I once read Imam Muhammad Shaybani Rahmat Allah alayh was asked about someone who said Jesus is the son of God but didn’t say “The Christians say..” or something to this effect, and the Imam said that he becomes a kafir.
So my question is: Recently I was in India and I was shocked to be interacting with mushriks for the first time in my life. I asked a man where is the Qibla and he didn’t know and he said “Sir I am a Hindu”. I was later thinking of the story in my mind, and in my mind I thought “How could he not know where the Qibla is and told me” then with my tongue I said to myself softly “Sir I am a Hindu” quoting him but it was the only thing I said with my tongue, the rest in my mind recalling the story…
My question is what is the hukm of he who says a clear statement of kufr of another by intention of quoting without beginning with the words “he said, they say…” even though from the context of the conversation it is obvious he is quoting someone – like what happened to me?
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In principle, quoting a statement of kufr does not constitute kufr.[1] Thus, quoting the statement of the Hindu is not kufr.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Arshad Ali
Student Darul Iftaa
Trinidad
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
[1] البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (5/ 129)
وَبِإِثْبَاتِ الْمَكَانِ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى فَإِنْ قَالَ اللَّهُ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَإِنْ قَصَدَ حِكَايَةَ مَا جَاءَ فِي ظَاهِرِ الْأَخْبَارِ لَا يَكْفُرُ
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (3/ 719)
وفي أواخر جامع الفصولين: قال: الله تعالى في السماء عالم لو أراد به المكان كفر لا لو أراد به حكاية عما جاء في ظاهر الأخبار
The questioner is referring to the following Ibaarah of Imam Muhammad,(Kufr will take place قضاء not ديانة);
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (3/ 232)
وَلَوْ قَالَتْ لِلْقَاضِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَقَالَ الزَّوْجُ إنَّمَا حَكَيْت قَوْلَ النَّصَارَى فَإِنْ أَقَرَّ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ إلَّا بِهَذِهِ الْكَلِمَةِ بَانَتْ امْرَأَتُهُ، وَإِنْ قَالَ وَصَلْتُ بِكَلَامِي فَقُلْت النَّصَارَى يَقُولُونَ وَكَذَّبَتْهُ الْمَرْأَةُ فَالْقَوْلُ قَوْلُهُ: مَعَ الْيَمِينِ وَلَا يُحْكَمُ بِكُفْرِهِ، وَإِنْ نَكَلَ عَنْ الْيَمِينِ حُكِمَ بِهِ اهـ.
وَهُوَ مُشْكِلٌ إنْ صَحَّتْ النُّسْخَةُ لِأَنَّ النُّكُولَ شُبْهَةٌ، وَالتَّكْفِيرُ لَا يَثْبُتُ مَعَ الشُّبْهَةِ وَيُمْكِنُ أَنْ يُقَالَ إنَّهَا تَبِينُ بِالنُّكُولِ وَلَا يَثْبُتُ كُفْرُهُ
فتح القدير – ط. الفكر (5/ 185)
فإنه ذكر فى السير الكبير شهدا على رجل أنه قال المسيح ابن الله ولم يقل قول النصارى والرجل يقول وصلت به ذلك قبلت هذه الشهادة وبانت امرأته لإحاطة علم الشاهد به