Takfir
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- For the Salafist extremist group see Takfir wal-Hijra
- In Shia terminology, "takfir" is the practice of crossing the arms when standing upright during salat (or takattuf, called qabd by Sunnis).
In Islamic law, takfir or takfeer (تكفير) is the practice of declaring that an individual or a group previously considered Muslims are in fact kafir(s) (non-believers in God). The act which precipitates takfir is termed the mukaffir.
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[edit] Conditions
This declaration may be made if the alleged Muslim in question declares himself a kafir. However, more usually it applies to the judgment that an action has been taken that clearly indicates knowing abandonment of Islam. Which actions constitute sufficient justification for takfir is disputed between different schools of religious thought. The orthodox Sunni position is that sins do not in general prove that someone is not a Muslim, but that denials of fundamental religious principles do; thus a murderer, for instance, may still be a Muslim, but someone who denies that murder is a sin must be a kafir, as long as he is aware that murder is a sin in Islam. An extreme case is exemplified by the early Kharijites, some of whom concluded that any Muslim who sinned ceased to be a Muslim, while others concluded that any major sin could cause that. The opposite extreme was taken by the Murjites, who argued that anyone who called themselves Muslim should be considered Muslim. The Mu'tazilites (followed by the Zaydis) advocated what they saw as a middle way, whereby grave sinners were categorized neither as believers nor as kafirs.
The sentence for apostasy (irtidad), under Sharia law as traditionally interpreted, is execution. For this reason, orthodox Islamic law normally requires extremely stringent evidence for such accusations, in many cases, requiring an Islamic court or religious leader (see mullah, ayatollah) to pronounce a fatwa (legal judgement) of takfir on an individual or group; however, certain extremist movements have been much readier to practice takfir, for which they have been condemned by more mainstream Muslims. This practice is taken to its logical extreme by the earliest medieval Kharijites and by modern groups such as Takfir wal-Hijra and the GIA, who regard virtually all self-styled Muslims as kafirs whose blood may legitimately be shed.
Some Muslims consider Takfir (declaring someone as Kafir) a prerogative only of either the Prophet -- who does that through Divine revelation -- or that State which represents the collectivity of the Ummah (the whole Muslim community).[1]
[edit] Shia Islam
Under Shia theology, it is sufficient for a person to make a declaration (Shahadah) and a person is considered a Muslim. This is taken from several occasions but specifically a hadith where an enemy soldier was about to be killed. He quickly uttered the declaration and his adversary was about to slay him. The Prophet quickly interfered and mentioned that for a Muslim to kill a Muslim is an unforgivable sin. Accordingly, the power of Takfir does not lie with a Muslim individual. It lies in a person's declaration of faith whether they are Kafir or not.
[edit] History
One of the earliest examples of takfir was practiced by the first Caliph, Abu Bakr. In response to the refusal of certain Arab tribes to pay the alms-tax (zakat), he declared that "By God, I will fight anyone who differentiates between the prayer and the zakat." It also should be mentioned that Abu Bakr has said these words at the time when people try to add new practises to Islam and in order to prevent this he laid very strict rules and order people to follow original Sharia, which was compiled at the time. Abu Bakr had asserted: 'Revelation has been discontinued, the Shari'ah has been completed: will the religion be curtailed while I am alive.’ And then added "I will fight these tribes even if they refuse to give a halter. Poor-due (zakat) is a levy on wealth and, by God, I will fight him who differentiates between the prayer and poor-due."[2]
In the wars between the Umayyad Caliphate and the Kharijites, the latter's practice of takfir became the justification for their indiscriminate attacks on civilian Muslims; the more moderate Sunni view of takfir developed partly in response to this conflict.
In more recent times, takfir has been used against the Ahmadiyya or Ismailis, which describe themselves as Muslim but are considered by mainstream Muslims and Islamic scholars as non-Muslims due to their rejection of the fundamental Islamic belief that Muhammad was the Seal of the Prophets. In this case, however, Muslim jurists have brought forth reasoning from Islamic Shariah to declare the two groups as Kaffir, whereas takfir practiced by extremists is not justified through Shariah law, rather by personal beliefs. Takfir has also been used on Shias, whos beliefs are questioned by many mainstream Sunni Muslims. This has sometimes been used to legitimize physical attacks on such groups[3]. In the case of groups such as the GIA (as mentioned above), it has been used to legitimize attacks on any Muslim not actively fighting their governments.
An example of takfir that has featured prominently in Western media is the case of Salman Rushdie, who was forced into hiding after Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa officially declaring him to be a kafir who should be executed.
[edit] In the Qur'an and Hadith
The verse
- And whoever contends with the Messenger after the guidance has been made clear to him, and he follows a path other than the path of the believers, We shall leave him in the path he has chosen and land him in Hell, an evil refuge (An-Nisa:115)
This verse is interpreted as indicating that before practising takfir, one must first provide guidance to the person in question, explaining that what they are doing is wrong.
The Qur'an emphasises that accusations of unbelief are not to be made lightly:
- O ye who believe! When ye go abroad in the cause of God, investigate carefully, and say not to any one who offers you a salutation: "Thou art none of a believer!" Coveting the perishable goods of this life: with God are profits and spoils abundant. Even thus were ye yourselves before, till God conferred on you His favours: Therefore carefully investigate. For God is well aware of all that ye do. (An-Nisa:94)
while Muhammad is recorded in a hadith as saying that:
- If a man (in a battle) is attacking a kafir with a spear, and it has reached his throat, and at that moment he says ‘There is no god but God’, the Muslim must immediately withdraw his spear.[4]
This is taken as emphasizing that the state of being kafir is rejection of Islam itself, and that a return to Islam is sufficient to end the status. (See repentance.)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Asif Iftikhar, Murder, Manslaughter and Terrorism -- All in the Name of Allah, Renaissance - Montly Journal, March & April 1997, Vol. 7 Nos. 3-4, Al-Mawrid.[1]
[edit] External links
- The Clear Proofs in Refuting the Doubts of the People of Takfeer and Bombing!
- Extremism in Takfir
- Religious denunciations and Takfir: Isn't there enough to go around? (by Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq)
- Maudoodi's article on takfir (by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi)
- Takfeer according to Imam Ibn Uthaimeen
- Be Careful who you call non-Muslim
- Islamic theology and Takfir Article exploring the classical view of takfir
- An Introduction to Takfeer
- Preventative factors from Takfeer
- Hermeneutics of takfir
