Fatwa ID: 07817

Answered by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat

Question:

If a person is having a conversation in his mind and while in the conversation he says something kufr related accidentally without realising it and then reconciles it in his mind but now he is unsure if he moved his mouth when he said it because it happened so fast. he thinks that it is most probable that he did not move his mouth, but he is doubtful about “what if he did?” does moving the mouth such as moving the lips and the tongue without making any sound constitute as uttering kufr?

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

Answer

Accidentally thinking or imagining something kufr in one’s mind does not take a person out of the fold of Islam. It is mentioned in hadith:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah has forgiven my followers the evil thoughts that occur to their minds, as long as such thoughts are not put into action or uttered.…………” (Bukhari 5269)

This means that internal thoughts or conversations in your mind, no matter how inappropriate they may seem, do not affect your faith unless they are intentionally verbalized or acted upon.

In Hanafi Fiqh, “uttering” requires a clear expression, either by sound or by deliberate communication through clear movement of the lips and tongue. If you are unsure whether you moved your lips or tongue intentionally, this doubt does not constitute kufr because:

Kufr requires intentionality: Actions or statements of kufr must be done knowingly and willingly. Doubt or accidental movement does not meet this threshold.

And with the doubt you are encountering, will also fall under the rule of Certainty overrides doubt; In Islamic jurisprudence, the principle is that certainty cannot be overruled by doubt. Since you are most certain that you did not intentionally move your mouth or express kufr, you remain in the state of Islam. (Qawaaid Fiqiyyah, chapter of certainty overruled by doubt, page 15).

From your question, it seems there is much waswasa that makes you feel anxious and uneasy. Be at ease and understand, shaitaan tries his best to stray those with Iman, it is mentioned in the hadith:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Satan comes to one of you and says, ‘Who created so-and-so? ‘Till he says, ‘Who has created your Lord?’ So, when he inspires such a question, one should seek refuge with Allah and give up such thoughts.” (Bukhari 3276).

Therefore, in conclusion, understand that no kufr occurred if the statement was not clearly and intentionally uttered. Your accidental internal conversations or doubts about lip movement without clear expression do not take you out of Islam.

I hope that this answers the question.

 حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَجَاوَزَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا، مَا لَمْ تَعْمَلْ أَوْ تَتَكَلَّمْ ‏”‏‏.‏ قَالَ قَتَادَةُ إِذَا طَلَّقَ فِي نَفْسِهِ فَلَيْسَ بِشَىْءٍ

 إذَا أُكْرِهَ الرَّجُلُ أَنْ يَتَلَفَّظَ بِالْكُفْرِ بِوَعِيدِ تَلَفٍ، أَوْ مَا أَشْبَهَ ذَلِكَ فَتَلَفَّظَ بِهِ، فَهَذَا عَلَى وُجُوهٍ: الْأَوَّلُ: أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ بِالْكُفْرِ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَمْ يَخْطُرْ بِبَالِهِ شَيْءٌ سِوَى مَا أُكْرِهَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ إنْشَاءِ الْكُفْرِ، وَفِي هَذَا الْوَجْهِ لَا يُحْكَمُ بِكُفْرِهِ لَا فِي الْقَضَاءِ وَلَا فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ رَبِّهِ الْوَجْه

ص276 – كتاب الفتاوى العالمكيرية الفتاوى الهندية – مطلب في موجبات الكفر أنواع منها ما يتعلق بالإيمان والإسلام – المكتبة الشاملة

 حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ، قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ يَأْتِي الشَّيْطَانُ أَحَدَكُمْ فَيَقُولُ مَنْ خَلَقَ كَذَا مَنْ خَلَقَ كَذَا حَتَّى يَقُولَ مَنْ خَلَقَ رَبَّكَ فَإِذَا بَلَغَهُ فَلْيَسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ، وَلْيَنْتَهِ 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham