“That is Allah—your True Lord. So what is beyond the truth except falsehood? How can you then be turned away?” (Qur’an 10:32)
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The Conditions of Takfeer/Excommunication in the Ibadi School by Shaykh, Dr Scholar Abdullah bin Saeed bin Abdullah Al Ma’mari May Allah protect him and continue to benefit us from him.
One of the principles established by Ahl al-Istiqama.
The evidence with clear-cut authenticity and clear meaning in theology is taken as definitive, absolute, certain and must be believed.
Whoever opposes this meaning in theology and rejects it is a Mushrik. We seek refuge in Allah from such people.
That is for those who reject it outright without interpretation.
The one who rejects it by means of interpretation is a fasiq.
In both cases, such people are misguided. Because this evidence can only have one meaning. Rejecting it is unacceptable. This rejection only comes from desire.
Allah (swt) says: “So what is beyond the truth except falsehood?” (Qur’an 10:32)
Whoever opposes clear-cut evidence in terms of authenticity and meaning should not receive sweet words from us.
Again, this is only if it has a clear-cut meaning, is authentic, and it comes from the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Our beloved teacher and respected Shaykh Al-Qanoobi (h) has said:
“Evidence does not become clear-cut unless it goes through certain conditions.”
There are four conditions in our school which must be fulfilled.
1) The first is that it must be authentically transmitted from the Qur’an or Sunnah.
2) The second is that it has a clear-cut authenticity.
3) The third is that the meaning has to be clear.
4) It has to be agreed as being tawatur.
Point 4 has a caveat.
By Tawatur/Mutawattir. That is to say, mass transmitted in practice without additions, accretions or innovations. Alternatively, mass transmitted by disassociated chains of transmission such that it is not possible for them to have conspired upon a falsehood.
For the person who says it is mutawatir. They should take it as part of their creed.
The one who takes a matter disputed as mutawatir by right cannot call another who disagrees as a fasiq. That is because the one who does so takes those hadith as ahad only.
For instance, the belief in Al-Siraat and some say the punishment of the grave.
Shaykh Imam Al-Salimi (r) says:
The evidence regarding the punishment of the grave is mutawatir.
That was his position and he did not call other scholars from the school as fasiqs.
Example: Our luminous scholar Shaykh Imam Nasir bin Abi Nabhan (r) didn’t believe in the punishment of the grave. That is because he didn’t believe the narrations were mutawatir (clear-cut and mass transmitted).
Rather, Shaykh Nabhan (r) saw them as ahad.
Going back to the general principle of the school. No evidence should be accepted in theology unless it is clear-cut with a clear meaning.
However, Shaykh Imam Al-Salimi (r) and other scholars said it is clear-cut with a clear meaning and so they and their followers have to believe it. It is a point of creed.
This is done without calling Fasiq either side due to this difference of opinion.
This is an important principle mentioned by Shaykh Al Qanubi (h) in some of his books.
May Allah Guide the Ummah.
May Allah Forgive the Ummah.
Prima Quran 