Translation Of This Concise, Yet Detailed Sharh Of The 10 Nullifiers Of Islam
Click On The Nullifier To Be Dragged Down To It’s Sharh
The First Nullifier: Shirk in Worship of Allah
The Second Nullifier: Making Intermediaries Between Oneself and Allah
The Third Nullifier: Not Declaring Polytheists to Be Disbelievers
The Fourth Nullifier: Believing That Guidance Other Than the Prophet’s Is More Complete
The Fifth Nullifier: Hating Anything from What the Messenger Brought
The Sixth Nullifier: Mocking Anything from the Religion of Allah
The Seventh Nullifier: Sihr (Sorcery) – Including Turning and Binding
The Eighth Nullifier: Supporting the Polytheists and Helping Them Against the Muslims
The Ninth: Believing That Some People Are Exempt from Following the Prophet’s Sharia
The Tenth: Turning Away from the Religion of Allah, Not Learning It and Not Acting Upon It
The Two Types of Disbelievers
People in this religion are divided into two types:
The first type is called the original disbeliever. This is someone who was raised upon disbelief from the day he entered this world. He grew up on disbelief and is called an original disbeliever.
The second type is the apostate. He is someone who was upon Islam and then left it—may Allah protect us—by doing something that breaks it.
The apostate is more sinful and has a worse punishment than the original disbeliever. The original disbeliever, if he pays the jizya, is not killed. But the apostate, if he does not repent, is to be killed. So the apostate is more sinful and punished more harshly. And it is not necessary for someone to commit all the actions of disbelief to be considered an apostate. It is enough to do just one of them.
The author mentions here the things that break Islam for those who claim to be Muslim, meaning someone who was a Muslim and then something happened to him that broke his Islam. That is the apostate.
Two Types of Takfir
Declaring someone a disbeliever (takfir) is of two types:
The first type is takfir based on a description or action. This means declaring someone a disbeliever because of something he did or a quality he has. For example: whoever swears by other than Allah has disbelieved, or whoever abandons prayer has disbelieved, or whoever denies the angels has disbelieved, or whoever sacrifices for other than Allah has disbelieved. Or someone who is a fire-worshipper or a Buddhist—this is takfir by description or action.
The second type is takfir of a specific individual. This means declaring that a specific person in front of you, who said or did something, is a disbeliever.
The approach of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama‘a is to declare disbelief based on action or description. As for declaring a specific person to be a disbeliever, that is only done by the ruler or his deputy after the proof has been established against him. Because every sin that leads to punishment must meet its conditions and have no barriers preventing it. This has been clearly stated by the imams of the da‘wa, Shaykh al-Islam, and other imams of the Salaf in many places, that takfir is by description or action, not by naming individuals.
Among the conditions, for example, is sanity. The person may have said a word of disbelief while being insane. And one of the barriers is compulsion. A person may have been forced to do something, such as being threatened with death or the like.
So if someone sees a man not praying, he should not say to him: “You are a disbeliever because you do not pray,” but should say: “Whoever abandons prayer has disbelieved.” The same applies to mocking the religion. One should say: “Whoever mocks the religion has disbelieved.” As for calling a specific person a disbeliever, that is only done after investigation. For example, the judge might say to him: “You did such and such—was that done willingly?” If he does not give it up, the judge then rules that he is a disbeliever and sentences him to death.
The Meaning of “Nullifiers”
The word “nullifiers” here means things that break and cancel Islam. So “nullifier” means something that invalidates and cancels.
Why Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab Listed Ten
When the author said “ten,” some scholars said that these were the ten on which the ‘ulama agreed. But that is not correct. Rather, he mentioned ten of them because they are the most common. At the end of the list he says: “And among the most frequent things that occur.” It is as if he is saying: Know—may Allah have mercy on you—that the nullifiers of Islam are many, but these ten are among the most commonly found among those who claim to be Muslims. These nullifiers are great and beneficial, and no one before the author had gathered and arranged them like this. This is something Allah gave to the author: good organisation, clarity in expression, strong and precise meaning, and a style that brings together many ideas in a short, easy way, while being careful to quote the proofs.
The Three Types of Nullifiers
The ten nullifiers mentioned by the author fall into three types:
The first type is in its reality atheism (ilhad), and that is the first nullifier.
The second type is shirk, and that is the second nullifier, which he introduced by saying: “Whoever makes between himself and Allah intermediaries whom he calls upon, asks for intercession, and relies on.”
The third type is kufr, and that includes the remaining seven nullifiers, from the third to the tenth. Even though the seventh nullifier—sorcery—includes shirk, because he cannot do magic unless he commits shirk, as the Prophet said: “Whoever performs magic has committed shirk” (see Sahih al-Bukhari 4497 from the hadith of Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud). But its basis is disbelief in Allah.
So the three categories mentioned by the author are atheism, shirk, and kufr.
The Difference Between Shirk, Kufr, and Ilhad
Ilhad is denying even Allah’s Lordship, such that the person does not mention Allah at all in his worship. Instead, he completely removes Allah’s position as Lord—like someone who says “O Husayn” or “O Badawi” and the like, without mentioning Allah in the prayer. This is atheism, just like Pharaoh said: “I do not know any god for you other than me” (al-Qasas: 38). This kind of ilhad will be discussed in the first nullifier.
Shirk, kufr, and ilhad all lead—may Allah protect us—to the Fire forever. But in this world, ilhad is the complete erasing of Allah’s Lordship.
As for shirk, it means making someone equal to Allah in what belongs only to Allah. For example, someone says: “O Badawi, ask your Lord to forgive us.” This is calling upon someone other than Allah along with Allah. Like calling upon the occupant of the grave and the Lord of the worlds together. This is shirk. Allah said: “So do not set up equals to Allah while you know” (al-Baqara: 22), and He said: “And among people are those who take others besides Allah as equals—they love them as they should love Allah” (al-Baqara: 165). That means they make them equal in love.
As for kufr, it does not necessarily involve making someone equal to Allah, but includes denial or treating a matter lightly, such as abandoning prayer out of laziness. The root of kufr is to cover and hide something, so the person hides and denies the truth. Every shirk is kufr, but not every kufr is shirk.
So if someone says: “O Badawi,” that is both shirk and kufr. And the author did not mention all the nullifiers. For example, he did not mention denying Allah’s names, or disbelieving in the angels, or the messengers, or the scriptures, or the Last Day. This shows that the author only listed the most common things committed by those who claim to be Muslim. He said: “Know that among the greatest things that break Islam are ten.” So the meaning is that these are among the nullifiers of Islam, not all of them.
The First Nullifier: Shirk in Worship of Allah
The first nullifier is shirk in worship of Allah. In its reality, it is ilhad. And ilhad in worship is the main type of shirk seen among the polytheists today. It is worse than the shirk of Abu Jahl and those like him. The earlier shirk in the time of the Prophet was as Allah described: “Those who took protectors besides Him, saying: We only worship them to bring us closer to Allah” (al-Zumar: 3). And in another verse: intercessors (al-Zumar: 43). But today, the person goes to the occupant of the grave and says: “O so-and-so, heal my sick,” without mentioning Allah at all—may Allah protect us. This is a very great sin, even worse than the first kind of shirk. The author said: “Shirk in worship of Allah the Most High,” because it takes the ruling of shirk in worship, especially regarding remaining in the Fire.
The proof is the verse: “Indeed, Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills” and “Whoever associates partners with Allah, Allah has made Paradise forbidden for him, and his home is the Fire. And the wrongdoers have no helpers.”
These two verses show the rulings that follow from major shirk:
The first: Allah does not forgive it. All other sins may be forgiven, but not shirk.
The second: Allah has made Paradise forbidden for the one who commits shirk. He will never enter it.
The third: His final home is the Fire, remaining in it forever. Allah said: “Indeed, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them a blazing Fire, staying in it forever” (al-Ahzab: 64-65).
The fourth, which the author did not mention but is included in the verses: all the good deeds of a person who commits shirk are worthless. Allah said: “And We will turn to whatever deeds they did, and make them like scattered dust” (al-Furqan: 23).
So in the verse “Indeed, Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him,” we see that every sin besides shirk is under Allah’s will. If He wills, He forgives it by His favour; if He wills not to forgive, then by His justice. This shows how serious this sin is. In Sahih al-Bukhari: “Whoever dies while calling upon another besides Allah as a rival will enter the Fire.”
So for example, a thief is under Allah’s will. He may be forgiven and admitted to Paradise without punishment, or he may be punished for his sin and then admitted to Paradise. But the one who commits shirk will enter the Fire—may Allah protect us—and will not smell the scent of Paradise.
He said: “Whoever associates partners with Allah, Allah has made Paradise forbidden for him.” That means he will never enter Paradise, while the one who worships Allah alone will eventually enter it no matter what. So the verse “Whoever associates partners with Allah, Allah has made Paradise forbidden for him and his home is the Fire” means that he will remain forever—may Allah protect us—in the Fire.
Then the author gave an example of one type of shirk, saying: “Among it is sacrificing for other than Allah, like sacrificing to the jinn or to the grave.” This is one of the most common forms of ilhad today. Someone sacrifices for the jinn out of fear or in hope of some benefit. Sorcerers are also among those who sacrifice to the jinn.
He said: “Or to the grave.” This is a general phrase that includes sacrificing to the graves of prophets, righteous people, so-called saints, or even sinful people. All of this is among the types of shirk. Among the greatest types of shirk is shirk in the act of prayer.
As Ibn al-Qayyim said: “The most common way in which creation commits shirk is in the act of prayer.”
So, for example, someone says: “O Messenger of Allah, help me,” or “Forgive my sin,” or “Heal my sick,” or “Turn to me in repentance,” or “Give me provision.” This is major shirk, and the one who does it will remain forever in the Fire. The same applies to vows—someone vows to al-Badawi or al-Husayn and the like. Also, making tawaf around graves is one of the types of major shirk. Allah said: “Say: Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are for Allah, Lord of the worlds” (al-An‘am: 162).
The Second Nullifier: Making Intermediaries Between Oneself and Allah
The author said: “The second: Whoever sets up between himself and Allah intermediaries, calling upon them.” This is the second of the things that break Islam which the author mentioned.
In this nullifier, the author mentioned both outward shirk and inward shirk—and both are major shirk.
The outward shirk is what he mentioned in his words: “he calls upon them and asks them for intercession.” This is the shirk of the earlier polytheists, who used to go to al-Lāt and al-‘Uzzā and say: “O Lāt, ask your Lord to help us.” Similar to someone who says—may Allah protect us—“O Messenger of Allah, ask your Lord to help us,” meaning he asks the dead, or says: “O Messenger of Allah, ask your Lord to marry off my daughter.” So whoever sets up intermediaries between himself and Allah and calls upon them besides Allah has disbelieved.
Then he mentioned another kind, which is hidden shirk, when he said: “and he puts his trust in them.” That is in the heart. Tawakkul (reliance) is an act of the heart, and it is only for Allah. Whoever directs it to other than Allah has disbelieved.
Both forms are equal in their ruling: the deeds are nullified and the person is eternally in the Fire—may Allah protect us.
That is why the author combined the two: outward shirk and the shirk of the heart. That means acts of the heart must be directed only to Allah. If someone directs anything of the acts of the heart or outward limbs to other than Allah, that is shirk. Shirk does not only happen with the tongue or with bodily actions—it happens in the heart too, and many people are unaware of this.
The author said: “he calls upon them.” Meaning, he calls upon someone besides Allah and forgets his Lord. So if someone says: “O Messenger of Allah, grant me provision,” that goes back to the first nullifier.
But if he says: “O Messenger of Allah, ask your Lord to grant me provision”—while the Prophet is dead—then that goes back to the second nullifier. And the same if someone says: “O Badawi, ask your Lord to marry off my daughter.” He has placed an intermediary between himself and Allah. But what is required is to say: “O Lord, marry off my daughter.” So if he says to the dead, “O Badawi,” making him the go-between, that is making a created being the intermediary with Allah.
Zakariyya said: “My Lord, grant me from You pure offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication. So the angels called to him while he was standing in prayer in the mihrab: Indeed, Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya” (Al Imran: 38–39). So it is obligatory to turn directly to Allah.
Ibrahim said: “My Lord, make this a secure land” (Al-Baqara: 126), and he also said: “My Lord, make this city secure” (Ibrahim: 35). He never made any intermediary between himself and Allah in supplication.
So if someone makes intermediaries between himself and Allah in supplication, that is major shirk. That is why he said: “Whoever sets up between himself and Allah intermediaries.”
If someone asks: why did the author mention the worship of supplication like here, “he calls upon them” but did not mention sacrificing or vowing to them?
We say, just as Ibn al-Qayyim said: most of the shirk of the world is in the worship of supplication. People go to the dead and say: “O so-and-so,” or they go to an idol and say: “O such-and-such.” Most of the world’s shirk is in the worship of supplication.
The worship of sacrifice and vows is not as common as supplication. Supplication is more common.
So when he said: “he calls upon them,” the intended meaning is: he makes them intermediaries with Allah. The proof is the beginning of the nullifier: “Whoever sets up between himself and Allah intermediaries,” meaning they act as go-betweens. Like someone saying: “O Messenger of Allah, ask your Lord to grant me wealth.” He makes the Messenger a link between him and Allah this is major shirk.
He mentioned three things and then detailed one of them, which connects to the first and also to the third if it involves the heart. These are supplication, asking for intercession, and reliance. Supplication and reliance are general, and asking for intercession falls under supplication.
If he asks them for intercession and relies upon them he has disbelieved by consensus.
If someone asks: why was intercession mentioned separately?
We say: because of how many people seek it. Like someone saying: “O Messenger of Allah, intercede for me,” or “O Messenger of Allah, be my intercessor” this is kufr. Asking the Prophet ﷺ or anyone else who is dead for intercession is disbelief.
He said: “he asks them for intercession”—like saying: “O Messenger of Allah, intercede for me on the Day of Judgement.” This is major shirk. Or saying: “O Badawī, make me be with you in Paradise” that is major shirk and goes back to the first nullifier.
If he says: “O Messenger of Allah” and he is speaking to him while he is dead “ask your Lord to let you intercede for me on the Day of Judgement,” this is major shirk. He made him a go-between. This is the second nullifier.
What is allowed is to say: “O Lord, let the Prophet ﷺ intercede for me on the Day of Judgement.” You are asking only Allah. That is a permissible supplication. Like saying: “O Allah, gather me with my father in Paradise if he is among its people,” or “O Allah, gather me with the Companions in Paradise.”
As for saying: “he relies upon them” reliance is an act of the heart and is only for Allah. An example: someone gets sick, and when told to get treated, he says: “No, I rely on al-Ḥusayn to heal me.” As soon as he believes that in his heart even if he doesn’t say it with his tongue that is major shirk, may Allah protect us.
The same applies to fear. If someone says to another: “Don’t go make supplication to the person in the grave,” and he replies: “If I don’t, I’m afraid he will harm me with illness or my children’s death,” this fear is in the heart. That is major shirk. Because fear like this is only for Allah.
The same goes for hope and longing and fearfulness. These are also major shirk of the heart. Like someone who is told: “Seek provision,” and he says: “No, I hope al-Ḥusayn will give me provision.” He says: “I hoped in my heart he would give me provision.” That—may Allah protect us—is major shirk of the heart.
Then he said: “he has disbelieved by consensus.” Here he quoted the consensus because many people object to this and say it is not shirk. So the author said: “He has disbelieved by consensus,” meaning according to all four imams, this is major shirk.
The author did not mention consensus in the first nullifier, because if the second making an intermediary is kufr by consensus, then the first which is directly calling upon other than Allah is even more clearly disbelief by consensus. So if someone says: “O moon, bring out the sun,” or “O sun, stop the earthquakes,” he is asking something from other than Allah that only Allah can do. That is major shirk, and there is no disagreement about it.
The scholars mention this nullifier in the chapter of apostasy in the books of fiqh. If you open the books of the Hanafis under “The Apostate,” they say: this is major shirk. And the same is found with the Mālikis, the Shāfi‘is, and the Ḥanbalis.
This nullifier occurs often, but even more common in our time is the first nullifier may Allah protect us.
The Third Nullifier: Not Declaring Polytheists to Be Disbelievers
The author said: “The third: Whoever does not declare the polytheists to be disbelievers.” This is one of the nullifiers that occurs often among people. And takfīr, as mentioned earlier, is of two types.
The coming of the Prophet ﷺ abrogated all previous religions. This religion now dominates over all others. Allah said: “And as a criterion over it” (al-Ma’ida: 48),
meaning that this religion and the Qur’an dominate over all previous religions and books. With the coming of the Prophet ﷺ, every religion besides Islam is false. Allah said: “Indeed, the religion with Allah is Islam” (Al Imran: 19), and: “Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers” (Al Imran: 85).
And in Saḥiḥ Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ said: “By the One in whose hand is my soul, no Jew or Christian hears of me and then does not believe in what I have been sent with except that he will be among the people of the Fire.”
So when the Prophet ﷺ was sent, all previous religions became invalid. Anyone who does not follow the religion of the Prophet ﷺ has a false religion and is considered a polytheist.
The earlier religions fall into the two types the author mentioned:
First: Judging their people. One must say: every Christian is a disbeliever, every Jew is a disbeliever, every Buddhist is a disbeliever generally and specifically.
Second: Judging the religion itself as true or false. One must believe that every religion other than Islam is false. Allah said: “Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him,” and “Indeed, the religion with Allah is Islam.”
That is why the author mentioned both: declaring as disbelievers those who do not follow the religion of the Prophet, and believing that any other religion is false.
He said: “or doubts their disbelief” meaning, he doubts it at the root. That includes all people who do not follow Islam they are disbelievers without doubt.
The phrase “Whoever does not declare the polytheists to be disbelievers, or doubts their disbelief” is one matter. The author only added “or doubts” to reinforce the point one must declare them disbelievers with no hesitation.
He then said: “or thinks their religion is correct” this is judging the religion itself. Even if someone affirms one of these and denies the other, he still disbelieves. If someone says: “The polytheists are disbelievers, but their religion is true,” he disbelieves. And if someone says: “Their religion is false, but they are Muslims,” he also disbelieves.
Examples include saying: “The Christian religion is true,” or “They are right and we are right,” or “Whoever follows Christianity is correct and enters Paradise, and whoever follows Muhammad ﷺ is also right and enters Paradise.” We say: No. That is kufr—may Allah protect us. Allah said: “They said: None will enter Paradise except Jews or Christians. These are their hopes” (al-Baqara: 111),
and: “They said: Be Jews or Christians and you will be guided. Say: No, the religion of Ibrāhīm, upright” (Al-Baqara: 135).
Whoever does not believe in the religion of the Prophet ﷺ is a polytheist.
So it is not allowed at all in fact it is one of the things that break Islam for someone to say: “You have your religion and I have mine,” meaning: they follow their religion and go to churches, and we follow ours and go to the masjid. We say: No. Allah said: “O you who believe, enter into Islam completely” (al-Baqara: 208), and: “We did not send you except as a bringer of good news and a warner to all people” (Saba’: 28), and: “Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His servant so that he may be a warner to the worlds” (al-Furqān: 1) all people, Arabs and non-Arabs, all religions. And Allah said: “Fight all the polytheists” (al-Tawba: 36). So all religions are false except Islam. No one may say: “The Christians are upon the truth and we are also upon the truth. They follow their prophet and we follow ours.”
Rather, what must be said is that all religions have been abrogated by the religion of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. That is why he said: “He has disbelieved by consensus.” This is by consensus, and it is what the texts of the Qur’an and the Sunnah have come with.
It is necessary to uphold both matters: the judgement upon individuals and the judgement upon the religion. For example, one must say: the religion of Buddhism is false, and whoever believes in the religion of Buddhism is a disbeliever.
So when he said: “Whoever does not declare the polytheists to be disbelievers,” it means: whoever does not say that the polytheists are disbelievers—this is one of the nullifiers of Islam.
Why? Because he has opposed the Qur’an. There are many verses in the Qur’an declaring disbelievers those who do not follow this religion, like the saying of Allah: “Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him” (Al ʿImran: 85), and His saying: “Indeed, the religion with Allah is Islam” (Al ʿImran: 19). So whoever does not declare them disbelievers has opposed the Qur’an. And like His saying: “Indeed, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them a blazing Fire” (Al-Ahzab: 64).
So it becomes clear from all this that among the things that break Islam is not believing in the disbelief of the polytheists, and also affirming the correctness of the religion of the polytheists. It is obligatory to believe that whoever does not follow the religion of the Prophet ﷺ is a disbeliever, and that all religions other than the religion of Muhammad ﷺ are false. Allah said: “Whoever disbelieves in the taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the firmest handhold” (Al-Baqara: 256).
The Fourth Nullifier: Believing That Guidance Other Than the Prophet’s Is More Complete
The author said: “The fourth: Whoever believes that guidance other than the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ is more complete than his guidance.” This is the fourth of the nullifiers of Islam mentioned by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. This nullifier revolves around believing that any law other than the law of the Prophet ﷺ is better than his law. The author, may Allah have mercy on him, explained this nullifier and made it two matters:
The first matter is regarding the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ. That is, to believe that the religion of someone other than Muhammad ﷺ is more complete than his religion. Whoever believes this has disbelieved. For example, someone believes that the religion of the Christians is more complete than the religion of the Muslims. This is disbelief.
The second matter is related to judgement and ruling. Like someone who says: “Judging by Jewish law is more just and better than the laws of the Muslims.” What is meant here is the foundational system, not individuals. For example, someone says: “The legal systems of the Jews, Christians, or Buddhists are fairer than the legal system of the Muslims.” We say: No.
Allah says: “Is not Allah the best of judges?” (al-Tin: 8),
and: “Who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who are certain?” (al-Ma’ida: 50).
Whoever believes that there is a law fairer than the law of Islam has disbelieved may Allah protect us.
The second matter falls under the first, but because of its importance and the great danger of believing such a thing, and because not acting upon it leads to injustice and chaos in societies, the author gave it a separate mention when he said: “or that the ruling of other than him is better than his ruling.”
He said: “Whoever believes,” meaning: even if someone performs acts of worship, like prayer and zakat, according to the law of Allah, but he believes that the prayer of non-Muslims is better or more complete than ours, then this may Allah protect us is one of the nullifiers of Islam. The author said: “he is a disbeliever.”
That means: mere belief, even if the action outwardly agrees with the law of the Prophet or agrees with the truth, still takes the person out of the religion if the belief is corrupt. That shows the danger of this matter.
An example is someone who believes that the Christian rulings on women, or something like that, are better than the rulings of Sharia. Even if he orders his own women to wear hijab and stay home, this belief alone is disbelief—may Allah protect us. So if someone believes that the guidance of anyone other than the Prophet ﷺ is more complete than his guidance, this is disbelief. Allah says: “Today I have completed for you your religion and perfected My favour upon you” (al-Ma’ida: 3).
Here He mentioned the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ, and without doubt that includes the Qur’an. Allah said: “He does not speak from desire. It is only revelation revealed” (Al-Najm: 3–4), and: “Today I have completed for you your religion…”
So the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ that he came with is complete—it has no deficiency or imbalance, and it is free from exaggeration.
Rather, it is justice, truth, precision, and perfection. Allah said: “Say: Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the guidance” (Al ʿImran: 73),
and: “Say: The guidance of Allah is the true guidance” (Al-Baqara: 120),
and: “This is guidance” (Al-Jathiya: 11).
So whoever believes that any guidance other than the Prophet’s ﷺ is guidance, or that it is better than his law or his guidance, has disbelieved.
And in the authentic hadith, the Prophet ﷺ used to say: “The best speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad.” The meaning of this hadith is that every guidance other than the Prophet’s ﷺ is evil. There is nothing better, superior, more complete, more beautiful, or more beneficial than the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ in all aspects of law. Allah said: “Say: Obey Allah and obey the Messenger.
But if you turn away, then upon him is what he is burdened with, and upon you is what you are burdened with. If you obey him, you will be guided. And upon the Messenger is only the clear delivery” (Al-Nur: 54).
So by obeying him, one finds guidance. That is why he said: “Whoever believes that guidance other than the Prophet’s is more complete than his” meaning his law, whether in general matters like belief, or in specific matters, like someone saying that dealing with interest is better for social dealings this is without doubt false. Whoever believes that has disbelieved. Whoever says that other than the Prophet’s guidance is more complete, better, more perfect, or more beneficial has disbelieved.
He said: “or that the ruling of other than him is better than his ruling.” This is the second half of the nullifier. The first part is about guidance and law in general. The reason for separating the two:
First: because of its importance.
Second: because guidance relates to matters between the servant and his Lord, such as religious rulings. The second part relates to matters between people in courts and rulings between them. That is why he said: “or that the ruling of other than him is better than his ruling.”
The author used the word “better” following what came in the Qur’an. Allah said: “Who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who are certain?” (al-Ma’ida: 50).
So whoever believes that any ruling is better than the ruling of the Prophet ﷺ like in the case of theft, if someone believes that cutting off the hand is not appropriate, and that fining, imprisoning, or flogging is better he has disbelieved. Even if he himself cuts off the hand of the thief, the mere belief is disbelief.
Because Allah says: “But no, by your Lord, they do not believe until they make you the judge in what they dispute among themselves” (al-Nisa’: 65).
Then He added: “And then find no discomfort in their hearts about what you have judged and submit completely.” So they must not object, and their hearts must be content and accepting of that ruling.
Whoever believes that there is injustice, difficulty, or hardship in Allah’s ruling has disbelieved. That is why he said: “or that the ruling of other than him is better than his ruling.” Likewise, if someone believes that the punishment for murder should not be execution but instead imprisonment or a fine this is kufr.
Allah said: “Whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed they are the disbelievers” (Al-Ma’ida: 44),
and: “They are the wrongdoers” (Al-Mā’ida: 45),
and: “They are the defiantly disobedient” (Al-Ma’ida: 47).
Then the author gave an example of this second part: “like those who prefer the ruling of the tāghūt over his ruling.” The tāghūt here means those who rule by other than what Allah revealed those who prefer other laws over Allah’s law.
For example, they might say: “Adultery should not be punished by stoning in the case of a married person, nor by flogging and exile in the case of an unmarried free person.” Or they say: “If a man and woman commit the act with consent, there should be no punishment this is a personal freedom.”
We say: This may Allah protect us is one of the nullifiers of Islam. We must believe that the correct and just ruling is the carrying out of the hadd (prescribed punishment) which Allah mentioned in His Book and which the Sunnah brought.
The Fifth Nullifier: Hating Anything from What the Messenger Brought
The author said: “The fifth: Whoever hates anything from what the Messenger brought…” This is the fifth of the nullifiers of Islam mentioned by the shaykh. What is required of the Muslim is to be happy with the legislation of Allah and what He legislated in terms of rulings and judgements.
Allah said: “Say: In the bounty of Allah and His mercy let them rejoice in that” (Yunus: 58).
A Muslim must be pleased, accepting, loving, and joyful with what Allah has legislated. Allah said: “Those firmly grounded in knowledge say: We believe in it; all of it is from our Lord” (Āl Imran: 7),
and: “The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and so have the believers” (al-Baqara: 285),
and: “The only statement of the believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is to say: We hear and we obey” (al-Nur: 51).
So what is required of the Muslim is acceptance, surrender, happiness, following, holding firmly to the religion, and acting upon the rulings of the Sharia.
Among the greatest traits of the Prophet ﷺ is that Allah praised him for his great character not only with people, but most importantly in his dedication to acting upon Allah’s commands. Allah said: “Indeed, you are upon great character” (al-Qalam: 4).
Shaykh al-Islam said: he would stand for worship with a happy and open heart, rejoicing in it. When the prayer was called, the Prophet ﷺ would rejoice. Whenever he was called to any act of worship, he would be pleased because Allah had commanded him to do it.
If you had two servants and you gave both of them a command, but one of them was joyful and pleased with your orders while the other obeyed but with displeasure and annoyance, which one is closer to you? Without doubt, it is the one who is happy with your commands. That is why the Prophet ﷺ would rejoice in the commands of Allah.
Allah also praised Ibrahim for fulfilling all that He commanded. Allah said: “And Ibrahim, the one who fulfilled” (Al-Najm: 37), meaning he fulfilled everything he was commanded.
That is why if someone contradicts this by hating what the Sharia commands, he may Allah protect us disbelieves, whether he does the action or not. If he performs the action while hating it, he disbelieves.
There is a difference between hatred and laziness in fulfilling a command. Laziness or heaviness in performance does not take someone out of the religion.
What is meant here is hatred in the heart as a belief, not physical laziness. For example, someone who delays the prayer out of sleepiness is not included in this nullifier.
What is meant is hatred of the law itself. For example, if someone says: “Why do we pray? That’s a mistake,” even if he does pray, this is disbelief may Allah protect us.
Or someone says: “Why is stealing forbidden? And why is the punishment for it what it is?” this is disbelief may Allah protect us.
Also, if someone is told to give zakat and he gives it with reluctance, that does not take him out of the religion. But if he gives it while hating that part of the religion, wishing it did not exist, then he disbelieves.
Allah described the hypocrites as lazy: “And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily” (al-Nisa: 142).
And He said: “They do not spend except while hating it” (al-Tawba: 54).
Their laziness did not take them out of the religion, but it was one of their traits. Their laziness led them to not act when not seen by people. But then He said: “They do not spend except while hating it,” meaning: they hate that part of the religion this is kufr.
Likewise, if someone prays while hating the prayer and wishes it had not been legislated, this is disbelief. If a woman hates the hijab and wishes it had never been commanded, this is disbelief whether she wears it or not. Hating any part of the religion, no matter how small may Allah protect us is one of the nullifiers of Islam. Islam means surrender, to submit to the commands of Allah. Whatever Allah commands, the Muslim must accept it fully and obey willingly.
That is why Ibrahim was described as “upright and submissive” (Al Imran: 67), meaning: walking the straight path, submissive, obedient, yielding to all that Allah commands. He does not hate anything that Allah has commanded and legislated.
That is why Muhammad Ibn Abdul Whhab said: “Whoever hates anything” and the word “anything” is indefinite, meaning whether small or large, even if it is something simple like using the siwak, or something major.
The Sixth Nullifier: Mocking Anything from the Religion of Allah
The author said: “The sixth…” The religion is the religion of Allah. Allah is powerful, and by His power He preserved this religion and commanded fighting to protect it. Allah said: “Fight them until there is no more fitna and the religion is entirely for Allah” (al-Anfal: 39). The Prophet ﷺ said: “No one competes with this religion except that it overcomes him.” So whoever attacks or mocks this religion will be overcome and humiliated. Allah said: “Indeed, those who oppose Allah and His Messenger are among the lowest” (al-Mujadila: 20), and: “Allah has decreed: I will surely overcome, I and My messengers” (al-Mujadila: 21).
The religion is firm, high, and strong. Whoever opposes it is ruined. That ruin includes being removed from Islam if he was a Muslim and eternity in the Fire. So among the nullifiers of Islam is insulting or mocking this religion.
The nullifiers of Islam are of three kinds: belief-based, speech-based, and action-based. This one is speech-based. Even if someone believes in his heart that Islam is true, honourable, and great, if he mocks it to make others laugh or for some other reason, this is disbelief.
So the author mentioned here a verbal nullifier mockery. He said: “Whoever mocks anything…” Mockery means ridicule, no matter the intention. Whether he seeks a position, money, or approval from others by mocking the religion, or he wants to make people laugh, or to show off, or to impress others, or whatever the reason if he mocks the Sharia, the rulings, the rewards of the believers, or the punishments promised to the disbelievers this is disbelief, may Allah protect us. Even if the person is joking.
Allah said: “Say: Was it Allah, His verses, and His Messenger you were mocking? Do not make excuses you have disbelieved after your belief” (al-Tawba: 65–66).
That is why he said: “Whoever mocks anything from the religion of the Messenger.” The author used the phrase “from the religion of Allah” to exclude mocking false religions. So if someone mocks the distorted Christian prayers, or the prayers of the Jews, or their reading of the Torah or Gospel this is not disbelief, because those books are distorted and changed. Likewise, mocking Buddhism or Zoroastrianism is not disbelief. What is disbelief is mocking the religion of Muhammad ﷺ, because it is protected, not abrogated, not distorted, and not altered.
Allah guaranteed to preserve it: “Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and We will surely preserve it” (al-Hijr: 9),
and: “Today I have completed your religion for you and perfected My favour upon you and am pleased with Islam as your religion” (al-Ma’ida: 3).
So among what Allah is pleased with is that we hold firmly to Islam and that He preserved it for us.
He said: “or its reward or its punishment.” Even though reward and punishment are part of the religion, he mentioned them separately to be more specific. Everything that mocks the Sharia of the Prophet ﷺ is a mockery of the religion of the Prophet.
Whether it is reward or punishment or showing the symbols of Islam, or mocking Muslims for following their religion all of it falls under the same ruling.
He said: “or its reward” meaning: the reward Allah has promised. For example, someone says: “I protect myself to earn the reward of Paradise and the houris.” If someone mocks that, he has mocked the religion this is kufr, may Allah protect us.
Or someone says: “I give charity to seek Allah’s face and His reward, like the protection and growth of my wealth.” If another person mocks that by saying: “Who told you Allah will protect your wealth?” we say: the hadith says He will. And Allah said: “Take from their wealth a charity that will purify them and cleanse them” (al-Tawba: 103),
and: “Whatever you spend, He will replace it” (Saba’: 39),
and: “Who will give Allah a good loan so that He will multiply it for him?” (al-Baqara: 245).
All of this is part of Allah’s reward.
Or someone says: “I want to be killed in the path of Allah so that I may enter Paradise,” and someone mocks him this is disbelief. Or a Muslim says: “I worship Allah in my youth so I can earn His shade under the Throne,” and someone mocks that this is part of the reward of Allah. So mocking anything from the reward of Allah whether in this world or the next is disbelief.
Then he said: “He has disbelieved.” Meaning: whoever mocks anything mentioned above has disbelieved and this is by consensus. The texts are clear.
The author mentioned the proof: “Say: Was it Allah, His verses, and His Messenger you were mocking?” that refers to those who mocked the Companions during the expedition of Tabuk, when they said: “We have not seen anyone like our reciters”—meaning the Companions “more lying in speech, more cowardly in battle, or more gluttonous.” They were mocking the Companions. Even though they didn’t explicitly say they were mocking the religion, their intention was evil.
The Qur’an ruled on their mockery and declared their disbelief after they had believed. They exited Islam with those words even though they said it jokingly. They came to the Prophet trying to excuse themselves, saying: “We were just passing the time on the road,” and the Prophet ﷺ would not look at them or respond except with the verse: “Say: Was it Allah, His verses, and His Messenger you were mocking? Do not make excuses you have disbelieved after your belief.”
So even if someone jokes, whether by speech or action like drawing something that mocks the religion, prayer, hijab, or the adhan this is apostasy from Islam. The person must repent sincerely to Allah.
Allah said: “If you ask them, they will surely say: We were only conversing and playing.” He said: “Say: Was it Allah, His verses, and His Messenger you were mocking?” This shows the strength of the religion: even joking mockery is disbelief. So how strong and noble is the religion, and how honoured are those who hold firmly to it! Allah said: “Whoever seeks honour then all honour belongs to Allah” (Fatir: 10),
and: “To Allah belongs the honour, and to His Messenger, and to the believers” (al-Munafiqun: 8).
He said: “Do not make excuses you have disbelieved after your belief.”
So if someone asks: What is the evidence that this is apostasy? We say: Allah informed us of their disbelief after belief. They left the religion after they had been believers.
Therefore, a person should only speak of the religion with praise, love, and honour, and should call to it and warn against those who insult it. He should never let his tongue mock the religion in any way. The religion is strong, firm, and great.
The Seventh Nullifier: Sihr (Sorcery) – Including Turning and Binding
The author said: “The seventh…” This is the seventh nullifier of Islam, and there is consensus on the disbelief of the one who does it. He said: “Sihr (sorcery).”
Sihr, in its original sense, is based on hidden acts. The sorcerer whispers or uses herbs, smoke, and so on to achieve what he wants. Every sorcerer is a polytheist. In the Sunan of al-Nasa’i, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever performs sihr has committed shirk.” This is a clear proof that the sorcerer may Allah protect us cannot carry out his sihr except through shirk with Allah: seeking help from jinn, calling upon the dead, slaughtering to them, or committing acts of disbelief such as dishonouring the Qur’an, mocking the masjids, and other vile things.
He said: “Sihr,” and it is both shirk and disbelief. Shirk because the sorcerer only reaches his goal through shirk. Disbelief because Allah said: “They do not teach anyone until they say, ‘We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve’” (al-Baqara: 102). So it includes denial, calling upon others besides Allah, and usually involves seeking help from the devils. Allah said, reporting the people of Hell: “Our Lord, some of us made use of others, and we have reached the term You appointed for us.” Allah replied: “The Fire is your dwelling” (al-An’am: 128).
Sihr has many harmful effects. Why is sihr done? It may be to make the victim sick, to cause him to hate his house or job, to kill him, or to drive him mad.
Sihr includes the two types mentioned by the shaykh: turning and binding. These are its main forms. The author mentioned them because they are most common. Other types like causing illness are extensions of these two. For example, illness may be caused by turning someone away from their usual affairs. Or wealth may be scattered, or anger and recklessness may occur, or sihr may lead someone to alcohol and other evil, or it may even lead to death depending on what the devil commands the sorcerer to do.
He said: “and from it: ṣarf and ʿaṭf” meaning two types:
The first type is ṣarf (turning away): causing hatred or aversion to what the person naturally likes. For example, a man is made to hate his wife, or someone is made to hate his job or house. This is done through sihr to turn him away from that thing. The proof is Allah’s saying: “They learn from them what they use to separate a man from his wife” (al-Baqara: 102). This is turning, separating, hatred, and distancing.
The second type is ʿaṭf (binding or attraction): causing love or affection for something the person would not normally love. For example, sihr is done to make a person love a car or a house, or for a woman to love a certain man, or to make a man love a woman. This is the foundation of sihr.
So sihr is done for two basic reasons: either to turn someone away (hatred) or to make him love something. The Quran mentioned both: “They learn from them what they use to separate a man from his wife” (al-Baqara: 102). And the verse implies the opposite: that they also learn how to cause love.
The verse focuses on the separation between a man and his wife because that is the most common type of sihr. It causes harm to both spouses, to their children, and to society leading to deviation of the husband or wife. It is among the most evil and disgusting kinds of sihr. Sorcerers carry out these actions as dictated by their devils through food, drink, knots, and so on.
Sihr has become widespread in recent times due to weak belief, being far from Allah, and lacking certainty in Allah’s decree and contentment with what is written in the Preserved Tablet. Some people do it out of envy and a desire to harm others. If people truly knew that sihr is an act of apostasy, many would stop.
There are two people who commit disbelief when sihr is done:
- The sorcerer himself as in the hadith: “Whoever performs sihr has committed shirk.”
- The one who requests sihr based on Allah’s saying: “They do not teach anyone until they say, ‘We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve’” (al-Baqara: 102). Meaning: do not ask us to do sihr, because if you do, you disbelieve.
The author referred to both when he said: “Whoever does it” meaning the sorcerer “or is pleased with it” meaning the one who requests it or accepts it. Both the sorcerer and the one who seeks sihr are disbelievers.
Allah has informed us that both are in misguidance and that they will not succeed, even if some harm appears to happen. Allah said: “The sorcerer will never succeed wherever he is” (Taha: 69). Success is denied for the sorcerer and the one who seeks sihr. Allah also promised that whoever plots against a servant of His, the harm will return upon him.
Allah said: “Evil plotting surrounds only its people” (Fatir: 43),
and: “They plotted, and We plotted” (al-Naml: 50),
and: “Say: Allah is swifter in planning” (Yunus: 21),
and: “They plan, and Allah plans and Allah is the best of planners” (al-Anfal: 30).
So anyone who does sihr to separate others will find that it returns upon him. A woman who does sihr to separate a couple may find herself separated from her own husband or daughter.
Allah said: “They do not teach anyone until they say, ‘We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve’” (al-Baqara: 102).
Sihr is extremely dangerous both in belief and in practice. It is apostasy, and it also violates the sanctity of Muslims.
Allah said: “Indeed, those who persecute believing men and believing women, then do not repent for them is the punishment of Hell and the punishment of the Burning Fire” (al-Buruj: 10),
and: “Indeed, the assault of your Lord is severe” (al-Buruj: 12).
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Every Muslim is sacred to every other Muslim his blood, his wealth, and his honour.” So a Muslim’s honour is protected by Allah and has a high status. It is not allowed to violate it not by hitting, backbiting, lying, or sihr.
The Muslim is honoured because Allah honoured him. And whoever harms a Muslim, Allah will take revenge for him, as in the divine hadith: “Whoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I have declared war on him.”
That is why the author said: “The seventh: sihr.” It is one of the nullifiers of Islam. Al-Qurtubi mentioned that most sihr is found among women due to weak faith, short-sightedness about consequences, and little fear of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said: “I looked into Hell and saw that most of its inhabitants were women” because of sins such as ingratitude to their husbands and others.
He said: “The proof is the saying of Allah: ‘They do not teach anyone until they say: We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve’” (al-Baqara: 102).
Meaning: the two angels were sent as a trial, and they warned people not to learn sihr from them. “We are only a trial” a test for people. “So do not disbelieve” asking us to teach you sihr is disbelief.
Ibn Kathir said: This verse is taken in its outward meaning. No authentic hadith explains it, and the stories related to it are mostly from Isra’iliyyat. The important thing is: the seventh nullifier of Islam is sihr. It is extremely dangerous for individuals and society and brings down the punishment of Allah on those who commit it.
The Eighth Nullifier: Supporting the Polytheists and Helping Them Against the Muslims
The author said: “The eighth: supporting the polytheists” meaning: the person acts as support for them and strengthens them against the Muslims, whether as a spy or by giving them assistance.
“And helping them against the Muslims”—whether through information, weapons, or food, helping them to kill Muslims.
Shaykh al-Islam and others mentioned that whoever helps the Tatars against the Muslims is from the people of apostasy and hypocrisy. So this nullifier includes “supporting the polytheists and helping them against the Muslims.” This is called tawalli (alliance).
There are two categories:
- Tawalli (alliance): this is disbelief. As Allah said in the verse the author quoted: “Whoever allies with them among you, then he is one of them” (al-Ma’ida: 51). Whoever allies with them in matters of religion against the Muslims is one of them meaning: a disbeliever like them. “Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people” those who assist the polytheists against the Muslims.
- Muwalat (loyalty or affection): this is loving the disbelievers for worldly reasons, like admiring their business dealings or liking a disbeliever for his car or house or his smile or administrative skill. Loving the disbeliever for these reasons is fisq (sin), not disbelief. If he loves the quality itself like order or excellence in work that is fine. The problem is if he loves the disbeliever for those traits. That is fisq. But it is feared that if he continues, he may start loving them for their religion and that is tawalli and disbelief.
Allah said: “Allah does not forbid you from being kind and just to those who did not fight you because of religion or expel you from your homes” (al-Mumtahina: 8). So excessive affection for worldly reasons is fisq, like what Hatib ibn Abi Baltaʿa did it was not kufr, but a sinful act.
But if you help that disbeliever to kill Muslims or to cause harm to them, that is tawalli and disbelief. A Muslim must help other Muslims in hardship and ease.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The believer to the believer is like a building, each part strengthening the other.” Allah said: “Indeed, the believers are but brothers” (al-Hujurat: 10).
So if hardship comes upon the Muslims, you must stand with them and support them. “And cooperate in righteousness and piety” (al-Ma’ida: 2).
Do not help the disbelievers against the Muslims. If you do, you are one of them in disbelief may Allah protect us.
Saying that their religion is correct, like: “The Christian has his religion and I have mine” this is, may Allah protect us, disbelief. This was already covered in the third nullifier: “Whoever does not declare the polytheists to be disbelievers, or doubts their disbelief, or believes their religion is valid, has disbelieved by consensus.” Meaning: he says their religion is correct and so is mine. We say: no, their religion is false. Allah said: “Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him” (Al ʿImran: 85).
The Ninth: Believing That Some People Are Exempt from Following the Prophet’s Sharia
The religion of Islam is for all of creation. Every person who is accountable is required to follow this religion—whether male or female, devout or sinful, noble or common, young or old, as long as the person has sound mind, the conditions apply to them, and there are no valid barriers.
Allah said: “O you who believe, enter into Islam completely” (al-Baqara: 208), meaning: enter into the religion fully. Everyone is responsible to follow it.
Allah said: “Say: O people, I am the Messenger of Allah to all of you” (al-A‘raf: 158). And He said: “We have not sent you except to all people” (Saba’: 28).
No one is excluded from Allah’s commands. From Allah’s mercy is that people can worship Him throughout their lives, even until death. No person is excused from performing the duties of worship because of some imagined rank in worship. Everyone is commanded to worship until death, no matter how righteous or sinful they are.
Allah said: “And worship your Lord until certainty (death) comes to you” (al-Hijr: 99).
No one is exempt from the rulings of Islam. For example, zina is forbidden for everyone. Riba is forbidden for everyone. As for the required duties like prayer, they are obligatory upon everyone. No one is excused from these obligations.
So if someone believes that a certain person because of reaching some status in religion or this world is exempt from the duties of Islam, then that belief is disbelief. For example, if someone says: “I do not need to pray because I have reached a high level in the religion,” then this is one of the nullifiers of Islam.
Likewise, some people claim that someone who reaches a high status in Sufism is exempt from prayer, thinking that he has attained some lofty position before Allah. Some religions also believe that when a person reaches a certain rank, they are no longer bound by laws—like the ‘Alawis, the Baha’is, and others.
So the author said: “The ninth: whoever believes that some people” whether because of spiritual rank or worldly rank, through Sufism or something else—“are exempt from the obligations,” or that this so-called saint can commit whatever sins he wants, with women and so on. Whoever believes that someone does not have to follow the Prophet’s Sharia, or that he is allowed to disobey it because of some special status, is a disbeliever.
The author then gave an example from past Prophets to explain what this means—like the difference between the commands given to one Prophet and another. Whoever believes that it is permissible to leave the Sharia of Muhammad just as it was permitted for al-Khidr not to follow the Sharia of Musa is a disbeliever.
Al-Khidr, as Ibn Kathir and others said, was a Prophet. Allah said in the Quran: “I did not do it on my own accord” (al-Kahf: 82), meaning he acted by revelation.
Allah also said: “We taught him knowledge from Our own presence” (al-Kahf: 65),
and: “We gave him mercy from Us” (Hud: 28), which shows that he had revelation. So how did al-Khidr differ from Musa?
Both were Prophets at the same time, but each had his own Sharia. Allah said: “We did not send a Messenger except in the language of his people so he may make it clear to them” (Ibrahim: 4).
Similarly, Ibrahim and Lut were Prophets at the same time but each had his own rulings.
When Musa went to learn from al-Khidr, al-Khidr acted contrary to Musa’s rulings. Al-Khidr told him: “Do not ask me about anything until I explain it to you” (al-Kahf: 70). Al-Khidr did not follow Musa, and his opposition was not sinful because he had his own Sharia. But if someone now believes they can leave the Sharia of Muhammad just as al-Khidr did not follow the Sharia of Musa, they are a disbeliever.
The Prophet said in Sahih al-Bukhari that Musa gave a speech and was asked, “Who is the most knowledgeable of people?” He replied, “I am.” So Allah rebuked him for not referring knowledge back to Him, and told him to go to a man (al-Khidr) who had knowledge Musa didn’t have.
So al-Khidr had his own Sharia. He did things that surprised Musa breaking the ship, killing the boy, and rebuilding the wall without asking for anything in return. All of this was based on revelation to al-Khidr, who had a different Sharia from Musa. But when Muhammad came, his Sharia became the final one for everyone. Allah said: “We have not sent you except to all people, as a giver of good news and a warner” (Saba’: 28).
Whoever believes that someone from this ummah can act against Islam because they are exempt from it, is a disbeliever—because this religion applies to all, male and female. This is the ninth nullifier.
This shuts the door on the claims of Sufis and others. The author is refuting those who say their saints are not obligated by Islamic laws. The same goes for monks and religious leaders among Jews and Christians who claim exemption from duties, or allow themselves to violate people’s honour. They claim to have reached high ranks, but these beliefs are from the nullifiers of Islam.
The Tenth: Turning Away from the Religion of Allah, Not Learning It and Not Acting Upon It
The author said: “The tenth: turning away from the religion of Allah, not learning it and not acting upon it.”
Knowledge in Islam is divided into two categories:
The first is knowledge that is necessary for every Muslim to know.
The second is knowledge that is a communal obligation.
Every person—Muslim or non-Muslim is required to learn the basics of the religion: the essentials of faith, the pillars of Islam, the pillars of Iman, and Ihsan. These must be known by every Muslim. It is recommended to learn the recommended acts too, but the foundations are obligatory. Whoever turns away from these foundational matters disbelieves.
For example, if someone is told: “Come and learn the pillars of Islam and Iman,” and he says, “I don’t want to learn about religion,” then this is—Allah forbid—disbelief.
Even if he says he is Muslim, but he refuses to learn the fundamentals, and we call him to learn and he refuses, then this is one of the nullifiers of Islam.
The author said: “Turning away from the religion of Allah,” meaning: the foundations of religion belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day. If someone is told, “You must believe in the angels,” and he says, “No, don’t talk to me about that,” this is turning away from Allah’s religion and it is disbelief.
As for the communal obligations, if someone neglects them but others in the community fulfil them, then he is not sinful like inheritance law or washing the dead. What the author means is turning away from what is necessarily known to be part of the religion, such as learning how to pray.
Every person, Muslim or non-Muslim, must learn this religion. If someone enters Islam but refuses to learn its teachings, he disbelieves. Likewise, if someone learns the religion but refuses to act on it, that too is a nullifier of Islam.
For example, someone says, “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger,” but he does not pray or follow the basics of the religion. This is from the nullifiers of Islam.
What is the proof? Allah said: “Who is more unjust than the one who is reminded of the signs of his Lord, then turns away from them? Indeed, We will take revenge upon the criminals” (al-Sajda: 22). And He said: “Who is more unjust than the one who is reminded of the signs of his Lord, then turns away from them and forgets what his hands have sent forth? We have placed coverings over their hearts, so they do not understand, and deafness in their ears. If you call them to guidance, they will never be guided” (al-Kahf: 57).
Turning away from learning the religion is disbelief. Likewise, if a person comes into a town and refuses to learn even after being called to it, this turning away is one of the nullifiers of Islam even if they say the shahada.
No Difference Between the One Joking, Serious, or Afraid—Except the One Forced
After mentioning the ten nullifiers, the author mentioned a general rule that applies to all of them and others like them such as denying belief in the Last Day. He said: “There is no difference in all of these nullifiers between someone joking, someone serious, or someone afraid except the one who is forced.”
There are four categories here: the one joking, the one serious, the one afraid, and the one forced. The first three all carry the same ruling, and only the fourth has an exception.
The one joking, meaning someone saying or doing something just to joke even if it’s to gain money, please a ruler, get closer to someone, make people laugh, or be praised if he commits one of these nullifiers while joking, he still disbelieves. It is not a condition that he be serious. Even the one joking Allah forbid disbelieves.
For example, if someone mocks the religion as a joke, he disbelieves. If someone goes to a magician and says, “Do such-and-such for me,” and claims he wasn’t serious, he just wanted to see what would happen that is joking, but it is still disbelief. This religion is strong and great; it is not to be mocked or treated lightly. So anyone who does one of these nullifiers while joking disbelieves.
As for the one serious, then if he believes in what he says or does, or denies the truth arrogantly or stubbornly, he clearly disbelieves. So if the one joking disbelieves, then the serious person, all the more so.
The one afraid is someone who fears some worldly harm may come to him not something that is certain, but something he thinks might happen. For example, he fears someone might be angry with him or harm him. If he is told: “You must mock the religion or else someone may punish you,” and he goes along with it he disbelieves. This is because the harm he fears is not certain. So doing something out of fear of something that might happen does not excuse a person from the ruling of apostasy.
If someone says: “Slaughter this animal at the grave,” fearing that the dead person might harm him if he doesn’t, then he has committed shirk. Fear alone is not an excuse.
The only exception is the one who is forced like someone who knows he will be killed, or have a limb cut off, or lose all his wealth if he refuses to say or do a particular thing. In that case, Islam makes room for him, as long as his heart remains firm in faith.
Allah said: “Whoever disbelieves in Allah after having believed except for the one who is forced, while his heart is firm in faithbut whoever opens his heart to disbelief, upon them is the wrath of Allah, and they will have a great punishment” (al-Nahl: 106). The verse mentions being forced, not merely afraid. So the condition is: he must be forced and his heart must be at rest with faith. But the one who acts willingly and is pleased with what he does, the verse says: “But whoever opens his heart to disbelief, upon them is the wrath of Allah.”
So, the ruling of disbelief applies to the one joking, the one serious, and the one afraid but not to the one forced, if he fulfils the conditions.
These Are Among the Greatest Dangers and the Most Common Occurrences
These nullifiers are extremely dangerous. They are the worst of all dangers, because they are shirk and disbelief. The phrase “among the greatest” here means the very greatest. Their danger is unmatched except by things equal to them in disbelief.
They are also among the most common things to happen. The wording shows how widespread they are not just that they happen sometimes, but that they are the most widespread among people. That’s because most people on earth are polytheists.
Allah said: “But most people do not believe” (Hud: 17),
and: “Most people, even if you are eager, will not believe” (Yusuf: 103),
and: “Indeed, your Lord is full of bounty to mankind, but most of them are ungrateful” (an-Naml: 73).
A Muslim Must Fear These Nullifiers and Guard Himself from Them
The author said: “So a Muslim must be cautious of them and fear them for himself.” The phrase “must” here means an obligation not just recommendation. Sometimes in the Quran, the word “should” means obligation, like in the verse: “It is not befitting for the Most Merciful to take a son” (Maryam: 92) meaning it is false and impossible.
So here, when the author says “a Muslim should be cautious,” it means it is obligatory.
He must beware of falling into these things, and he must fear them for himself. And if he fears for himself, he should also warn others against them.
Then the author said: “We seek refuge in Allah from what brings His anger and from His painful punishment.” Because these nullifiers and others like them bring about Allah’s anger
they are the greatest sins committed on earth. In Sahih al-Bukhari, Ibn Mas‘ud said: “I asked the Prophet: Which sin is greatest in the sight of Allah? He said: That you set up a rival to Allah while He created you.”
He also said: “and from His painful punishment” because those who are punished most severely are the disbelievers. Allah said: “Upon them is a fire closed in” (al-Balad: 20),
and: “And what will make you know what it is? A fire blazing fiercely” (al-Qari‘a: 10–11).
We seek refuge with Allah.
May Allah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad” the best of creation. He is the greatest of all people, and there is consensus on this. Allah said: “Indeed, those who believe and do good deeds, they are the best of creation” (al-Bayyina: 7). And the best of all creation is the Prophet Muhammad.
He then said: “And upon his family and his companions, and may He grant him peace”—meaning: we ask Allah to bless and protect the Prophet’s family and companions, and to give them safety from harm, and honour them.
