Fatwa ID: 08460

Written by Alimah Aisha Qureshi

Question:

Earlier, I was at the mosque, I have an issue where my recitation in salah is slow so I say my salaams a bit after the imam, but I did not want my dad to think anything of this. I moved my head around and I though how if I look like I am looking around, he wouldn’t have been able to tell I finished my salah late. Right as I was looking around I realised I was mocking the Taslim movement in salah and stopped. I did not want to make fun of the salah but realised what I had done. Is this kufr and should I redo my Shahadah as it is mocking the salah which is a ritual of Islam? 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer: 

From what you’ve described, there’s no indication that what you did amounts to kufr. Your actions don’t seem to intend mocking the salah, but rather from a moment of social awkwardness wanting to avoid misperception from your father due to your slower recitation. 

The main point in matters of faith is niyyah intention. The Prophet ﷺ made it clear: “Actions are judged by intentions.” Your intention wasn’t to belittle or make fun of the ritual of salah; rather, as soon as you became aware of what your action might resemble, you felt unsettled and stopped immediately. That is a strong sign of spirituality, not a sign of disbelief.

In Hanafi Fiqh, disbelief (kufr) is not only a result of outward actions unless those actions are clearly intended to mock or deny something known to be part of the religion.

Your reflection, hesitation, and concern afterward demonstrate the opposite of kufr. A person who has fallen into disbelief rarely shows this kind of self-accountability.

There is no need to repeat your Shahadah. Your Islam remains intact. However, making istighfar out of humility and drawing closer to Allah through sincerity is always encouraged, not because you left the fold of Islam, but because you care about the sanctity of your worship and want to keep your heart clean.

References:

وَكَلَامُ الْمُتَكَلِّمِ مَحْمُولٌ عَلَى مُرَادِهِ وَمُرَادُهُ إنَّمَا يُعْرَفُ مِنْ جِهَتِهِ

Al Mabsut al Sarakhsi Vol 6 Pg 70 Maktaba Shamila

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ، وَلِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا، أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ ‏”‏‏

Sahih al Bukhari 54 Sunnah.com

فِي غَيْرِ الْوَقْتِ لَا يَصِيرُ بِهِ مُسْلِمًا؛ لِأَنَّهُ يَكُونُ مُسْتَهْزِئًا.

Radd al Muhtar Vol 1 Pg 354 Maktaba Shamila

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Aisha Qureshi

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham