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The Kufr of Nuh Ha Mim Keller

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The Kufr of Nuh Ha Mim Keller Introduction (Muqadimmah ): What follows is a brief yet sufficient summary and rationalization of the contentious dispute between the scholars of the Ahlus Sunnah and the Deobandiyyah sect of the Indo-Pak Subcontinent, in respects to the disparaging remark of one Ashraf Ali al Thanwi [the forerunner of the latter faction] commenting on the knowledge of The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him). And whether the said is deserving of Takfir or not. This piece has been penned in light of the residual polemics which were materialized by the pen of an American researcher by the name of Nuh Ha Mim Keller , who is associated with the epithet ‘Shaykh Nuh’ in parts of the world. Primary Warning (Al Tanbih Al Awwal ): Establishing the emanating of a statement of Kufr from an individual does not necessitate that one is doing Takfir of the Mafu’l or labelling him a kafir . As is prevalent amongst the classical scholars for example Ibn Al Jawzi who affirmed the Kufr of Yazid but remained silent on labelling him a Kafir The First Chapter ( Al Fasl al Awwal): On Kufr and it’s primary types. When discussing the definition of Kufr in respects to Takfir our scholars have divided Kufr into two types; Luzumi and Iltizami . Imam Ahmad Ridha Khan (May Allah be pleased with him writes): “Whatever the Master of the Universes Muhammad The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) brought from his Lord, affirming it and accepting it beyond doubt is Iman. And mocking any matter from these or rejecting any matter even by the lightest form of rejection is Kufr . Then this rejection (May Allah protect me and all Muslims from such) is of two types; Luzumi and Iltizami . Iltizami is such that the individual explicitly rejects one of the components of the necessities of the religion ‘Dururiyat al Din’ this is kufr by a decisive manner and in accordance with the Scholarly consensus. Even if the individual claims to follow Islam in its entirety such as the destructive factions who reject the existence of Jinn, Angels, Satan, the skies, the fire, the heavens, the miracles of the prophets (Peace be upon them), which according to us have been mass transmitted from The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him). However they reject the mentioned and give their own abnormal interpretations which they are willing to die with. However these interpretations shall not save them nor their claims to love of the religion. Luzumi is such that the statement in itself is not Kufr yet after placing it in the form of premises and analyzing it in all manners, ultimately it leads to the rejection of something from the necessities of the religion” 1 PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com The Second Chapter (Al Fasl Al Thani) : On the stance of the scholars in respects to the one who insults The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him). The opinion of the scholars in respects to the one who insults the Prophet (Peace be upon him) is clear. Ibn Taymiyyah writes: “Indeed whomsoever insults [The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him)] indeed he has committed blasphemy and is killed, and there is no dispute [amongst the scholars] in this. This is the position of the four Imams and others.” “Muhammad Ibn Suhnun said; It is the consensus of the scholars that the one who insults the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and ascribes defect to him is a disbeliever. And the promise of the punishment of Allah applies to him, and his ruling according to the Ummah is that he be killed. And whoever doubts in his disbelief and his punishment has himself committed apostasy .” In his written piece Nuh Ha Mim Keller attempts to bring Ashraf Ali Thanvi out from the depths of Kufr into Iman, by suggesting that insulting The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) is only kufr if the Qa’il had intended to insult. Supporting his claim by citing an apparent Qai’da of Imam Subki (May Allah be pleased with him) which seemingly suggests the same, that we can only rule with apostasy once the full extent of the reason the Qa’il uttered such words becomes apparent. Ruling out the established principle that consideration is only given on the apparent state and not what may me be concealed in one’s heart. We shall deal with Subki’s principle in its appropriate place but for now it suffices us that we quote Ibn Taymiyyah who writes: “ Indeed the disparaging of Allah or the disparaging of His messenger is disbeleif in the apparent state and in that which is hidden . Regardless of whether the insulter believes in the forbidden nature of what he has uttered or he considers it permissible, or even if he is oblivious of his creed . This is the methodology of the jurists and all of the Ahlus Sunnah who advocate that Iman is in saying and in action.” Ibn Taymiyyah states that even if one is oblivious of his creed, by insulting the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) he still becomes an apostate. Then how is it that Nuh Ha Mim Keller wished to label an individual who was a man of knowledge a Muslim, even after he insulted the Prophet? 2 PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com Qadhi Iyad writes: “We have already discussed killing the person who, with intent, curses the Prophet, belittles him or slights him in any way. The judgement in this case is clear. The second case concerns when it is necessary to clarify what someone has said. This applies to someone who speaks about the Prophet without intending to curse or belittle him and not believing his words to be true, but who nonetheless speaks about the Prophet using words of disbelief which curse him, revile him or call him a liar or ascribe to him something that is not permitted or deny one of his necessary attributes, all of which constitutes disparagement in respect of him. For instance, he might ascribe a major wrong action to the Prophet, or say that he failed to convey the message or had fallen short in a judgement between people or he might lower his rank, the honour of his lineage, the extent of his knowledge or his asceticism, or deny a famous matter reported form him which has come by many paths of transmission with the intention of refuting the report, or say something insolent and ugly or of a cursing nature in respect of him. However, the state of this individual indicates that he does not mean to censure the Prophet nor curse him but the ignorance, discontent, drunkenness, carelessness, arrogance or hasty speech has led him to say what he said. The judgement in this case is the same judgement that applied to the first individual. Such a person is killed without hesitation since no one is excused for disbelief by ignorance or by claiming a slip of the tongue or by any of the things which we have mentioned if his intellect is basically sound. The only exception is when someone is forced to do it while his heart is at rest in belief. Qadhi Iyad’s stance is clear that even if one does not intend to insult and is of sound intellect he still becomes an unbeliever by his utterance. 3 PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com The Third Chapter ( Al Fasl Al Thalith ): On Imam Subki’s principle in respects to the one who insults the Prophet (Peace be upon him). When defining an insult by intent and without intent Imam Subki (May Allah be pleased with him) writes: “An insult is of two types; Insult with intent and Insult without intent. Thus Mistah and Hamnah and Hassan their intent was not to insult the Prophet (Peace be upon him), therefore the ruling of disbelief and being killed does not apply to them. As for Ibn Ubay thus his intent was to insult the Prophet (Peace be upon him), therefore he deserved death. However the right is for the Prophet (Peace be upon him) thus for him [only] is the right to pardon. And this principle and the consideration of intention is in that which an insult is established with and attention [to the insult] is necessary. Thus indeed an individual performs an action or says a statement and what is established from it is the insult of another, however the individual did not intend his insult ever. And merely he intended something else and there is no indication around him that [what he said] necessitates the disparaging of that individual nor is its’ luzum clear. Thus the principle of insult can not be built on this .” “I say; Whoever angers him (Peace be upon him) by insulting or something to that effect from what we have ruled to be disbelief, then there is not doubt that he is killed so long as he is not made to accept Islam. As for those who anger him (Peace be upon him) from the ignorant and the Bedouins but did not intend to insult, he shall not be ruled as a disbeliever. This, if the permissibility of his killing is proven, indeed that is from his specialities (Peace be upon him) that he rule with the Islam of the one who uttered the insult . And we know that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) did not do that and did not kill a Muslim ever.” 4 PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com The Fourth Chapter ( Al Fasl Al Raabi ): On Thanvi’s statement and the application of the former set of principles upon it.
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