Al-Takfir According to Ahl Al-Sunnah Wa Al-Jama'ah and Its Relation to National Unity
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET) Volume 10, Issue 03, March 2019, pp. 3344–3350, Article ID: IJCIET_10_03_335 Available online at http://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJCIET?Volume=10&Issue=3 ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316 © IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed AL-TAKFIR ACCORDING TO AHL AL-SUNNAH WA AL-JAMA'AH AND ITS RELATION TO NATIONAL UNITY Engku Ahmad Zaki Engku Alwi Professor, PhD, Center of Study of Usuluddinm, The Faculty of Islamic Contemporary Studies Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kampus Gong Badak, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Mohd Hafiz Nordin Master Student, Center of Study of Usuluddin The Faculty of Islamic Contemporary Studies, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin Kampus Gong Badak, 21300 , Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Mohd Hasrul Shuhari* Lecturer, PhD., Center of Study of Usuluddin The Faculty of Islamic Contemporary Studies, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin Kampus Gong Badak, 21300, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu *Corresponding Author ABSTRACT The misunderstanding of the concept of al-Takfir in Islam is one of the factors that leads to disunity of people nowadays. The unity of a country depends on the unity of its people. Al-Takfir without rights and propositions is a violation of the concept of al- Wasatiyyah and a breach of the principle of al-Tabayyun. One considered as an extremist when he judges a person blindly without any proof and investigation. Hence, the role of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah to be in the middle between two extremes seems to be significant so that the real concept of moderation is preserved in addition to comply with syariah. By using the method of libratory study, this qualitative research explains what is meant by concept of al-takfir and how its relation to the national unity. The result of research shows that the concept of al-takfir by Ahl a- Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah is very specific and not to judge a person with the matters of khilafiyyah in a simple way. It is also one of the aspect to mantain the national unity and its people. Key words: Al-Takfir, Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah, National Unity http://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJCIET 3344 [email protected] Al-Takfir According to Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah and its Relation to National Unity Cite this Article: Engku Ahmad Zaki Engku Alwi, Mohd Hafiz Nordin, Mohd Hasrul Shuhari, Al-Takfir According to Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah and its Relation to National Unity, International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology 10(3), 2019, pp. 3344–3350. http://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJCIET?Volume=10&Issue=3 1. INTRODUCTION This article explains the views of scholars in various dominant school of thoughts which are known as Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah on the topic of al-Takfir. The concept then related to the unity of the particular nation. The issue of al-Takfir is a sensitive matter that can ruin the brotherhood among the Muslims and affects negatively towards the unity of a country. Ahl al- Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah is the group of people which is most safe as well as told by the Prophet Muhammad in a couple of hadith. They are the people of Muhammad that apply the characteristics of ummatan wasata who are the best group of people because of the moderate attitude applied as the principle of life. They urge peace and denounce the extremism and outrageous such as some people who are misguided from the path and easily accuse Muslims as non-believer without rights. Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah have a large number of followers. Al-Zabidi (t.t.:5) stated briefly about Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah in his work: “if it is called who is the Ahl al- Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah then it referred to al-asha‟irah dan al-maturidiyyah.” As was said by Prophet Muhammad, it is impossible for Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah to form in a large number of people to achieve a goal which being misguided from the path. Al-Tabarani in his book narrated that the Prophet Muhammad said: and this nation (of Muslims) will split into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in the Fire except one sect (the Saved Sect). We (the companion) then said to him, “tell us about their characteristic (the saved sect)”. The Prophet replied, “(they are) the majority” (al-sawad al-a‟zam). Thus, the researcher views that the phrasing of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah towards al- Asha‟irah and al-Maturidiyyah meets the need of prophetic text. It is because of regarding to the passage of time, the history witnesses that al-Asha‟irah and al-Maturidiyyah pave the majority of people since the period of Prohet Muhammad until now. The creed of Ahl al- Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah al-Asha‟irah and al-Maturidiyyah is not merely seen in the race of Arabs, but also in the other races including Muslims in Malaysia. This two names are always mentioned amongst the people of the world. 2. THE CONCEPT OF AL-TAKFIR The term of al-Takfir is taken from the original word of ka-fa-ra. The ka-fa-ra means contrary to faith (naqidu al-iman) (Ibnu Manzur, 1968: 144). Kafirun which called nonbeliever is the one who refuses, acts against, deny and anti-truth (Ensiklopedia, 2004: 344). The one who does have faith in Allah and the Messenger of Allah also known as kafirun. The word al- Takfir is a derivation from the root word of ka-fa-ra.al-Takfir refers to the action that accuses the other people as nonbeliever or putting the word kafir towards people who disagree with him or his group (Muhadir, 2015: 70). Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah do not easily accuse the companions of the Messenger as nonbelievers either they were coming from Muhajirin and Ansar, Ahl al-Badr, bai‟at al- ridwan, Ahl al-Bayt or Khulafa‟ al-Rasyidin. They also forbid reproaching all of them or part of them and they do not accuse the Tabi‟iin and the people coming after them as nonbelievers. They do not do that unless there are reasons enabling or permitting them to do so (Muhadir, 2015: 70-71). Therefore, in understanding the reasons people are convicted of al-kufr, the http://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJCIET 3345 [email protected] Engku Ahmad Zaki Engku Alwi, Mohd Hafiz Nordin, Mohd Hasrul Shuhari scholars of mutakalimin explain the division of al-kufr into three different dimension which are kufr al-i‟tiqadiy, kufr al-fi‟liy and kufr al-qawliy. The division of al-kufr into three parts was explained by all school of thoughts of Ahl Sunnah wa al-Jama‟ah as was stated by al-nawawi through his book of Rawdah al-Talibin (1985: 283), Ibn „Abidin through his book of Hasyiah Radd al-Muhtar (2000: 283), al-Buhuti through his book of Syarh Muntaha al-Iradat and Muhammad „Illaysy al-Maliki through his book of Manh al-Jalil Syarh al-Mukhtasar al-Jalil (1990: 461-462). This division is based on three verses in the al-Quran which one verse represent one division of al-kufr respectively. The verses are: Translation: “They swear by Allah that they said nothing, whlile indeed they had said the word of infidelity and had disbelieved after having accepted Islam” Surah al-Tawbah (09): 74 Translation: “Believers, in fact, are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, then have no doubt” Surah al-Hujurat (49): 15 Translation: “Do not prostrate yourself to the sun and the moon. And prostatrate yourselves to Allah who has created them, if it is Him whom you whorship” Surah al-Fussilat (41): 37 Those three verses clearly show that the division of al-kufr into three parts is a fact based on the solid evidence where the first verse refers to al-kufr al-qawliy, the second verse refers to kufr al- i‟tiqadiy, and the third verse refers to kufr al-fi‟liy. Al-Harariy (2011: 78) stated that Islam and Iman (faith) of a person need to be preserved for every single time since it is an obligatory for the mukallaf (accountable person). According to al-Harariy (2011: 83-84), there are a lot of words coming from people nowadays and at the same time they do not realise the words are clearly prohibited in the religion. However, the ignorance about it is unforgivable and can not save the speaker of that words from the act of al-kufr that has been done. The prohibition of the crime of al-kufr or riddah is mentioned in the holy book of al- Quran for several time and threats the committer with punishment. Islam has stated the punishment on the offenders of riddah which they are sentenced to the death after undergoing the process of repentance that is called as istitabah. The punishment based on the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari, the Prophet Muhammad had given order to execute the one who have changed their religion (from Islam into any other religion) and they did not repent after being told to do so (Siti Zaleha, 2016: 207). The crime of al-kufr can be seen when a people deny one of the obligatory thas is known publicly, legalise the illegal matters that is known publicly, insulting Islam, having intention to change the religion from Islam into other religions and other matters (Siti Zaleha, 2016: 206). Thus, the punishment of death denotes that Allah does not accept the religion other than Islam.