Rejecting the tenets of Islam out of ignorance

· 20 Dhuʻl-Hijjah 1446 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

1. If someone rejects a tenet of Islam due to lack of knowledge, are they kaafir? Example: Believing not doing waajib acts doesn't entail sin, only fardhs entail sin.

2. When it becomes known to them that the act is a tenet of Islam, they accept it. Do they have to reclaim shahaadah?

Answer

The Fuqahaa mention that if the thing one rejects is from the durooriyaat of Deen, then through rejecting it, one will come out of the fold of Islam.

The darooriyaat of Deen refers to those actions or aspects of Deen which are established through tawaatur (Mutawaatir Ahaadith) and all Muslims in general have knowledge of it being part of Deen.

For example, Tawheed of Allah Ta‘ala, Risaalat of Hazrat Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam, the four main pillars of Islam viz salaah, zakaat, fasting or hajj, etc.

Hence, if a person rejects any of these teachings and injunctions of Deen, he will come out of the fold of Islam, as these things are established through Mutawaatir Ahaadith.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

Answered by
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
Questions about this ruling, answered only from the archive with sources.

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