The Explanation of The Nullifiers of Islam

The Explanation of The Nullifiers of Islam

This book covers the ten most common nullifiers of Islam. They invalidate the religion, good deeds and belief of its practitioner, just as the nullifiers of purity invalidate one’s ablution. If a person commits any one of these nullifiers, his good deeds will become void and he will be from amongst the polytheist. And if he were to die upon this state, he would be from the people of the hell-fire.

The First Nullifier: Shirk (associating partners) in the worship of Allāh. Allāh says:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا

“Verily, Allāh does not forgive that partners be associated with Him in worship (shirk), but He forgives what is less than that to whom He wills.” [Q 4: 116]

and

إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ

“Verily, the one who mixes partners in worship with Allāh (shirk), then paradise has been made forbidden for him and his final abode will be the hellfire. And the wrongdoers will not have any helpers (in hell).” [Q 5: 72]

The First and Second Nullifiers: Making intermediaries between you and Allāh – Whoever places intermediaries between himself and Allāh, asking them to intercede on his behalf, and relying on them, has committed disbelief according to the unanimous agreement of the scholars.

The Third and Fourth Nullifier: Holding the polytheists to be believers and believing that some guidance other than that of the Prophet’s is more complete than his guidance – Whoever does not hold the polytheists to be disbelievers, or has doubts about their disbelief or considers their ways and beliefs to be correct, has committed disbelief. Whoever believes that some guidance other than that of the Prophet’s is more complete than his guidance and that someone else’s judgement is better than his judgement, such as those who prefer the judgement of the false-gods over his judgement, then he is a disbeliever.

The Fifth and Sixth Nullifiers: Hating something that the Messenger came with and Mocking anything from the religion. Whoever hates something that the Messenger came with, even though he may act on it, has disbelieved, based on Allāh’s saying:

ذَ‌ٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ

“That is because they disliked what Allāh sent down, so He nullified their (good) deeds.” [Q 47: 9]

Whoever mocks or ridicules any part of the Messenger’s Religion or its rewards or punishments has committed an act of disbelief. The proof for this is Allāh’s statement:

وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ ۚ قُلْ أَبِاللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ

 لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ

“Say: Was it Allāh and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking? Make no excuses, you have disbelieved after having had faith.” [Q 9:65-66] |

The Seventh Nullifier: Learning and practising Magic – Sorcery, which includes magic spells that causes a person to hate (sarf) or love (ʿatf) someone/something. So whoever performs it or is pleased with it being done, has committed disbelief. The proof for this is Allāh’s statement: “And neither of these two (angels) would teach anyone until they had first said to them:

إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ

We are only a trial (for the people), so do not commit disbelief. [Q 2:102]

The Eighth Nullifier: Supporting the Polytheists – Supporting and assisting the polytheists against the Muslims. The proof for this is Allāh’s statement:

وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

“And whoever amongst you takes them (i.e. the disbelievers) as allies and protectors then he is indeed from among them. Verily, Allāh does not guide wrong-doing people.” [Q 5:51]

The Ninth and Tenth Nullifiers: Whoever believes he is free the Sharīʿah & Turning away from the Religion – Whoever believes that it is permitted for some people to be free of (implementing) the Sharīʿah (revealed laws) of Muḥammad (i.e. Islam), then he is a disbeliever, according to Allāh’s statement: “And whoever seeks a Religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him and in the Hereafter, he will be from among the losers.” [Sūrah Āli ʿImrān: 85] Likewise, turning away from Allah’s Religion, not learning it or implementing it (is an act of disbelief). The proof for this is Allāh’s saying:

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ ثُمَّ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا ۚ إِنَّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُنتَقِمُونَ

“And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the āyāt (signs/verses) of his Lord, then turns away from them. Verily, We shall extract retribution from the criminals.” [Q 32: 22]

Conclusion: There is no difference, with regard to committing any of these nullifiers, between the one who commits them out of jest, intentionally or fear, except the one who commits them due to being coerced. All of these ten matters are from the most dangerous and most occurring. So it is upon the Muslim to beware of them and fear from falling into them. We seek refuge in Allah from those things that bring about His Anger and severe Punishment. May the peace and blessing be on the best of His creatures, Muḥammad, his family and companions