Will a Muslim Become a Disbeliever If He Studies World Religions, including Islam, and Will Believe in It If Research Proves It?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
If Muslim studies all World Religions, including Islam, to identify the true one, will he be deemed a kafir? What is the status of the nikah of such a person and his two children?
Will they be regarded as legitimate because he is not entirely sure that Islam is true, even though such a person is sincere and will unquestionably believe if research helps prove it to him?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are well. Allah (Most High) reward you for your question and seeking guidance.
As a sincere Muslim as you are, alhamdulillah, studying other religions is fine. However, it is crucial to study the essentials of the religion of Islam first, then, with the guidance and supervision of scholars, study other religions. Just like with worldly sciences, we would not advise others to study other advanced sciences without having a firm grounding in basic primary education; this will lead to confusion and doubts.
Also, one will not become a disbeliever, and neither one’s marriage will be affected. However, I advise you to study under the guidance and supervision of a reliable local scholar. You will be guided and see the difference and enlightenment in your heart.
Pray two raka’ of Istikhara (seeking guidance) and ask Allah (Most High) for guidance. We Muslims should always make this habit when we intend to do even the most minor things.
Check these links:
Istikhara: The Prayer of Seeking Guidance – SeekersGuidance
Can I Study Comparative Religion? – SeekersGuidance
Why not begin your search for authentic knowledge by signing up for a course on Seekersguidance?
SeekersAcademy (seekers.flywheelstaging.com)
May Allah (Most High) keep you sincere and guide us all, keep us in good faith, and works in Him until the last breath, amin
I pray this helps with your question.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied within UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.
He started his early education in UK. He went onto complete hifz of Qur’an in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in UK where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah sciences. He then travelled to Karachi, Pakistan.
He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Qur’an, Tajwid, Fiqh and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He was teaching 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 UK with his wife. His personal interest is love of books and gardening.
