ‬ُ‫ﻟ‬‫ﻮ‬‫ﻓﻘ‬ َ‫إﻳﺎي‬ ُ‫ﻪ‬ُ‫ﻤ‬َ‫ﻟ‬ً‫ﺪ‬‫ا‬
“As for his cussing me, it was that he said, ‘Allāh has taken a child’.”
The one who uses any term to cuss Allāh blasphemes, even if he cusses Allāh’s
sky and he means by that to cuss Allāh. Al-Qāďī ˇIyād said in his book ash-
201
If someone writes the Qur’ān with their own blood seeking a cure and not with the
intention to desecrate it then it is not blasphemy however, it is an enormous sin. If they
write the Qur’ān with someone ele’s blood then it is blasphemy. In all cases, writing the
Qur’ān with urine is blasphemy.

13. 214 | P a g e
Shifā, “There is no difference among the Muslims that the one who cusses Allāh
becomes a blasphemer.” Also, among the blasphemous beliefs pertaining to
likening Allāh to creations is the belief of some people that Allāh dwells in the
creatures.
After all that we have said, it should be clear that cussing the Prophet or
disparaging him is blasphemy and the one who does it is a blasphemer who is
out of Islām by consensus. Moreover, denying that it is blasphemy to cuss the
Prophet, or doubting about it being blasphemy is blasphemy. Allāh said:
﴿
ّٗ‫و‬ُ‫د‬
َ
‫ع‬
َ
‫ن‬
َ
‫ك‬ ‫ن‬َ‫م‬
َ
‫ل‬ٰ َ
‫ِيك‬‫م‬َ‫و‬
َ
‫يل‬ِ
ۡ‫ب‬ِ‫ج‬َ‫و‬ ‫ِۦ‬‫ه‬ِ‫ل‬ُ‫س‬ُ‫ر‬َ‫و‬ ‫ِۦ‬‫ه‬ِ‫ت‬
َ
‫ك‬ِ‫ئ‬ٰٓ َ
‫ل‬َ‫م‬َ‫و‬ ِ
َّ
ِ
ّ
‫ا‬
ّٞ‫و‬ُ‫د‬
َ
‫ع‬ َ َّ
‫ٱ‬
َّ
‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬
َ
‫ف‬
َ‫ين‬ِ‫ر‬ِ‫ف‬ٰ َ
‫ك‬
ۡ
‫ِل‬
ّ
‫ل‬٩٨﴾
“Whoever has taken Allāh, His angels, His Messengers, Jibrīl and Mīkāl as
enemies, then they are blasphemers, and Allāh is their enemy.”
He also told us:
﴿
َ
‫ون‬ُ‫ء‬ِ‫ز‬ۡ‫ه‬َ‫ت‬ ۡ‫س‬
َ
‫ت‬ ۡ‫م‬ُ‫نت‬
ُ
‫ك‬ ‫ِۦ‬ ِ‫ول‬ُ‫س‬َ‫ر‬َ‫و‬ ‫ِۦ‬‫ه‬ِ‫ت‬ٰ َ
‫اي‬َ‫ء‬َ‫و‬ ِ
َّ
‫ٱ‬ِ‫ب‬
َ
‫أ‬
ۡ
‫ل‬
ُ
‫ق‬٦٥‫م‬
ُ
‫ت‬ۡ‫ر‬
َ
‫ف‬
َ
‫ك‬ ۡ‫د‬
َ
‫ق‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫ِر‬‫ذ‬َ‫ت‬ۡ‫ع‬
َ
‫ت‬
َ
ۚ
ۡ‫م‬
ُ
‫ِك‬‫ن‬ٰ َ‫يم‬ِ‫إ‬ َ‫د‬ۡ‫ع‬َ‫ب‬﴾
“O Muĥammad , say, “Do you belittle Allāh, His verses and His
Messenger?” Do not make excuses, you have blasphemed after your
belief.”
Abū Dāwūd and others narrated the ĥadīth about a blind man who had a slave
woman who was compassionate to him, and gave birth to two beautiful children
for him; however, she used to cuss the Prophet. He would forbid her and she
would not stop, and he would rebuke her and she would not take heed. So one
night she started cussing the Prophet, so he took his sabre, stabbed her and
leaned into her until she died. The next day the Prophet was told about that, and
so he said:
ٌ‫ر‬َ‫ﺪ‬َ‫ﻫ‬ ‫ﺎ‬َ‫ﻬ‬َ‫ﻣ‬َ‫د‬ ‫ﱠ‬‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ُ‫ﺪ‬َ‫ﻬ‬ْ‫ﺷ‬‫ا‬ َ‫ﻻ‬َ‫أ‬
“Bear witness that her blood is not avenged.”

14. 215 | P a g e
This means that because of her death as a blasphemer, her killer was not to be
executed, nor was he obliged to pay any blood money.
If one does not retract that and repent by re-embracing Islām, the ruler would
execute him. This is the ruling according to the Shāfiˆiyyah. The Mālikiyyah and
some of the Ĥanafiyyah have ruled that he is to be executed even if he comes
back to Islām, just as those who worshipped the golden calf in the days of Mūsā
were executed despite that they repented and returned to Islām. The execution
is for the completion of the repentance, and it is not that their re-embracing Islām
was invalid..
Shaykh Zakariyya al-Ansariyy said in presenting the cases in which one is
charged with blasphemy, “…or belying a prophet in his prophethood or other
than that, or to repudiate a verse from the Qur’ān which is agreed upon to be
from it, or to [intentionally] add a word to it, or to belittle a prophet by cussing
him or other than that.”
Imam an-Nawawiyy said in mentioning examples of blasphemy,
Al-Mutawallī said, ‘The one who believes that the universe is
beginningless, or that the Creator is created [or has created attributes],
or denies what is confirmed to be among the attributes of Allāh by
consensus such as Allāh being knowledgeable, powerful, or confirms
what is negated for Allāh by consensus such as colors, or he confirms
that Allāh is attributed with being [physically] connected or
disconnected is a blasphemer. Likewise, the one who denies the
permissibility of sending a messenger, or denies the prophethood of a
prophet, or he belies him, or he repudiates a verse from the Qur’ān
which by consensus is from the Qur’ān, or he adds to the Qur’ān a
word and he believes it is a part of it, or he cusses a prophet, or he
mocks a prophet, or he legitimates what is prohibited by consensus,
such as wine or fornication or sodomy’.
There is no doubt that the prohibition of these things is obvious to the Muslims,
from the scholar to the layperson.
Al-Qāďī Burhānu-d-Dīn Ibrāhīm Ibn Farĥūn al-Mālikiyy said,
And likewise the judgment of cussing the Prophets, may Allāh raise
their ranks, [is blasphemy]. Al-Qāďī ˇIyāď said, ‘The one who cusses
the Prophet or blames him, or attributes imperfection to him in his
person, his lineage, his religion, or any of his qualities, or alludes to

15. 216 | P a g e
that or its like by any means whatsoever, whether in the form of a curse
or contempt or belittling him or detracting from him or finding fault
with him or maligning him, is a curser. [And the judgment regarding
such a person is the same as the judgment of anyone who cusses him
(the Prophet).] This is regardless of whether the statement was explicit
or an allusion.
The same applies to anyone who curses him, supplicates against him,
desires to harm him, ascribes to him what does not befit his position
(e.g., lying) or jokes about his glorious affair with foolish talk, satire,
or reviles him because of any affliction or trial which happened to him
or disparages him because of any of the permissible and well-known
human events which happened to him. All of this is by the consensus
of the scholars and the imāms of fatwā from the time of the
Companions until today’.
If it were said, “how would cussing the Prophet be blasphemy, when the Prophet
did not execute the man who said to him, ‘Be just, for surely you are not just’?”
The answer is, it is not that the man didn't blaspheme, but that the Prophet left
out his execution for a benefit, as mentioned in the ĥadīth:
‫اﷲ‬ ‫ﻮل‬ُ‫ﺳ‬َ‫ر‬ ‫ﺎ‬َ‫ﻳ‬ :‫ﺎب‬‫ﱠ‬‫ﻄ‬َْ‫اﳋ‬ ‫ﻦ‬ْ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﺮ‬َ‫ﻤ‬ُ‫ﻋ‬ َ‫ﺎل‬َ‫ﻘ‬َ‫ـ‬‫ﻓ‬ ‫ل؟‬ِ‫ﺪ‬ْ‫َﻋ‬‫أ‬ َْ‫ﱂ‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ذ‬ِ‫إ‬ ‫ل‬ِ‫ﻌﺪ‬َ‫ﻳ‬ ْ‫ﻦ‬َ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﻠﻚ‬ْ‫ﻳ‬َ‫و‬
‫ﻘﻪ‬ُ‫ﻨ‬ُ‫ﻋ‬ ‫ب‬ِ‫ﺮ‬ْ‫َﺿ‬‫أ‬ ‫دﻋﲏ‬‫؟‬‫اﷲ‬ ‫ﻮل‬ُ‫ﺳ‬َ‫ر‬ َ‫ﺎل‬َ‫ﻗ‬:‫ﺮ‬ِ‫ﻘ‬َْ‫ﳛ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ً‫ﺎﺑ‬َ‫ﺤ‬ْ‫َﺻ‬‫أ‬ ُ‫ﻪ‬َ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﱠ‬‫ن‬ِ‫ﺈ‬َ‫ﻓ‬ ُ‫ﻪ‬ْ‫ﻋ‬َ‫د‬
‫ﺎ‬َ‫ﻤ‬َ‫ﻛ‬‫اﻟﺪﻳﻦ‬ ْ‫ﻦ‬ِ‫ﻣ‬ َ‫ن‬‫ﻮ‬ُ‫ﻗ‬ُ‫ﺮ‬َْ‫ﳝ‬ ‫ﺎﻣﻪ‬َ‫ﻴ‬ِ‫ﺻ‬ َ‫ﻊ‬َ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺎﻣﻪ‬َ‫ﻴ‬ِ‫ﺻ‬َ‫و‬ ‫ﺗﻪ‬ َ‫ﻼ‬َ‫ﺻ‬ َ‫ﻊ‬َ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺗﻪ‬ َ‫ﻼ‬َ‫ﺻ‬ ْ‫ﻢ‬ُ‫ﻛ‬‫ﺪ‬َ‫َﺣ‬‫أ‬
‫ﺔ‬‫ﱠ‬‫ﻴ‬ِ‫ﻣ‬‫ﱠ‬‫ﺮ‬‫اﻟ‬ ْ‫ﻦ‬ِ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﻢ‬ْ‫ﻬ‬‫ﱠ‬‫ﺴ‬‫اﻟ‬ ‫ق‬ُ‫ﺮ‬َْ‫ﳝ‬
“Woe is you! Who will be just if I am not just?” Then ˇUmar Ibn al-Khaťťāb
said, “O Messenger of Allāh , allow me to behead him” The Messenger 
said, “Leave him, he has companions. One of you would think nothing of
his prayer compared to their prayers, and would think nothing of his
fasting compared to their fasting. [However,] they go through the Religion
like the arrow goes out of the target…”
Thus, the Prophet did not order his execution because he has companions who
outwardly show that they exaggerate in the acts of worship, and if the Prophet
had this man executed, the people would say that Muĥammad  kills his

16. 217 | P a g e
Companions, despite the worship that appears from them. Furthermore, the
Prophet later ordered for his execution. This man was the founder of the
Khawārij.
Allāh, the Exalted, does not forgive any kind of blasphemy after death. This is
because of the saying of Allāh:
﴿ُ َّ
‫ٱ‬ َ‫ر‬ِ‫ف‬
ۡ
‫غ‬َ‫ي‬ ‫ن‬
َ
‫ل‬
َ
‫ف‬ ٞ‫ار‬
َّ
‫ف‬
ُ
‫ك‬ ۡ‫م‬
ُ
‫ه‬َ‫و‬
ْ
‫وا‬
ُ
‫ات‬َ‫م‬ َّ‫م‬
ُ
‫ث‬ ِ
َّ
‫ٱ‬ ِ‫يل‬ِ‫ب‬َ‫س‬ ‫ن‬
َ
‫ع‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُّ‫د‬ َ‫ص‬َ‫و‬
ْ
‫وا‬ُ‫ر‬
َ
‫ف‬
َ
‫ك‬ َ‫ِين‬
َّ
‫ٱل‬
َّ
‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬
ۡ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬
َ
‫ل‬٣٤﴾
“Certainly, those who committed blasphemy and (those who) blocked
(others) from the Religion of Allāh, then they died while they are
blasphemers, Allāh will not forgive them.”
This verse proves that the one who dies on the state of blasphemy shall not be
forgiven. Stopping the people from embracing Islām is not a condition for the
blasphemer not to be forgiven in the Hereafter; if a person dies on the state of
blasphemy, he will not be forgiven in the Hereafter, whether he stopped the
people from embracing Islām or not. However, the torture of the blasphemers
who stopped the people from embracing Islām is greater than the torture of those
blasphemers who did not. Both types will be tortured forever in Hellfire.
Whoever calls a Muslim a blasphemer without any reason blasphemes. Without
a reason means he attributed blasphemy to a Muslim:
1) without knowing that the accused committed blasphemy,
2) without knowing that the accused did something which the accuser
thought was blasphemy, and
3) without just merely having the intention to draw a similarity between
the accused and a blasphemer.
N.B.: It is not a condition for a person to fall into blasphemy that one must have
learned the judgment of the uttered blasphemous words, or that one must have
liked or believed their meanings. Anger is not an excuse for one to escape the
judgment of falling into blasphemy. Concerning this matter, Imām an-
Nawawiyy said, “If a man was angry with his child or young slave and hit him
severely, then another person asked him, ‘How could you do this? Aren’t you a
Muslim?’ and to that his deliberate answer was ‘No,’ he blasphemed.”
The one who committed any of these kinds of blasphemy is that all his good
deeds are lost. And after his return to Islām, new good deeds will be written for