Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I`m curious that your site says - even tho one does not adhere to the rules of Islam, he should still be considered a muslim even if he has recited the shahada just for the sake of it. I have heard that if a person does not pray three jumas consistently he is considered a `kaffir` & that one is not allowed to marry such a person cos even tho he is born muslim he is doing nothing to show Allah that he believes. Is a person that is born a muslim but does nothing to denounce or pronounce it still considered a muslim???

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Leaving 3 Friday prayers

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Abu al-Ja'd ad-Damari reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Whoever misses three Friday prayers in a row out of negligence will have a seal put over his heart by Allah."

Related by Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah, and Abu Dawood.

There is a distinct difference between a legal muslim in this world; and a real and true muslim in the sight of Allah Subhanah.

One who is born to muslim parents, or one who testifies the ‘kalima’ or testimony of faith that there is no god except Allah Alone, and Mohamed (saws) is His Messenger; will be considered a legal muslim in the sight of the believers, society and Shariah. Unless he openly declares that he is an apostate, no matter what he does or says, or does not do or say; he will remain a legal muslim in the sight of Shariah. He will be eligible to marry a believer, he will inherit from his believing relatives, his believing relatives will inherit from him, he will be given a muslim burial, and all the rights that are due to a muslim will be accorded to him.

If the ‘legal’ muslim has short-comings in his practicing the deen; he will be accountable to Allah Subhanah on the Day of Judgement, Who Alone will Judge who amongst the believers were true believers, and who were not!

The best example for the difference between a ‘legal’ muslim in the sight of Shariah, and ‘true’ muslim in the sight of Allah Subhanah is given by the All-Knowing Lord Himself in the Glorious Quran! Allah Subhanah Himself calls the hypocrites amongst the people of Medina ‘kaafirs’; but because they verbally had declared the testimony of faith, all the rights that were due to a believer were accorded to them by the believers. They married amongst the believers, they inherited from their believing relatives, their relatives inherited from them, they were given muslim burials, etc. Every right that was given to a believer was given to them, even though Allah Subhanah has Himself declared them ‘Kaafirs’ in the Glorious Quran!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verses 85: Nor let their (the hyprocrites’) wealth nor their sons dazzle thee: Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this world, and that their souls may perish in their ‘kufr’ (denial of Allah.)

Thus the decision of who amongst the believers are true and sincere believers in Allah and the Last Day, will only be decided by the One Who is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, and All-Mighty on the Day of Judgement! We as human beings do not have the right to ex-communicate any person who is born of muslim parents, or who declares the testimony of faith; unless and until he himself declares his apostasy openly. Unless and until he openly declares his apostasy, he will remain a ‘legal’ muslim in the sight of the world and of Shariah, and all the rights that are due to a muslim will be accorded to him.

And if one thinks deeply for a moment, he will realize the Mercy and Grace of Allah Subhanah on the Ummah! If we were given the right to ex-communicate every person who we thought had short-comings in his practicing of the deen, there would be absolute chaos and dis-order amongst the muslims! Everyone with an opinion would ex-communicate the other for any small thing, which is exactly what is happening in some ignorant segments of the muslim society today! Some ignorant Shias call the Sunnis ‘kaafirs’, some ignorant Sunnis call the Shias ‘kaafir’, some ignorant Hanafis call the Shafeis ‘kaafir’, etc.

But the true believers, whom Allah Subhanah has blessed with knowledge and guided them to the Straight Path and vastness of the Truth of Al-Islam acknowledge every person who is born of muslim parents, or who declares the ‘shahaadah’ even only once as a muslim and his brother-in-faith; and leaves the Real Decision to the One Who is All-Knowing, All-Seeing.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2526 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

The Prophet (saws) said: “Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action.”

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2527 Narrated byAbu Hurayrah

The Prophet (saws) said: “Striving in the path of Allah (jihad) is incumbent on you along with every ruler, whether he is pious or impious; the prayer is obligatory on you behind every believer, pious or impious, even if he commits grave sins; the (funeral) prayer is incumbent upon every Muslim, pious and impious, even if he commits major sins.”

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan