Fatwa ID: 09487
Answered by Muftiyah Humairah Badshah
Question:
I am someone who has memorised almost half of the Qur’aan, I accidentally said Surah Nuh wasn’t a surah in the Qur’aan because sometimes I get waswasa and get worried that I might accidentally include a Surah in the Quran which actually isn’t one. Then I quickly realised my mistake. I said my Shahadah and wanted to know is this Kufr Akbar.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
No, this does not constitute kufr.
Being accidentally mistaken regarding whether a Surah of a particular name is or is not part of the Qur’an does not constitute kufr. A genuine misunderstanding, mistake or accidental utterance of Surah Nuh not being a surah in the Qur’an is simply a mistake to be corrected and not dwelled upon thereafter.[1]
This is because kufr is not something a believer can do by accident. Kufr is a belief which is expressed or held. Even explicit words of kufr can and should be ignored if it was accidental.[2]
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Allah has forgiven my nation for mistakes and forgetfulness, and what they are forced to do.” [Sunan Ibn Majah 2045] [3]
It is important for you to learn to ignore such waswasa and not let it affect your worship and Qur’an memorisation.[1] If you often experience such fears regarding intrusive thoughts and statements, you may wish to seek the advice of a qualified Muslim mental health professional.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Humairah Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
لِأَنَّ قَطْعَ الْوَسْوَسَةِ وَاجِبٌ
Badaai’ Al-Sanaai’ (Daar Al-Kutub Al-‘Ilmiyyah, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.21
وَالسَّبِيلُ فِي الْوَسْوَسَةِ قَطْعُهَا؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَوْ اشْتَغَلَ بِذَلِكَ لَأَدَّى إلَى أَنْ يَتَفَرَّعَ لِأَدَاءِ الصَّلَاةِ، وَهَذَا لَا يَجُوزُ
Badaai’ Al-Sanaai’ (Daar Al-Kutub Al-‘Ilmiyyah, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.33
[2]
وَشَرَائِطُ صِحَّتِهَا الْعَقْلُ) وَالصَّحْوُ (وَالطَّوْعُ) فَلَا تَصِحُّ رِدَّةُ مَجْنُونٍ، وَمَعْتُوهٍ وَمُوَسْوِسٍ
…
مَنْ تَكَلَّمَ بِهَا مُخْطِئًا أَوْ مُكْرَهًا لَا يَكْفُرُ عِنْدَ الْكُلِّ
Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.4 p.224
الْمُرْتَدُّ عُرْفًا هُوَ الرَّاجِعُ عَنْ دِينِ الْإِسْلَامِ كَذَا فِي النَّهْرِ الْفَائِقِ وَرُكْنُ الرِّدَّةِ إجْرَاءُ كَلِمَةِ الْكُفْرِ عَلَى اللِّسَانِ بَعْدَ وُجُودِ الْإِيمَانِ وَشَرَائِطُ صِحَّتِهَا الْعَقْلُ
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.2 p.253
[3]
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُصَفَّى الْحِمْصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ “ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَضَعَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي الْخَطَأَ وَالنِّسْيَانَ وَمَا اسْتُكْرِهُوا عَلَيْهِ ” .
Sunan Ibn Majah (https://sunnah.com) b.10, no.30 (2045)