Aslaam o Alaikum I have read some questions and answers about Shia’sm. One of my friend is half shia from father side but he himself is half sunni and half shia. Believes that we should not do tufarqa. He was very depressed by a statement which states that Shia are Kafir. He had some questions regarding some issues. According to one hadith: If you call someone kafir if he is not kafir, then you become a kafir. He himself a good muslim pray five times a day. Respect all Sahabas.
All the Shiites are not regarded as Kaafir. That Shiite who believes that Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) is deity or that Jibreel (Alayhis salaam) instead of taking revelation to Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) mistakenly took it to Rasoolullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) or the Qur?an is incomplete or altered or Abubakar (Radhiallaahu Anhu) was not a Sahabi or the accusation made on Aisha (Radhiallaahu Anhu) was true, etc will be a Kaafir. If a Shiite does not believe in the above and respects all the Sahabah, then he will not be regarded as a Kaafir.
It is erroneous to think bad of Mu?aawiyah (Radhiallaahu Anhu). He had nothing to do with the martyrdom of Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu). Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) was on the right path in the battle that occurred between them while Mu?aawiyah (Radhiallaahu Anhu) made an Ijtihaadi mistake for which he cannot be taken to task. After the martyrdom of Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) and the reconciliation of Hasan (Radhiallaahu Anhu) with Mu?aawiyah (Radhiallaahu Anhu), Mu?aawiyah (Radhiallaahu Anhu) became the rightful Khalifah.
The Hadith you stated is correct. It will be incorrect to call such a person a Kaafir who is a known Muslim or there is a possibility of him being a Muslim. There is a danger that that person who calls another Kaafir (without any investigation) may become Kaafir himself. That person who calls another a Kaafir after proper investigation will not be named Kaafir. It must be borne in mind that it will be incorrect to go about calling other people Kaafir regardlessly.
We should become practical Muslims and convey the practical Islam to others.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best,
Mufti Muhammad Ashraf
Darul Iftaa – Jameah Mahmoodiyah, Springs
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