Fatwa ID: 08128

Answered by: Maulana Abdoullah limvoonheek

Question:

Assalamualikum alaykum.

Someone became Muslim but his parents don’t know yet about it. The parents still insist that he must come with them to church and translate for them in Polish since they don’t understand German.

Is he allowed to translate, even if the text contains kufr?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

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

Answer:

Wa alaikumus salaam

Indeed to be blessed with Imaan (faith) is a great gift from Allah. It is He Alone that bless people and guide them. It is also the only way for a person’s salvation.

In the Quran Allah speak about respecting the parents after showing the importance of worshipping him alone (Surah Isra Ayah 23)

“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and do good to parents. If either of them or both reach old age, do not say to them uff (a word of anger or contempt) and do not scold them. And address them with respectful words.”

This shows the great importance of obeying and respecting one’s parent. However the scholars mention that obedience is when it is obedience to Allah. If a person is told to do something which will be sinful and impermissible, then one must not obey them. As the hadith mention:

“No obedience for evil deeds, obedience is required only in what is good.”

Hence it will not be permissible for a Muslim to go to church and for the parent to be followed. As muslim we are prohibited to enter church as these are places of evils.

It will also be impermissible to read and translate the book which contains words of kufr as this will affect one’s Imaan or even possibly render a person apostate.

Therefore it will be important that one reveal the truth. There will be opposition in the beginning and one will have to endure it and make dua constantly. Slowly but surely there will be understanding afterwards and they will accept it. Allah will not put a person through something which he will not be able to bear.

Hope this answers the question.

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Maulana Abdoullah limvoonheek
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham

Reference:

Mariful Quran Surah Isra ayah 23
وَقَضٰى رَبُّكَ اَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوۡۤا اِلَّاۤ اِيَّاهُ وَبِالۡوَالِدَيۡنِ اِحۡسَانًا‌ ؕ اِمَّا يَـبۡلُغَنَّ عِنۡدَكَ الۡكِبَرَ اَحَدُهُمَاۤ اَوۡ كِلٰهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَّهُمَاۤ اُفٍّ وَّلَا تَنۡهَرۡهُمَا وَقُلْ لَّهُمَا قَوۡلًا كَرِيۡمًا‏

لاَ طَاعَةَ فِي مَعْصِيَةٍ، إِنَّمَا الطَّاعَةُ فِي الْمَعْرُوفِ
Sahih Bukhari hadith 7257

وَفِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة يُكْرَهُ لِلْمُسْلِمِ الدُّخُولُ فِي الْبِيعَةِ وَالْكَنِيسَةِ، وَإِنَّمَا يُكْرَهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ إنَّهُ مَجْمَعُ الشَّيَاطِينِ لَا مِنْ حَيْثُ إنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ حَقُّ الدُّخُولِ اهـ قَالَ فِي الْبَحْرِ: وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّهَا تَحْرِيمِيَّةٌ؛ لِأَنَّهَا الْمُرَادَةُ عِنْدَ إطْلَاقِهِمْ، وَقَدْ أَفْتَيْت بِتَعْزِيرِ مُسْلِمٍ لَازَمَ الْكَنِيسَةَ مَعَ الْيَهُودِ اهـ
رد المحتار ج١ ص٣٨٠

رَجُلٌ كَفَرَ بِلِسَانِهِ طَائِعًا، وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالْإِيمَانِ يَكُونُ كَافِرًا وَلَا يَكُونُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مُؤْمِنًا كَذَا فِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خَانْ.

مَا كَانَ فِي كَوْنِهِ كُفْرًا اخْتِلَافٌ فَإِنَّ قَائِلَهُ يُؤْمَرُ بِتَجْدِيدِ النِّكَاحِ وَبِالتَّوْبَةِ وَالرُّجُوعِ عَنْ ذَلِكَ بِطَرِيقِ الِاحْتِيَاطِ، وَمَا كَانَ خَطَأً مِنْ الْأَلْفَاظِ، وَلَا يُوجِبُ الْكُفْرَ، فَقَائِلُهُ مُؤْمِنٌ عَلَى حَالِهِ، وَلَا يُؤْمَرُ بِتَجْدِيدِ النِّكَاحِ وَالرُّجُوعِ عَنْ ذَلِكَ كَذَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ
الفتاوى الهندية ج٢ ص٢٨٣