The Correct and Incorrect Understanding of the Hindrances to Takfir (Mawani'u t-Takfir)

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Following the previous claim, this section will address the hindrances to takfir, as there is great confusion about this topic among Muslims today.

From the chapter on unjustified takfir, it was already made clear that the hindrances to takfir actually prevent kufr from occurring in the first place. For example, due to ignorance of a text, actual rejection of that text does not even take place.

The same applies to cases where the act itself does not actually take place, because it was not carried out with the necessary awareness. This also explains why, in Islamic law, the following individuals are excused for such actions or statements:

• The mentally incompetent or intellectually disabled person
• The child
• The sleeping person
• Someone who misspeaks
• Someone who merely quotes a statement
• Someone who is completely unaware of the act itself

All of these individuals have one thing in common from an Islamic legal perspective: They are in no way responsible for their statements.

Such statements made by these individuals are considered, according to the shari'ah, as if they never occurred. This is because the person:

• Either did not intend the statement or act at all – such as in the case of the sleeping person, someone who misspeaks, or similar situations,
• or their intention is not legally valid to the extent that they could be held accountable – such as in the case of a child or a mentally incompetent person.

It would be absurd to apply this situation to people who are fully responsible and fully aware while worshiping something other than Allah سبحانه وتعالى. As already explained, the linguistic meaning of shirk is undeniably present in every polytheist.

The above argument means in the end drawing a comparison between a person who did not intend an act at all and another person who consciously commits the same act with full awareness!

It is as if one were to say: “A person who is awake is excused because a sleeping person is also excused.”, – this is a clearly absurd statement. This point can be further clarified by a hadith that some people use to support this false argument.

... ثُمَّ قَالَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ عَبْدِي وَأَنَا رَبُّكَ، أَخْطَأَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ

… Then, out of extreme joy, he said: “O Allah, You are my servant, and I am Your Lord.” He made a mistake due to his overwhelming joy.¹³⁹

It is clear that the person mentioned in this hadith did not actually intend to make this statement.

Some people argue that since this person was excused for making a clear statement of kufr, the same excuse should apply to a polytheist.

As has already been demonstrated, this claim is highly absurd, because it essentially implies: “Since this person is excused for an unintentional statement, others should also be excused for their intentional statements.”

According to this claim, it would even be possible for a person to be excused for saying the exact same statement mentioned in the hadith, even if he said it intentionally and with full conviction!

Just as absurd as the previously mentioned excuses is the case of merely reporting statements that contradict Islam. If a person only quotes such a statement, it cannot be attributed to him as his own belief. If this were not the case, no Muslim would be able to read the Qur'an, since it contains quotations of statements made by idolaters in several places.

Just as self-evident is the excuse of someone who does not know the reality of a matter and therefore misjudges it. For example, if a blind person performs sujud without knowing that there is an idol in front of him, it is clear that this does not take him out of Islam.

One would have to be extremely confused to think:

“This blind person worshiped an idol alongside Allah, yet he was excused. He committed shirk, but Allah still forgave this shirk.”

Even more grotesque would be the following conclusion:

“Therefore, someone who actually worships an idol and openly acknowledges it is also an excused Muslim, as long as he did not know any better.”

It becomes clear that serious misunderstandings and false conclusions arise when people fail to grasp the most basic foundations of these matters.