The concept of Kufr duna Kufr means disbelief less than disbelief, or minor disbelief (minor Kufr). This concept applies to judging with other than what Allah has revealed. Also, this term was used to refer to actions that fall under minor Kufr.
In this article you can read more about Kufr duna Kufr and the issue of judging by something other than what Allah has sent down.
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: "Kufr duna Kufr". This narration has been recorded by several scholars of the Salaf Saliheen including: Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Abi Hatim, Daarimi, Al-Qasim ibn Sallaam and Al-Maruzi.
Although some say that these specific narrations from Ibn Abbas contain weakness, the Salaf Saliheen thought otherwise by accepting these narrations.
قال الخلال: قال أبو بكر: حدثنا أبو عبد اللَّه قال: ثنا وكيع، عن سفيان، عن معمر، عن ابن طاوس، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس: {وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ}، قال: هي به كفر، وليس كمن كفر باللَّه وملائكته وكتبه ورسله.
"السنة" للخلال 2/ 104 - 107 (1413 - 1425)
Al-Khallal narrated from Abu Bakr al-Marwadhi from Ahmad ibn Hanbal from Waki' from Sufyan from Ma'mar from Ibn Tawus from Tawus from Ibn Abbas who mentioned the verse 'And whoever does not judge by what Allah has sent down, they are the disbelievers':
"This is Kufr, but not like the Kufr in Allah, His angels, His books and His messengers."
[Al-Sunnah 2/104-107 from Al-Khallal]
عبد الرزاق عن معمر عن ابن طاوس عن أبيه قال سئل ابن عباس عن قوله ومن لم يحكم بما أنزل الله
فأولئك هم الكافرون قال هي كفر قال ابن طاوس وليس كمن كفر بالله وملائكته ورسله
تفسير القرآن - عبد الرزاق الصنعاني - ج ١ - الصفحة ١٩١
Abdurrazzaq narrated from Ma'mar from Ibn Tawus from Tawus from Ibn Abbas who commented on the verse 'Whoever does not judge by what Allah has sent down, they are the disbelievers':
"This is Kufr." Ibn Tawus said, "But not like the Kufr in Allah, His angels, His books and His messengers."
[Tafsir Abd al-Razzaq page 191]
قال الخلال: قال أبو بكر: حدثنا أبو عبد اللَّه قال: ثنا وكيع، قال: ثنا سفيان، عن ابن جريج، عن عطاء قال: كفر دون كفر، وظلم دون ظلم، وفسق دون فسق.
"السنة" للخلال 2/ 104 - 107 (1413 - 1425)
Al-Khallal narrated from Abu Bakr al-Marwadhi from Ahmad ibn Hanbal from Waki' from Sufyan from Ibn Jurayj from 'Attaa who said:
"Kufr duna Kufr, Dhulm duna Dhulm, Fisq duna Fisq."
[Al-Sunnah 2/104-107 from Al-Khallal]
قال الخلال: قال أبو بكر: حدثنا أبو عبد اللَّه قال: ثنا وكيع، قال: ثنا سفيان، عن سعيد المكي، عن طاوس قال: ليس بكفر ينقل عن الملة
"السنة" للخلال 2/ 104 - 107 (1413 - 1425)
Al-Khallal narrated from Abu Bakr al-Marwadhi from Ahmad ibn Hanbal from Waki' from Sufyan from Sa'eed al-Makki from Tawus who said:
"It is not disbelief that makes a person leave the religion." (so minor Kufr)
[Al-Sunnah 2/104-107 from Al-Khallal]
There are many among the Salaf Saliheen who have accepted the narration of Ibn Abbas. They narrated the sayings in their Hadith collections, Tafsir and Fatwas.
Imam Ahmad used the narrations of Kufr duna Kufr. He answered the questions of his students and used the narrations of Ibn Abbas and Tawus.
وقال ابن هانئ: وسألته عن حديث طاوس عن قوله: كفر لا ينقل عن الملَّة؟ قال أبو عبد اللَّه: إنما هذا في هذِه الآية: {وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ} [المائدة: 44]. "مسائل ابن هانئ" (2042)
Imam Ahmad was asked about the narration of Tawus where he said: "It is not disbelief that makes a person leave the religion." To which he said:
"That was said on the verse of Surah al-Maaidah verse 44: 'And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers.'"
[Masail Ibn Hani 2042]
قال الخلال: أخبرني موسى بن سهل، قال: حدثنا محمد بن أحمد الأسدي، حدثنا إبراهيم بن يعقوب، عن إسماعيل بن سعيد قال: سألت أحمد عن المُصرِّ على الكبائر بجهده، إلا أنه لم يترك الصلاة والزكاة ¬
والصوم والحج والجمعة، هل يكون مصرًّا أمن كانت هذِه حاله؟ قال: هو مصرُّ في مثل قوله -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم-: "لا يَزْنِي الزّانِي حِينَ يَزْنِي وَهُوَ مُؤمِنٌ"، من يخرج من الإيمان ويقع في الإسلام، ومن نحو قوله: "وَلا يَشْرَبُ الخَمْرَ حِينَ يَشْرَبُها وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلا يَسْرِقُ حين يسرق وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلا يَنْتَهِبُ نُهْبَةً. . " (¬1)، ومن نحو قول ابن عباس {وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ} (¬2)، فقلت له: فما هذا الكفر؟ قال: كفر لا ينقل من الملة، مثل بعضه فوق [بعض]، فكذلك الكفر، حتى يجيء من ذلك أمر لا يختلف الناس فيه. فقلت له: أرأيت إن كان خائفًا من إصراره، ينوي التوبة، ويسأل ذلك، ولا يدع ركوبها؟ قال: الذي يخاف أحسن حالًا. "أحكام النساء" للخلال (91)
Imam Ahmad said:
"As for the one who commits major sins many times and persists in them: Such a person is described in the Hadith as the person who is not a believer while consuming alcohol or while stealing. This Hadith is understood as minor disbelief,like what Ibn Abbas said about {whoever does not judgde with what Allah has revealed}."
[Ahkam an-Nisaa page 57 from Abu Bakr al-Khallal, Masail Al-Shaalanji pages 78-79]
Imam Bukhari used the wording Kufr duna Kufr in one of his chapters.
(21)باب كُفْرَانِ الْعَشِيرِ وَكُفْرٍ دُونَ كُفْرٍ
Chapter 21: Ingratitude to the husband and Kufr duna Kufr (little disbelief).
Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Most of the inhabitants of Hellfire will be women who were ungrateful." Then it was asked, "Were they ungrateful to Allah?" To which the Prophet (ﷺ) replied: “They were ungrateful to their husbands for the good they have been given. If you have always been good (benevolent) to one of them and she sees something in you that she does not like, then they say, 'I never received anything good from you.'"
[Sahih al-Bukhari 29]
Imam Tirmidhi commented on a Hadith which he included in his Sunan. He made it clear there that it is narrated from Ibn Abbas and others that they used the saying 'Kufr duna Kufr'.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"To verbally abuse a Muslim is Fisq and to fight him is Kufr."
[Sunan Tirmidhi 2635 (Hasan Sahih)]
قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَمَعْنَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قِتَالُهُ كُفْرٌ لَيْسَ بِهِ كُفْرًا مِثْلَ الاِرْتِدَادِ عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَطَاوُسٍ وَعَطَاءٍ وَغَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ قَالُوا كُفْرٌ دُونَ كُفْرٍ وَفُسُوقٌ دُونَ فُسُوقٍ
Imam Tirmidhi commented on it and said:
"What is meant by this Hadith is not the Kufr that makes a person leave the religion. It has been narrated from Ibn Abbas, Tawus, 'Attaa and more than one of the people of knowledge: "Kufr duna Kufr and Fisq duna Fisq. "
[Commentary on Sunan Tirmidhi 2635]
Imam Ibn Abi Hatim recorded several narrations about Kufr duna Kufr. Below you can see the narration of Ibn Abbas. The chain contains Hisham ibn Hujajr, a narrator about whom there is a lot of confusion. Ibn Abi Hatim still accepted his Hadith.
6434 حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله بن يزيد المقري، ثنا سفيان عن هشام بن جحير عن طاووس عن ابن عباس في قوله: ومن لم يحكم بما انزل الله فأولئك هم الكافرون قال: ليس هو بالكفر الذي يذهبون اليه.
Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Yazid Al-Muqri from Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah from Hisham ibn Hujajr from Tawus from Ibn Abbas who said:
"{And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers}, this (what they claim) is not the form of Kufr that they (the Khawarij) think of."
[Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim hadith 6434]
Imam Maruzi included the narrations in his Ta'dhim Qadr as-Salat in which he went deep into the fact that major sins do not make a person leave the religion. He related sayings of Ibn Abbas and 'Attaa, among others.
قال في "تعظيم قدر الصلاة" (2/520): (ولنا في هذا قدوة بمن روى عنهم من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم والتابعين؛ إذ جعلوا للكفر فروعاً دون أصله لا تنقل صاحبه عن ملة الإسلام، كما ثبتوا للإيمان من جهة العمل فرعاً للأصل، لا ينقل تركه عن ملة الإسلامة، من ذلك قول ابن عباس في قوله: {وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ}.)
Imam Maruzi said:
And we have in this a proof from among the Companions and the Tabi'een that Kufr has forms just as Iman has forms. Like what Ibn Abbas said on the verse {And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers}."
[Ta'dhim Qadr as-Salat 2/520 from Imam Maruzi]
وقال في "تعظيم قدر الصلاة" (2/523) معقباً على أثر عطاء:(- "كفر دون كفر، وظلم دون ظلم وفسق دون فسق"-: وقد صدق عطاء؛ قد يسمى الكافر ظالماً، ويسمى العاصي من المسلمين ظالماً، فظلم ينقل عن ملة الإسلام وظلم لا ينقل).
Imam Maruzi commented on what 'Attaa said:
"Verily, 'Attaa spoke the truth when he said 'Kufr duna Kufr, Dhulm duna Dhulm, Fisq duna Fisq'. For the disbeliever may be called a Dhalim, but a disobedient Muslim may also be called such. Dhulm also comes in forms, one that causes a person to leave the religion and one that does not."
[Ta'dhim Qadr as-Salat 2/523 from Imam Maruzi]
The pronunciation and implication of Kufr duna Kufr has been authentically narrated. Unfortunately, the saying of Kufr duna Kufr is taken out of context by some who use this saying incorrectly.
What is the context of Kufr duna Kufr? It is a statement made in response to the Khawarij who claimed that if an Islamic ruler were to leave out implementation of a specific judgement of Allah, that he would become a kafir. Ibn Abbas and others responded to the Khawarij who said this with: "Kufr duna Kufr".
The Sahabi had a great debate with the Khawarij. They (the Khawarij) first lived in the city where 'Ali (Kufah) was, but when they saw that he and Mu'awiyyah set up two persons to settle the quarrel, they interpreted this as something new which does not come from the Shari'ah.
So they made takfir on 'Ali, Mu'awiyyah and the Sahaba who were involved in solving this quarrel (Abu Musa al-Ash'ari and 'Amr ibn al-'As). Because they interpreted the verse {Whoever does not judge with what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers}.
The Khawarij believed that 'Ali was not judging with the Sharia in solving the matter between him and Mu'awiyyah, so they made takfir on him based on that.
'Ubaidullah b. Abu Rafi' reported:
"The Hururiyyah (Khawarij) revolted against Ali ibn Abi Talib and they said: "Laa Hukm illa Allah (There is no Hukm except for Allah)." Ali radiyAllahu 'anhu then said: "A word of truth, but with incorrect intentions. Verily, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, described some people and I recognized their description in these people. They speak the truth with their words, but it goes no further than this (and he pointed to his throat (ie, they do not comprehend)).""
[Sahih Muslim 1066g]
Thus, the Khawarij believed that 'Ali did not rule with the Shari'ah. And this is incorrect, as you will see in the debate of Ibn Abbas with the Khawarij.
Shortly after their famous saying, 'Laa hukmu illa Allah', they moved to an area along the border of Kufah, where they gathered.
The debate of Ibn Abbas with the Khawarij
(18678) - أخبرنا عبد الرزاق عن عكرمة بن عمار قال: حدثنا أبو زميل الحنفي قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن عباس رضي الله عنه قال:
لما اعتزلت الحروراء (4) فكانوا في دار على حدتهم، فقلت لعلي: يا أمير المؤمنين! أبرد عن الصلاة لعلي آتي هؤلاء القوم فأكلمهم، قال: إني أتخوفهم عليك، قلت: كلا إن شاء الله تعالى، قال:
فلبست أحسن ما أقدر عليه من هذه اليمانية، قال: ثم دخلت عليهم وهم قائلون في نحر الظهيرة، قال: فدخلت على قوم لم أر قوما قط أشد اجتهادا منهم، أيديهم كأنها ثفن الإبل، ووجوههم معلمة من آثار السجود قال: فدخلت، فقالوا:
مرحبا بك يا ابن عباس! ما جاء بك؟ قلت: جئت أحدثكم عن أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، عليهم نزل الوحي، وهم أعلم بتأويله، فقال بعضهم: لا تحدثوه، وقال بعضهم: والله لنحدثنه، قال: قلت: أخبروني ما تنقمون على ابن عم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وختنه، وأول من آمن به؟ وأصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم معه؟ قالوا:
ننقم عليه ثلاثا، قال: قلت: وما هن؟ قالوا: أولهن أنه حكم الرجال في دين الله، وقد قال الله: (إن الحكم إلا لله) (1)، قال: قلت:
وماذا؟ قالوا: وقاتل ولم يسب، ولم يغنم، لئن كانوا كفارا لقد حلت له أموالهم، ولئن كانوا مؤمنين لقد حرمت عليه دماؤهم، قال:
قلت: وماذا؟ قالوا: محا نفسه من أمير المؤمنين، فإن لم يكن أمير المؤمنين فهو أمير الكافرين، قال: قلت: أرأيتم (2) إن قرأت عليكم من كتاب الله المحكم، وحدثتكم من سنة نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم ما لا تنكرون، أترجعون؟ قالوا: نعم، قال: قلت: أما قولكم: حكم الرجال في دين الله، فإن الله تعالى يقول: (يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تقتلوا الصيد وأنتم حرم - إلى قوله - يحكم به ذوا عدل منكم) (1) وقال في المرأة وزوجها: (وإن خفتم شقاق بينهما فابعثوا حكما من أهله وحكما من أهلها) (2) أنشدكم الله أحكم الرجال في حقن دمائهم وأنفسهم، وإصلاح ذات بينهم أحق أم في أرنب ثمنها ربع درهم؟ قالوا:
اللهم بل في حقن دمائهم، وإصلاح ذات بينهم، قال: أخرجت من هذه؟ قالوا: اللهم نعم، [قال:] وأما قولكم: إنه قاتل ولم يسب ولم يغن، أتسبون أمكم عائشة؟ أم تستحلون منها ما تستحلون من غيرها، فقد كفرتم، [وإن زعمتم أنها ليست أم المؤمنين فقد كفرتم] (3) وخرجتم من الاسلام، إن الله يقول: (النبي أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم وأزواجه أمهاتهم) (4) فأنتم مترددون بين ضلالتين، فاختاروا أيتهما شئتم، أخرجت من هذه؟ قالوا: اللهم نعم، قال: وأما قولكم: محا نفسه من أمير المؤمنين، فإن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم دعا قريشا يوم الحديبية على أن يكتب بينه وبينهم كتابا، فقال:
اكتب: هذا ما قاضى عليه محمد رسول الله، فقالوا: والله لو كنا نعلم أنك رسول الله ما صددناك عن البيت، ولا قاتلناك، ولكن اكتب محمد بن عبد الله، فقال: والله إني لرسول الله حقا وإن كذبتموني. اكتب يا علي! محمد بن عبد الله، فرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان أفضل من علي رضي الله عنه، أخرجت من هذه؟ قالوا: اللهم نعم، فرجع منهم عشرون ألفا، وبقي منهم أربعة آلاف، فقتلوا.
Ibn Abbas narrated:
"The Hururiyyah settled along the border (of the city). I said to 'Ali, "O leader of the believers, postpone the prayer so that I can go and talk to them." He ('Ali ) told me: "I fear for you (that they will harm you)." I then said: "No, in sha Allah (nothing will happen)."
So I dressed in the best Yemeni clothes and left and arrived while they (the Khawarij) were having lunch. I have never met such a people. Their hands resembled the knees of camels (because of the roughness) and on their faces was the imprint of Sujud visible."
I entered and they said, "Marhaban (welcome) oh Ibn Abbas, what brought you here?" So I said to them: "I have come to report to you what the Sahaba of the Prophet (ﷺ) say, upon them the revelation was sent down, and they understand it (the revelation) the best." Some of them then said, "Do not talk to him." Others said, "We will talk to him."
So I said: "Tell me, what do you have against the person ('Ali) who was one of the first to embrace Islam and is the nephew and son-in-law of the Prophet (ﷺ)? And what do you have against the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) who is with him ('Ali)?"
Then they said, "Three things." I then said, "And what are they?" They said: "The first: that a man legislated while Allah says in the Quran: 'Inil Hukmu illa Lillah (The legislation belongs only to Allah)'." So I said, "And what other things?" Whereupon they said, "He fought but took no captives, nor did he take booty. If they disbelieved, then their prosperity was lawful for him, and if they were Muslims, then it was forbidden to fight them." I then said, "And what else?" They said, "He erased his title as leader of the believers, so if he is not then he is the leader of the disbelievers." I then said, "Was that it?" They said, "Yes."
I said to them, "If I deal with what you have mentioned of the matters according to the Quran and Sunnah, will you return?" They said, "Yes."
I said: "As for the first issue you mentioned, that a person legislated without being allowed to do it, Allah said: "O believers, do not kill a wild animal while you are in Ihram" until His saying: "Then let two righteous among you judge the matter (determine a punishment)." Allah said concerning the wife and the husband: "And if you fear a break between them, send an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator from her family." So tell me, which one is more important: preventing quarrels and bloodshed between two parties? Or determining the punishment of one who kills a rabbit that costs a quarter of a dirham?" They said, "It is indeed more important to avoid a quarrel and bloodshed." I said, "Are you settled on this subject?" They said, "Yes."
I said, "As for the second issue you mentioned, that he took no captives or booty from that battle. Would you consider taking your mother 'Aicha as a prisoner? if you deem that permissible, then you have disbelieved, and if you say that she is not the mother of the believers, then you have also disbelieved, because Allah said: "The Prophet is nearer to the believers than themselves and his wives are their mothers." Both are wrong, so you have nowhere to go in this. Have you settled on this subject?" They said, "Yes."
I said: "As for your (third) statement: He erased himself as the leader of the believers; the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered on the day of Hudaybiyyah to prepare a letter to be sent to Quraysh. He (ﷺ) said: "Write down: This is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah." But the Quraysh reacted negatively to this, they said, "If we believed that we were dealing with the Messenger of Allah, we would never have expelled you, nor would we ever fight you. So rather write Muhammad ibn Abdullah." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Wallah, I am indeed His Messenger, even if you do not believe in it. Write down! Oh 'Ali: Muhammad ibn Abdullah." And the Prophet (ﷺ) is better than 'Ali radiyAllahu 'anhu (and even he erased his title on a letter). Are you finished on this subject?" They said, "Yes."
Then 20,000 of the Khawarij turned back, and 4,000 of the Khawarij remained, and they were (finally) fought (by 'Ali)."
[Musannaf Abdurrazzaq hadith 18678]
The Khawarij falsely interpreted various narrations and verses from the Quran. For example, they used the verse {And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers} to declare any Islamic ruler as kafir if he does not judge with what Allah revealed.
Meaning, if he rules with Shariah but leaves out implementing its prescribed punishment on someone out of corruption, or if he takes wealth of the people unjustly and oppresses them.
Ibn Abbas refuted the claim of the Khawarij that the Islamic ruler becomes kafir if he goes against the Sharia by doing something that is not prescribed in it.
6434 حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله بن يزيد المقري، ثنا سفيان عن هشام بن جحير عن طاووس عن ابن عباس في قوله: ومن لم يحكم بما انزل الله فأولئك هم الكافرون قال: ليس هو بالكفر الذي يذهبون اليه.
Ibn Abbas said:
"This (not judging with what Allah has revealed) is not the form of Kufr that they (Khawarij) think about."
[Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim hadith 6434]
قال الخلال: قال أبو بكر: حدثنا أبو عبد اللَّه قال: ثنا وكيع، عن سفيان، عن معمر، عن ابن طاوس، عن أبيه، عن ابن عباس: {وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ}، قال: هي به كفر، وليس كمن كفر باللَّه وملائكته وكتبه ورسله.
"السنة" للخلال 2/ 104 - 107 (1413 - 1425)
Al-Khallal narrated from Abu Bakr al-Marwadhi from Ahmad ibn Hanbal from Waki' from Sufyan from Ma'mar from Ibn Tawus from Tawus from Ibn Abbas commented on the verse {And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers}:
"This is Kufr, but not like the Kufr in Allah, His angels, His books and His messengers."
[Al-Sunnah 2/104-107 from Al-Khallal]
So what Ibn Abbas is saying here, is that an Islamic ruler does not become kafir for not judging with what Allah has revealed in certain matters. Rather, he does this only out of corruption and transgression.
Like if an Islamic ruler leaves out implementing the prescribed punishment on the criminal out of bribery, or when the Islamic ruler oppresses people and takes their wealth unjustly. These would not be judging with what Allah has revealed, but they would not constitute major kufr.
حدثني المثنى قال، حدثنا حجاج قال، حدثنا حماد، عن عمران بن حدير قال: قعد إلى أبي مجلز نفرٌ من الإبَاضيَّة، قال فقالوا له: يقول الله: " ومن لم يحكم بما أنـزل الله فأولئك هم الكافرون "، فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ ، فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ ! قال أبو مجلز: إنهم يعملون بما يعلمون = يعني الأمراء = ويعلمون أنه ذنب! قال: وإنما أنـزلت هذه الآية في اليهود! والنصارى قالوا: أما والله إنك لتعلم مثل ما نعلم، ولكنك تخشاهم! قال: أنتم أحق بذلك منّا! أمّا نحن فلا نعرف ما تعرفون! [قالوا]: (70) ولكنكم تعرفونه، ولكن يمنعكم أن تمضوا أمركم من خشيتهم! (71)
Al-Mathna narrated from Hajjaj ibn Minhal from Hammad from Imran bin Hudayr that he said:
"There were people of the Ibadiyyah (sect of the Khawarij) sitting with Abu Mijliz (A great Tabi'ee) and they said to him: "Whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are disbelievers, wrongdoers and evildoers!"
Then Abu Mijliz said: "They (the rulers) act according to what they know, and they know that they sin. And these verses had come down upon the Jews and the Christians."
Thereupon the people of the Ibadiyyah said, "However, by Allah, you know as much as we do, but you are afraid of them (the rulers)."
Abu Mijliz then said, "Indeed, you are more befitting to belong to that category than us, and we do not assume what you assume (that a ruler becomes a kafir by going against implementation of Sharia)."
[Tafsir Tabari hadith 12026]
The Ibadiyyah (sect of Khawarij) would also misinterprete the verses of Surah al-Maaidah. Abu Mijliz informs them about the context of these verses and that they were sent regarding the Jews and Christians who replaced prescribed punishments.
Abu Mijliz is saying here that the Ibadis are misusing the Ayah, as the context in which they used it is not correct. The Islamic ruler which they complained about, did not legislate anything, nor did he replace something from the Shariah.
The Ibadiyyah were implying that the verses in Surah al-Maaidah also apply to the Islamic ruler who leaves out judging with what Allah has revealed in certain matters.
Like for example him not implementing the prescribed judgement out of corruption, oppressing the people by killing them or taking their wealth unjustly, or approaching a matter differently than what Shariah has prescribed.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"To verbally abuse a Muslim is Fisq and to fight him is Kufr."
[Sunan Tirmidhi 2635 (Hasan Sahih), Sahih al-Bukhari 48]
The Khawarij claim that fighting a Muslim is major disbelief, and they base this on their misinterpretation of this Hadith. Imam Tirmidhi and others gave us more clarity on what is meant by this Hadith.
قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَمَعْنَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قِتَالُهُ كُفْرٌ لَيْسَ بِهِ كُفْرًا مِثْلَ الاِرْتِدَادِ عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَطَاوُسٍ وَعَطَاءٍ وَغَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ قَالُوا كُفْرٌ دُونَ كُفْرٍ وَفُسُوقٌ دُونَ فُسُوقٍ
Imam Tirmidhi commented on this Hadith and said:
"What is meant by this Hadith is not the Kufr that makes a person leave the religion. It has been narrated from Ibn Abbas, Tawus, 'Attaa and more than one of the people of knowledge: "Kufr duna Kufr and Fisq duna Fisq."
[Commentary on Sunan Tirmidhi 2635]
The Khawarij were known for their misinterpretations of narrations and verses from the Quran. For example, one of their beliefs is that committing major sins such as alcohol consumption, zina and other sins makes a person leave the religion. They based this belief on the following Hadith.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"If an adulterer commits unlawful sexual intercourse, then he is not a believer at that time, and if a drinker consumes alcohol, then he is not a believer at the time he drinks it, and if a thief steals, then he is not a believer at the moment of stealing, and when a robber robs, and people look at him, then he is not a believer at the moment of robbing.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 2475, Sahih Muslim 57a]
A person could fall into the trap of the Khawarij if he tried to interpret this Hadith himself. That is why it is important in cases like these, to always look at how the Salaf Saliheen understood it. Imam Ahmad gives us more clarity about what is meant by this Hadith.
قال الخلال: أخبرني موسى بن سهل، قال: حدثنا محمد بن أحمد الأسدي، حدثنا إبراهيم بن يعقوب، عن إسماعيل بن سعيد قال: سألت أحمد عن المُصرِّ على الكبائر بجهده، إلا أنه لم يترك الصلاة والزكاة ¬
والصوم والحج والجمعة، هل يكون مصرًّا أمن كانت هذِه حاله؟ قال: هو مصرُّ في مثل قوله -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم-: "لا يَزْنِي الزّانِي حِينَ يَزْنِي وَهُوَ مُؤمِنٌ"، من يخرج من الإيمان ويقع في الإسلام، ومن نحو قوله: "وَلا يَشْرَبُ الخَمْرَ حِينَ يَشْرَبُها وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلا يَسْرِقُ حين يسرق وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلا يَنْتَهِبُ نُهْبَةً. . " (¬1)، ومن نحو قول ابن عباس {وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ} (¬2)، فقلت له: فما هذا الكفر؟ قال: كفر لا ينقل من الملة، مثل بعضه فوق [بعض]، فكذلك الكفر، حتى يجيء من ذلك أمر لا يختلف الناس فيه. فقلت له: أرأيت إن كان خائفًا من إصراره، ينوي التوبة، ويسأل ذلك، ولا يدع ركوبها؟ قال: الذي يخاف أحسن حالًا. "أحكام النساء" للخلال (91)
Imam Ahmad said:
"As for the one who commits major sins many times and persists on them, he has been described as the person who is not a believer while consuming alcohol or while stealing. This Hadith is understood as minor disbelief, like the saying of Ibn Abbas."
[Ahkam an-Nisaa page 57 from Abu Bakr al-Khallal, Masail Al-Shalanji pages 78-79]
The Khawarij used these verses to believe that any ruler who does not judge with what Allah has revealed, that he is a kafir. This is not entirely true, as the verse was sent down with its context, and cannot be used in its apparent blindly.
The verses in Surah al-Maaidah were sent down on a specific incident of the Jews, where they replaced the prescribed punishment of adultery.
They would flog and smear the perpetrators of adultery with black coal instead of stoning them. On this they were addressed, and then Allah sent down the verses about judging by other than what is prescribed.
Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported:
"It happened that a Jew passed by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), while he (the Jew) was smeared black with coals and scourged. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called them (the Jews) and said: Is this the punishment you find in your Book (Torah) as a prescribed punishment for adultery?” They said, Yes.
He (the Holy Prophet) called one of the scholars among them and said: I ask you in the name of Allah Who sent down the Torah upon Moses if (what these people said) is the prescribed punishment for adultery which you have found in your Book. He (the Jewish scholar) said, "No. If you had not asked me in the name of Allah, I would not have given you this information. We find stoning to death (as a punishment prescribed in the Torah). But this crime (adultery) became very common among our aristocratic class (wealthy class among us). So when we caught a rich person (indulging in this crime) we spared him, but when we caught a poor person we imposed on him the prescribed punishment. So we then said: Let us change this by agreeing (on a punishment) that we can inflict on both the rich and the poor. So we decided to blacken the face of the criminal with coal and to be flogged as a substitute punishment for stoning.
Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: O Allah, I am the first to bring Your command back to life after they (the Jews) killed it. He (the Messenger) then commanded and he (the transgressor) was stoned. Allah, the Majestic and Glorious, sent down (this verse):" O Messenger, (the behavior of) those who rival each other in denying the truth should not grieve you..." to "be granted, accept it" (v. 41)
It was said (by the Jews): Go to Muhammad; if he orders you to blacken the face and assign flogging (as a punishment for adultery), accept it, but if he pronounces judgment for stoning, reject it. It was (then) that Allah, the Majestic and Great, sent down (these verses): "And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers (verse 44)", "And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed , they are the wrongdoers (v. 45)" and "Whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are the transgressors (v. 47)" All these verses were revealed in connection with the disbelievers.
[Sahih Muslim 1700a]
So whoever does not judge with what Allah has revealed by replacing His laws or punishments, he is from the disbelievers. That is how the verses in Surah al-Maaidah are meant to be understood.
This also means that whoever makes laws besides Him, and replaces His prescribed punishments or laws, that he is from the disbelievers.
So the correct understanding is that whoever rules with other than what Allah has revealed, by making own legislation, or ruling with man-made laws together with Shariah, or replacing prescribed punishments, that he is a kafir.
And there is no doubt about this. Kufr duna Kufr does not apply to this described situation, because the context of Kufr duna Kufr is when an Islamic ruler leaves out judging with Shariah in specific matters, out of corruption or bribery.
For example not giving the prescribed punishment to a person, or taking wealth unjustly, or approaching a matter differently than the Shariah prescribed, like consistently delaying the adhan a bit etc.
عبد الرزاق عن الثوري عن منصور عن إبراهيم قال نزلت هؤلاء الآيات في بني إسرائيل ورضي لهذه الأمة بها
تفسير القرآن - عبد الرزاق الصنعاني - ج ١ - الصفحة ١٩١
Ibrahim an-Nakha'ee said:
"{And whoever does not judge with what Allah has revealed}, was sent down on the Jews. It is (also) applicable to this Ummah."
[Tafsir Abdurrazaaq 1/191]
6433 حدثنا الحسن بن أبي الربيع اثنا عبد الرزاق ثنا الثوري، عن زكريا عن الشعبي يعني قوله: ومن لم يحكم بما انزل الله فأولئك هم الكافرون قال: للمسلمين.
Al-Sha'bi said regarding the verse {And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers}:
"(also) For Muslims."
[Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim hadith 6433]
When it comes to the Islamic ruler who rules with Shariah, but leaves certain implementations of it out of corruption, then this is Kufr duna Kufr.
Like for example when he does not implement the prescribed punishment on the criminal out of bribery or corruption, or when he does not approach a matter with the Shariah, like oppressing others and taking their wealth unjustly.
So such acts do not make the Islamic ruler a kafir. The Khawarij believe that this does make him a kafir, which Ibn Abbas opposed.
The judge who accepts Allah's Judgment (takes it on) but does not act upon it out of bribery, he is a wrongdoer (Dhalim) and transgressor (Fasiq). This is narrated from Ibn Abbas.
٦٤٢٦ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ثنا أَبُو صَالِحٍ حَدَّثَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَوْلَهُ:
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بما أنزل الله يَقُولُ: مَنْ جَحَدَ الْحُكْمَ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ، وَمَنْ أَقَرَّ بِهِ وَلَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِهِ فَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ فَاسِقٌ. يَقُولُ: مَنْ جَحَدَ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا فَقَدْ كَفَرَ.
Ibn Abbas said:
"{And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed}, whoever rejects His Judgment (by replacing it) has disbelieved. Whoever recognizes it but then does not judge by it, is a wrongdoer and a rebellious transgressor."
[Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim hadith 6426]
٦٤٢٧ - أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ الأَوْدِيُّ فِيمَا كَتَبَ إِلَيَّ ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُفَضَّلٍ ثنا أَسْبَاطٌ عَنِ السُّدِّيِّ قَوْلَهُ: وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالَ: مَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلْتُ فَتَرَكَهُ عَمْدًا وَجَادًّا وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ فهو من الكافرون.
Al-Suddi said:
"And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, and deliberately forsakes it and persists in it (out of rejection), then he is of the disbelievers."
[Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim hadith 6427]
The judge who is bribed not to judge with Allah's revelation in some cases, falls into minor Kufr. The judge who is bribed to replace or completely abandon Allah's punishments, falls into major Kufr.
قال الخلال: قال أبو بكر المروذي: حدثنا أبو عبد اللَّه قال: ثنا هشيم قال: ثنا عبد الملك بن أبي سليمان، عن سلمة بن كهيل، عن علقمة والأسود، أنهما سألا ابن مسعود عن الرشوة. فقال: هي السحت. قالا: أفي الحكم ذلك؟ قال: ذلك الكفر. ثم تلا هذا الآية: {وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ} [المائدة: 44] (¬2). "السنة" للخلال 2/ 104 (1411 - 1412)
Ibn Masoud said:
"Bribery in judgement of a judge is Kufr, 'And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers'."
[Al-Sunnah 2/104 from Al-Khallal]
Kufr duna Kufr is related to ruling and judging, both apply to this concept. So anyone who says it only applies to judging, has not understood this concept fully.
Some say that Kufr duna Kufr applies to the ruler who legislates his own laws and punishments, but this is wrong. Kufr duna Kufr is related to the ruler who leaves out implementation of the Shariah in certain matters out of corruption, not that he replaces prescribed rulings.
Also, how can be said that legislating is not an act of major kufr? Is it not that nobody has the right to make laws except Allah?
Anyone who misuses the statement of Kufr duna Kufr to mean that it applies to the ruler who legislates besides Allah, has erred. As the context of Kufr duna Kufr is not like they say.
Who would disagree with the fact that only Allah has the right to legislate? He is the One who determines what is permissible and what is forbidden.
Whoever takes this right of Allah and legislates new laws, he is a clear Taghut. This is the understanding of Ahl Sunnah wal Jama'ah.
Abu Athari writes about basic principles within Islam. He uses his critical and well-researched way to spread knowledge of the first three Muslim generations.
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