Fatwa ID: 09100
Answered by Mufti Ateiq-ur Rehman
Question:
If one were to intentionally say word that may mock Islam and then they feel bad and then worry and then they said istighfar are they considered apostates?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Thank you for your question. May Allah ﷻ protect our faith, safeguard our tongues, and grant us sincerity in repentance.
Allah ﷻ mentioned in the Quran:
قُلْ أَبِٱللَّهِ وَءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَرَسُولِهِۦ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِءُونَ لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَٰنِكُمْ
“Say: Was it Allah, His verses, and His Messenger that you were mocking? Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief.”
(Surah al-Tawbah 9:65–66)
Deliberately uttering words that clearly mock Islam, Allah ﷻ, His Messenger ﷺ, or any established aspect of the religion, while understanding their meaning, constitutes disbelief. This is a serious matter, and a person must not treat such speech lightly. The Prophet ﷺ warned that a person may utter a single word without giving it importance, yet it causes him to fall into the Hellfire [2].
At the same time, apostasy is only established when it is issued by a person who is sane, aware, and acting voluntarily. It is not established in cases of compulsion, loss of awareness, or disturbed states such as mental health and overwhelming whisperings (waswasa) [1].
The ruling of apostasy or disbelief depends on the underlying reality of what the person intended. If a person did not intend the meaning of disbelief, and their heart remains firm upon faith (Imaan), then disbelief is not established, even if the wording outwardly appears problematic [3].
Accordingly, if a person intentionally uttered clear words of mockery whilst understanding what they were saying, then this constitutes disbelief. However, if there was no intent of mockery, or the statement was said in confusion and without understanding what the person was saying, then disbelief is not established.
If a person utters such speech and then feels genuine remorse, turns back to Allah ﷻ, and seeks forgiveness, then their repentance is accepted. In such a situation, the person must renew their faith consciously and ensure never to utter such words again. This matter should be taken seriously, and one should engage in sincere repentance and guard their speech carefully going forward.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Ateiq-ur Rehman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
(وَشَرَائِطُ صِحَّتِهَا الْعَقْلُ) وَالصَّحْوُ (وَالطَّوْعُ) فَلَا تَصِحُّ رِدَّةُ مَجْنُونٍ، وَمَعْتُوهٍ وَمُوَسْوِسٍ، وَصَبِيٍّ لَا يَعْقِلُ وَسَكْرَانَ وَمُكْرَهٍ عَلَيْهَا
…
لَا يُخْرِجُ الرَّجُلَ مِنْ الْإِيمَانِ إلَّا جُحُودُ مَا أَدْخَلَهُ فِيهِ ثُمَّ مَا تَيَقَّنَ أَنَّهُ رِدَّةٌ يُحْكَمُ بِهَا وَمَا يَشُكُّ أَنَّهُ رِدَّةٌ لَا يُحْكَمُ بِهَا إذْ الْإِسْلَامُ الثَّابِتُ لَا يَزُولُ بِالشَّكِّ مَعَ أَنَّ الْإِسْلَامَ يَعْلُو
…
قَوْلُهُ وَمُوَسْوِسٍ) بِالْكَسْرِ وَلَا يُقَالُ بِالْفَتْحِ وَلَكِنْ مُوَسْوَسٌ لَهُ أَوْ إلَيْهِ أَيْ تُلْقَى إلَيْهِ الْوَسْوَسَةُ، وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ: الْوَسْوَسَةُ حَدِيثُ النَّفْسِ، وَإِنَّمَا قِيلَ مُوَسْوِسٌ لِأَنَّهُ يُحَدِّثُ بِمَا فِي ضَمِيرِهِ وَعَنْ اللَّيْثِ لَا يَجُوزُ طَلَاقُ الْمُوَسْوِسِ
كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين = رد المحتار ط الحلبي 4:224 المكتبة الشاملة
[2]
وعنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “إن العبد ليتكلم بالكلمة من رضوان الله تعالى ما يُلقي لها بالا يرفعه الله بها درجات، وإن العبد ليتكلم بالكلمة من سخط الله تعالى لا يُلقي لها بالا يَهوي بها في جهنم”. ((رواه البخاري)).
Riyad as-Salihin 1515
[3]
الِاسْتِحْسَانِ أَنَّ سَبَبَ الْفُرْقَةِ الرِّدَّةُ دُونَ نَفْسِ الْكَلِمَةِ، وَإِنَّمَا الْكَلِمَةُ دَلَالَةٌ عَلَيْهَا حَالَةَ الطَّوْعِ، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ دَلِيلًا حَالَةَ الْإِكْرَاهِ فَلَمْ تَثْبُتْ الرِّدَّةُ فَلَا تَثْبُتُ الْبَيْنُونَةُ، وَلَوْ قَالَ الْمُكْرَهُ خَطَرَ بِبَالِي فِي قَوْلِي: كَفَرْت بِاَللَّهِ أَنْ أُخْبِرَ عَنْ الْمَاضِي كَاذِبًا، وَلَمْ أَكُنْ فَعَلْت لَا يُصَدَّقُ فِي الْحُكْمِ وَيُحْكَمُ بِكُفْرِهِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ دُعِيَ إلَى إنْشَاءِ الْكُفْرِ، وَقَدْ أَخْبَرَ أَنَّهُ أَتَى بِالْإِخْبَارِ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ مُكْرَهٍ عَلَى الْإِخْبَارِ بَلْ هُوَ طَائِعٌ فِيهِ، وَلَوْ قَالَ طَائِعًا: كَفَرْت بِاَللَّهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ عَنَيْت بِهِ الْإِخْبَارَ عَنْ الْمَاضِي كَاذِبًا وَلَمْ أَكُنْ فَعَلْت لَا يُصَدَّقُ فِي الْقَضَاءِ كَذَا هَذَا وَيُصَدَّقُ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى؛ لِأَنَّهُ يَحْتَمِلُهُ كَلَامُهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ خِلَافَ الظَّاهِرِ، وَلَوْ أُكْرِهَ عَلَى الْإِخْبَارِ فِيمَا مَضَى ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا أَرَدْت بِهِ الْخَبَرَ عَنْ الْمَاضِي فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فِي الْقَضَاءِ، وَفِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُجِبْهُ إلَى مَا دَعَاهُ إلَيْهِ بَلْ أَخْبَرَ أَنَّهُ أَنْشَأَ الْكُفْرَ طَوْعًا وَلَوْ قَالَ لَمْ يَخْطِرْ بِبَالِي شَيْءٌ آخَرُ لَا يُحْكَمُ بِكُفْرِهِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ إذَا لَمْ يُرِدْ شَيْئًا يُحْمَلُ عَلَى الْإِجَابَةِ إلَى ظَاهِرِ الْكَلِمَةِ مَعَ اطْمِئْنَانِ الْقَلْبِ بِالْإِيمَانِ فَلَا يُحْكَمُ بِكُفْرِهِ
كتاب بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع 179:7