General Takfir

When does general Takfir apply?

Is the majority of a population drowning in major Shirk or major Kufr? Or is that land a land of disbelief (Darul Kufr)? Then these are the times when general Takfir applies. A Muslim looks at the reality of a population or group and bases a judgment on it.

Is a country in disbelief? Then he doesn't see its people as Muslims. A person in a country where the majority is in disbelief gets the verdict of the majority. This is also referred to as a generalization.

1. Majority in disbelief and idolatry

As humans, we automatically judge by the majority. Whether it is about race, religion or other matters. We make generalizations when we think the majority is in a certain way. We do this because of our natural predisposition. It is therefore not really avoidable.

In the Islamic sources we find that general Takfir has a place. We see that the pious predecessors (Salaf Saliheen) practiced this. Let's look at an example where Jarir bin Abdul-Hamid (a Salafu Salih) generalized.

The Imam Ya'qoub al-Qomi (180H) was born in Qom, and it is a Rafidhi-majority city.
Jarir bin Abdul-Hamid used to say when he saw Ya'qoub al-Qomi: "This is the believer of the folk of the Fir'awn. Because the majority of the people in the city Qom were Rafidhah." [Tarikh al-Islam 4/767 and Tabaqat al-Muhaditheen bi Asbhan (2/34) #86]

Ya'qoub Al-Qomi lived in the city of Qom, a city in Iran. By the majority of Rafidhi people who lived there, Jarir bin Abdul-Hamid (a friend of his) told him that he is a believer of the people of Fir'awn.

A believer in the time of Fir'awn was very unique. Majority of the people of Fir'awn were disbelievers. Therefore, Jarir bin Abdul-Hamid found that Ya'qoub falls within that specification.

2. Land of Disbelief (Darul Kufr)

A person gets the judgment of the country he lives in. That is automatically determined in Islam. It is then up to the person to distinguish himself from the country by making his views clear.

When an accident happens and a person is involved, he should distinguish himself if he has nothing to do with it. The same is also true in discerning the judgment of the land.

Imam Sahnoun (240H) said: "Imam Sahnun (240H) said: "I asked Ibn Al-Qasim (a companion of Imam Malik): Did Imam Malik dislike it if a man would trade in Darul Harb (a land of war)? He (Ibn Qasim) said: "Yes, Malik used to dislike it alot. He used to dislike this because the person would receive the judgement of Ahl Shirk (the people of shirk) automatically." [Al-Muduwanna 3/294 by Ibn Sahnoun]

So here we see a person getting the judgment of his country. Does a person go to Darul Islam? Then he gets the judgment of the land unless he specifies himself as a Christian or a Jew. Does a person go to Darul Kufr? Then he will receive the judgment of that land, unless he distinguishes himself from it.

Yusuf 'alayhi salam's brothers visited Yusuf in another country without realizing it was him. They judged Yusuf like the people he lived with.

When they saw him they said, "Indeed, Allah rewards charity". They did not say that Allah will reward him (Yusuf) because they did not judge him as a Muslim. That is because they did not know they were dealing with Yusuf 'alayhi salam.

Muqatil bin Sulaiman [150 AH] said: "The tafsir of the verse: 'Indeed, Allah rewards charity', is talking about the believers. If the brothers of Sulayman knew they spoke to Yusuf, they would have said: "Verily, Allah will reward you for your charity." [Tafsir Muqatil bin Sulaiman (2/349)]

How to practise it

A Muslim makes general Takfir by excommunicating a person based on the majority or state of the country. Does he see a person in a country of disbelief, or a country in which the majority of the population commits major Shirk? Then he judges this person based on the reality.

For example, is a country known to have a majority of thieves? Then it is clear that a person then assumes that no one can be trusted until they distinguish themselves. This is the same with the condition of a country where the majority are in disbelief. No one is believed until they distinguish themselves.

Salamah bin Nu'aym reported: "I was a witness with Khalid Ibn Walid on the day of Yamamah. When we were besieging, I hit a man in their mids. When he fell, he said: "O Allah, I swear upon your religion and that of your prophet, that I am free of what Musaylamah is doing." [Juz Yahya bin Muayn (28)]

The Companions besieged the people of Yamamah because of their belief in a false prophet named Musaylima. The people of Yamamah massively believed in the false prophet, but only a few did not. As stated in the report, a man was distinguished himself from Musaylima. That was necessary in order not to be captured.

How one can distinguish oneself

A person can distinguish himself from the country in which he lives. This is done with a unique distinguishing factor. For example, it is not a unique sign to dress Islamicly when you know that people who dress in this way also commit major Shirk.

So what can you use as a sign to see someone as a Muslim? That is his or her creed. Because that immediately distinguishes itself from everything and everyone from the ground up.

Thus, questioning a person in a country of disbelief is necessary in order to judge him as a Muslim. Is that person different from the people? Then this is the distinguishing factor.

Abu Bakr Al Marwadhi heard the Iqamah, so he asked Imam Ahmad if he should pray behind the Imam. Imam Ahmad responded with: "I used to be lenient in this matter. But now that innovation has been spread widely, you should only pray behind a person whom you know." [Tabaqat Al-Hanabilah 1/59]

In that quote from Imam Ahmad we see that he made a general judgment. Because of the spread of innovation, he only saw someone on the right path when he knew that person.

The Imam Ya'qoub al-Qomi (180H) was born in Qom, and it is a Rafidhi-majority city.
Jarir bin Abdul-Hamid used to say when he saw Ya'qoub al-Qomi: "This is the believer of the folk of the Fir'awn. Because the majority of the people in the city Qom were Rafidhah." [Tarikh al-Islam 4/767 and Tabaqat al-Muhaditheen bi Asbhan (2/34) #86]

Despite the Islamic rituals that were present in the city of Qom, the Salafu Saliheen did not judge the people on it. They judged by the creed (Aqeedah) of men.

In this case, we see that when the majority of a country is in disbelief, but practises Islamic rituals, it cannot be used as a reason to judge someone as a Muslim.

Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام

Abu Huraira narrated:

Ibrahim did not tell a lie except on three occasions. Twice for the sake of Allah when he said: "I am sick", and he said: "(I have not done this), the great idol has done it." The (third was) that Ibrahim and Sarah (his wife) were going on a journey , when they passed (the territory) of a tyrant. Someone said to the tyrant: "This man (i.e. Ibrahim) is accompanied by a very charming lady." So he sent Ibrahim to him and asked him about Sarah, saying, "Who is this lady?" Ibrahim said, "She is my sister." Ibrahim went to Sarah and said, "O Sarah! There are no believers on the face of the earth except you and I. This man asked me about you and I got him told you are my sister, so don't contradict my statement."

(Sahih al-Bukhari Volume 4, Book 55, Hadith 578)

In this narration we see that Ibrahim عليه السلام generalized. Despite the fact that Lut عليه السلام was alive, Prophet Ibrahim still made general Takfir. Of course, not all of the earth was in disbelief at the time, because it is a generalization.

Sahaba practiced general Takfir

The Companions in Islam perceived the reality of the world and people. Based on that reality, they performed general Takfir. Abu Bakr, Ibn Mas'ud, Zayd ibn 'Amr, Salman Al-Farisi, 'Amr bin 'Abasa Sulami RadiyAllahu 'Anhuma and others practiced general Takfir.

Scholars after the Sahaba

The Muslim scholars after the Companions also practiced the concept of general Takfir. They were strict with it and looked at the condition of peoples. Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Ya'qoub Al-Qomi, Imam Ahmad, Barbahari, Ibn Battah and others practiced generalization.

The city of Qom is located in Iran. At the time, it was a city where the Rafidhah (Shi'a) were the majority. Today this is also the case in Iran. The majority are Shiites.

The Shi'ites gave Salaam, prayed prayer, gave Zakat, etc. This proves that Islamic rituals are not a unique factor to judge someone as a Muslim.