Whoever does not believe that the kaafirs are kaafirs is himself a kaafir

 

Is it true that anyone who does not
accept that kuffaar are kuffaar is a kaafir himself, even if he prays, believes in the
Qur'aan, and the Prophet Muhammad (
)? If so, what is the proof for this? Can a person
insist on believing that Jews and Christians can be believers and go to heaven after being
shown clear evidence against this, and still be considered a Muslim?

Praise be to Allaah.

Yes, this is correct. Whoever is not convinced that the person who
disbelieves in the religion of Allaah is a kaafir, does not believe what Allaah has told
us about their being kaafirs, and he does not believe that the religion of Islam abrogates
all previous religions and that all people must follow this religion no matter what their
religion was before.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never
be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” [Aal
‘Imraan 3:85]

“Say (O Muhammad): “O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all
as the Messenger of Allaah” [al-A’raaf 7:158]

Al-Qaadi ‘Ayyaad said: hence we regard as a kaafir everyone who
follows a religion other than the religion of the Muslims, or who agrees with them, or who
has doubts, or who says that their way is correct, even if he appears to be a Muslim and
believes in Islam and that every other way is false, he is a kaafir

(Al-Shifaa’ bi Ta’reef Huqooq al-Mustafaa, 2/1071)

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said:

Know that among the greatest things that can nullify Islam are ten
things:

Associating othes in worship of Allaah alone, Who has no partner or
associate. The evidence ofr that is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, Allaah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in
worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that”
[al-Nisaa’ 4:116].

This also includes offering scarifices to other than Allaah, such as to
the jinn or at graves.

Whoever regards others as intermediaries between him and Allaah and
calls upon them to ask them to intercede for him, is a kaafir according to scholarly
consensus.

Whoever does not regard the Mushrikeen as kaafirs or doubts that they
are kaafirs or regard their way as correct, is a kaafir according to scholarly consensus.

After enumerating them, he said (may Allaah have mercy on him):

In the case of all these things that nullify Islam, there is no
difference whether a person is joking or is serious or is afraid – except in cases
where he is forced to do something. All of them are among the things that are very
dangerous and which happen very often. The Muslim has to beware of them and fear them
happening to him. We seek refuge with Allaah from the things that earn His wrath and His
painful prunishment, May Allaah bless Muhammad.

(Mu’allafaat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab, 212,
213).

Shirk and kufr are the same when it comes to the ruling (hukm)

Ibn Hazm said:

Kufra and shirk are the same; every kaafir is a mushrik and every mushrik
is a kaafir. This is the view of al-Shaafa’ and others.

(al-Fisl, 3/124).

The Jews and Christians are kuffaar and mushrikeen. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and
the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths,
resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah’s Curse be on them,
how they are deluded away from the truth! … They (Jews and Christians) took their
rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah (by obeying them in things which
they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by
Allaah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they
(Jews and Christians) were commanded [in the Tauraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] to
worship none but One Ilaah (God — Allaah) Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to
be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him (far above is He) from having the
partners they associate (with Him).” [al-Tawbah 9:30-31].

It was reported from Abu Hurayrag that the Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One is Whose hand is the
soul of Muhammad, not one of this nation, Jew or Christian, will hear of me and will die
without having believed in that with which I have been sent, but he will be one of the
dwellers of Hell fire.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 153)

Whoever says that the Jews are not kaafirs is disbelieving in the words
of Allaah (interpretation of the meanings):

“And their hearts absorbed (the worship of) the calf because of
their disbelief” [al-Baqarah 2:93]

“Among those who are Jews, there are some who displace words from
(their) right places and say: “We hear your word (O Muhammad) and disobey,” and
“Hear and let you (O Muhammad) hear nothing.” And Raa‘ina [in Arabic it
means “Be careful, listen to us, and we listen to you”, whereas in Hebrew, it
means “an insult”] with a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the
religion (Islâm). And if only they had said: “We hear and obey”, and “Do
make us understand,” it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allaah
has cursed them for their disbelief…” [al-Nisa’ 4:46]

“Because of their breaking the covenant, and of their rejecting
the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allaah, and of
their killing the Prophets unjustly, and of their saying: “Our hearts are wrapped
(with coverings, i.e. we do not understand what the Messengers say)” — nay,
Allaah has set a seal upon their hearts because of their disbelief, so they believe not
but a little. And because of their (Jews) disbelief and uttering against Maryam (Mary) a
grave false charge (that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse);  And
because of their saying (in boast), “We killed Messiah ‘Eesaa (Jesus), son of
Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allaah,” — but they killed him not, nor
crucified him, but it appeared so to them the resemblance of ‘Eesaa (Jesus) was put
over another man (and they killed that man)]…” [al-Nisa’ 4:155-157]

“Verily, those who disbelieve in Allaah and His Messengers
and wish to make distinction between Allaah and His Messengers (by believing in Allaah and
disbelieving in His Messengers) saying, “We believe in some but reject others,”
and wish to adopt a way in between.  They are in truth disbelievers. And We
have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment” [al-Nisa’ 4:150-151]

Whoever says that the Christians are not kuffaar is disbelieving in
the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meanings):

“Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allaah is the
Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary)…” [al-Maa’idah 5:17]

“Surely, disbelievers are those who said: “Allaah is the
third of the three (in a Trinity).” But there is no Ilaah (god) (none who has the
right to be worshipped) but One Ilaah (God —Allâh). And if they cease not from what
they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them”
[al-Maa’idah 5:73]

And he is disbelieving in the words of Allaah concerning the Jews
and Christians who do not believe in our Prophet or follow him:

“Verily, those who disbelieve in Allaah and His
Messengers and wish to make distinction between Allaah and His Messengers (by believing in
Allaah and disbelieving in His Messengers) saying, “We believe in some but reject
others,” and wish to adopt a way in between.  They are in truth
disbelievers. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment”
[al-Nisa’ 4:150-151]

What is there left to say after these clear statements from Allaah,
may He be exalted? We ask Allaah to guide us. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.