Can a Muslim criticise the beliefs of Kufar

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

A Muslim is required to criticise the beliefs of Kufar because we are obliged to bring people to Islam. In doing so, pointing out the false beliefs of other religious communities is an inevitability. So, we will oppose the beliefs they hold and the statements they make. But we will not insult their gods. This practice is abundantly clear in the Holy Quran. However, many Muslims do not read Quranic translation or commentary so are unfamiliar and thus easily misled.

Explanation

وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ

Revile not those unto whom they pray beside Allah lest they wrongfully revile Allah through ignorance. (Surah al-An’aam, 108).

Allah (Most High) prohibited insulting the false deities of disbelievers. However, it is certainly permitted to criticise the beliefs of Kufar. Conflating the two issues is a result of deep ignorance regarding the Holy Quran. Any Muslim who has even a basic level of familiarity with the Book of Allah will know that exposing and condemning the false belief of Kufar is well established.

Sadly, many sectarian people tell their followers not to read translations of the Holy Quran. Thus, they are completely ignorant regarding the truth. Then they manipulate them due to their ignorance and direct them to sectarianism.

Sectarian misguidance

I encountered an example of this recently. Where some extremely sectarian people were trying to defend their sect leader. In his writing he repeatedly used the most vile language in insulting the God of the Wahabis and Deobandis. This would be prohibited even if these two groups were Kafir. However, they are Muslims. So, the extreme Kufr in his words is clear for all to see.

Yet his followers defended him in many ways. One of those ways is to claim that one who criticised the beliefs of Kufar is the same as the one who swore at their God. They elaborate that condemning and attacking the vile beliefs that Kuffar have is the same as swearing at God. Many of them know that this position opposes the Holy Quran, Blessed Sunnah, and tradition of Ahl al-Sunnah. Yet they conflate to defend their sect leader who swore at the God of the Deobandis.

Absolute Absurdity

According to these sectarian extremists, saying Christians believe that God was born is the same as saying the God of the Christians is… (swearing). Furthermore, it is like saying the God of certain Muslim groups is … (swearing). Whereas the Holy Quran repeatedly does the first but prohibits the second. Their deeply misguided stance accuses the Quran of contradiction. They commit these abhorrent crimes to defend their sect leader.

According to the sectarians, mentioning and condemning the belief of Jewish people regarding God is the same as saying the God of the Jews is … (swearing). Yet the Holy Quran repeatedly done the first and strictly prohibited the second. Even the most ignorant of people can easily differentiate between the two. Yet sectarians conflate to defend the repulsive statements of their sect leader.

These blind following sectarians do not realise that their position means that we cannot point out Kufr and condemn it. Since, according to them, it is akin to swearing at the God of the Kuffar? People only fall into such absolute absurdities when they turn away from Quran, Sunnah and the tradition of Ahl al-Sunnah.   

Quranic examples

My having to write on this subject demonstrates how brainwashed and misguided some people have become. How deeply ignorant they are of the Holy Quran. So, I will provide numerous examples of the Holy Quran condemning the beliefs of other groups. Thus, permitting us to criticise the beliefs of Kufar.

لَقَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ فَقِيرٌ وَنَحْنُ أَغْنِيَاءُ سَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَالُوا وَقَتْلَهُمُ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَنَقُولُ ذُوقُوا عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ

Indeed, Allah has heard the words of those who said: “Certainly, Allah is poor, and we are rich.” We shall record what they said and their killing of the prophets in falsehood. And We shall say, “Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire.” (Surah Āli-ʿImrān, 181).

وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا بِمَا قَالُوا

The Jews said, “The hand of Allah is chained.” Their own hands are chained, and they are cursed for what they said. (Surah al-Māʾidah, 64).

وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ اللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُمْ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ يُضَاهِئُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ

The Jews say, “Uzayr is the son of Allah,” and the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah.” That is their statement from their own mouths. They imitate the words of those who disbelieved before them. (Surah at-Tawbah, 30).

Allah (Most High) mentioned some of the beliefs of Jews and Christians. And clarified how these beliefs and statements are extremely detestable. Thus, demonstrating that it is permitted to criticise the beliefs of Kufar in a robust manner. However, the Quran and Sunnah never cursed the God of the Jews or Christians.

This simple fact can be observed by a child. Yet extreme sectarians want to conflate and confuse the issue. The beliefs and statements of the Kuffar mentioned in the Holy Quran are so detestable that Allah (Most High) revealed the following about them.

تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنْشَقُّ الْأَرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبَالُ هَدًّا (90) أَنْ دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَنِ وَلَدًا (91)

Due to that, the heavens almost rupture, the earth burst open, and the mountains collapse in devastation. Because they attributed a child to the Most Merciful. (Surah Maryam, 90-91).

Unpacking what they say

The Holy Quran absolutely permits us to criticise the beliefs of Kufar. And it goes further. It permits us to unpack their beliefs and statements and condemn what they necessitate. Even if those words are not explicitly uttered by them.

اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

They have taken their priests and monks as lords besides Allah. And the Messiah, son of Mary. Whereas they were commanded to worship none but One God. There is no god but Him. Exalted is He above what they associate. (Surah at-Tawbah, 31).

The above verse asserts the worship of priests and monks by Christians. Sayidina Adi bin Hatim, a Christian before becoming Muslim, asked the blessed Prophet ﷺ about this. Since he did not see Christians ritually worshipping them. The blessed Prophet ﷺ explained that following priests and monks when they change the law of Allah (Most High) is tantamount to worship.

Thus, whether Christians explicitly say they worship priests and monks or not, it is permitted for us to assert it. Likewise, we can say: Christians believe that God caused his mother to become pregnant with him and then was born of her. This is their belief irrespective of how they phrase it.

However, we will usually refrain from such statements. Since we prefer to remain respectful in religious discourse. Unless the enemies of Islam use vile language against our beliefs. In such a case we will remind them that they live in extremely brittle glass houses. But we will never, under any circumstances, swear at their God. The Holy Quran prohibits that.

عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ قَالَ: أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَفِي عُنُقِي صَلِيبٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، فَقَالَ: يَا عَدِيُّ اطْرَحْ هَذَا الْوَثَنَ مِنْ عُنُقِكَ، فَطَرَحْتُهُ فَانْتَهَيْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَهُوَ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ بَرَاءَةَ فَقَرَأَ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ {اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ} [التوبة: 31] حَتَّى فَرَغَ مِنْهَا، فَقُلْتُ: إنَّا لَسْنَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ، فَقَالَ: أَلَيْسَ يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا أَحَلَّ اللهُ فَتُحَرِّمُونُهُ، ويُحِلُّونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللهُ فَتَسْتَحِلُّونَهُ؟ قُلْتُ: بَلَى، قَالَ: فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَتُهُمْ

Adi bin Hatim (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) said: I came to the Prophet ﷺ wearing a gold cross around my neck. He said, “O Adi, cast this idol aside from your neck.” So, I cast it aside. I then approached him while he was reciting Surah Bara’ah; he recited the verse: They have taken their priests and monks as lords besides Allah. [At-Tawbah: 31]. Until he ﷺ finished it. I said, “We do not worship them.” He asked, “Do they not forbid what Allah has made lawful, and you forbid it? And do they not make lawful what Allah has made forbidden, and you deem it lawful?” I replied, “Yes.” He ﷺ said, “That is worshipping them.” (Tabarani al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer, 218).

The above Hadith narration is also found in Sunan al-Tirmidhi (3095) with a similar chain. The narrators in the chain are sound. I have translated the narration in Tabarani since it is clearer and slightly more detailed.

Classical scholars

Many Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah extracted what the belief of disbelievers necessitates from their statements. In doing so, they were following the example of the Holy Quran. As explained by Imam al-Mawardi in his Tafseer of Surah al-Maidah verse116.

وَإِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَاعِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنْتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَهَيْنِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ

And when Allah says, “O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to the people, ‘Take me and my mother as two gods besides Allah’?” (Surah al-Maidah,116).

فإن قيل: فالنصارى لم تتخذ مريم إلهاً , فكيف قال تعالى فيهم ذلك؟ قيل: لما كان من قولهم أنها لم تلد بشراً وإنما ولدت إِلَهاً لزمهم أن يقولوا إنها لأجل البعضي بمثابة من ولدته , فصاروا حين لزمهم ذلك كالقائلين له. (تفسير الماوردي)

If it is asked: The Christians did not take Mary as a god. So why, did the Almighty say this about them? It is said: Since they say that she did not give birth to a human being but rather to a God, it follows that they must regard her, by virtue of the relationship of part to whole, as being of the same nature as the one she bore. Thus, having incurred this implication, they became effectively like those who assert that claim. (Imam Abu al-Hasan Ali bin Muhammad al-Mawardi 450H, Tafsir al-Mawardi). 

Imam al-Mawardi explained that a Christian saying we do not consider Mary to be a God is refuted by unpacking the beliefs they have. Other Imams mentioned similar things. Thus, mentioning what a disbeliever’s statement necessitates is absolutely permitted and even encouraged. And a legitimate way for a Muslim to criticise the beliefs of Kufar

يُقَال لَهُم خبرونا كَيفَ ولدت مَرْيَم الابْن دون الْأَب وروح الْقُدس وَهُوَ غير مباين لَهما وَلَا مُنْفَصِل عَنْهُمَا فَيكون المتحد بالجسد حملا فِي بطن مَرْيَم وَالْأَب وَالروح والجوهر الْجَامِع للأقانيم لَا فِي بطن مَرْيَم وهما مَعَ. (تمهيد الأوائل في تلخيص الدلائل)

They are asked: Tell us how Mary gave birth to the Son—without the Father and the Holy Spirit—given that He is neither distinct nor separate from them? For this would imply that the One united with the flesh was carried in Mary’s womb. While the Father, the Spirit, and the essence comprising the hypostases were not in Mary’s womb, even though they are inseparable. (Imam al-Qadi Abu Bakr al-Baqillani 403H, Tamhid al-Awa’il fi Talkhis al-Dala’il).

وهو قديم أزلى، وأن مريم ولدت إلها أزليا. (أبكار الأفكار في أصول الدين)

(They believe) He is eternal and pre-eternal. And Mary gave birth to an eternal God. (Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Amidi 631H, Abkar al-Afkar fi Usul al-Deen).

Deep dishonesty

Those conflating between the permission to criticise the beliefs of Kufar and insulting their gods, often have a sectarian agenda. Not a focus on the truth. Their sect leader made the most vile blunder by repeatedly swearing at the god of the Deobandis and Wahabis.

Now they are scrambling and clutching at straws to defend him. Whereas loyalty to Allah (Most High) dictates condemning his error and defending the name of Allah (Most High). This demonstrates one of the biggest dangers of sectarianism. One becomes loyal to the sect. Not to Allah (Most High) and His Messenger ﷺ. That’s why they side with their sect leader even when he praises insults against the Mubarak Prophet ﷺ.

Not only do sectarian people destroy their Deen in this disloyalty to Allah (Most High) and His Messenger ﷺ, but they also expose their intellectual dishonesty. They claim that attacking a Kafirs belief is the same as attacking their gods. So, if a Muslim says that Christians are Kafir, has he called their god a Kafir? If a Muslim were to say Jews are Kuffar, has he called the god of the Jews Kafir?

The argument is so ridiculous and dishonest they would never make it if they were not motivated by sectarianism. Their lie and conflation would dictate that Allah (Most High) called the god of the Jews and Christians Kafir when he condemned their belief as Kufr.

لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَهٍ إِلَّا إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهُوا عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيم

Indeed, those who say that Allah is the third of three have disbelieved. There is no God but One God. If they do not desist from what they say, verily those who disbelieve will be touched by a painful punishment. (Surah al-Maidah, 73).

يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَأَنْتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ

O People of the Book, why do you deny the signs of Allah whilst you are witnesses (to their truth)? (Surah Ali Imraan, 70).

Criticise their scholars

When the Barelvi sectarian leader attacked the elders or scholars of the Deobandis, nobody accused him of blasphemy against Allah (Most High). Rather, Deobandis had made serious errors which had to be pointed out. Thus, opposing them was correct. And the Holy Quran permits pointing out the errors of people’s elders.

However, his most despicable blunder was that he started to attack their God. Whilst they are Muslims and call upon Allah (Most High) and worship him. Even if they were disbelievers worshipping other than Allah (Most High), his words would have directly opposed the Holy Quran.

إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْأَنْفُسُ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمُ الْهُدَى

They are nothing but names that you and your forefathers have invented. For which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow nothing but conjecture and what their own souls desire, even though guidance has come to them from their Lord. (Surah al-Najm, 23).

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ

And when it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they say, “Rather, we will follow that upon which we found our forefathers.” Even if their forefathers understood nothing and were not guided? (Surah al-Baqarah, 170).

Conclusion

The Holy Quran gives us permission to criticise the beliefs of Kufar. It even permits us to point out the errors of their elders. However, it prohibits insulting their gods. Failing to understand or acknowledge this distinction has caused sectarian Barelvis to go far astray. And defend their leader’s extremely detestable insults against the God of the Deobandis and Wahabis.

Shockingly, many sectarian people tell their followers to refrain from reading the Quran in a language they understand. Thus, distancing them from the book of Allah (Most High). Had they been familiar with the guidance in the Holy Quran then they would never have made such catastrophic errors.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (30.09.26)