Fatwa ID: 01916

Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

My question is that when a man chats on the internet with someone and the person on the other end asks him his name, he replies with a non-muslim name to hide his identity, does this constitute kufr ( Note; there was no intention of Kufr) if it does constitute kufr then what has to be done?
If it is just to deceive the other jokingly will it be permissible?

Answer:

Kufr is to refute any commandments of Allah , which is absolute and definite, or to have doubt or reservations about it, which has reached us through the medium of the Prophet of Allah .

The condition of absolute and definite has been added, since the laws of Deen have reached us via two ways: one by way of Tawatur and another by way of Khabr Ahaad. Tawatur are those narrations that have reached us via the Prophet of Allah , through a continuous and unbroken chain of narrators. From the time of the Prophet of Allah until the present in every era, some reliable Muslims reported these narrations. Such things are absolute and definite and it is kufr, to reject and refute the validity of salah, zakaat etc. To jeer and degrade the Shariah is also kufr because these things are from the Quran and Ahadith Mutawatir. Aqaaidul Islam p.169 –p.170)

With regards to your question it is advisable that one takes precaution when it comes to doing takfir and calling another Muslim a disbeliever. It is narrated by Saaiduna Abu Hurairah that the Prophet of Allah has said, “When a person says to his brother, ‘O disbeliever!’ then disbelief returns to one of the two of them.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Imam Nawawi (RA) has said, “They (scholars) differ as regards the interpretation of this “returning,” So it is said, “kufr returns upon him if he is making that lawful”. And it is said, “It is taken to refer to the Khawarij,” since they declare believers to be disbelievers.” (Sharh Sahih Muslim p.50 v.2)

Furthermore, the person who gave the non – Muslim name did not give it with the intention of kufr or disbelief. Therefore, the conclusion we can come to is that the aforementioned situation would not constitute disbelief.

Finally, if the person is giving a false name to deceive or to mislead then this is something, which is not permissible in Islam.

The Prophet of Allah has said; “Whoever bears arms against us is not one of us and whoever cheats us is not one of us.” (Sahih Muslim p.70 v.1)

Once the Prophet of Allah passed by a pile of food in the market. He put his hand inside it and felt dampness although the surface was dry. He said; “O owner of the food, what is this?” The Man side; “It was damaged by rain, O Prophet of Allah.” He said; “Why didn’t you put the rain damaged food on top so that people could see it! Whoever cheats us is not one of us.” (Sahih Muslim p.70 v.1)

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham.