Is It Considered Disbelief to Praise the Actions of Non-Muslims?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
The Scholars have unanimously agreed that if someone deems an act of the disbelievers as good, he is, in fact, himself committed kufr, so that even if a man says ‘to remain silent whilst eating is good as fire-worshippers do’ or ‘not having sexual intercourse is a good act that they perform (the fire-worshippers),’ he will become a kafir.” [Ghamz ʻUyūn al-Basāʼir]
So if a disbeliever kicks a ball in a certain way and a Muslim thinks, wow, such a good kick, he is now kafir? Or if, like in the quotation above, some people like to enjoy their meals in quiet, so they see a Kafir and say being silent while eating is good is now a kafir?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
He is not a disbeliever (kafir). Some scholars maintain that when disbelief is mentioned in some statements, such as above, it is not to be understood literally but rather as an exaggeration to divert believers from falling into the act being described.
This interpretation is supported by the statement: “A servant is not considered to have left his faith except by denying that which originally caused him to enter into it.” [Maydani, Sharh al-‘Aqida al-Tahawiyya]
Devil is a Trickster
The devil is a trickster, and deceit is his profession. He has been in business for as long as humans have existed. He is cunning and crafty and works hard to achieve his goals. He has many tactics, at the top of the list being baseless misgivings and creating doubts in our minds and hearts. He wants us to become confused, obsessed, and compulsive to the extent that it destroys us. He knows our psychological makeup very, very well.
Take the means to ward off the devil, as taught by our Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace). These include the following:
“Seek refuge in Allah Most High by saying, A’udhu bi Llahi min ash-shaytani r-rajim.” [Bukhari; Muslim]; and recite Ayat al-Kursi, as well as the last three suras (Ikhlas, Falaq, Nas). [Tabarani, Mu‘jam al-Kabir].
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I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction, in sha’ Allah.
Related:
- Devil’s Tricks – The Path of Muhammad: Birgivi’s Manual of Taqwa Explained. [Video]
- Key Principles Relating to Certainty, Doubt, and Baseless Misgivings (Waswasa)
- A Reader on OCD and Waswasa (Baseless Misgivings).
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
